Wild Huckleberries are quite similar to Blueberries, but have a tougher skin and hard internal seeds. They are small but mighty and every berry packs a flavorful punch. Their flavor is sharper than that of Blueberries, but they can be eaten and cooked in exactly the same ways. Prized for jams, jellies and baking (muffins,…
The Bing Cherry is a sweet Cherry, in fact one of the most common variety of sweet Cherry in the United States. These Cherries are large and plump with dark skin. They travel well because of their firm texture and strong skin. They are very sweet with good acid, these Cherries Brix 32.4!
The Rainier, a combination of the Bing and Van cherry varieties, is light cream to golden colored with a pink to red blush. The most precious of cherry varieties, its flesh is sweet and delicate with a colorless juice. Like most fresh fruit, Ranier Cherries can be bagged and frozen for several months. Pit and…
Our grower harvests ripe Satsuma Mandarins, peels them and slices them into 1/4- to 1/2-inch wheels. Then he dries them, and voila! The result is a high sugar, high acid, crispy, crunchy dried fruit that is the single most addictive fruit product we’ve found. Dry Satsuma Mandarins are like citrus popcorn…and once you start eating…
Long considered an autumn fruit, Pomegranates make their entrance in late summer, thanks to the early Granada variety. These early pomegranates are historically a little light in exterior color. Early Wonderfuls will make their appearance by the beginning of September, and by the middle of October, the Wonderful variety will be available and we will…
Rambutans are related to lychees and are sometimes known as " hairy lychees" . Originally from Malaysia but now grown in tropical Central America and Southeast Asia, they are larger than lychees (about 2 inches in diameter) and look quite different, but have a similar texture. The taste is similar too, but slightly sharper. To…
Passion Fruit is a subtropical fruit native to Brazil, and is named after the flowers’ resemblance to the crown of thrones worn during Christ’s crucifixion. The fruit is an oval shape that grows from the size of a large egg to a small lemon. The skin is a leathery, dark purple color and is perfectly…
Rhubarb is an herbaceous perennial with long, fleshy stems supporting large, toxic leaves. Although usually considered a vegetable, in 1947 a New York court decided that since it is used as fruit, it should be counted as a fruit for tax purposes. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook recommends we cut Rhubarb into 3- to 4-inch…
Also known as Tree Tomato and Arbol de Tomate, the Tamarillo is a subtropical fruit generally believed to be native to the Andes of Peru and probably also Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia. It is cultivated and naturalized in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia and Venezuela, and is widely grown in New Zealand as a commercial crop. Each…
Though the green color is far from typical, Apple Green Eggplant has an outstanding, creamy, soufflé -like texture and great flavor. This is our very most favorite Eggplant!
Grown on a small, family farm in Ventura County, California, Baby Arrowhead Spinach is our favorite Spinach for salads. Why? It’ s all about the flavor. Baby Arrowhead Spinach flavor starts out typically green and spinachy but its finish is quite rich with distinct notes of toasted nut. The lovely, unusual shape of the leaves…
These baby beets are unique thanks to their gorgeous tops! Unlike regular Baby Red Beets, these little gems have tops with rich, dark red color. Beautiful braised or sauté ed. Grown in Los Angeles County.
Forono Beets are an heirloom variety with rich, dark red flesh and the lowest fiber content of all the beet varieties. Their smooth, creamy flesh is very sweet, and their unique shape screams ‘ Slice me into lovely, shiny medallions’ . May we quote Tom Robbins: ‘The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The…
We love these little chokes! The offshoots of an Artichoke variety developed here in Southern California, Baby Purple Artichokes have a more intense, nuttier flavor than their Green Globe cousins. They also cook faster. Our farmer developed this variety, Fiesole, in 2004 from traditional European varieties such as French ‘ Violet de Provence’ and Italian…
Black-eyed Peas (Cowpeas, Crowder Peas, Black-eyed Beans) have long been popular in the South, thanks to their sweet and mild, rather earthy, flavor. They are small and greenish-beige (beige when dried) with a brown circular ‘ eye’ at their inner curve. Black-eyed Peas are traditionally partnered with rice and with greens and are the featured…
The Sweet Corn grown in the Brentwood area of California’s Sacramento River Delta is the best tasting, sweetest Corn we’ ve found. Known as Brentwood Corn, this product has the well-deserved reputation across the country as the benchmark against which all other Corn is measured. The Sacramento River Delta boasts some of this country’ s…
A cross between Gai Lan and Broccoli, baby broccoli or broccolini has a sweet, delicate flavor with a subtle peppery ‘edge’. Although it looks somewhat like asparagus, with slender stems and buds on top, these two vegetables are not related in any way. The texture of the stem is less fibrous than broccoli or asparagus…
This vibrant orange hot pepper was first brought to the United States 25 years ago from Bulgaria. They are 3 to 4 inches in length and their heat is moderate to hot similar to a Serrano Pepper.
Fresh Cannelllini Beans are a rare treat. This moderately large white kidney-type bean is very popular in Italy, but is usually available in dry form only. Excellent for salads, soups and purees, they have a moist, creamy interior. Sub for dry Cannellini Ceans in any recipe and you will taste the difference!
Celery Root (also known as celeriac) is a variety of branch celery that has been cultivated for its tuber, rather than its stalks. As early 1536, botanical writer Ruellius mentioned that celery root was eaten, both cooked and raw and in 1575 another writer, Rauwolf, said that it was considered a delicacy in the Arab…