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Dear Farm Friends,
I often get asked about my favorite vegetable. After 30 years of farming (28 at Mountain Bounty!) I still fumble around trying to answer this one. I’ve never been the kind of person who is sure that I know which color I admire more than the rest (how am I supposed to decide between all the different blues of the ocean or greens of moss and trees?), or what image matters enough to me to get a tattoo of it. But I do very much enjoy temporary tattoos, and certain vegetables definitely shine brighter in their moments of glory.
The truth is, of course, that I love them all. Call me fickle if you like, but at different times, and as they come into their own, each one has so much to offer. I revel in the cherry tomato that’s been left on the vine until its so deep dark red and ripe that it’s almost about to split. Then I split it in my mouth and it explodes with flavor. Or the perfect onion, shiny purple or brilliant white, impossibly round, firm and heavy. A melon, a Little Gem lettuce, I could keep going and make a long list.
But today, I want to give some extra attention to the beauty of the moment, escarole. I love escarole for its own charms, and also perhaps because it is less known and underappreciated. My photos attempt to show it off, but can’t really. After a week of crisp nights, escarole is at its peak beauty right now. And I love to eat it too. Hearty, crunchy, slightly bitter, and also sweet. Coupled with some roasted nuts, fruits of the moment like pears, persimmons, pomegranate, or mandarin, escarole might be the perfect salad green. My favorite vegetable—today.
John Tecklin
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