Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Grower
One of the most heat-tolerant greens, Golden Swiss chard is best grown for harvest in summer and can be continually harvested to the first frost of the season.
Golden Swiss chard is a hardy biennial of the genus Beta vulgaris. Plant pigments are responsible for Golden Swiss chard's vibrant colors, those pigments are essentially survival tactics and the visual cue of photosynthesis at work. The vivid pigments attract insects and bees to encourage pollination. Golden Swiss chard plant leaves contain varying amounts of chlorophyll, carotene, xanthophylls and anthocyanin. The green coloring is representative of high levels of chlorophyll. The stems support the leaves to absorb energy by gathering wavelengths of light not readily absorbed by chlorophyll. Their yellow coloring is due to the content of the carotenoid, lutein, which is synthesized only by plants, specifically leafy vegetables. Lutein is employed by animals, thus it can also be found in the yolks of eggs.
Golden Swiss chard is distinguished by its vivid sun-colored petioles that bolt upward into crinkly wavy and savoyed emerald green leaves. Its leaves have a chewy and juicy texture, as they retains high levels of water. Their flavor is reflective of their genus, slightly beet-like, earthy and mild. The stems are fibrous and often bitter, thus best suited to cooking.
Golden Swiss chard is known to be a nutritional powerhouse vegetable packed with vitamins, nutrients and health benefits. Golden Swiss chard contains high levels of vitamins C, K, E, beta-carotene and the minerals manganese and zinc. As noted, it also contains lutein, which is a natural occurring antioxidant. Lutein works as an antioxidant to reduce the damage done by free radicals. Scientific studies have shown lutein can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and increase heart health. Lutein can also increase sharp central vision. The only definitive side effect of excess lutein consumption is bronzing of the skin.
Golden Swiss chard can be served raw or cooked. It can be sauteed, blanched, stewed, baked, even grilled. It can be added to salads, pastas, pizza, bruschetta, gratins and soups. The chard stems are edible and add texture and flavor to the dishes they’re cooked into. Save the stems for braising, stewing and soups. Complimentary ingredient pairings include citrus, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, chickpeas, white beans, potatoes, aged and melting cheeses, cream, mushrooms, bacon, fennel and herbs such as basil, tarragon and chervil.
As its genus, Beta vulgaris, suggests, chard is, in fact, a beet that has been chosen for leaf production at the expense of root formation. All chard varieties are descendents of the sea beet (B. maritima), a wild seashore plant found growing along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Europe and North Africa. Golden Swiss chard is French in origin and it is one of the rarest chards on the market today. It is often grown as an ornamental green in edible gardens.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Golden Swiss Chard. One
is easiest, three is harder.
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Seasons/Availability
One of the most heat-tolerant greens, Golden Swiss chard is best grown for harvest in summer and can be continually harvested to the first frost of the season.
Current Facts
Golden Swiss chard is a hardy biennial of the genus Beta vulgaris. Plant pigments are responsible for Golden Swiss chard's vibrant colors, those pigments are essentially survival tactics and the visual cue of photosynthesis at work. The vivid pigments attract insects and bees to encourage pollination. Golden Swiss chard plant leaves contain varying amounts of chlorophyll, carotene, xanthophylls and anthocyanin. The green coloring is representative of high levels of chlorophyll. The stems support the leaves to absorb energy by gathering wavelengths of light not readily absorbed by chlorophyll. Their yellow coloring is due to the content of the carotenoid, lutein, which is synthesized only by plants, specifically leafy vegetables. Lutein is employed by animals, thus it can also be found in the yolks of eggs.
Description/Taste
Golden Swiss chard is distinguished by its vivid sun-colored petioles that bolt upward into crinkly wavy and savoyed emerald green leaves. Its leaves have a chewy and juicy texture, as they retains high levels of water. Their flavor is reflective of their genus, slightly beet-like, earthy and mild. The stems are fibrous and often bitter, thus best suited to cooking.
Nutritional Value
Golden Swiss chard is known to be a nutritional powerhouse vegetable packed with vitamins, nutrients and health benefits. Golden Swiss chard contains high levels of vitamins C, K, E, beta-carotene and the minerals manganese and zinc. As noted, it also contains lutein, which is a natural occurring antioxidant. Lutein works as an antioxidant to reduce the damage done by free radicals. Scientific studies have shown lutein can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and increase heart health. Lutein can also increase sharp central vision. The only definitive side effect of excess lutein consumption is bronzing of the skin.
Applications
Golden Swiss chard can be served raw or cooked. It can be sauteed, blanched, stewed, baked, even grilled. It can be added to salads, pastas, pizza, bruschetta, gratins and soups. The chard stems are edible and add texture and flavor to the dishes they’re cooked into. Save the stems for braising, stewing and soups. Complimentary ingredient pairings include citrus, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, chickpeas, white beans, potatoes, aged and melting cheeses, cream, mushrooms, bacon, fennel and herbs such as basil, tarragon and chervil.
Geography/History
As its genus, Beta vulgaris, suggests, chard is, in fact, a beet that has been chosen for leaf production at the expense of root formation. All chard varieties are descendents of the sea beet (B. maritima), a wild seashore plant found growing along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Europe and North Africa. Golden Swiss chard is French in origin and it is one of the rarest chards on the market today. It is often grown as an ornamental green in edible gardens.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Golden Swiss Chard. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Farmgirl Fare |
|
Hot Swiss Chard Artichoke Dip |
