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…
(LIMITED IN AVAILABILITY!!) While they look like loose heads of Cabbage, Brussels Sprout Tops have a little Brussels Sprout at the base of the leaves. Treat the leaves of Brussels Sprout Tops like Cabbage but enjoy their milder flavor.
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!
Indigenous to the Mediterranean and North Africa, Cardoon was still a very popular vegetable in several countries in the nineteenth century. Now, it is only of regional importance in Spain, the South of France, and Italy. The leaf stalks, which taste similar to Artichokes, are reminiscent of Celery in appearance, and can also be prepared…
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…
CIPOLLINA means ‘small onion’ in Italian (the plural is CIPOLLINE) and to the produce world, it means small, flat, mild, yellow or red onion. CIPOLLINE sold in the United States is grown here and in Italy. The domestic crop comes from seeds of Italian origin, and Italian-grown product is imported every season. CIPOLLINE are tender…
Also known as Borlotti beans, Cranberry Beans are wonderful beans that are at their best when fresh. The ecru beans are streaked with bright cherry red, and they are easy to shell and cook fairly quickly. They hold their shape well and have a mildly nutty taste. Like the Cannellini, the classic Cranberry Bean made…
Butter Bean and Lima Bean are regional terms for the same family of shelling beans. If you’ve only eaten frozen or canned Lima Beans it is time to try these little gems. The beans are quite small and a bit more rounded than their larger Lima cousins. The flavor of Dixie Butter Beans is sweet…
Considered an heirloom, and originally from the Netherlands, Dragon Tongue beans are a wax bush bean with long, flat, creamy yellow pods covered with purple streaks. They have excellent flavor, and can be used in any recipe that calls for green beans.