Kale
At Featherstone, we grow three different types of kale: red, green, and lacinato. While all kale types can generally be used interchangeably in the kitchen, they each have their own unique qualities. I recommend trying each variety throughout the season to see which you personally prefer. Once we start harvesting kale in the early summer, it’s generally available every week until early November. Some years we grow kale in our high tunnels for harvest in December or January.
Lacinato kale has slender leaves with a scale-like appearance, and tends to be a denser kale. These leaves will almost always require “massaging” for raw eating, and they cook down quite a bit, making it easy to throw a whole bunch into your meal. Lacinato kale is prone to pest pressure and is the most difficult type of kale to grow, which you’ll see reflected in the price compared to our other kales.
Green and red kale are the most similar in flavor and texture. They have large, lofty leaves that are curled and frilly, which makes for nice full salads that seem larger than they really are. Green kale is generally what most people picture when they think of kale, and is extremely versatile in the kitchen: great for sauteing, soups, salads, “kale chips,” and more. Red kale adds nice color to fresh salads and is excellent with cabbage in slaws for a beautiful texture and color combination. Recipes often call for a specific type of kale, but each variety is easily interchangeable, so use what you have or what you prefer.
Storage Tips
Do not toss your bunch of kale carelessly in the fridge! It will wilt! Rinse in cool water, shake off access droplets, and store the whole bunch in a container (I like to just wrap it in the large bag that comes in the box). Keep in your fridge for at least a week, though it can sometimes keep for a bit longer. If your kale arrives a bit limp from the journey, simply cut off an inch of the stems and place them in a cold glass of water, like a bouquet of flowers. You can store them in your fridge this way until they perk back up, then transfer to a storage container.
