Well Hi There, Friends and Fans! It's been a minute since we last chatted. We really should get together more often... Today, Lettuce Chat about microgreens. Yes, in a previous blog post (from April I think?), we discussed the health benefits of microgreens, and how to use them. We also covered the flavor profiles of several of our featured micros. In this installation of microgreens, we will describe six more microgreens that we have added to our line-up in recent months.
As mentioned, we have already covered several microgreens, and gave you a fun little flavor profile associated with each variety. We started with Celery, Carrot, Cucumber, Kale, Cabbage, Broccoli, Asian, Wasabi, Pea shoots, Scallion, Radish, Cilantro, Fennel, and Sunflower. Since then, we have added a few more. So many more that we cannot associate a picture with each one! (The website has it's limitations...) Anyway, lettuce delve in to the remaining six microgreens in our line-up, shall we?!
Dill. Dill is really far from dull. It is the whole reason we have pickles, right? Ok, not really (but it should be). And we've never met a pickle we didn't like! Dill microgreens are full of the bright dill flavor you expect from anything carrying the dill label. I would venture to say that dill microgreens will be perfect in anything that requires that little dill punch. Personally, I was thinking a cucumber and cream cheese sammie, with dill, but I'm short-sighted. Dill would be wonderful for brightening up a holiday dish or anything requiring tang.
Paramount microgreens are the teeny-tiny version of our famous Paramount blend. Long-time Friends and Fans know. The earthy, deep, kale-cabbage-cress finish is mighty full of flavor. Oh how fantastic to finish off your stew, casserole, or robust salad. I so love paramount microgreens, and they need to be lauded more than they have been.
Popcorn. You are reading that right, I said popcorn. Not for the microwave, this one. Popcorn micros have a very complex thing going on. Once you get past the "it looks like I'm eating grass" thing, you bite into a sweet bit of corn. After that sweet corn flavor, it then coats your tongue with that starch that you would expect from scraping down an ear of sweet corn to extract that "milk". It's unlike anything you've had, but not unpleasant at all! We recommend chopping this microgreen up and adding it to a stronger dish, that can stand up to a micro amount of sweet. Don't let the look impede your advancement in microgreens flavor adventures. This popcorn is absolutely worth the adventure!
Purslane is a teensy green and purple-looking microgreen. In the "wild", purslane is commonly found as a weed (like in your sidewalk crack or your garden). Its benefits are lauded as many, (high in oxalates, and so very nutritious!), and caution is urged so as to not mix up purslane with another not-so-good weed. But there is no mistaking ESH purslane and no need to wonder if it's the good one or bad one (it's the good one). Our purslane is the real deal, but its not in your sidewalk crack, and you won't fight it in your garden. It is described as tart and tangy, but not overpowering at all. The Head of Lettuce tastes beets, and it is earthy. We wonder what you taste? You could put purslane micros on anything, and it will go beautifully.
Rainbow Chard (listed on the store as Chard) is a colorful, earthy micro. Rainbow chard is usually found quite large and leafy. We are growing the miniature version of rainbow chard in a hydroponic microgreen machine. I love the colors of the rainbow chard (just look at the beautiful red and yellow stems!), and the earthy chard flavor that you want. For those who love to eat chard cooked, but not raw, please give this one a try. It's just perfect! The colors are fantastic as well!
Shiso is one of those things that I had to research to know anything about. Until we grew it, I had no idea what a Shiso was. Many of you may identify, so lettuce indulge in a quick Shiso lesson. It is a relative of both mint and basil, and looks like a combination of both plants. A quick google search gives us mixed results, indicating that Shiso has a crazy flavor profile that has been described anywhere from mint, basil, cinnamon, cilantro, or cumin, or just plain tangy. Others describe it as similar to mustard, but not as spicy. Some on our staff describe it as "holiday spice-tasting", others get mustard, and I get a mint-basil-oregano flavor. What will your palate pick up? Sushi lovers might recognize the full sized Shiso, as it is common with sushi. I hope that narrows it down!
Now that we have given you the full spectrum of our microgreens offerings, we need to cover one more little question (even if we have covered this before, it deserves the mention) . "Where do I start?" For those who have never had a microgreen before, we always suggest starting with your favorite veggie (carrots, celery, broccoli). That's always a sure hit. Then venture out with your favorite herbs or spices you use (cilantro, dill, etc.), and then expand from there, keeping in mind that the flavors are so bold that a little goes a long way.
Ok then, that sums it up. Microgreens are an interesting little phenomenon, and we love the nutritional value they provide, as well as the full flavor they impart. I don't know what microgreens we will come up with next, but when we do I bet it'll knock you into next week with it's amazing flavor and power-packed health benefits.
Friends and Fans we shall chat again, hopefully sooner than later. If you have any blog topics you'd like to see covered, lettuce know!