Twenty Bag | Jul 30

In the July 30 Twenty Bag: Personal watermelon, cherry tomatoes, Harvest Moon potatoes, Genovese basil, personal cantaloupe, okra, Italian sweet peppers, sweet onions.

Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farms!

Okra is loaded with nutrients and heart healthy properties so it’s worth your while to add it to your meal plan. My favorite way to use it is in Emerile Legasse’s recipe for classic shrimp gumbo. It helps thicken the rich sauce and kicks up its flavor profile with a dash of Cajun authenticity. Gumbo is the African American word for okra.

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. Potatoes in a cool, DARK place.  Light will cause them to turn green if not used right away.  Cantaloupe and watermelon on the counter or in the fridge.  Basil in a vase of water on the counter, or protected in a plastic bag in the fridge.  Heirloom tomatoes on the counter.  Okra and peppers in a plastic bag in the fridge. Onions on the counter or in the pantry.