Artichoke

A flower in what Pablo Neruda describes as “battle-dress”. Steam until the leaves loosen, and dip the petals in butter with a spritz of lemon. Exquisita!

Grey Dog Tea

Red-stem peppermint, lemon balm, lemon thyme, dried Dolce di Minervino pepper flakes and dried Mareko Fana pepper flakes combine into an original tea blend from the Baia Nicchia Farm. The spiciness will lift your hair like the back draft of Zephyr going by. The tea is named after the farm's grey greyhound "Lady Bug", and sips from this tea benefit you and the Greyhound Friends for Life Foundation.

Beets

Beets are a two-fer veggie. One is the fruitful root and two are the leafy greens. They are easiest peeled after roasting or boiling.

Cherry Belle Radish

These radishes are bright red little cherry bombs of zesty radish flavor. They are brilliant served cold or refined sautéed in thyme and butter.

Spinach

Does spinach make you super-duper-strong and your arm mus-kles go "Boing!" like Popeye's? Maybe not, but with 181% daily value of Vitamin K and 56% of daily value of Vitamin A, it is a super food that is sure to make the Sweet Peas in your life go "ga-ga."

Preparation: These tender leaves should ideally be steamed to retain the most nutrients possible. If you boil them, do so no longer than two minutes. To retain color, cook with the lid off. Fresh-cooked spinach reduces down to one-quarter of its volume. To wilt spinach, simply toss washed-and-still-wet leaves into a pan, and heat and shake for a moment ‘til done. Try a sauté by heating a tablespoon of olive oil and stock, adding a little chopped onion and garlic, then tossing in the spinach. Oh, Olive! Baby spinach is ideal for salads, but larger leaves may also be used in hearty salads with a complimentary protein such as eggs, bacon, or tuna.

Storage: Don’t wash spinach before storing as the exposure to water encourages spoilage. Place spinach in a plastic storage bag and gently wrap the bag around the spinach, squeezing out as much of the air as possible. Place in crisper drawer of fridge for up to 5 days.

Celery Root

Celery root or Celeriac is prized for its delicate flavor, not its looks. Use a sharp paring knife to peel. Sliced, julienned or grated, then blanched, reveals what Chef John Ash calls 'the quintessential winter vegetable.'

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