The fall crop of rice from Lee’s One Fortune Farm is here! While rice is not commonly grown in the Southern Appalachian region, the Lees have tested and expanded their crop over the past few years. Throughout the fall and winter, they have heirloom sweet sticky, brown, purple rice. Find Lee’s One Fortune Farm at Asheville City, Black Mountain, West Asheville, River Arts District, and East Asheville markets. Hear more from how the Lee’s are growing and harvesting rice in an ASAP Growing Local episode from 2019.
This freshly harvested rice has a unique flavor and a satisfying stickiness, which makes a perfect side dish, DIY sushi rolls, mango sticky rice but swapped with local persimmons, and a classic yet comforting congee dish. With plenty of seasonal produce available, you can even skip the raw fish for your sushi. Involve the kids in the kitchen, too! The Lee’s rice is fresh and perishable, so be sure to store it in the fridge or freezer when you get it home.
Congee, also known as jook, is a delicious and savory Chinese rice porridge that is perfect for a filling breakfast or for when you are feeling under the weather. Essentially, you boil your rice for a while so it can release its starches and thickens up to a creamy and silky porridge. It’s a blank canvas too, so you can add whatever flavors you are feeling. To start, bring 8 cups of water or broth to a boil. The Lee’s rice doesn’t need rinsing but if you are using store rice, be sure to rice it first. Once your water is boiling add a cup of rice and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered while stirring occasionally, for about thirty minutes. Chop a knob of ginger, two garlic cloves, and a few scallions (reserving the green tops for garnish). Add your ginger, garlic, and scallions to your rice and continue cooking. When the congee is looking ready, add a tablespoon of soy sauce, a teaspoon of sesame oil, a half teaspoon of pepper, and salt to taste. Garnish with sliced scallion greens and cilantro. You can also add various toppings like J Chong’s Chili Oil or ginger scallion sauce (North Asheville Tailgate Market), a fried egg, shredded chicken or pork, toasted peanuts, and more. Find ginger from the Lees as well as a few other farmers.
Don’t forget that daylight savings this weekend means that a few markets shift their hours. Beginning Tuesday and Wednesday, West Asheville Tailgate Market will short hours to 3:30-5:30pm and River Arts District Tailgate Market to 3-5:30pm.
Late summer and early fall produce continues to mingle on farmers tailgate market tables. You can still get peppers and maybe even the last tomatoes, alongside carrots, apples, and cold-hardy greens like spinach, kale, and arugula and multiple types of winter squash and potatoes. You’ll also find farm-fresh eggs, cheese, bread, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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With SNAP cuts coming tomorrow, our community is rallying to support those who will have gaps in food access. Enlace Latino NC has collected and organized a list of food access points across North Carolina, including Western North Carolina. See their article to learn more.
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