Petite® Sorrel
Estimated Inventory, 4 oz : 2.00
This item was last sold on : 11/16/24
Fresh Origins | Homepage |
Description/Taste
Petite® Sorrel is a slender green with elongated, oval leaves that taper slightly to a curved or pointed tip. The bright green leaves are smooth, flat, pliable, and uniform, with a central midrib notably seen on the underside of the leaf. The leaves are also attached to a short, fleshy pale green stem, contributing to the green’s crisp, succulent, and tender consistency. Petite® Sorrel has a delicate texture with a bright, earthy, and tangy herbal flavor, comprised of sour, citrusy green nuances mixed with subtle acidity.
Seasons/Availability
Petite® Sorrel is available year-round.
Current Facts
Petite® Sorrel is a part of a boutique line of specialty greens produced by Fresh Origins Farm in San Marcos, California, known as Petite® Greens. These greens are more mature than microgreens, harvested approximately 4 to 6 weeks after sowing, but they are gathered before they are fully grown, resulting in small, tender leaves with a robust flavor. Sorrel is an herbaceous perennial, botanically classified as Rumex acetosa, and the greens boast a bright and refreshing lemon-like taste. The name sorrel is derived from the German word “sur” and the French word “surele,” both of which translate to “sour,” perfectly describing the flavor of the spring herb. Fresh Origins currently grows over 125 varieties of Petite® Greens year-round in sprawling, sustainably-minded greenhouses. The individually harvested, tender leaves of Petite® Sorrel are a popular choice with chefs due to their beautiful appearance, uniquely sour flavor, and aroma.
Nutritional Value
Petite® Sorrel is a significant source of vitamin A and vitamin C, an antioxidant vital to the body’s healing process, aiding in the production of blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and collagen in the bones. The greens also contain potassium, a mineral that helps the body balance fluid levels and acts as an electrolyte to prevent dehydration, as well as lower levels of iron, calcium, and magnesium. It is important to note that the vitamins and minerals are found primarily within the leaves and not in the stems of the microgreens. Growing conditions also significantly impact the nutritional content, and Fresh Origins cultivates their microgreens in a natural setting, an ideal climate for healthy, optimal greens.
Applications
The unique flavor profile and stunning presentation of Petite® Sorrel make it ideal as a garnish, fresh bed for grilled meats or vegetables or mixed into salads for added flavor and texture. The delicate greens cannot withstand high heat and should be added at the end of the cooking process or during plating to prevent the leaves from wilting. The greens can be lightly dressed and served in salads or layered into wraps, sandwiches, and burgers. They can also be sprinkled over pasta and pizza, stirred into grain dishes, or served with cured meats like smoked salmon and charcuterie. Petite® Sorrel pairs well with hard-aged cheeses, cream, eggs, fish, caviar, oysters, lentils, potatoes, spinach, onion, shallot, mustard, parsley, tarragon, mint, chervil, and nutmeg. It is recommended to only use a stainless-steel knife when cutting sorrel and to refrain from cooking in metal pots altogether as its high acid content discolors and erodes metal cookware. Petite® Greens will generally keep up to seven days when stored unwashed, dry, and in a container in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Sorrel is incredibly high in vitamin C, the antioxidant that gives food sources their sour flavor, and it has historically been used to treat a number of ailments, including scurvy. Scurvy is a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency seen by the first European explorers of the New World and plagued sailors until the late 18th century. This debilitating and often fatal disease caused horrific bleeding and wounds on those experiencing it as well as immense pain and lethargy. Sailors, who spent years at sea and months between ports, would develop this disease with such regularity that the British navy expected that at least half of every crew sent to the Americas and Asia would perish from scurvy. One such voyage that departed in September of 1740 headed to the Pacific coast of South America was ravaged by the disease, losing almost 70% of its crew. The ships, led by George Anson, were hit with terrible storms once they reached the Pacific Ocean. After three months of being blown off course, the ship was low on food, and the men were dying at a very high rate. Somehow, the ship made it to Juan Fernandez Island, several hundred miles off the Chilean coast. Here the men found plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, including clover, turnip, radishes, wild cress, and sorrel, many of which were high in vitamin C. Although they did not know it at the time, the crew had discovered the only treatment for the disease, a diet rich in vitamin C. The discovery of this cure would not come until 1747, but even then, it would not be widely accepted until the early 20th century, although many sailors began taking oranges and lemons with them on long journeys to help stave off the deadly disease. Today, thanks to quicker travel and the introduction of vitamin C pills, scurvy is now a very rare disease with a known simple cure.
Geography/History
Sorrel is native to Europe and West Asia. The herb is now cultivated in France, Egypt, Europe, and throughout the United States. Petite® Sorrel was developed at Fresh Origins, a farm located in San Marcos, California, the leading producer of naturally grown microgreens since the mid-1990s. Fresh Origins also has the highest level third-party-audited food safety program and is a certified member of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, which follows science-based food safety practices to promote transparency and honesty in production. The temperate climate of southern California allows Fresh Origins to produce their high-quality greens year-round, supplying produce suppliers and chefs directly throughout the United States and Canada.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
Le Coq | La Jolla CA | 858-427-1500 |
Lodge at Torrey Pines Main | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
Seneca | San Diego CA | 619-588-2411 |