From powder to pie

Pumpkin powder is pumpkin with nearly all the water removed. Add the water back and you have purée. Leave it out and it works as a concentrated flavor and color booster.

How to make purée

1. Measure the powder into a bowl.
2. Whisk in hot water a little at a time. Start with about 1½ cups of water for ½ cup of powder.
3. Let it rest 10 to 15 minutes to fully rehydrate and thicken.
4. Add more water a spoonful at a time until it matches canned purée.

Use it straight from the bag

Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons. In baking, you can swap a few tablespoons of flour for powder and add a splash of extra liquid.

A can of paste, without the can

Tomato powder is concentrated tomato flavor. Mix only what you need, so there’s never another half-used can of paste in the fridge.

How to rehydrate

1. Use hot water. Cold water doesn’t rehydrate as well.
2. Whisk right away to prevent lumps.
3. Let it rest about 5 minutes. It thickens as it sits.
4. Taste and adjust. A pinch of salt, sugar or a little acid brightens it up.

Use it straight from the bag

Bring the heat, gradually

Our pepper products range from sweet to seriously hot. Each pepper’s heat is listed in its variety profile, in Scoville heat units (SHU).

Getting the amount right

• Start with about ¼ teaspoon, taste, then add more. You can always add heat, but you can’t take it out.
• Heat builds as a dish simmers, so taste again before serving.
• Warm flakes in a little oil for 30 seconds before adding other ingredients. It wakes up the flavor.

Keep the color bright

Light and heat fade red pepper powders over time. Store them away from the stove and out of sunlight for the best color and flavor.

Crisp from the bag, ready for the kitchen

Snack straight from the bag

Freeze-dried fruit is light and crisp. Eat it as is, toss it into cereal or yogurt, or pack it for the trail.

Rehydrate

1. Cover with water: cool water for fruit, warm water for vegetables.
2. Soak 5 to 15 minutes, until tender.
3. Drain and use like fresh or frozen.

For soups, stews and casseroles, skip the soak and add freeze-dried vegetables straight in with a little extra liquid.

Crush it

Blitz freeze-dried berries into a powder to color and flavor frosting, whipped cream, smoothies or yogurt.

What they are, and what to do with them

Some of our bags include one or two small packets. They’re there to protect the food. Both are food-safe, but neither is food.

Dry, dark and sealed

• Press out the air and reseal the bag tightly every time.
• Store in a cool, dark, dry cupboard, away from the stove and dishwasher.
• Use a dry spoon. Moisture is the enemy of powders.
• Skip the fridge. Moving dried foods in and out of the cold causes condensation, which leads to clumping and lost crunch. A cool, dark cupboard is best for bags, jars and shakers alike.
• No need to repackage. Our resealable bags are the best home for the contents, so just press out the air and zip it closed.

From our trays to your garden

Harden them off

Seedlings need a week or so to adjust to sun, wind and cool nights.

1. Day 1: set them outside for an hour or two in shade.
2. Over 7 to 10 days, gradually add time and sun.
3. Bring them in on cold or very windy nights.
4. Keep them watered. Small pots dry out fast outdoors.

When to plant in Michigan

It depends on the crop. Our seedlings come in two groups.

Planting tips

• Tomatoes: plant deep, burying the stem up to the first set of leaves. Roots grow all along the buried stem.
• Peppers: plant at the same depth as the pot, in a warm, sunny spot.
• Broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts: plant at the same depth or slightly deeper, and give them room. A light row cover protects them from late frost and cabbage worms.
• Water in well after planting, then mulch to hold moisture.
• Plant on a cloudy day or in the evening to reduce transplant stress.