Vegetable lovers, listen up: FreshDirect is excited to launch a new partnership this fall with Row 7, a groundbreaking seed company born from collaboration between plant breeders and chefs. Row 7 was founded on the premise of developing ingredients for flavor, rather than simply for uniformity and yield. Produce grown from their seeds is, simply put, some of the most incredible that we’ve ever tried.
Row 7’s story begins a few years back, when chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill restaurants dared vegetable breeder Michael Mazourek to build a better butternut squash. For Michael, it was the first time that someone had asked him to breed for flavor. For Dan, it was the discovery of a new kind of recipe—one that begins with the seed.
That exchange resulted in the 898 squash, a delicious, single-serving mini-butternut packed with flavor and nutrients. And it led to the founding of a seed company with a mission to change how we eat by fixing how—and what—is grown at scale.
By working together in the field and kitchen, Row 7 creates, tests, tastes and distributes delicious new plant varieties to make an impact in the soil and at the table. Flavor isn’t the only thing that sets their seeds apart: every seed they sell is certified organic, unpatented and produced in the United States.
According to Row 7, breeding for flavor means raising the bar for our diets, bringing more delicious, diverse and nutritious ingredients to the table. And because their seeds are bred and produced for organic systems, their methods create stronger, more resilient plants, capable of thriving without synthetic chemicals.
This fall, FreshDirect is proudly introducing several vegetables grown from Row 7 seeds by local partner farms, including squashes like the 898 and Koginut (which has concentrated sweetness and a velvety texture), as well as the Habanada, a pepper with all of the delicious qualities of a habanero but none of the heat.
You can shop Row 7 produce now on FreshDirect. And for a little inspiration, check out this pickled pepper recipe that you can make with Habanadas.
Pickled Habanada Peppers
Recipe courtesy of Row 7
What You’ll Need:
2¼ cups rice wine vinegar
1¼ cups sugar
¼ cup salt
1 pound Habanada peppers
Toothpick or skewer
What to do:
With a skewer or toothpick, prick each pepper 2 times.
In a small pot, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Place the peppers in a bowl and pour the pickling brine over the peppers. Weight the peppers down with a small plate and allow to cool.
Transfer to a sanitized jar or container fitted with a lid. Pickled peppers will keep for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.