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…
Also known as the chile Colorado or long red chile, the Red Anaheim has a more developed sweetness than the green Anaheim, and is a very versatile chile. They are at their best roasted: excellent in sauces, as rajas (strips of roasted chiles), and stuffed (rellenos). Red Anaheims are also good pickled (en escabeche) and…
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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…
From Alice Waters’ book Chez Panisse Fruit: “ Black currants are seldom eaten as fresh fruit. They have a very strong almost resinous character, which is tamed and altered somewhat by cooking. Black currants are extensively grown in Burgundy, where they go into the making of crè me de cassis… Black currants can be cooked…
Black Raspberries, affectionately called “Blackcaps” by growers, are native to North America. The Native Americans often used the bumpy fruit as a coloring agent for their deep purple stain. These uniquely flavored berries have a distinct and moderately tart taste. They are delicious as compotes, as a foundation flavor for ice cream, and they make…
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…
Oh boy, they’re here! The Boysenberry, a hybrid of the blackberry and raspberry, have a rich, sweet, very distinctive flavor that combines the best qualities of both berries. The warm weather and sunlight of late Spring ripens the fruit, and they are perfect now for mouth-watering sauces, pies and other desserts. Boysenberries are highly perishable…
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…
Gooseberries are an under-appreciated member of the berry family. In their fresh state, Gooseberries have a flavor similar to a tart kiwifruit…a little tropical. With the addition of a bit of sugar, Gooseberries make excellent jams, jellies, pies and the dessert for which they are famous–fools.
Discerning cooks note: hand-selected Raspberries with stem , picked specifically for their perfect shape and intense color. These berries dazzle the eyes and tempt the palate. Enjoy them as an unusual addition to your best recipes or as a beautiful and tasty plate garnish. Served with the stems on, these luscious raspberries are a perfect…
(Please note: Mulberries will be wet when you receive them. They are purely an ingredient berry. Do not expect them to look like nice, dry Blackberries. Be ready for lots of juice in the bottom of the clamshell!) Native to western Asia, Black Mullberries are precious, both in availability and price. While they look like…
Closely related to the Gooseberry, Red Currant Berries are widely popular in northern Europe, but have two very short seasons here in the United States. Transluscent, bright red and literally bursting with juice, Red Currants are extraordinarily beautiful. These tiny jewels are quite tart and have a flavor reminiscent of pomegranates. Often paired with raspberries,…
Alice Waters discusses White Currant Berries in her book, Chez Panisse Fruit: ” White currants, sweeter and more delicate than red ones, need no service at all: you pull them off their stems and eat them like candy…Preserved red and white currants are a famous specialty of the French city of Bar-le-Duc, in Lorraine, where…