Spicy Sprout Blend

Description

What it tastes like

This is the blend for people who find plain alfalfa a little polite. Radish brings a clean peppery
bite, close to fresh horseradish but much gentler, and the clover sits underneath it with a mild
sweetness that keeps the heat in check. The balance is the point. Straight radish sprouts can
overwhelm a delicate sandwich; blended with clover they season it instead.

In the kitchen

Put it on a hamburger. That is the use it was built for, and the peppery note does for a burger
what a slice of raw onion does, without the aftermath. Beyond that: piled on a roast beef or turkey
sandwich, scattered across a green salad that needs waking up, on top of tacos, or over avocado toast
where the pepper plays well against the fat. Add it at the end, off the heat, so it stays crisp.

Keeping them fresh

Fresh sprouts are a living product and they behave like one. Keep them refrigerated, keep them
in their container or something that lets a little air move, and use them within a few days of
opening. Do not leave them sitting on the counter. If a batch starts to smell sour or feels slimy
rather than crisp, it is past its best and belongs in the trash, not in a salad. Rinse under cool
running water before use and drain them well, because water sitting in the bottom of a container
is what shortens their life.

Nutrition, without the hype

Sprouts and microgreens are harvested very young, and if you want the actual research on what that means, Penn State Extension and Utah State University Extension have both published on it. We would rather point you at them than make promises about a sandwich topping. What is fair to say is that this is a low calorie way to put something fresh and crisp on food you were already going to eat.

How they are grown

These sprouts are grown by people who also build the equipment the industry grows on. That is
not a slogan, it is the actual arrangement: International Specialty Supply supplies sprouting seed
worldwide, manufactures the
Sentrex growing and washing equipment in Cookeville,
Tennessee, and grows finished sprouts here as well. Incoming seed lots are sampled and tested before
they ever reach a grow room, and the FDA regulates sprouts as a covered commodity with their own
dedicated rules under
21 CFR part 112, subpart M.

A straight word about raw sprouts

We would rather tell you this ourselves than have you find it somewhere else. Because sprouts are
grown in warm, humid conditions, the FDA notes those same conditions favor bacterial growth, and that
people who are more vulnerable to foodborne illness
“should avoid eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind.” That group includes young children,
older adults, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system. The FDA also notes that
“cooking produce thoroughly kills harmful bacteria and reduces the risk of illness.” You can read the
full guidance on
selecting and serving produce safely. For everyone else,
buy from a grower who tests seed and cleans equipment properly, keep them cold and use them fresh.

Or grow them yourself

Both halves of this blend are easy to grow at home and you can mix your own ratio, which is half the fun. Start with our radish sprout seed and clover sprout seed. If you want a deeper red stem and a stronger bite, look at Rambo radish instead of standard radish.

Where to get them

SunGarden sprouts are grown and shipped from Cookeville, Tennessee. For availability, pack sizes,
retail and foodservice ordering, or to find out who carries them near you, call
(800) 277-7688 or get in touch and a real person will answer.

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