Tag: Heirloom vegetables

Dragon tongue beans are an heirloom variety known for their unique purple and yellow streaks, which unfortunately fade when cooked. The best way to eat dragon tongue beans depends on whether you prefer to preserve their vibrant color and fresh crunch or transform them into a savory side dish.

While the orange carrot is a relatively modern invention popularized by Dutch farmers in the 17th century, early wild carrots were commonly white, purple, and yellow. Yes, you can still get white carrots today; they are an ancient heirloom variety with a sweet, mild, and versatile flavor profile.

Before the 16th century, orange carrots were not the norm, and cultivated varieties were more commonly found in shades of yellow and purple. Today, while orange carrots dominate grocery store aisles, their yellow counterparts are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. These different hues signal subtle but important distinctions in both nutritional content and flavor.

The cucamelon, a tiny fruit native to Mexico and Central America, is about the size of a grape but resembles a miniature watermelon. This unique produce item, known by several names including Mexican sour gherkin and mouse melon, offers a surprising cucumber-like flavor with a hint of citrus.

Did you know that despite its deceiving name, strawberry spinach is not a true spinach but a member of the Amaranthaceae family? This intriguing heirloom plant offers two distinct edible parts: the nutrient-packed leaves and the small, red berries.

Carrots were originally purple or white, with the more common orange variety developed later in the 17th century in the Netherlands. Today, the resurgence of heirloom vegetables has many wondering what is special about purple carrots, and their distinction lies in a powerhouse of unique compounds.

While most people associate carrots with the color orange, the first carrots cultivated over 3,000 years ago in ancient Persia were actually purple or white. So, do purple carrots taste different than regular carrots? The answer is a subtle but noticeable yes, with distinct flavor notes and textures that vary by variety.

Native to the Andes mountains in South America for thousands of years, the vibrant purple potato's deep hue is entirely natural. This means that purple potatoes are not genetically modified, and their distinct color is a result of natural plant pigments.

Carrots were originally purple, not orange, with ancient varieties cultivated for centuries in this rich color. This means that the vibrant purple carrots you find today are a link to this history, and yes, you absolutely can eat purple carrot raw.

First introduced in 1952 and awarded an All-America Selections prize, the 'Salad Bowl' variety is a highly regarded lettuce. Its enduring popularity often leads to a common question: **is salad bowl lettuce a leaf lettuce**, or does it belong to a different category? The straightforward answer is yes; Salad Bowl is a classic, loose-leaf lettuce variety, praised for its tender texture and exceptional heat tolerance.