This is a sponsored post. TL:DR I’m working with Allwell Greens and receive gifted products for events and content.
I met Judy and John Cari of Allwell Greens through my friend Liza de Guia. Liza produces a tv show called Food. Curated. on NYC Life. She hosted a party to celebrate the release of season 6 at The Woods in Williamsburg. It was a huge community potluck with featured chefs and local businesses. I brought a tray of vegan pancit and steamed persimmon buns. As I browsed two whole rooms full of food, split into sweet and savory; I found small boxes of fresh bok choy. I took one and looked at it quizzically, “What’s this doing here?” John leaned over and said, “Go ahead! Take it home!” And Judy added, ”It’s bok choy from our farm.”
I was surprised to hear about their vertical farm in Long Island City. Allwell Greens exclusively grows sustainable Asian greens! I was so happy to learn about them because I buy a lot of Asian produce and would like to serve locally grown vegetables. John showed me photos of their mini-farm and told me about scientific trials on the resilience of their plants.
At home, I marveled at how long the petit bok choy lasted in the fridge. They were still perky and crisp after 3 weeks! Judy invited me to visit the farm and showed me around. Because they grow everything in a closed system, their crops are pesticide and herbicide-free. Plus, you don’t need to wash the vegetables when you take them home. They are so crisp and flavorful that you can eat them raw in salads. She even let me peek at some experiments for future crops. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Judy and John love to eat at restaurants, too. We have since become great friends and collaborators thanks to our introduction through Liza. I periodically join them for a calm afternoon of harvesting bok choy.
To learn more about Allwell Greens watch their feature on season 6, episode 6 of Food. Curated..
Where do you get Allwell Greens?
As of 4/17/24, you can get Allwell Greens in the NYC area from Farm to People, Umami Cart, Essex Farm at Essex Market, Urban Market, Jubilee Marketplace, Dumbo Market, and Double Green Produce. Stay tuned to their Instagram for updated vendors.
What can you get from Allwell Greens?
Here are the most current offerings from AllwellGreens.com. Pay attention to their social media for specialty harvests and tests for new veggies.
Petite Shanghai Bok Choy 上海苗
The Shanghai Bok Choy has a bulbous light green stem and oval leaves. It is a mild and sweet-tasting vegetable. Shanghai Bok Choy is the most versatile leafy green in Asian greens, great for stir-fries, soups, grilling, and is a great crispy green for salads.
Petite Yu Choy 油菜苗
Yu Choy's literal translation means "oil vegetable" in Chinese. It has a crunchy stalk, oval-shaped leaves and when it blooms there are small edible yellow flowers. Yu Choy has a sweet, green taste similar to baby spinach, with subtle peppery notes. It is great for stir-fries, steaming, and blanching.
Baby White Bok Choy 奶油苗
The delicate leaves are dark green to light green, the stems are a milky white color, crisp, smooth, and wide. Baby White Bok Choy is tender and crunchy with a sweet, mild cabbage-like flavor with a slight mineral note. It is used in stir-fries, soups, and salads.
Petite Gailan (Chinese Broccoli) 芥蘭苗
The stems are pale green, smooth, and crunchy, and the broad blue-green to dark green, waxy leaves are semi-glossy. Our Gailan is harvested while they are young, hence why we call it "petite". Our Gailan will taste sweeter and less bitter than the larger full-grown version.
Water Spinach (Ong Choy) 青空心菜
Water Spinach also known as Kong Xin Cai/Kang Kung Belacan, has become a regular in Asian and Southeast Asian households. The stem is hollow and the leaves are tender, when cooked the crunchiness of the stems complements the soft tender leaves with a crisp clean taste.
What do I make with Allwell Greens?
Here is a running list of dishes I’ve made with Allwell Greens!
Bok Choy Ranch Salad
Crispy loose leaves of bok choy over a yogurt-based ranch dressing with sunflower seeds and watermelon radish.
Yu Choy Cream Cheese Dip
Just like spinach dip! I sauteed and squeezed all the liquid from a box of yu choy. I mixed it with cream cheese and spices for dipping bread and crudites. It could be served cold or warmed up, too.
Shiso Bun Cha
Allwell’s specialty shiso leaves are so big! They’re great for wrapping bbq, but also amazing in raw salads. Here I mixed it with some frisee, spicy microgreens, cucumber, and rice noodles to go with a piquant fish sauce dressing.
FAQ
What is Allwell Greens?
Allwell Greens is a vertical farm located in Long Island City. It was founded by Judy and John Cari. Their goal is to revolutionize the Asian produce business by providing responsibly grown, pesticide-free heritage Asian greens.
What is your relationship with Allwell Greens?
I am an unofficial ambassador for Allwell Greens. I receive gifted products for my events and content.