Girl & Dug Farm

Ivory Oca : An Evolution from G&D Next

Something weird happened about 3 years ago at our San Diego farm. Some of our Blush Oca (normally deep red/pink) grew as if they lost their pigments and grew... white. I thought some of that could be environmental, but that didnt explain the annually consistent yields from replanting them and the fact that the original Blush (red/pink) continued to yield their respective type. It's not the Oca-breeding project I had in mind (spoiler, that's coming down the line) but an evolution I'll gladly take.

It's not only a reminder to me of why we set aside up to 20% of our budget for R&D every year, but of what you so graciously support at Girl & Dug Farm.

Contrary to its appearance, oca is not related to crosne. Completely different size, completely dfferent growing habits, and wildly different flavor. Oca begins with a potato-like flavor but with apple-pear notes, almost like baked potato with sour cream. It finishes exceptionally clean and light unlike many potatoes do, and as an added bonus a kick of MSG-like savoriness. As its color (or lackthereof) would suggest, no significant color develops after cooking despite the slightly pink tones in some tubers. The French may call potatoes "apples of the earth" but that title seems far more fitting to these wondrous, versatile little root veggies!

F E A T U R E D P R O D U C T S

Cilantro Blossom

An herb with no need for introduction, dating back over 3,000 years in medical and culinary history. Our particular variety of cilantro blossoms are less pungent and never "soapy" without holding back on full cilantro flavor. Over time the blossoms on the plants yield fresh coriander seeds.

Angelica

Aralia Elata, called "Dureup" in Korea, is a tree found in Korea, Japan ("udo"), and China. More commonly known as Angelica, it grows tender, edible shoots that resemble asparagus in texture and forward flavor, and finishes with a refreshing piney, slightly grassy note. There may be a slightly astringent finish when eaten raw but blanching, peeling the skin, or cooking eliminates it.

Angelica takes its rightful place among a distinctive group of Korean "bom-namul" (literally translated "spring-vegetables"), yielding a small number of shoots from trees that can grow over 12 feet tall in the wild. We continuously harvest them to encourage more shoot to develop while allowing just enough growth to sustain photosynthesis.

The traditional and most common method of preparation is to blanch them and dip them in cho-gochujang, a mix of gochujang with a splash of vinegar chopped garlic + scallions, but don't let tradition stop you from battering and deep frying them!

Squashini®

Crunchy, snappy, unexpectedly sweet "squashy" complexity that other summer squash and zucchinis can't match. Squashini®is a native Korean summer squash grown INSIDE the bag you receive it in. It's not just packaging! It's our patented bag that compresses a football sized squash into the palm of your hand. Literally. The incubating and compression technique concentrates the flavor and nutrition into a squash that's far more flavorful than zucchini, and its denser texture lends well for stewing, grilling, or eating fresh.\Squashini

Quick tip for use:

Slice or julienne raw for salads. Slice thin into circles and quickly pan fry in olive oil, or dip in an egg batter and fry. Cube and sautee or roast with your favorite veggies. Cut and toss into your favorite soup or stew, and the texture will hold instead of dissolving. Slice into long, thin slices and grill them. These have even been sliced pickled to great effect!

Blush Oca

Native to Peru and spanning a seemingly limitless array of colors, oca ("oh-ka") tastes like a baked potato with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkled with MSG. Depending on the color you may get a hint of apple peel (lighter colors) or sweet potato (darker colors). We've spent over 4 years of trial and error as well as heartbreaking crop failures due to heat and other elements to finally be able to share something quite special. No one can be told what oca is, you have to taste and see it for yourself.

Blush oca and similar colored oca have a less dense and lighter texture than golden varieties like our Embers collection. These cook faster and are known for their sour cream + MSG profile compared to other oca.

Check out our entire Oca collection here.