Behind the Box is Harvie’s way of connecting you to the people behind your weekly grocery delivery. This week, meet Mackenzie Nelsen, Product Manager. Her favorite thing about Harvie? “How many different facets of the food system Harvie touches and the community of employees, producers, and members that we are bringing together to tackle food systems issues.”
What is the last thing you ate?
This chopped salad with chickpeas, feta, and avocado from the New York Times (almost 100% Harvie). I highly recommend using the Boltonfeta from Hidden Hills Dairy as it brings so much flavor to the dish. For the croutons, I baked some Mt. Athos Sourdough from Mediterra (although I’m thinking about trying the leftovers with pita chips). I topped everything off with the herbs from my backyard that I got from Mighty Small Farm.
What’s your favorite comfort food, go-to meal, or recipe.
My comfort food is definitely grits (I guess that’s the North Carolina in me). I like to prepare them with two over-easy eggs, some sort of cheese (usually a sharp cheddar), and sriracha hot sauce. There is something so wonderful about breaking the egg yolk and then mixing everything together.
What’s your favorite Harvie product?
I don’t know if I can narrow it down to one product. First and foremost, the veggies from Harvie are SO good. It is crazy how much flavor difference there is between a well-sourced product and something I would just find at the grocery store. I always overload my cart with produce when I’m shopping!
My current short list of non-veggie staples: Goat Rodeo Chevre, Burlap & Barrel Cobanero Chili flakes, Pickled Chef kimchi, and Mediterra’s Parmesean Peppercorn Bread.
What’s your favorite spot in Pittsburgh?
I love all of the parks and trails in Pittsburgh. I live on Mount Washington so my go-to park is Emerald View Park. You can catch me on a Friday night picnicking on the hillside in Grandview Park or Point of View Park with my dog Cocco.
What’s your favorite thing about Harvie/Working for Harvie?
I love how many different facets of the food system that Harvie touches and the community of employees, producers, and members that we are bringing together to tackle food systems issues.
You can see sustainability through someone like Birch Creek Farmery who is pushing the boundaries of sustainable animal production. There is a drive to build a resilient local food economy throughout the supply chain seen through producers like the Pickled Chef or Farmer x Baker who buy their ingredients from local farmers. There is a commitment to working with organizations fighting food insecurity through our partnership with 412 Food Rescue. There is some downright really good food like the Best Ever Granola that just won one of the top food awards in the country.
And most importantly, there is an incredible food culture and community that we are building, elevating, and sharing. I could not be prouder to surround myself with people who are so passionate and driven to redefine something as seemingly mundane as groceries.