Fresh chile names can be very confusing in Southern California. Our goal is to sort this out. The name PASILLA means “little raisin,” a reference to the raisiny appearance and aroma of the this very distinctive chile that the West Coast calls CHILACA. This misnomer was started in northwestern Mexico and Californians perpetuate it. To…
Chile de Arbol is a Cayenne type Chile grown in Mexico. Green when immature, and red when mature, de Arbol Chiles are not very flavorful, but very, very picante, making them desirable for sauces. Usually 2.5-3 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter, de Arbol Chilis rate a 7 on the heat scale.
In Southeast Asia, these pods are known as wild tamarind, and they are prized as cooking vegetables. In Latin countries, they are called GUAJE, and every chef we asked said they would be using them in salsas, or roasting them and eating them as snacks.
Habanero chilis are probably the most famous and feared of the chile line-up. They are green, orange, orange-red or red when fully ripe, shaped like little pointed lanterns, and up to 2 inches long and 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches in diameter. They measure 200,000-500,000 on the Scoville heat index. For reference, jalapenos register…
Capsicum pubescens is the only domesticated species of peppers with no wild form. The center of origin for this species was Bolivia, and it was probably domesticated about 6,000 B.C., making it one of the oldest domesticated plants in the Americas. The common name for this species in South America is rocoto or locoto. In…
If you like the idea of a vegetable that is soft but crunchy, with the flavor of green pepper, string beans, and asparagus (all touched with a sorely citric edge) and the slipperiness of okra, NOPALES (a.k.a. cactus leaves, cactus pads) are for you. Steam nopales quickly over boiling water for a few minutes (do…
The Poblano or Chile Poblano, as it is known in Mexico, originated near the city of Pueblo, southeast of Mexico City’ hence its name Poblano or pepper from Pueblo. It is one of the most popular cultivars in that country. The fruit is undulating an more or less triangular in shape. The flesh is moderately…
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Native to tropical Africa, the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) is prized for its pods, which grow in clusters and contain very small beans, surrounded by a sweet-sour pulp, which forms the basis of sweet drinks and food. The pulp can also be turned into a syrup, with the addition of sugar, and then diluted to…
The area from southern Texas to Guatemala is home both to the wild forms of the Tomatillo and the present-day cultivated forms. These tomato-like relatives of the Cape gooseberry are thin-skinned and encased in a papery husk. When ripe, the 8 may vary in color from green to yellow, or purple. The flesh is pale…
These gorgeous Fuji apples are grown in Japan with loving attention to detail. Leaves are stripped by hand from the vacinity of each young apple to assure full exposure to sunlight, viola’ , a Fuji apple with full, dark red skin! These Aomiori Apples combine the bright, sweet flavor and crisp, juicy texture of California-grown…
Sweet, spicy, fragrant, tart and juicy. Those are the adjectives that are used most often to describe these wonderful Pink Lady Apples. The Pink Lady (also known as Cripps Pink) was developed in Australia, the result of a cross between the Golden Delicious and Lady Williams varieties. The fine-grained flesh is crisp and crunchy and…
These sweet and juicy prizes are highly guarded by bramble bushes with needle-sharp prickers. The Blackberries have been captured especially for your creations and will arrive, fresh, plump and richly dark. These purplish-black bumpies are the largest of the wild berries and will only improve with cooking. Heating Blackberries will intensify their color and soften…
This beautiful pack of Mixed Berries contains three pints each of four different truly ripe specialty Berries. Right now the pack contains Golden Raspberries, Tulameen Raspberries (15% sugar with floral notes), Triple Crown Blackberries (16% sugar…amazingly sweet Blackberries!) and Blueberries (17% sugar with surprising depth of flavor). Once you taste these Berries you will understand…
Worth their weight in gold (pun intended), these specialty raspberries are a sweet treat at any time of year. With color that varies from light blond to a deep golden yellow, their rich and creamy flavor contains hints of the common red raspberry, banana and apricot. Gold raspberries can be a unique addition to your…
Bergamot is an acidic orange prized for its peel which yields an essential oil, essence of Bergamot, used in production of confections and perfumes. Known in the Mediterranean for centuries and described as early as 1708, Bergamot is thought to be a cross between sour Orange and Citron or Lemon. The peel is responsible for…
A truly exceptional citrus grower in the California’ s Central Valley will pack Stem and Leaf Blood Oranges for us. We bring product from them at least once a week, and if we call ahead and preorder they will pack up a really lovely carton. In a world where presentation is becoming increasingly important, this…
The citron, like the lemon and lime, is native to NE India, where it was used from early times as a perfume and in medicine. The fruit seems always to have had a curious connection with religion and magic, and a high reputation as medicine, being regarded as an antidote to almost any poison and…
The fruit of the Calamondin resembles a small, round lime. It has the color of a tangerine with a very thin green or orange colored peel. Despite its appearance and aroma, the taste of the fruit itself is quite sour, though the peel is sweet. Using the whole fruit results in a great combination of…
The Chandler Pummelo is a relative new comer to the Pummelo family. Developed by crossing a Siamese Pink Pummelo and a Siamese Sweet Pummelo, this new hybrid blends to the best of both color and flavor. The rind is thick, and bright yellow with an occasional pink blush. The flesh ranges from light to dark…