Different things motivate different farmers in their work, and there’s usually a multitude of reasons. A big motivator for me is simply my love of food and the pleasure of eating really, really good food. Having access to such a diverse array of produce makes cooking a joy and pushes my culinary boundaries.

Lately when I’ve made something particularly delicious, its because of the fresh herbs I’ve added to the dish. Fresh herbs can completely transform your meal and take it from a bland, lifeless dish to something bright, complex and interesting. Red Dog is pretty unique in that we grow and offer eight different herbs throughout the season. I take full advantage of them and yet there’s still so many different combinations and dishes I have yet to try making.

Something I’ve been loving to make recently that’s easy and quick but packed with flavor is my take on a Thai dish called larb. It’s perfect “larb season” at Red Dog currently because we have pretty much everything you’d want to use for the dish and it’s great for a hot day when you want a dinner with minimal cooking and fresh, light flavors. All you need is a protein, traditionally ground pork, but you could sub ground chicken, tofu or even mushrooms; alliums like shallots or scallions (I’ve been using our green garlic as well); fish sauce; lime; chili flakes; and lots of fresh herbs like mint, cilantro and basil. Cook your protein of choice until just done, take it off the heat, and add all your finely chopped alliums, herbs, and seasonings, and mix it up. I like to eat it in a lettuce leaf (I personally think our green leaf lettuce is the perfect vessel for larb) and add toppings like chopped peanuts, shaved carrot, finely diced cucumber, or sauteed mushrooms. Larb really lends itself to a fridge cleanout, so I pop whatever I happen to have on top too. The dish is a total flavor bomb with a delightful mix of textures and flavors. Try this dish out the next time you make dinner, and think about where you can pack in herbs, fresh or cooked, to your dish, and relish in the divine flavors they bring to the (dinner) table.

~Flynn