Behind the Box is Harvie’s way of connecting you to the people behind your weekly grocery delivery. Meet Emily Yanchak, who started as a Harvie member, invested in Harvie’s mission to “deliver healthful food to people while supporting local businesses and sustainable agriculture.”
What is the last thing you ate?
Besides my ever-present mug of Eliza Furnace coffee? For dinner last night I made Mediterranean chicken wraps. I chopped up some Locust Point chicken breast and marinated it in a mix of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and warm spices. I piled that onto Pitaland pitas with some of their plain hoummus, chopped Bolton Feta (seriously, the best feta ever!), and a little salad of the Yarnick’s heirloom tomatoes, English cucumbers, and fresh parsley.
What’s your favorite comfort food, go-to meal, or recipe?
For comfort food, I would have to say pasta. So many of my favorite holiday memories involve delicious smells coming from my Italian-American Grandma’s kitchen. Plus, pasta is so versatile, it’s easy to make into a tasty meal with almost any protein and seasonal veggies. I’m also a big fan of dark chocolate — I keep a bar of something in the 70% cacao range in my desk drawer to nibble on when I need a pick-me-up.
What’s your favorite Harvie product?
Honestly, my favorite thing about getting my groceries from Harvie is the variety! I’m a fairly adventurous eater, so I look forward to trying all the new products as they come in. I often let the weekly features guide my meal planning, and experiment with substituting seasonal vegetables into my favorite recipes. Last week, I made a riff on eggplant parmesan, using slices of celeriac instead. If I had to pick one thing, though, it would probably be the Laurel Hill trout filets. I get them almost every week.
What’s your favorite spot in Pittsburgh?
My favorite spot in Pittsburgh is Frick Park. It’s lovely to have that little bit of nature in the middle of the city and the universities, and the variety of trails is great. If I’m feeling ambitious, I can run on the smaller trails that wind up and down the hillsides, but the main trail through the center of the park is perfect for a stroll with my senior pup.
What’s your favorite thing about working for Harvie?
I applied for a job at Harvie because I was already a member, and invested in the mission to deliver healthful food to people while supporting local businesses and sustainable agriculture. It was a leap for me, coming from larger corporate environments to such a small company. But this is a fantastic team of smart, dedicated folks who continually challenge and support each other to do good work, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.
