Twenty Bag | Aug 10

In the August 10 Twenty Bag: Baby watermelon, russet potatoes, OG blueberries from Coosaw Farms on St. Helena Island, SC, basil, Italian sweet peppers, Shishito peppers, baby Italian eggplant, leeks.

Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farm!

And thanks for all the varieties of potatoes the farm has planted for us the past few seasons—fingerlings, gold, multi-colored—and now russet. Each variety has a specific quality.

“Potatoes fall into three basic categories: starchy, waxy, and those in between (which are referred to as all-purpose),” says Sara Kate Gillingham of The Kitchn, “The trick is knowing which potato works best in which circumstance.”

The Kitchn team put together an excellent user’s guide to the humble spud. In it, they break down which potato is best for baking, boiling, roasting, and more. And people, it’s illustrated!

This recipe blending the flavors of the potato and rich red peppers into a hearty soup specifically calls for russets. I found the ultimate how-to for baking a russet (AKA Idaho potato) posted by Daniel Gritzer on the Serious Eats site.

Poking around the web for an interesting take on the South Carolina watermelon, I found this amazing story about the world’s sweetest, grown right here in our state.

For more ideas, a quick search of sweetgrass + grits will take you to plenty more recipes—all curated with an eye toward the weekly Twenty Bag harvest.

Harleston’s storage tips: If greens of any kind begin to wilt at any point or at pick up, put them in a big bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes.  Almost all produce is washed and should go in the refrigerator. Watermelon, peppers, eggplant, shishitos, leeks, and blueberries in the fridge.  Basil in a small vase of water, or well protected in the fridge.  Potatoes in a cool, dark place or they will turn green.