Despite what you may have heard, micro greens are NOT just a bunch of tiny leaves. Despite what you may have heard, micro greens are NOT just tiny sprouts or garnishes meant to be sprinkled on french cuisine. If they were, the sprout farmers of the world would be able to charge a whole lot more for their next harvest. No, genuine micro greens are a rare treat, but one that’s becoming more popular as a form of speciality produce among chefs.
Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous growers out there who would really, really like to label their produce as micro greens, also known as MicroGreens or petite greens. In reality, these miniature, edible, delectable plants are incredibly difficult to grow, which is one reason many people have not yet heard of them.
If you run a restaurant, then don’t be taken in by imitators claiming to sell micro greens that don’t deserve the name. They may be small, and they may be green, but that doesn’t make them the real deal. Anyone can sell you a garnish, but only true experts have mastered the cultivation of genuine micro green varieties.
But for restaurants interested in providing a unique culinary experience, micro green varieties pack a surprisingly bold punch of flavor, with all the freshness you’d expect from the finest specialty produce available.
The most popular micro green varieties for fine dining restaurants include micro wasabi plants, micro mustard plants, micro citrus blends, petite spinach, micro cucumbers, and more. In the past 10 years, a number of chefs have begun to experiment with these tiny-but-powerful greens, which can put a delicious exclamation mark on a dish.
So how do you spot genuine petite micro green varieties from the imitation? Micro greens are miniature, young edible greens cultivated from vegetables, herbs and other plants. Usually, they range in size from just 1″ to 1.5″ long from stem to leap tip. A true micro green features a central stem cut just above the soil line, along with just two fully developed cotyledon leaves. Some greens also feature a pair of tiny partially developed leaves.
Don’t settle for anything but the real deal. Even if you get fooled, your taste buds won’t be.
