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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

We Bet You Have Never Heard of Wasabi Arugula Before! Now You Have, Thanks to Church Brothers! It is Recommended by Whom You Know.

Wasabi Arugula...?!?!  Yes, you heard us correctly.  Peachy Deegan is just not that into Asian anything you might have noticed, and on the extremely rare occasion when she is motivated to eat sushi, the wasabi makes an immediate exit off her plate as it is not invited to the party, not even if it arrives appropriately dressed in a top hat and tails.  However, we quite like our newfound friends, the Church Brothers, and are happy to try fantastic produce from sunny California, especially on a rainy day in New York like today.
We recently met the Church Brothers and highly recommended their Italian greens:

They suggested we try this Wasabi Arugula and we agreed.  At first, it made Peachy's eyes tear up but that was timely as they were already a bit red from what happened in Boston.  She used to live 3 blocks from there on the corner of Newbury and our favorite Boston restaurant, Atlantic Fish company, was right there too.  So, Peachy has been watching the news and eating Wasabi Arugula...and guess, what, she LIKES IT!  It is not overly spicy and it is not like her enemy on the sushi plate.  It is innovative.  It is flavorful.  It will make a grand entrance into your nutrition strategy!  In the top picture you see 
Wasabi Arugula- Toasted Nori, Mango, Avocado, Arare Peanuts, Cucumber and Pickled Ginger Vinaigrette.  
Church Brothers played off the Japanese theme of the wasabi arugula so picked ingredients inspired by sushi preparations- the arare peanuts add a nice crunch to the salad and the sweet-acidity of the pickled ginger vinaigrette balances the spiciness of the wasabi arugula.  And what did Peachy's Pantry Panel have to say?  Read on!!!

I never thought I would fall in love with a green leafy vegetable that I have never heard of before! Wasabi Arugula, might be my new favorite green. This spicy arugula produced by Church Brothers really adds a kick to any salad or meal. The other night, I ran out of broccoli rabe while making a pasta dish with sausage and orechiette, so I used the wasabi arugula instead. I think these greens actually made the dish better than the broccoli rabe! All of my dinner guests agreed! The extra spice and flavor really enhanced the dish. Next time I make it, I'll forget the broccoli rabe altogether and bring on the wasabi arugula! 
In the world of produce, there are greens and there are GREENS! Church Brothers Wasabi Arugula definitely falls in the latter category. Church Brothers is a family owned and operated farm in Salinas, CA, and the care with which they grow, harvest, process and ship their products simply cannot be matched. They are in charge of every step of the process - there is no outsourcing to third parties - so they are able to ensure the highest level of quality for all of their products. I am a big arugula fan (it's my favorite green!), and I have to say, the Church Brothers Wasabi Arugula is the best I've ever tasted. Arugula is naturally a strong flavored green, with a bitter quality and a bit of spice, making it a great addition to any meal. This arugula, though, far surpassed any arugula I've ever tasted, in terms of aroma and concentration of flavor. I topped it with grilled chicken, shaved Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and it was one of the most satisfying salads I've ever tasted! If you are an arugula fan, the Church Brothers Wasabi Arugula is an absolute must-have! 
I’m going to Church, and savoring every moment! Church Brothers, a family owned and operated enterprise in Salinas has the best greens I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. Hands down. This Wasabi Arugula mix gives just a bite of the spicy, and mixes really beautifully with other greens. Use this as the base for a salad, with a light vinaigrette and say a prayer for your health. Your body will love you, as your mouth takes bite after bite of tender, luscious flavor. For those of you not in love with the idea of naked salad per se, these may be just the ticket to a mind changing moment. Wasabi is not in the greens, but there’s a leaf called wasabi arugula. How they have developed it, I have no idea, but it’s a brilliant coup. Vegetarians will rejoice, and vegans will be made happier by the bite-ful. I’m praying to the gods of greens that Church Brothers start shipping to a local purveyor, and I can buy them on a regular basis.
The Church Brothers Wasabi Arugula was a marvelous jump start for my sad, bored taste buds.
Because they have such a power to them, my thought was to embellish that with sweet, texture, and some mellow pan-fried trout. I used diced, cold Gala apples, heated orange triangles, baked oatmeal flakes and barley sticks, light almond-infused dressing, and a dollop of stone-ground honey mustard. 

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Know Your Food, Know Your Farmer! 



Church Brothers, LLC is a family owned and operated farming company in Salinas, California. Tom & Steve Church grew up in the Salinas Valley and actively became involved in farming during the sixties. Today we farm over 30,000 acres annually and we service customers throughout North America. We grow, ship and process Iceberg, Romaine, Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Butter Leaf, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celery, Spring Mix, Spinach, Arugula, Green Onions, Cilantro, Parsley, Kale and many other products seasonally in California, Arizona and Mexico. Operating under the Church Brothers’ umbrella today are its own Farming, Harvesting, Processing, Food Safety and Trucking entities that will secure the safest and highest quality produce year-round. By controlling all factors of production, from field to fork, we can implement fully integrated traceability and quality assurance systems in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The increasing number of acres we farm throughout California, Arizona and Mexico allows us to span production, taking advantage of different climatic and other growing conditions to ensure year round supply, quality and food safety. Fair mindedness, a hard work ethic, and a roll up your sleeves and get down to business dedication have been the cornerstone for Church Brothers Produce. Tom and Steve have passed these qualities on to the next generation to ensure that Church Brothers continues to prosper for generations to come.

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