The PRODUCE BLOG

How to buy Figs

2012-05-21T12:43:00.002-07:00

Green Kadota Figs

Black Mission Figs

Calimyrna Figs


Brown Turkey Figs

Fresh Figs on tree


Fresh Figs on tree

If you haven't had the pleasure of enjoying fresh figs before you're truly missing out. Sweet as sugar, figs are fantastic whether eaten fresh out of hand or used in desserts.

The most popular figs sold in North American markets are the green calimyrna and black mission varieties. But the green kadota and brown turkey varieties are also very good. Most fig lovers buy these by the case (called "flats") and they can consume them all in one sitting.

How to buy:

Fresh figs must be bought ripe. Figs won't ripen after they have been picked. Ripe fruit should feel soft to the touch and the outer layer of skin should peel away easily. Quite often there will be cracks in the skin this is another sign of ripeness. Pass on any figs that feel spongy or hard.

Sticky syrup leaking from figs is also a good thing. Shrivelled, moldy or pock marked fruit are signs of poor quality. Figs can become moldy overnight and spoil if they are left out at room temperature, always keep refrigerated.

I like to spread ripe figs over fresh baked bread, cook down some pears, squeeze pomegranate juice into the mix and finish it off with melted brie on top. Delicious...

I have sold tens of thousands flats of figs over the years. But the best figs I have ever eaten were off the trees at my friend Zia Talebi's farm in Oliver, B.C. a passionate grower.

Please let me know about your favorite variety of figs and any other comments my visitors would enjoy reading...

The Gac Fruit a curiosity

2012-05-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Gac Fruit Plant


Gac Fruit (Momordica Cochinchinensis)

Interior of Gac Fruit

Gac Fruit Plants

My wife Kim used to eat this unusual gourd as a child in Vietnam. Discussing Gac fruit brings back fond memories for her. We have travelled through Vietnam on ocassion and there are still a few fruit in the world that have captured my curiosity.

The Gac fruit is one of these curiosities. It is not always convenient to stop at a road side fruit stand and sample the local fruit. Unfortunately sometimes I have to wait years before I get to quench my curiosity.

I will be back in Saigon later this year around Vietnamese New Years and will get the chance to eat my fill of Gac!

What is Gâc?

You are probably aware that tomatoes are high in lycopene. But are you aware of a fruit that has 70X higher lycopene than tomatoes?

And, you are probably aware that carrots are high in beta-carotene. But are you aware of a fruit that has 10X higher beta-carotene than carrots?

It is estimated that there are between 250,000 to 300,000 species of flowering plants, and regrettably, only about 10% of them have been investigated for commercial or medicinal potential. Gâc (Momordica Cochinchinensis Spreng)(pronounced "Geuk" by native Vietnam speakers) is relatively unknown in western agricultural circles. Guichard and Bui first identified carotenoids in Gâc fruit when they traveled to Vietnam in 1941. The discovery of Guichard and Bui rocked the scientific world. According to a 2004 USDA paper (reference below), Gâc aril (the red seed sac) has about 40-70 times the lycopene of tomatoes, and 10 times the beta carotene of carrots. West and Poovlet reported a concentration of 18,810 ug of betacarotene, and 89,150 ug total cartenoids per 100g. This is the real deal. Today, cultivation of Gâc is exceedingly rare outside its native habitat of SE Asia. This is highly unfortunate and represents a missed opportunity for the health conscious consumers worldwide.

Gâc is a bright-red fruit that grows as large as a cantaloupe and covered with short spines, hence it is sometimes referred to in English language as "Spiny Cucumber" or "Balsampear". It grows abundantly on attractive, vigorous tropical vines all over sub-tropical Asia, especially in Vietnam. The vine is mildly drought tolerant, and reportedly hardy to 10 degrees F. The large seeds cannot be spread by birds and the plant is considered non-invasive. A fountain of antioxidants, as recent scientific research unveiled, this fruit is grown in home gardens and valued for its medicinal potentials.

The plant can be cultivated either from seeds or root tubers. Leaves are alternate and deeply three-to-five-lobed with toothed margins. The leaf stalk is glandular. The gac plant is dioecious, that is, the male and female plants are separate. The flowers are pale-yellow and solitary in the axils of the leaves. The production of parthenocarpic fruits, which is of economic importance, can be accomplished using growth regulators in the female plant in the absence of male plants. However, induced parthenocarpic fruits have no seed, whereas hand pollinated fruits contain 18 seeds per fruit on average.

Unfortunately, cultivation of Gâc is exceedingly rare outside its native habitat of SE Asia. In Asian households, the red oily pulp is often cooked with rice. The color and fatty acids from the fruit pulp and seed membrane are stirred into the rice, giving it a lustrous appearance and oil-rich, mild nutty taste. The bright red color generates the visual effect that represents good luck and joy in Vietnamese tradition.

What are the health benefits of Gâc?

Recent scientific analysis of Gâc oil has revealed that gâc contains significant and extraordinarily high amounts of important anti-oxidants necessary for good health and slowing the effects of aging. The impressive graph below compares the amount of lycopene in Gâc fruit to other common fruits which are already known for their high lycopene content. Gâc fruit contains 20X-70X higher lycopene than tomatoes. As such, Gâc is a commercially viable source of this important phyto-nutrient. The lycopene is contained in the aril, which is the red oily sacs surrounding the seeds. Insignificant amounts of lycopene are found in the orange mesocarp flesh of the fruit.

Gâc fruit oil also contains beta-carotene in significant and extraordinarily high amounts, approximately 10X higher than vegetables already known for their high beta-carotene content, such as carrots. Gâc also has high levels of fatty acids which creates a lipocarotene to deliver higher bioavailable carotenoids. Compared to beta-carotene found in carrots and dark-green vegetables, beta carotene from Gâc fruit appears to be more easily absorbed. Gâc extract has been shown effective in colon cancer tumor remediation in mice (reference below).

Carotenoids in plants are the primary dietary source of vitamin A worldwide. The most efficient pro-vitamin A carotenoid is beta-carotene which is abundant in yellow and orange fruits, such as mangoes, papayas, yams, and of course Gâc, and in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, sweet potato leaves, and sweet gourd leaves. In developing countries, thousands of children go blind every year due to a dietary deficiency of vitamin A. Consumption of foods rich in b-carotene theoretically can replete individuals to a healthy vitamin A status. Gâc is remarkably high in beta-carotene and is an outstanding potential resource as a natural cure for Vitamin A deficiency.

A number of studies have shown that each of the each of the carotenoids (such as alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin) can have different functions as well as concentrate differently in various tissues. For example, lutein levels are highest in the retina, the liver, and the lungs. Alpha-carotene levels are highest in the breast and cervix, while lycopene is very high in the liver, lungs, and breast.

Carotenoids play a major role in cancer prevention and control, and each acts in a specific organ or tissue. Some of the carotenoids, including alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and gamma-carotene, are converted in the body into vitamin A. Others can be metabolized into a great number of compounds that have also been shown to inhibit cancer. And because they can be dissolved in lipids as well as water, they play a major role in protecting the brain.

Many people are aware that very high doses of vitamin A over extended periods can cause liver and brain toxicity, especially in the very young. The unique thing about carotenoids converted to vitamin A is that they will never produce enough vitamin A to be toxic, no matter how high a dose of the carotenoids taken. There is no known toxic dose of beta-carotene, even for infants.

It could be said that the Vietnamese people have the lightest, smoothest, and healthiest skin of all Asian races. Recent scientific studies have demonstrated the skin rejuvenating, toning, and youth enhancing benefits of Gâc oil, and recent products have been introduced to capitalize on this.

What does Gâc taste like?

Gâc flesh and oily sacs are quite palatable and have very little taste, it could be described as a very mild taste, in the same way that a cucumber has very little taste. It is only slightly sweet or not sweet, and it would definitely not be described as delicious, more like plain or bland slightly nutty taste. The aril texture is soft and mushy, similar to raw chicken livers. The mesocarp (light orange outer fleshy part under the spiny skin) is about 2 cm thick and has a soft spongy texture. It is normally discarded (composted!). When the seeds and oil sac are cooked with rice, they impart a lustrous appearance and oil-rich, mild nutty flavor to the rice.

As with any pure vegetable oil, pure Gâc oil is not delicious, and it would not be wise to try to get your family to take it with a teaspoon in pure form. Soft gels is the preferred method to take pure Gâc oil. This is similar to many other vegetable oils, which by themselves are quite unpleasant to ingest. Olives are delicious, but a spoonful of olive oil, well, you get the picture.

For western diets, a convenient way to prepare Gâc is to drop the seed sacs into a pot of tomato sauce and cook briefly. Of course if your tomato sauce has a rich tomato taste and already contains some other healthy ingredients like olive oil and garlic, the Gâc imparts almost no detectable flavor to the tomato sauce while turbo-charging it with phyto-nutrients. Add it to your spaghetti sauce, use it to make some pizza or lasagna, or slip it into your favorite salsa recipe!

If you have had the opportunity to try fresh Gac please leave your comments below for other visitors to check out...

*Excerpts of this article are credited to gac-seeds.com

WIKIPEDIA - GAC FRUIT

How to buy Strawberries

2012-05-18T11:35:00.003-07:00

Fresh Strawberries in the Garden


Fresh picked Everbearing Strawberries

Strawberry Fields

I'm a strawberry lover and when I come across a good batch I hate sharing. I used to hide the best fruit in the back of my store and dole it out sparingly to my favorite customers. They would come in and say "Ok Rick, out with it! What's good today and where are you hiding it!".

I have sold millions of pounds of strawberries over the years and become choosy. My standards are high, which means you get better fruit.

Finding the local berry farm and picking your own strawberries during the summer months is alway best. Filling your buckets and eating at the same time of course. This is a great family activity that everyone usually enjoys. Smiles all around.

How to buy Strawberries:

There are a couple of really good commercial brands in the supermarkets that I recommend. Driscoll and Well-Pict are the 2 best brands offering premium strawberries. New varieties bred to last longer on the supermarket shelf may not have that deep red color we always associate with good fruit. The taste test is always best so pop one in your mouth.

It's true good looking fruit with eye-appeal usually tastes better. When buying fresh strawberries make sure the leaves are green and the seeds can be either yellow or green too. If you are picking up a clamshell container of berries open it up and check under the leaves for mold, wetness and decay. The berries should smell nice. Turn over the container and inspect the bottom too, juice leaking from the clamshell is a sign of bad quality. Pass on the strawberries if the seeds have a brown or black discoloration. Pitting, pockmarks and wrinkling are signs of age.

Thanks for stopping by and please post any good store bought brands you have enjoyed for my other readers...

WIKIPEDIA - FRESH STRAWBERRIES

The PRODUCE BLOG is being updated

2012-05-17T00:24:00.002-07:00

Ripe Passionfruit

Thanks for visiting my site. Business has kept me away for so long, but I have time now to update the site. I will be working on the posts for the next couple of weeks. Please come back and visit often.

Picking Cherries in Chile

2011-11-19T12:13:00.002-08:00

C-14 Cherries

Rainier Cherries

We started picking C-14 (Royal Dawn) cherries a few days ago in Chile. C-14 is a very nice variety, so juicy, big size and it tastes wonderful. You will notice in the photos that they have a little nose bump, this doesn't affect the taste or quality. I love eating cherries fresh off the tree, at the beginning of the season I always stuff myself full. These will start arriving in North American markets next week. Our orchards are 80 kms south of Santiago in an area called Codegua and our partners have more fruit in the Curicó region. This season's crop is beautiful and the country is anticipating it's largest crop ever.

The Rainier cherries are ready too and gorgeous as you see; very big and excellent quality. We usually like them to color up a little more (red blush) before we begin picking. One of my favorite cherry varieties because they are so sweet. We lay reflective material (like mirrors) under the trees in the Rainier cherry blocks to enhance the sun's rays, this helps them color up nicely and speeds up harvest times. On Google Maps satellite view CHECK IT OUT HERE you can see the reflective material in our orchards. We will ship the Rainier as far away as Shanghai & Beijing.

WIKIPEDIA - FRESH CHERRIES

Red Striped Lapin Cherries

2011-11-19T11:31:00.002-08:00

Red Striped Lapin Cherry

This is a new variety of cherry that appeared in the midst of the orchards last year. A oddball looking cherry that looks alot like the Rainier variety. We have grafted a few trees and will watch how they progress over the next couple of years. Quite unique with its yellow and purple flesh. Who knows you may see these in your local supermarkets one day in the not too distant future.

WIKIPEDIA - FRESH CHERRIES

Harvesting Green Peppers

2011-11-19T11:23:00.001-08:00

Young Pepper Plants

Young Green Pepper

Young Pepper Plants

No.1 Grade Extra Large Green Peppers

Young Pepper Plants

No.2 Grade Green Peppers

I always like to inspect produce first hand in the field and at the packing shed whenever possible. It's much easier to spot potential problems and manage at the farm level.

I've included a few shots of some young pepper fields in Oliver, B.C. taken in early July. This is a popular region to plant grapes, peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, apples, cherries and plenty of vegetables too.

Green Peppers picked at maturity should feel as hard as fresh picked apples (this applies to all peppers including hot varieties). When you break one open it makes a loud noise like biting into an apple or the sound you hear in those old Bick Pickle commercials. Produce buyers I deal with today are often amazed at the quality. Similar to Hot House Pepper quality without the Hot House price!

I usually like to spend some time discussing the right varieties to plant each season. Sometimes we make mistakes... As we continue to improve our quality, people like you will get better produce in your local supermarkets.

WIKIPEDIA - GREEN PEPPERS

A Few Cherry Pics

2011-11-19T10:20:00.001-08:00


Staccato Cherries


Centennial Cherries


Lapin Cherries


Lapin Cherries


Sweetheart Cherries


Packing Line in Wenatchee, WA

Besides growing and packing our own fruit each season, I spend countless hours inspecting cherry orchards during harvest. Controlling the fruit from orchard to supermarket is very important to me. I travel extensively during the growing seasons, I drove about 12,000 kms this year in Washington and British Columbia in about 6 weeks.

Not too many people get to eat as many cherries as I do, one of the perks of the job! I've uploaded a few cherry photos for my readers to enjoy. Notice how green and vibrant the stems are, a sure sign of freshness. Always check for green stems when you are shopping, the fruit will easily last a couple of weeks in your fridge.

WIKIPEDIA - FRESH CHERRIES

How to buy Yellow Baby Watermelon

2011-11-19T09:53:00.001-08:00


Ripe Baby Watermelon


Tasting a Slice

Inspecting the core

Fresh Picked Watermelon

Bin of Yellow Baby Watermelon

There's nothing better on a hot summer day than a slice of watermelon except maybe a beer! So I stopped by a friend's farm in Oliver, B.C. to chat and eat some watermelon. The yellow baby variety is much sweeter than red watermelon.

I've been selling yellow watermelon for almost 30 years and still some supermarkets today refuse to carry this wonderful fruit. I scratch my head at that.

Funny but true many people just can't get past the yellow color. So this variety is not for everyone, we call those people "the neighbors we never visit".

A problem I often encounter in supermarkets is a lack of training on how to handle this variety of melon. Yellow watermelon can spoil easily if they are not handled properly. I recommend buying halves instead, then you can make sure the melon is good inside.

Yellow baby watermelon have a shelf life of about 4-6 days. So eat it right away, don't leave it in your fridge to spoil.

How to pick a good watermelon:

Pick up a melon and press very firmly with both thumbs against the rind, if the melon feels soft it is over-ripe. The rind should feel very firm with slight give (like pressing on a football). Yellow watermelon are unusual because you can actually feel the flesh of the melon move when you press your thumbs against the rind. It almost feels like pressing on packed snow and sounds like snow crunching beneath your feet.

The best test is still the taste test, most supermarkets today offer samples of fruit. Don't be afraid to ask for a sample. Enjoy and let me know what you thought after trying your first yellow watermelon...

* watermelon photos from King's Tomato Farm

WIKIPEDIA - WATERMELON

How to buy Musk Melon (Cantaloupe)

2011-11-19T09:05:00.001-08:00

Tasting a slice

Fresh picked Musk Melon

Bin of Fresh Musk Melon

If you love eating cantaloupe, you will love chomping down on fresh ripe musk melon even better. Musk melon have the same wonderful taste of cantaloupe but with a much bolder flavor. Grown locally and harvested in late summer they look almost indentical to cantaloupe. I cut a few melons open when I am doing field inspections and perform a taste test before I buy.

I like to visit growers on a regular basis to make sure they are following good farming practices. I can ask questions about the crop and they learn what my expectations are. This is important because many farms pick melons immature and they don't ripen properly (a common complaint). Field inspectors are a necessary part of a good buying program.

Choosing a good melon:

When choosing musk melon and cantaloupe, fruit with an underlying greenish color with take a long time to ripen. The rind will turn yellow as the ripening process progresses and give off a wonderful aroma. The belly button (where the vine was attached) should be clean and dry when you press your thumb against it. A clean belly button means the melon was picked at full maturity (called "full slip") and will ripen properly on your kitchen counter.

Ripen melons at room temperature until they smell nice (hold it up to your nose and smell). To speed up the ripening process put the melon in a plastic bag (2 bags is better) and tie the end. This traps the ethylene gas fruits naturally produce and will ripen the fruit 30-40% faster. Refrigerate ripe fruit.

Enjoy and let me know what you thought of your first taste of this fabulous melon...

WIKIPEDIA - MUSK MELON

Hargrant Apricots "Wrinkled Apricots"

2011-11-18T14:15:00.001-08:00

Inspecting Apricots for hail damage


This Apricot variety sizes up well

I used to hate eating apricots because they were often dry and lacked much flavor. Times have changed and you can find many great tasting, juicy, new varieties available today. The Hargrant Apricot has become more popular as consumers experience its wonderful juicy, sweet flavor.

Hargrants can grow quite large as you can see from my photo above, and is quite normal. This variety has very unique bumpy, wrinkled appearance that turns off many people. You can pick these greenish 2 weeks before maturity and they will still ripen and taste great.

Many of my customers had doubts until they tried a sample. Don't be fooled by their appearance, Hargrants are one of the best apricot varieties in the marketplace today. Juicy and sweet like a ripe peach and without the peach fuzz! These can be picked and eaten with a little green tinge to them.

How to pick Apricots:

Press your thumb gently but firmly against the fruit and it should have slight give to the pressure, an indication of ripeness. Stem marks on the shoulders is normal and shouldn't be a deterrent. Although green shoulders means the fruit will not ripen fully. The flesh around the pit should look clean, brown or black coloration is a sign of age.

Perfect for supermarkets because they have a longer shelf-life. Developed by Eugene Hogue at the Summerland Research Station in Bristish Columbia, Canada. Available July thru August.

Please send me a message if you are in the Okanagan area in August and I will send you in the right direction for these delicious apricots...

WIKIPEDIA - APRICOTS

How to buy Rainier Cherries

2011-07-07T14:46:00.001-07:00

Inspecting Rainier Cherries

Fresh Picked Rainier Cherries

Checking the size


Fresh packed Rainier Cherries

We were picking these beautiful Rainier cherries this morning in Oliver, British Columbia. Most of the fruit is bound for overseas markets like Hong Kong but some will be shipped to Vancouver too. I've eaten so many Rainier today everyone is asking me to save some for our customers. They actually weighed me in today before we started packing fruit and weighed me again afterwards. I gained a few pounds.

Good quality Rainiers always have a beautiful red blush, a bit of a crunch and taste near sweet as sugar. Select picking the fruit on the top of the trees first and a few days later the bottoms is best. The cost to produce this cherry is very high because defects tend to be very noticable.

How to buy Rainier cherries:

When buying Rainier cherries look for green stems ( a sign of freshness). Brown, black or dried out stems are signs of age, improper picking or handling. Premium cherries with high sugar (called "brix") should have at least 50% red blush; anything less and the fruit should be cheaper. Red speckling on the fruit seems to enhance their sweetness.

Avoid fruit with...

- brown markings, caused by heat stress and rough handling
- brown coloration, caused by wind rubbing the cherries together
- bruises, caused by finger marks of pickers pulling too hard
- cracks, caused by over spraying or frost damage
- stemless fruit, a sign of age, over-ripe or heat stress

The Rainier season is short, take advantage of this supersweet variety while you can. Enjoy and let me know of any great places you've travelled and eaten these delicious cherries...

WIKIPEDIA - RAINIER CHERRIES

How to buy Fresh Beans

2011-06-17T09:51:00.002-07:00

Green Beans (Round, Pole)

Flat Green Beans (Romano)

Green Beans are so delicious when they can be bought garden fresh. Most of us prefer the round varieties of this delectable veggie, while others love the flat varieties.

In supermarkets green beans are usually displayed on refrigerated counters with water mist sprayers to keep them fresh. Mist sprayers are not good for beans because the moisture eventually turns them rusty, tough and inedible. Good quality beans will be clean, unblemished and feel firm. I recommend passing on wilted or wrinkled beans, also if the tips are brown, black or rusty colored.

If you are buying round beans, press your thumb against the end of the bean and try to "snap" off the tip. If it makes a snapping noise, it means the beans are fresh. Flat beans should be firm too.

Dark green varieties last significantly longer in your refrigerator and are usually more tender. Green beans typically have a shelf life of up to a week.

Yellow Beans (Round, Pole)

Flat Yellow Beans (Romano)

Yellow varieties tend to be more fragile than their green cousins. They can rusty quickly if they are not handled, stored and bought properly. When buying fresh beans ensure there is no rusty spotting evident. Inspect the bean seams for dryness and cracking a sign of toughness.

Storing yellow beans in plastic bags causes them to rust quickly, better to store them in a paper bag or plastic container. I suggest eating them within 4 days.

Cranberry Beans (Borlotti)

Fresh cranberry beans are usually available at your local farmer's market during summer months. They are in high demand and will usually be sold out by noon because many customers will place advance orders to ensure they don't miss out. In my experience Italians are the biggest consumer of this variety, buying huge quantities to prepare, store and consume over the winter months.

A beautiful colored bean used to make so many dishes. They tend to lose their color after being cooked.

Lima Beans

Fresh lima beans are hard to find. I suggest visiting your local farmer's market and asking one of your favorite growers to plant them for you. You may have to wait until the following season.

My mother forced me to eat canned lima beans as a child and I still dislike them to this day. But like many other vegetables, fresh lima beans taste completely different and you may find yourself becoming addicted to this delicacy. When buying always split a couple open and inspect the beans. Sampling is best.

Purple Beans

Purple beans look beautiful when added to any dishes, I lightly steam them to maintain their purple color.

I have noticed a few supermarkets beginning to carry this variety in season, but they are usually available at your local farmer's market during the summer. Purple beans have a tendency of being tough and sometimes you need to cook them a little longer than green beans. There really is no visable difference between tender beans and tough beans. I can only tell by sampling a couple raw off the display. If they taste tough raw, they will also be a little tough after they have been prepared.

Nice when you're tired of the usual...

Fava Beans (Broad)

Fava Beans Shelled (Broad)

Fava beans also called Broad beans are very popular with middle-eastern peoples. A beautiful looking huge bean usually about 8-12 inches in length and very easy to shell. Supermarkets do not typically carry this variety, although it is usually available at ethnic food stores and farmer's markets.

When shopping do not buy fava beans if the outer skin is black, rusty or wilted (floppy). Fava beans should be firm, dark green and clean looking. Like lima beans I suggest sampling to ensure they are fresh.

Once you have gotten your purchase home it is always a good idea to pop a few pencil-sized holes in your plastic bags to allow the beans to breathe. This prevents the bags from sweating and condensating which will make the beans rusty and tough. By doing this you may also find your purchase lasts a few extra days in your refrigerator.

Enjoy and please leave add any comments you think would benefit my readers...

WIKIPEDIA - GREEN BEANS
WIKIPEDIA - CRANBERRY BEANS
WIKIPEDIA - LIMA BEANS
WIKIPEDIA - FAVA BEANS

How to buy The World's Hottest Peppers

2011-06-17T09:20:00.002-07:00

World's Hottest Chili Peppers continued...

Scoville Heat Rating

- Jalapeno - 3,500-8,000
- Fatali - 125,000-325,000 ...origin Africa
- Habanero - 200,000-350,000 ...origin Mexico
- Scotch Bonnet - 200,000-350,000 ...origin Caribbean
- Chocolate Habanero - 450,000 ...origin Jamaica
- Ghost 'Bhut Jolokia' - 1,000,000 ...origin India
- Infinity - 1,000,000 ...developed in England
- Naga Viper - 1,300,000 ...developed in England
- Trinidad Scorpion Butch T - 1,400,000 ...developed in Australia
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion - 2,000,000 ...origin Trinidad

Three things to remember when you're handling hot peppers are:

Don't rub your eyes
Handle peppers by their stems
Keep out of reach of children

...and if you're a guy, be sure to wash your hands before relieving yourself (unpleasant surprises await you otherwise).

For those of you that find jalapeno peppers hot enough, it's hard to imagine a pepper with at least 250 times more heat. I relish a lot of heat in my food and enjoy habanero and scotch bonnet hot sauces with no discomfort. The hotter varieties like the ghost, infinity, naga viper, trinidad scorpion butch t and trinidad moruga scorpion chili peppers are scorching hot. Not for the faint of heart...

Most of the heat in chili peppers is located in the seeds. Remove the seeds if you find the experience too painful.

How to buy Chili Peppers:

I recommend placing a produce bag over your hand (2 is better) when choosing any type of hot pepper. Try to handle peppers by their stems because even with a plastic bag over your hand, some of the residue on the skin can be absorbed onto your fingers. Wash your hands afterwards.

Green stems are the best indicator of freshness. Ripe chili peppers (sweet pepper varieties too) are hard and firm when they're picked correctly. Soft chilies have been picked improperly or are overripe. Inspect peppers closely for visual defects, green color on these varieties is a sign of immaturity. Sunburn, cracked, mold, black spotting and wetness are signs of poor quality. Hold a pepper up to your nose and if it smells pungent, there may be a quality problem.

There are so many varieties of hot peppers out there, remember they come in all different colors, shapes and sizes. Look deformed, ugly or just plain weird.

If you're planning on drying your chilies make sure they're fresh. After all you're going to be putting these in your mouth. Dried or fresh, a bad pepper is still a bad pepper.

I used to play jokes on my customers and rub the juice of hot peppers on cut fruit samples. It was hilarious to watch their surprise and their faces turn color as the heat took effect. I know... not a nice guy. Well I always made it up to them in some way and we could laugh about it later. Below... an insane video from "Ted The Fire Breathing Idiot" and it is quite graphic. He actually vomits and starts to bleed from his nose after eating 10 ghost peppers.

10 GHOST PEPPER IN 10 MINUTES - Warning very Graphic

Enjoy and please leave any hot pepper comments below...

WIKIPEDIA LINKS:

SCOVILLE SCALE, FATALI CHILI, HABANERO CHILI, SCOTCH BONNET CHILI, GHOST CHILI, INFINITY CHILI, NAGA VIPER CHILI, TRINIDAD SCORPION BUTCH T CHILI, TRINIDAD MORUGA SCORPION CHILI

Kumquats

2011-06-17T08:23:00.002-07:00

Kumquats are a unique fruit with a wonderfully sweet, citrus flavour. Most people are wary of popping the first one into their mouth, expecting a backlash of sourness and are pleasantly surprised. The first one tastes ummmm... okay, the second one a little better and by the third you realize your eating whole little oranges skin and all but they taste great.

The rind of a kumquat is sweet while its flesh is sour, the complete opposite of a normal orange. The size of grape tomatoes they make a wonderful, healthy snack and travel quite well in your backpack or lunchbox. These are normally sold in clamshells like blueberries in your local supermarkets or bulk in Asian stores.

Kumquats should be stored in your refrigerator and not on your kitchen counter or fruit bowl. Due to the high sugar in their rinds they can break down and spoil quickly if left out at room temperature. Good quality fruit should look visually appealing, green stems and their skins a bright unblemished orange colour. Sticky fruit and fruit with translucent skins have already begun to deteriorate and should be avoided.

Remember to wash this fruit before eating it, usually they have travelled a long way to get to your destination. You are after all eating the skin of a fruit which can get dirty and moldy in transit; but don't let this deter you from trying something new. Remember my motto "You have to try everything once or how will you know that you hate it!

WIKIPEDIA - KUMQUATS

Sweet Peppers

2010-11-01T14:54:00.002-07:00


Sweet Bell Peppers

During my years as a produce buyer I have purchased these delicious veggies from as far away as Holland and as close as a stone's throw from my backyard. Visually speaking... it's pretty easy to tell the difference between good quality peppers and bad quality. Softness, wrinkling, black stems, and mold are signs of age, though softness is usually a sign that the pepper has been picked too early. Peppers picked at their peak of perfection are rock hard and very heavy. They have a beautiful sheen to their skin and should be blemish free. Rough handling and sunburn, often ruin the appearance and flavor of this popular veggie.

The biggest difference between a field grown pepper and a greenhouse grown pepper is the thickness of their flesh. Usually greenhouse peppers have thicker, sweeter flesh, the quality is consistently superb to field grown varieties. This of course reflects in the higher retail you will also pay at the checkout.

When peppers are picked at full maturity they will almost make a sound like biting into a crisp apple or pulling the lid off your tupperware container when you are cutting them up for a salad or hot meal. They make a hollow "thump" sound when they rub against each other on the pepper display. I have spent many years in the field inspecting produce and peppers were a big part of my purchasing.

Coloured peppers cost much more to grow because they take longer to mature in the field from green; this means the sun beats down on them all day for an extra few weeks and sunburns a significant percentage of the crop. The sunburned peppers cannot be marketed and the loss is absorbed by the coloured peppers that do make it to market. So it is not unusual to pay twice to three times the price for coloured peppers.

Do not buy peppers that are soft or wrinkly as these are signs of immaturity, age, or improper handling. If the top of the vine looks brown or black this is definitely a sign of age, or if the seeds inside the pepper are brown or black. The signs are pretty obvious to even a first time shopper.

If you are purchasing bagged peppers hold the package up to your nose and if there is an overpowering aroma of peppers the package is not fresh.

Eat lots of Produce and support Local Growers whenever possible!

WIKIPEDIA - SWEET PEPPERS

Sweetheart Cherries

2010-08-10T21:01:00.002-07:00

sweetheart cherries

Sweetheart Cherries are fast becoming one of the world's favorite cherries because of their super sweet flavour, crunchiness and long shelf-life. Sweethearts are one of the few "Naturally Red" cherries grown, though many shoppers are turned off by their colour assuming they aren't very sweet. Nothing could be further from the truth!

SWEETHEART CHERRY vs. BING CHERRY

Crunchier
Sweeter
Smaller Pit
Extremely Long Shelf-Life

I love the fact Sweetheart Cherries are heart-shaped too. Makes a great gift for your "Sweetheart". LOL!

sweetheart cherries

Lapin Cherries are probably the most eaten cherries in the world today, though many new strains are being planted today that will one day usurp the Lapin as the "King of Cherries". Lapins are very dark in colour almost black and they can look more appetizing than a Sweetheart Cherry. Don't be fooled! The Sweetheart variety is superior in taste and crunchiness.

When you're buying cherries look for a nice sheen to the skin , good quality cherries always have beautiful eye appeal. The stems should be a solid green colour, if the stems are a brown or black colour the fruit is not fresh (bought at a discount may be an option if your pocketbook is a little light). Perform the pressure test... lightly squeeze a cherry between your fingers and it should be very firm. If samples are offered the "taste test" is always best.

Avoid fruit with splits in the flesh (check my 3rd post down) and if you are purchasing Bagged Cherries make sure the bottom of the bag is not full of stems, the bags are relatively dry and the fruit does not smell like wine; all signs of age.

A problem in Supermarkets today is a lack of adequate training of their Produce Clerks. Usually Produce Departments will have on only one Senior Produce Clerk while the other Clerks have little or no training. The produce is mishandled, dropped, dumped, over-stacked, heaped, the damage will often not be noticeable until after you have gotten your purchases home. Avoid messy, unkempt and dirty displays. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

WIKIPEDIA LINK: Cherries

Eat lots of Produce and support Local Growers whenever possible!

How to buy Blue Concord & Coronation Grapes

2010-08-10T19:50:00.002-07:00

If you have ever had Welch's grape jelly, drank their purple grape juice or had their fruit snacks; then you've been eating Concord grapes.

Concord grapes are an old-time favorite of my parent's generation and not so readily available today. They are harvested in the U.S. and Canada in late August and early September. I love to grab handfulls and munch on them, they have such a unique and wonderful flavour. Grab a straw and you can spit the seeds at your closest nemesis. JK!

Seeded fruits should be a healthy part of your diet as Mother Nature intended. Eating grape seeds is very good for your body and I personally have never heard of anyone choking to death on a grape seed. Although uncommon... it is more likely for people to choke on whole grapes than their seeds.

WIKIPEDIA LINKS: GRAPE SEED EXTRACT | GRAPE SEED OIL

There is a variety of blue grape similar to the seeded Concord grape called Coronation and they are seedless. Same fantastic flavor and appearance without the seeds. The seedless Coronation variety will eventually surpass Concord sales as production increases.

When buying Concord or Coronation Grapes they should have a natural whitish powder on their skin (just like blueberries, apples, plums), this is a great indicator of their freshness. After grapes are harvested they lose their "powdery look" as they age and begin to look bland and dull.

Pick up a bunch of grapes and gently shake them, if a large percentage of fruit falls off (called "shatter") the bunch this is a sign of age. Not necessarily bad though if the fruit is still firm. Squeeze a grape between your fingers to ensure they are still firm, not soft and mushy. These two varieties get soft quickly and should be kept refrigerated or in your cold room.

The vine should be light brown or green, not shriveled or black in color. Occasionally you may see a moldy, brown, raisiny, wrinkled or greenish grape on a bunch, this is NORMAL and doe not mean the bunch is bad.

If the grape bunches are sticky, this usually means the fruit is old or overripe and should be avoided unless you are making jam or wine. The "taste test" is alway best, pop one in your mouth and savor their wonderful flavour. You will not die from eating an unwashed grape!

WIKIPEDIA LIKS: CONCORD GRAPES | CORONATION GRAPES

Blueberries

2010-07-05T18:26:00.002-07:00

Blueberries are so delicious and they make the perfect snack just about anytime, anywhere. Now days they are available year-round at quite reasonable prices. I couldn't begin to calculate how many pounds of Blueberries I have sold over the last 25 years... or Eaten!

When buying blueberries you should turn over the plastic container and check the bottom for wetness and mold. If there is a white liner in the bottom of the container make sure it has not turned blue, a sign that the fruit is not fresh. Always open the container and gently squeeze the berries, they should be firm and hard (not wrinkled). Soft berries spoil quickly and are usually a sign of old age or heat stroke.

Bigger fruit is ALWAYS sweeter. Blueberries have a natural white powdery look on their skin (as do plums and apples), this is a sign of freshness. Berries that look dull and lacklustre will be soft, mushy and almost tasteless.

Blueberries should be blue in color, immature berries will have a greenish or yellow tinge. If you are buying a case of berries make sure you gently shake the box of berries so you can check the interior bottom of the box for wetness and mold. You would be surprised how often a box of blueberries looks beautiful on top and the bottom is bad.

On extremely hot days, heat affects the quality of the fruit so reputatble growers will stop picking earlier in the day to maintain a certain quality standard. While not so reputable growers will continue picking fruit which becomes soft quickly due to the extreme temperatures. This can often reflected in the price at the store, a "No Name" brand versus a "Driscoll or Dole" label.

Generally speaking when you see a great buy for Blueberries, Strawberries, Cherries, Corn or Grapes in your local newspaper they are being sold as a loss leader to entice shoppers into their supermarkets.

Remember if you want good produce in your local grocery stores you need to write out customer complaint cards and include the grower's name whenever possible. With centralized purchasing the Produce Buyers often never see the produce being shipped to their stores. Customer complaints are taken seriously and will be checked out.

WIKIPEDIA LINK: BLUEBERRIES

Cherries: Cracks & Splits

2010-07-05T17:02:00.002-07:00

My specialty has always been growing, packing and selling Big Cherries. Unfortunately Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate and sometimes we must deal with the impact of unseasonably wet weather, extreme temperatures and insect infestations. Ouch!

This coming 2011 season, frost damage will be widely seen in the fruit at the supermarkets. Produce Buyers will have to lower their normally high standards to ensure they have continuous supply and to appease growers. Hopefully this year's *June Drop will not adversely affect the crops.

There are many types of splits and cracks referred to when it comes to cherries but I will simplify it here. First is the "Horseshoe Split" which is on top of the cherry, a brown ring or crack around the stem caused by a drop of rain sitting atop the cherry after a rainfall. "Bum Split" on the bottom of the cherry, again this is caused by rain. The "GA Split" (Gibberelic-acid) which is a chemical sprayed on most cherries today in the Northern Hemisphere to delay the maturity of the cherry (late cherries usually sell for more) and making it crunchier. While in the Southern Hemisphere growers often use Ethrel to speed up the maturity of cherries (Early cherries sell for more).

Horseshoe Split

Bum Split

GA Split or Crack

Brown or Wet Rot

Frost Damage

* Every June, cherries while still in their infancy will naturally fall off the trees. This is Mother Nature's way of thinning cherry trees of their overabundant fruit.

Now here are some photos of some beautiful Yellow "Early Robin" cherries being picked a couple of days ago in Washington State. This particular variety is very similar to a Yellow Rainier cherry and will be marketed as such. This cherry tends to be very big fruit, supersweet and they have a wonderful red blush. Don't you think?

These cherries are huge they average about 1.25" inches in diameter. Probably cost about $5.99/lb for these in supermarkets if you can even find them. Most fruit of this quality is destined for overseas markets where they can command even higher prices.

TIPS ON HOW TO BUY CHERRIES

Why We Pay More For Local Produce

2010-06-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

I watched this video produced by Hellman's the other day and I loved the message of "Buy Local" but it lacks truth because it only tells half the story.

Why do supermarkets import the majority of their produce today? Why are our farmlands continuing to dwindle annually. I will talk about some of the main reasons in today's post.

First let me say again that I support local growers, even if I have to pay a little more. Quite honestly, I don't mind paying a little more knowing my dollars are staying in the local economy. This means so much to me and I know I'm keeping jobs here.

The cost of agricultural land in North America has sky-rocketd compared to many other countries where we import our produce. At today's land prices it is very difficult to begin farming, the mortgage payment alone can far exceed the annual return of the crops. Tourism is a strong contributing factor in many cases, for example with all the wineries popping up, surrounding lands have increased substanially in value. It's trendy to take a wine tour or buy an adjacent vacation property. An acre of prime orchard land 5 years that may have cost $40,000 today costs over a $100,000. In Chile the same land can be purchased for $6,000 - $12,000 acre.

The average orchard in Canada is about 10 acres whereas the average orchard in the U.S. is 100 - 2000 acres. Purchasing packing equipment and building a packing shed to handle the crops will easily cost over a $1,000,000 today. Not possible for a small farm so the answer is to sell their crop directly (best return) or have a co-op pack and market their crop (worst return).

The laws governing the packing of produce are becoming more stringent each year as our government tries to protect us from getting sick, disease and terrorist threats (poisoning of the food chain). The average grower cannot afford these costs and either must sell to a co-op as I mentioned earlier or expand. Accountability is the new word in packing, the government wants to be able to trace the source of any contaminated produce to stop it in its tracks. Rightfully so and this comes at a great multi-billion dollar cost.

As Supemarkets move into the big box category to survive against the Walmarts, this means less neighbourhood stores. Today's stores must purchase full truckloads of single commodities like broccoli, corn, oranges to get truckload pricing and save on freight costs. Having a truck drive to several farms to fill a truck with produce can raise the cost of delivery by 20% or more. Produce buyers are looking to do business with farms big enough to handle their requirements. The little farmer cannot service these companies in this capacity which gives them fewer options to market their crops.

A produce buyer may want to buy locally but the farms are just too small to service their needs so they look to other sources or countries that can.

Today most supermarkets voluntarily follow Gap Certification standards to protect themselves from liability and their customers by taking food safety a step further. This is an expensive program which is ultimately passed on to you the customer.

If a grower isn't Gap Certified the supermarkets will not buy his produce. Our orchards are Global Gap Certified.

GLOBAL GAP VIDEO

Lastly... where have all the pickers gone? There is a huge shortage of workers. Our children do not want to work picking peaches or blueberries, preferring to focus on higher education. I would estimate 30% - 40% of the labor force used to pick crops today are seasonal workers imported from Mexico or some other low income third world nation. There is nobody to pick the crops, there is a shortage of workers.

It can be very frustrating being a farmer today. Yes buying local produce will cost you more money. Absolutely. Eat lots of Produce and support Local Growers whenever possible!

Cherries

2010-06-03T21:13:00.001-07:00

I have been gone for awhile and haven't had a chance to update my blog with anything new or unusual. My apologies! A new season is upon us and I will be posting regularly and adding updates as I travel through growing regions of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.

California has had a great crop of cherries this season, prices have been quite reasonable so far and with the expected overlap of fruit between California and Washington State this month cherry prices are going to be lower than expected. Great for all the cherry lovers out there.

California is in full production right now with alot of the early variety Brooks available. A nice cherry if it's picked in a dry season, terrible quality if it rains, Brooks split so easily. Of course the bings are starting too, another excellent cherry with heavy volumes expected.

Washington State will begin picking their early varieties anyday now. The Chelan variety is an excellent cherry its characteristics are a dark, hard and very crunchy piece of fruit. Albeit not as sweet as the bing or lapin varieties which will come later in the season. The Van cherry is a Canadian favorite because of it's almost black color and supersweet thick sugary flavor. Volumes continue to decrease every year as this variety commands lower returns to the growers.

Can't wait to eat my fill of cherries this season. I've already started on the Rainiers, they haven't been this cheap out of California since I can't remember.

How to buy Dinosaur Egg Plums

2010-01-16T07:00:00.001-08:00

Dinosaur Egg Brand

Ripe Dinosaur Egg Plums

Unripe Dinosaur Egg Plums

Over Ripe Dinosaur Egg Plum

Dapple Dandy Pluots aka Dinosaur Egg Plums


Stem Indentation on the Shoulder


Plum + Apricot = Plumcot

One of my favorite fruits is the super sweet and flavorful "Dapple Dandy" pluot. Also referred to as the "Dinosaur Egg" plum, coined by the Jackson Family of Kingsburg Orchards in California (the family owns the trademark too).

A "pluot" or "interspecific plum" is a cross between a plum and apricot. Very similar to "plumcots", though the differences escape me. There are approximately 25 pluot varieties and no... they are not genetically modified.

Usually you need to ripen these yourself on your kitchen counter because it's hard to find these ripe in supermarkets. Although paying a hefty price in some stores will get you tree ripened fruit that can be eaten right away.Worth every penny if you can spare the change.

How to buy Dinosaur Egg plums:

Ripe Dinosaur Egg plums have a deep pink color, press your thumb against the side of the fruit, the flesh should feel soft not mushy. Stem indentations on the shoulders is perfectly normal, although brown discoloration is a sign of poor quality. Firm fruit is tasteless and will need a few days to ripen. Sampling is always best.

The chalky white powder on plums is called "bloom" and it's presence is a good sign that the fruit hasn't been handled too much from orchard to store. Please check out all my reference photos included in this post.

Ripen plums and pluots at room temperature (not in plastic), they need to breathe. Do not store in direct sunlight or extremely warm areas, this will cause the fruit to mold and spoil rather quickly. I have lost a small fortune learning this lesson. Once the fruit is ripe put it in your refrigerator.

More wonderful varieties of pluots

- Mango Tango
- Flavor Grenade
- Raspberry Jewel
- Flavor Queen
- Flavorosa - very plain tasting

Plum Powder a sign of Freshness is called "Bloom"

Rambutan

2010-01-15T07:00:00.001-08:00

Ripe Rambutan

Maybe you've seen Rambutan before and wondered what it was... it looks a little bit creepy like a hairy spider or some type of cactus. It's actually a delicious fruit very similar in flavor and texture to grapes. Rambutan means "Hairy" in the Indonesian tongue.

I've been selling this fruit for 25 years and it's popularity is only overshadowed by it's expensive retail. Most of the supply destined for world markets is shipped out of Bangkok by plane so half the cost of the fruit is attributed to air freight.

Peeled Red Rambutan

Rambutan is related to the Lychee, Longan and Mamoncillo fruits and is grown throughout tropical parts of Asia and Central America. If you have ever tasted a Lychee Nut before it is also very similar in texture, flavor and the flesh is the same whitish color. Rambutans have a wonderful refreshing taste, especially served cold. The fruit is 3-4 times larger than it's cousin the Lychee or large grapes.

Peeled Reddish-Green Rambutan

In North America most Asian stores sell this fruit with more of a reddish-green color. The Red fruit is more expensive, a little sweeter and usually only sold at upscale stores if you can find it at all.

Rambutan On Display At A Market

When you're buying Rambutans look for fruit with a nice "bright" color, dull looking fruit (or black tips) is old... good to buy if it's half price and eaten right away. Fruit still attached to their branches is usually fresher.

Rambutan On Display At A Market

Rambutans have a tough skin. I suggest gently cutting into the shell in a 360 degrees rotation with a paring knife. The shell will now come off easily. You can also use your thumbnail or teeth to pierce the skin but it can be a bit messier using this method. Remember there is a small pit in the middle so be careful not to bite down too hard and injure your teeth. Rambutan should easily last a week in your refrigerator, do not store at room temperature it dries out too quickly.

Garlic Stems "Scapes"

2010-01-14T07:59:00.002-08:00

Reuters Photo

In 1997 just days before the British Colony of Hong Kong was handed back to China, I was walking through the streets of Hong Kong taking in the wonderful and not so wonderful aromas of the markets; when I happen chanced upon the curiosity (for me) of "Garlic Stems" aka "Garlic Scapes".

I wanted to see Hong Kong before it was handed back to Mainland China. Everybody at the time was in a state of panic over what would happen to the island after it fell into communist hands.

I walked by store fronts (not produce) and noticed plates full of fresh garlic with thick green stems about 10 inches high sprouting from the bulbs. The garlic was usually situated on the counter by their cash register or in the store front window, amazing I thought... I wonder if they are edible, just for decoration or a religious offering to Buddha?

This is funny because I was an experienced international produce buyer with 15 years under my belt and of course I had imported chives (gow choy) and flowering chives (gow choy fa) from Taiwan for years but had never run across garlic stems before. Sometimes it can take years before growing and production methods and technology is advanced enough to bring a product to market.

If you love the taste of onions and garlic then I recommend trying garlic stems. Today they are widely available in asian markets and even in "authentic cuisine" chinese restaurants. They taste wonderful stirfried in a wok (cut in 1 inch strips) for about 3 - 4 minutes with a little bit of oil, salt to taste, a sprinkle of sugar and some soy sauce. Also a great addition to wok-fried seafood with a bit of chinese cooking wine.

When you are buying garlic stems, the stalks of this vegetable should be very firm similar to celery. Limpness means the product is very old or has been sitting in the hot sun and deteriorating. If the flowers are still attached, the buds should be tightly closed, compact and no wetness or slime should be evident. The stalks themselves can have a nice healthy mixture of green and yellow color but if their aroma is overpowering (almost a stench) this means they're not fresh.

I hope I've introduced you to a new vegetable that you will love and enjoy and adds a new dimension to your cooking.