We officially had our first hard frost last week, so we made sure to harvest all of our cold-sensitive crops, including the final batch of sweet peppers. We have an abundance of green peppers right now and they're the last of the season, so get them while you can! Peppers are also really easy to freeze, so stock up if you'd like to savor some [green goodness] during the colder months ahead.
When the temperatures drop and frost hits, only the heartiest vegetables are equipped to survive. Some plants (like those in the brassica and chicory families) have the ability to convert some of their starch stores into sugar. They do this to keep the water in their cells from freezing. So the adaptation that keeps them from dying in the cold also makes them even more delicious!
The radicchio and dandelion greens featured in your shares this week are all standouts. They certainly are superstars with their long shelf life, bold flavor and [powerhouse] of nutrition. Dandelion greens are wonderful when wilted into a recipe like this braised white bean soup with parmesan. We also have two varieties of radicchio this week: the ruby red variety is bold and beautiful, delicious when chopped into salads or roasted with balsamic vinegar. The green "sugarloaf" variety has a softer taste, [and can be enjoyed both raw or cooked].
