Taste and texture of vegetables.

Taste and texture of vegetables.

Did you ever wonder why arugula is sometimes mildly nutty and spicy and sometimes bitter and intensely hot?

This can be the result of the age of the arugula.  But, most often it is the weather. 

Temperature and moisture are almost always the factor behind taste and texture of produce.  Now I am not picking on arugula.  This is also the case with radishes, turnips, lettuces and most greens.

Dry conditions or lack of moisture actually makes the juices of a plant more concentrated.  This is why berries are sweeter in a drier season and medicinal herbs are more potent in the desert.  However, greens that do not favor dry / hot conditions will usually become tougher and bitterer.  Greens are also more stressed in a hot / dry condition and are therefore more susceptible to insect damage.  Which is why arugula usually has more holes in the summer. 

Wet conditions are better for greens but make berries more tart.  It also makes tomatoes mushy and less tasty.  And cold conditions will really ruin the flavor of a tomato.  A cold night in the field for a tomato is like storing it in the refrigerator. 

Freezing temperatures in most hardy greens and roots will concentrate the sugar in the plant and make them sweeter.  However, frost will stress more tender greens such as lettuce and mustard greens and make them more bitter or spicier. 

We try our best to keep our greens watered well in the heat and not to water our berries and tomatoes much at all.  But, we are always dependent on Mother Nature. 

Did you know also that the sweetness or sugar content in plant tissue is directly correlated to mineral content?  The fact is that if your plant has a good mineral content it will be sweeter and will store longer.  This is why we are striving for nutrient dense produce.  I am always searching for the sweet flavors in the garden.

A friend came to the farm about a month ago to test the sugar / mineral levels in our strawberries.  He was testing several locations in the area.  Our strawberries tested the highest in sugar / mineral content.  However, how do we do that again next year?  If we have a rainy winter and spring we will most likely have a less sweet berry.  These are the exciting challenges of farming.