Four Tasty Additions for Your Gardyn: Italian Parsley, Celery, Shiso, and Sorrel

We are excited to announce the launch of four new plant varieties that are bound to take your Gardyn home cooking to tasty new heights. Our team is always testing new plants to try out on your Gardyn, and some of these new varieties made it onto our radar from Gardyner requests. You can now order Italian Parsley, Celery, Shiso, and Sorrel from the Gardyn mobile app.

Italian Parsley

Not to be confused with Curly Leaf varieties, Italian Parsley has bright and flat leaves, and are a staple for home cooking. Italian parsley is usually dried and incorporated into Italian herb blends alongside rosemary, thyme, and oregano. It can be also be used fresh, typically added late to a dish as a final seasoning, garnish, or topping.

Parsley was cultivated since ancient times by Greeks and Romans, but was traditionally used as a medicinal herb and not used in culinary dishes until later. An herb with bright and flat leaves, Parsley contains the flavonoids and terpenes limonene and myristicin, in addition to being high in phosphorus and calcium. It also has been shown to lower your cholesterol levels.

Celery

Celery is primarily cultivated for its stalks, which serve as a staple ingredient across cultures. The French culinary flavor base mirepoix leans on celery as a pillar alongside diced onion and carrot, that has served as a foundation for western soups, stocks, stews, and sauces.

Celery is highest in potassium but also contains significant quantities of sodium and calcium. Photochemically rich in antioxidants and the flavonoid Butylphthalide, celery contains compounds that have shown to help hypertension and exhibit neuroprotective qualities. 

Celery leaves and flowers were part of the ornamental garlands in the tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamen. Beyond culinary uses, Celery seeds also been used since antiquity as medicinal remedies for pain.

Shiso

Shiso is an Asian culinary herb that has been a long standing staple of Chinese herbal medicine. While technically a member of the mint family, Shiso has incredibly broad leaves and a complex flavor that combines savory cumin and nutmeg with lighter herbal notes of mint and anise.

Shiso grows in a structure and style very similar to Basil. Shiso does well in warmer climates and can be a fun summer visitor to your Gardyn! Well adapted to full sun or partial shade, place your Shiso near the perimeter of the Gardyn’s center where it can get moderate to high amounts of light.

Shiso leaves are best used raw and fresh from your Gardyn, and can be substituted for basil or mint in most recipes that call for them. The flavor is complex and has been described as savory, citrusy, and herbaceous.

Sorrel

A popular feature in French cuisine, Sorrel has been used in ancient Europe and Egypt to impart an intense lemon-citrus flavor in dishes. Romans and Greeks historically used sorrel to help digestion after heavy meals. Medicinally it has been used to aid skin conditions, liver conditions, and fever. Sorrel has significant amounts of Vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. 

Sorrel boasts intense flavor! Sorrel traditionally pairs excellently with whitefish, can be used to boost flavor in soups, or is added to salads for bursts of flavor. The flavor is often described as an acidic, refreshing, spinach-like astringency.

Stay Tuned for More Deliciousness

Gardyn offers over 30 varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers, but we are always looking to add more. Many Gardyners take advantage of our seedless yCubes to experiment with varieties we do not currently offer, such as beans, eggplant, cucumbers, and more. We are always inspired by our Gardyners’ ingenuity and get excited to bring even more tasty options to customize their Gardyn experience.

This summer, we released three new herbs for the Gardyn, including Rosemary, Mexican Tarragon, and Sweet Thai Basil. Back in the spring, we introduced five flower varieties. We can’t wait to share the next varieties we are adding to our plant portfolio.

If you have a favorite you would like to be able to order, feel free to let us know at hello@mygardyn.com or on Facebook or Instagram.

Until our next delicious announcement, grow healthy and live tasty.