Seckel pears are generally a petite, baby-sized pear. They are fragrant and sweet, with an enjoyable and slightly spicy flavor profile. This pear is a multi-use pear in that it is great for eating out of hand, seasonal fruit baskets, or for poaching and cooking. Chefs like to sugar the pear and use them as…
Forelle pears are crisp, juicy, and sweet. This is a great pear for eating out of hand. They start out with a yellow and greenish background with a red speckled appearance, and the red will deepen as they ripen. Forelle means “trout” in German as it resembles the speckled appearance of a trout. The red…
Comice pears are a favorite eating pear and often asked for by name. The flavor profile is sweet, buttery, and creamy. This is an excellent pear for raw applications and eating out of hand. The best way to check for ripeness is to press on the stem end, if it yields to gentle pressure and…
Juicy and sweet, d’Anjou pears have an excellent texture. They are an all-purpose pear that can be used for poaching, baking, cooking, and eating out of hand. There are two main families of pears: European and Asian. European is the most common and what we think of when referring to a pear with their elongated…
Bartlett pears are deliciously tangy, sweet, smooth, and juicy. Bartletts are one of the most versatile pears as they are both a wonderful eating and cooking pear. They maintain their texture for whatever application you choose. Color can range from dark to bright red, or light green to yellow. There are two main families of…
Bosc pears are buttery smooth, and that is in their favor. While they are not the first choice for eating out of hand, they really shine when cooked—especially when poached. Bosc pears are the preferred pear for cooking as they maintain their shape and texture. There are two main families of pears: European and Asian….
Scientific Name: Citrullus lanatus. Usage: eaten fresh (cubed, sliced, etc.), also used to flavor summer drinks and smoothies; often used in fruit salads. Watermelon rinds are also edible, and sometimes used as a vegetable. In China, they are stir-fried, stewed, or more often pickled. Outside Coloring: green and yellow or cream. Shape: round to oblong….
Scientific Name: Citrus sinensis Usage: Oranges are a favorite as a snack, but they can also be added to salads, fruit bowls and as part of stir-fries. Health: Oranges contain pectin, which has been shown in studies to help reduce cholesterol. Taste: Oranges vary in taste by variety but are generally sweet and juicy. Receiving…
Phytochemical: Anthocyanins, Ellagic Acid Skin Texture: Juicy, slightly bumpy, with tiny seeds. Shape: Oval to conical shape. Color: Red Flesh Description: Red, juicy fruit with tiny seeds. Usage: Strawberries are great as a fresh snack. Taste: Sweet. Receiving Information: Washing: Berries are often picked and packaged right in the field so it is important…
Shape: Bumpy; juicy Phytochemical: Ellagic Acid Usage: Great snack; excellent topping on cereals, pancakes, waffles, yogurt or desserts; used in muffins, shakes/smoothies, sorbets, in salads or sauces. Great for jams and jellies. Color: Red Flesh Description: Red, juicy Shape: Round to ovoid or conical Scientific Name: Rubus idaeus Taste: Sweet, slightly acidic flavor Receiving Information:…
There are two categories of grapes; black and white. Red grapes are actually black grapes. Their color varies from deep rose-pink to purplish red with a medium small size that is seedless, firm skinned, and tender fleshed. Red Seedless Grapes have a mild, sweet/tart flavor and when ripe are a dark flame to rust red…
Green Seedless Grapes range in color from deep green to light green, and sometimes tinged with amber depending on variety. Grown in clusters, Green Grapes are generally known to be sweet. Perfect for eating out of hand, salads or desserts.
Similar in shape to pears or plums, guavas can be as small as 1 inch or as large as 4 inches in diameter. They have thin, pale green skins, which turn light yellow as they ripen; the flesh varies from white to deep pink or salmon red. They contain a number of flattish, hard but…
This green, tangy fruit is as beautiful as it is nutritious. Kiwifruit contains glutathione, which can help fight cancer. Research has shown that a diet including kiwifruit may help prevent certain types of cancer, including prostate, lung and skin cancer. Kiwifruit contains compounds that have been connected to the prevention of macular degeneration. Kiwifruit is…
Mangoes that are mature have a flavor that is similar to a mixture of a peach and a pineapple with a light citrus undertone. Ripe mangoes are often substituted for peaches in many recipes.
Cantaloupe is round and often ribless with a distinctly netted skin. A number of hybrid varieties combine the characteristics of cantaloupe and muskmelon, which causes some confusion when it come to classifying them. Cantaloupes have salmon-colored or orange-yellow flesh, and are often named after the place where they are cultivated.
Honeydew melons are characterized by a large, round shape and smooth, creamy yellow rind. Their flesh is light green, juicy, and sweet. The honeydew is a smooth-skinned variety which changes from pale green to creamy yellow color as it ripens. Honeydews usually weigh between three and seven pounds.
Sliced into a variety of shapes, the papaya can be cut and prepared ahead of serving time. It doesnÍt darken or discolor when exposed to air. Papayas can be served fresh, baked, stewed, saut_ed, barbecued or used as a garnish. Cook papaya chunks in meat, seafood and poultry dishes. Papayas contain the enzyme papain, which…
There are two main families of pears: European and Asian. European is the most common and what we think of when referring to a pear with their elongated neck and a rounded bulbous bell shape on the bottom half (pyriform). Asian pears, on the other hand, look more like apples and are sometimes sold as…
Apricot is Latin for Precious, a label that this fruit has earned since it is ready to harvest earlier than other summer fruits. The Apricot is a relative of the almond and peach, and has a buttery sweet, intense flavor. It will give to gentle pressure once ripe and when halved, the pit will fall…