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The USDA’s standard for ‘tree ripe’ is very similar to their standard for ‘ vine ripe’ (i.e. the fruit is just starting to ripen when it is harvested). Our definition, driven by our chefs, is very, very different. We are talking fragrant, juice-running-down-your-chin, very sweet, lots of flavor ripe. Because our Tree Ripe Yellow Nectarines…
Don’t let this pale face fool you. The White Nectarine has a sweeter, more luscious flavor than its yellow-fleshed brother. Why so sweet? The white fruit has lower acid levels than the yellow varieties. When ripe, a White Nectarine has practically no tartness to its juicy, creamy texture. The White Nectarine’s flesh is pinkish-white turning…
Chestnuts (ours are grown in California!) contain more starch and less oil than most other nuts and have had a special role as food for this reason. Rural uses of wild Chestnuts include the original Italian polenta, a porridge that was made with Chestnut meal before the introduction of maize from the New World and…
We thought the urban produce people might like to see how Pistachio grow. Here they are, still on the branch. Once the nuts are ready to harvest, commercial growers shake the trees with mechanical shakers. The shaker looks a little like a backhoe, but the arm is straight and ends in pinchers. The shaker also…
Some truly great specialty items have been developed as a direct result of growers thinning their rows and marketing the resulting product (e.g. Baby Parsnips, Baby Parsley Root, Young Green Chard). Here’s another: Cippolini Onion Shoots. They look like teeny green or red onions, but their flavor is much milder…similar to mild chives. Leave the…
This legendary sweet onion hails from the island of Maui. Maui “Kula” sweet onions grow high up Haleakala’s fertile slopes. Mauis were first introduced to the mainland U.S. by tourists bringing them back by the bag. Like Vidalias, they are a Yellow Granex type hybrid and originated from varieties developed in Texas. Maui onions are…
Usually, Onions are cured or dried before they are marketed. The curing process results in an Onion with intense flavor and a lower moisture content . Mild and sweet, Spring Red Onions are harvested before they reach their full size and are packed without being dried. Leave an inch of the top attached and grill…
Corn is one of the most important crops in the world today. A traditional autumn decorative favorite, Indian corn, with dried kernels of deep blue, dried-pepper-red and brilliant yellow, is associated with Thanksgiving and an abundant harvest because of the sustenance it provided to the pilgrims and the early settlers. It was an important dietary…
Indian red Peaches are prized for the color of their skin and flesh. Their flesh is a deep magenta mottled with white near the pit.
‘Tree ripe’ is defined by the USDA as “the fruit starting to ripen when it is harvested” or as our chefs like to say “fragrant, juice-running-down-your-chin, very sweet, lots of flavor ripe.” Our White Peaches have dark pink skin with red blushing and soft white flesh. While the varieties will change from week to week…
China grew the ” Tao” , or peach, over 2,500 years ago, revering the 8 as a symbol of longevity and immortality. The White Peach is renown for its low acid and high sugar content. When ripe it has a most fragrant aroma. A peach’ s flavor is best when warm so let any refrigerated…
The Sea Bean is a marsh plant native to the coastal areas of Northwest Europe. This attractive leafless plant is also known as salicornia, samphire, marsh samphire, glasswort, and sea asparagus. The Sea Bean, with its dark-green or reddish branching stalks, both looks and tastes like seaweed, but is actually a plant that grows in…
We’ve had chefs taste many different varieties of Chicory (commercially grown Dandelion, Red Dandelion, Catalogna) and without a doubt Spadona Chicory has the best flavor of them all! Unlike Spinach, Spadona Chicory takes a while to cook, so it is perfect for braising. Even when fully cooked this yummy green maintains good texture with a…
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Yes, surprising as it is, this is really how Brussels sprouts grow! Stalk Brussels Sprouts are visually arresting in floral arrangements, and when they are cut from their stalks and cooked immediately…you can’ t get much fresher. Only available during the California Brussels sprout season, Brussels Sprouts on Stalks are a favorite with specialty retailers….
The Striped Armenian Cucumber has a unique appearance and excellent flavor without a trace of bitterness, even near the skin. These slightly fuzzy 8s are ridged with beautiful, alternating dark and light green stripes. Since the skin is not bitter, you don’t need to peel these delicious Cucumbers!
These big, yellow carrots are amazingly juicy, crisp and sweet. A Nantes variety, Sugar Crisp Carrots are very desirable for several reasons: 1) Their bright yellow color is a colorful change from traditional orange carrots, 2) their juicy texture is worlds apart from commercially grown carrots, and 3) their sweet flavor is a welcome surprise….
The French explorer Samuel de Champlain (1567– 1635) found the Sunchoke growing in Indian gardens along the Saint Lawrence seaway and carried specimens of it back to France in 1603. By the late 18th century it became a popular vegetable in both Europe and America, though it yielded to the larger potato during the first…