Twenty Bag | Sep 12

In the Sep 12 Twenty Bag: OG curly kale and OG Mountain Tomatoes from Tendwell Farm, Asheville, NC, butternut squash from Rosebank Farms, Johns Island, baby eggplant mix, fingerling potatoes, Italian sweet peppers, Honeycrisp apples from Lively Orchards in Hendersonville, NC, squash and zucchini.

Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farms!

Thrilled to see kale rotating back in season. I’ve been missing it in my nightly green salad. So simple to throw together—just give the greens a fine chop to help them tenderize. Drizzle them with a good balsamic vinegar and allow to macerate in the fridge while you prep dinner. Finally, toss with more greens—I like romaine and arugula—sprinkle with chopped walnuts and Italian sweet pepper to taste, good olive oil and kosher salt and a grind of fresh pepper.

Another way to go: Turn the kale into a nutrient rich dish by pairing it with the Bag’s butternut squash and toasted walnuts as in this hearty pasta recipe from Saveur.

As the tomato season slowly comes to a close, consider combining these Mountain giants with the Bag’s eggplant, squash and sweet peppers in a big batch of ratatouille from the kitchen of farm to table pioneer Alice Waters.

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 or herbs 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. Kale, eggplant, peppers, squash, and apples in the fridge in a plastic bag, kale especially so that it doesn't dry out.  Potatoes in a cool, DARK place, otherwise they'll turn green in the light.  Tomatoes and butternut squash on the counter.