• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Shop Local, Eat Fresh at the Saratoga Farmers' Market | Food, Crafts, Music in Saratoga Springs

Shop Local, Eat Fresh

  • Markets
    • Our Markets
    • Market Maps
  • Vendors
    • Vendor Directory
    • Becoming a Vendor
  • Shop Online
  • About Us
    • SFM Association
    • History
  • Programs
    • SNAP/EBT & FMNP
    • POP Club for Kids
    • Community Partnerships
    • Summer Internships
  • Get Involved
  • News
    • Featured Article
    • Seasonal Recipes
    • Weekly Newsletter
  • FAQ
  • Contact us
    • Message us!

Local Farmers Creating a Niche for Kohlrabi

March 27, 2017 By marketeditor

 

By Mary Peryea

Kohlrabi – that knobby looking, bulbous green vegetable – is beginning to gain a footing at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

I first spotted this vegetable at a summer market up north several years ago. More recently, Paul Arnold of Pleasant Valley Farm gave me a crash course on this vegetable.

Arnold, who is an amazing source of information on all things vegetable, described kohlrabi as a member of the Brassica family. That means it is related to cabbage, broccoli, and kale. It is popular in German and eastern European cuisine, as well as Indian cooking, especially in the mountainous Kashmir region. Arnold said it is the number two vegetable for storage, topped only by celeriac.

Gomez Veggie Ville by Pattie Garrett
Gomez Veggie Ville
Photo by Pattie Garrett

Translated from German, kohlrabi means cabbage-turnip and it has a flavor similar to those vegetables, but milder and sweeter than either. It is rich in fiber, as well as Vitamins A and C. There are two main varieties, one a deep purple and the other a vibrant green. Both have a sweet and crisp flesh that is either white or pale green in color.

Arnold plants kohlrabi in July and harvests it in November. He says it is hardy with few insects attacking it. The storage type that he grows lends itself well to sale at winter markets. While it resembles a root vegetable, kohlrabi grows above the ground, with a stem that swells to a turnip-shape and leaves growing off the bulb. The leaves are also edible.

When choosing your kohlrabi, look for a firm spherical bulb with no brown spots or spongy bits. There may be white slashes where the leaves have been removed for storage of the bulb.

Kohlrabi can be eaten raw in salads or slaws, or cooked in a variety of ways. Arnold likes his steamed and added to a white sauce flavored with a little nutmeg. I roasted mine with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and it was delicious. My husband, a confirmed “vege-phobe,” tried it but passed on more than a small spoonful. Maybe next time I’ll try the cream sauce to see if that goes over better.

Visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Baths Building in the Saratoga Spa State Park. The market begins its outdoor season May 3 at High Rock Park, when it operates from 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.


Kohlrabi

Roasted kohlrabi, carrots and parsnips

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 kohlrabi, ends and knobs trimmed, and sliced into chunks
1 parsnip, peeled, and sliced into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
2 Tbsp canola oil
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
pinch salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5-6 Italian parsley sprigs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.
Place all ingredients in a roasting pan. Add oil and garlic and toss to coat.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown and tender when pierced with a knife.
Turn several times during cooking.
Add salt and pepper and serve garnished with parsley.

 

 

Filed Under: Featured Article, News Tagged With: Fruit & Vegetable Facts, Saratoga Farmers' Market Recipes, Saratoga Indoor Farmers' Market

Reader Interactions

Before Footer

Instagram

TGIF! We've got the perfect cure for an exhausting TGIF! We've got the perfect cure for an exhausting week: grab ready-to-eat meals to munch on this weekend while shopping for your groceries to meal prep for next week. (Pro tip: Petra's pita pockets never disappoint. 😉) Stop by the market this Saturday, 9:30am - 1:30pm at the Wilton Mall food court!
.
.
.
#farmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket #saratogasprings #saratogany #saratoga #518 #capitalregion #shoplocal #knowyourfarmer #pita
Reminder to place your online orders by Thursday a Reminder to place your online orders by Thursday at 9 pm for curbside pickup this Saturday. Here’s a recent haul with a great variety of fresh produce and goods!

New this week: Ready to eat meals from My Dacha Slovenian Café (perogies, stuffed cabbage, sweet crepes & much more)

Just click the link in our bio to place your order! 
.
.
.
#saratogafarmersmarket #farmersmarket #curbsidepickup #saratoga #localline #knowyourfarmer #shoplocal #farmersmarketfinds #farmersmarkethaul  #518eats
Happy National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day! Here a Happy National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day! Here are a few of our favorite peanut butter products from around the market:

🥜Assorted Peanut Butters- Saratoga Peanut Butter Company
🥜Roasted Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies- The Chocolate Spoon 
🥜PB Cookie Cups Organic Dog Treats- Mugzy’s Barkery 
 
Online preordering for curbside pickup this Saturday opens tonight at 9 pm, be sure to stock up on these tasty treats and more! Just click the “Shop Now” button on our page.
 
What’s your favorite peanut butter product from the market? Let us know in the comments! 
.
.
.
#saratogafarmersmarket #farmersmarket #saratogany  #upstateny #saratogasprings #peanutbutter #peanuterbutterlovers #peanutbutterloversday #518eats #farmersmarketfinds
Have you tried any of @nettlemeadowfarm's newest S Have you tried any of @nettlemeadowfarm's newest Schroon Moon spreadable cow's cheeses yet? Go for savory or sweet with 5 different flavors. Pick some up at this Saturday's market - we'll be open 9:30am - 1:30pm at the Wilton Mall food court!
.
.
.
#farmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket #saratogasprings #saratogany #wilton #518 #518eats #farmfresh #nofarmsnofood #dairy #cheese

Footer

With support from our friends at:

Copyright © 2021 · Saratoga Farmers Market · Design by REACH CREATIVE

    COVID-19: Check our latest Safety Guidelines!
  • Markets
    • Our Markets
    • Market Maps
  • Vendors
    • Vendor Directory
    • Becoming a Vendor
  • Shop Online
  • About Us
    • SFM Association
    • History
  • Programs
    • SNAP/EBT & FMNP
    • POP Club for Kids
    • Community Partnerships
    • Summer Internships
  • Get Involved
  • News
    • Featured Article
    • Seasonal Recipes
    • Weekly Newsletter
  • FAQ
  • Contact us
    • Message us!