I don’t often cook with mustard greens. Like collards, I often see them in the store and bypass them for the kale and chard. But I love their peppery bite, particularly this beautiful red variety that I found at the farmers’ market. Surprisingly, given its spiciness, the kids were into it.
ME: What is this guys?
LAUREN: Mustard greens.
ME: YES!
SAM: Mustard greens?
ME: Yeah. What does it look like to you?
SAM: Looks like leaves.
ME: [to Emma] Here. Ssssh. Don’t get upset. Ok. Guys, we’re not playing tic-tac-toe right now.
LAUREN: You’re X and I’m O.
ME: Ok, we’re going to put those down for a second. Ok. Guys, I’m sad that nobody’s listening to the mystery food conversation. Who wants to smell it?
EMMA: Me.
LAUREN: It smells like mustard.
ME: Here, I’m going to smell it with you guys.
EMMA: It’s mustard greens.
ME: Yeah, it is mustard greens.
SAM: One of the leaves is curling up right now.
ME: Sometimes you can break it in half right in front of your nose and you can even smell it better that way. Watch this…..What does it smell like?
LAUREN: Mustard still.
SAM: This tastes like leaves.
ME: It does taste like a leaf, doesn’t it?
LAUREN: Oh, yeah. Oh my God it really tastes like —
SAM: I’m only tasting it a little bit.
ME: What do you think?
LAUREN: The inside tastes good.
EMMA: I can’t break it.
SAM: Not bad.
ME: Not bad?
EMMA: I can’t break it.
ME: Yeah? You sound surprised by that. Are you surprised?
LAUREN: It tastes like mustard.
ME: I’m asking Sam if he’s surprised by the fact that he likes it.
SAM: Ummm, yeah.
ME: Did you think you were not going to like it?
SAM: I was tasting the leaf.
ME: Yes, you were.
SAM: Not this part.
ME: That part is called what? What is this part called?
SAM: The stem.
ME: Yeah. The stem and the leaf. Both kind of taste good to me I think. What do you guys think, should we get this again?
SAM/LAUREN: [nodding yes]
ME: Yeah? Emma, do you like it?
EMMA: No.
ME: Here, do you want to try? It is a little bit spicy, isn’t it? The stem is actually a little spicy.
SAM: [coughing]
ME: What, spicy? What’s wrong?
SAM: It got stuck in my throat.
ME: What did?
SAM: The leaf.
ME: Yes. Two yeses and a no, that’s pretty good. Ok. Good job guys.
LAUREN: Let’s play tic-tac-toe, Sam.
I discovered these at the farmers market as well! They are so yummy on a sandwich or in a salad, adding that great peppery bite! Love to hear that your children enjoy them as well!
Yes, aren’t they fab? I found them in micro green format in our local market too, will be eating these all summer. Enjoy them!
Go Sam! Fun thing to tryout. I never really think of getting them but I love mustard so I should give them a go!
Yeah, they’re super spicy so I don’t know why the kids liked them, but they’re great- kind of like arugula with that peppery bite.
Interesting… Do they sell these at typical grocery stores? I’ve never seen these.
I have a store that carries them, but you’re probably more likely to find them at a farmer’s market if yours is more of a big box market like A&P–my local store is teeny (and a little bit pretentious 😉 so they carry things like this)