Guest guest Posted November 20, 2002 Report Share Posted November 20, 2002 Pick the Best Summer Produce by Elizabeth Zipern and Susan Stuck, Miavita Recipes Editor Juicy red strawberries, snappy green beans, lush aromatic peaches - Mother Nature's fast food is at its most sumptuous in summer. Here's the scoop on buying, storing and feasting on the season's freshest produce. General Rules For the kind of summer meals that will linger in your memory long after the season, start with these ground rules for picking ingredients. Judge fragrance and color. Concentrate on finding fruits and veggies with the richest smell and brightest color. Don't necessarily reject produce just because it has some blemishes. Stay local. Buy fruits and vegetables that are grown locally and in season. It will be fresher and better tasting than produce shipped long distances from large farms. No prewash. Store fruits and vegetables unwashed and check regularly to remove any pieces that are spoiled. Store produce correctly (read on for tips) and it will last longer. Ripen it right. The best spot for unripe fruit is on a warm windowsill. Keep it simple. When in season, fruits and vegetables taste best raw, or simply grilled or steamed. The A-Z Produce Buyer's Guide Apricots How To Pick 'Em: Look for fruit that is plump, firm and golden-colored. Avoid apricots that are too soft, wrinkled or green. Keep It Fresh: Store apricots at room temperature in a closed paper bag. Refrigerate and store in plastic only when ripe. Serving Tip: Apricots make great " fast food. " Just wash and enjoy. Arugula How To Pick 'Em: Leaves of this peppery, mustardy plant should be fresh and green. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to two days - arugula loses its punch fast. Wash before using, changing the water several times. Serving Tip: Add arugula to salads, soups, pasta sauces or sauteed veggies for a blast of flavor. Beets How To Pick 'Em: If greens are still attached, the leaves should not be limp. Small beets are often more tender than large ones. Look for Chioggia, a.k.a. candy cane beets. Keep It Fresh: Snip off greens to within an inch or two of the beets. Refrigerate in separate plastic bags. Beet greens will last a day or two; the beets will stay fresh for two weeks or more. Serving Tip: For a treat, toss boiled beets with raspberry vinegar. Serve warm or cold. Blackberries How To Pick 'Em: Choose the plumpest, juiciest berries without hulls (attached hulls signal immature berries). Keep It Fresh: Blackberries are almost as perishable as raspberries. Spread in a single layer on a tray lined with paper towels, and refrigerate for a day or two. Serving Tip: Unadorned blackberries and sliced peaches make a delightful duo. Blueberries How To Pick 'Em: Choose plump, firm, bright blue/purple berries. Discard any that are green or shriveled. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate blueberries in a moisture-proof container. Use within three days. Serving Tip: For a fresh summer dessert, top blueberries with low-fat or nonfat yogurt or sour cream. Cantaloupe How To Pick 'Em: Choose cantaloupe that feels heavy in your hand and sniff for a fragrant melon-y aroma. Keep It Fresh: Store unripe cantaloupe at room temperature. Once ripe or cut, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Serving Tip: Toss a vibrant fruit salad by combining cantaloupe, berries and fresh mint. Cherries - Sweet How To Pick 'Em: Look for deep crimson Bing cherries or yellow-with-a-blush Rainiers. Discard any with cracked, brown or mushy skins. Keep It Fresh: Store unwashed cherries in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Eat within three days. Serving Tip: Cherries make great " fast food. " Just wash and eat. Cherries - Tart How To Pick 'Em: Small and sour, yet packed with flavor, tart cherries are available only at farmer's markets. Avoid bruised or soft cherries. Keep It Fresh: Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for three or four days before pitting and cooking. Serving Tip: What's tastier than a homemade cherry pie or cobbler? Chile Peppers How To Pick 'Em: Short or long, plump or skinny, green or red or yellow, chile peppers should have rich, vivid color and no soft spots. Keep It Fresh: Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or longer. Serving Tip: The heat factor of chiles can range from mild to incendiary, so always be cautious when using in a dish. If it needs more kick, you can always add more, but it's impossible to turn down the heat once they're in. Corn - Sweet How To Pick 'Em: Look for fresh, green husks with plump kernels that are not dried, discolored or shrunken. Keep It Fresh: Fresh corn is highly perishable. Cook it the day it's picked if possible, or refrigerate for one to two days in plastic with husks intact. Serving Tip: Peel back corn husks and remove corn silk. Sprinkle the cobs with water and fold husks back over the kernels. Grill or roast for 10 minutes for a great nutty flavor. Cucumbers How To Pick 'Em: Dark green cucumbers that feel heavy in your hand are best. Avoid any with soft spots or shriveled ends. Keep It Fresh: Stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, cucumbers will stay fresh for a week or more. Serving Tip: Toss cucumber and honeydew melon matchsticks with a little rice vinegar for a cooling summer salad. Eggplant How To Pick 'Em: Choose eggplant that is dark purple, smooth and free of bruises. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate eggplant in a sealed plastic bag. Use within five days. Serving Tip: Grill marinated skewers threaded with eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms. Green Beans How To Pick 'Em: Pods should be long, firm, crisp and free of decay. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate in a plastic bag. Use within three to five days. Serving Tip: Steam and toss with chopped herbs and toasted walnuts. Kohlrabi How To Pick 'Em: Kohrabi, the turnip's milder cousin, is light green tinged with purple. Choose small bulbs that feel heavy in your hand. If greens are attached, they should be deep green and look fresh. Keep It Fresh: Cut off greens to within 1 inch of bulb, and store greens and bulbs in separate plastic bags in the refrigerator for three to four days. Serving Tip: Add sliced kohlrabi to a stir-fry or soups. Nectarines How To Pick 'Em: Nectarines should be brightly colored and give slightly to the touch. Sniff out the most fragrant fruit. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate ripe nectarines for up to five days. Slightly underripe fruit will ripen at room temperature. Serving Tip: Take a nectarine or two to work for a great snack. Peaches How To Pick 'Em: Look for plump, firm fruit with a rosy blush. Avoid peaches that are discolored, wrinkled or mushy. Keep It Fresh: Store at room temperature in a closed paper bag. Refrigerate and store in plastic only when ripe. Eat within five days. Serving Tip: For a sweet summer dessert, serve fresh sliced peaches with low-fat or nonfat yogurt or sour cream. Peas - (English/Green) How To Pick 'Em: Buy fresh peas in firm, plump pods. Open one to test the peas inside - they should be glossy and sweet. Buy a lot - 1 pound of peas in the pod yields about 4 ounces of shelled peas. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate peas in their pods for no more than two days. Serving Tip: Shell and steam briefly, then toss with snipped chives or chopped mint for a summery treat. Peppers (Sweet/Bell) How To Pick 'Em: Look for peppers with firm, bright skins. All sweet peppers start out green and then turn color as they mature. Keep It Fresh: Store at room temperature and use within one or two days. For longer storage, refrigerate in vented plastic. Serving Tip: Slice off the top, clean out seeds and stuff with a Mediterranean filling of vegetables, feta cheese and thyme. Plums How To Pick 'Em: Look for soft fruit that yields to slight pressure. Avoid shriveled plums. Keep It Fresh: Store unripe plums at room temperature. Refrigerate and store in plastic only when ripe. Eat within four days. Serving Tip: Plums make great " fast food. " Just wash and eat. Radishes How To Pick 'Em: Radishes should feel firm when squeezed. Softness indicates old radishes or woody interiors. Keep It Fresh: Store radishes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for four or five days. Serving Tip: Toss sliced radishes and bitter salad greens such as arugula or radicchio with balsamic vinegar. Raspberries How To Pick 'Em: Look for berries that are dry, plump and firm. Avoid soft or moldy raspberries. Keep It Fresh: Raspberries are highly perishable. Eat them the day they are picked or spread in a single layer on a tray lined with paper towels, and refrigerate for a day or two. Serving Tip: Make a raspberry parfait by layering the berries with yogurt and maple syrup. Salad Greens How To Pick 'Em: Look for fresh, green leaves. Avoid leaves that are bruised or wilted. Seek out dark-leaved varieties such as red oak leaf or romaine - they contain greater amounts of healthful plant pigments. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate in vented plastic lined with paper towel. Remove ties. Eat within two to five days. Serving Tip: Wash leaves in several changes of cold water if necessary, and dry in a salad spinner or with paper towels. Fresh summer lettuce greens taste heavenly with a simple, light dressing; wet lettuce dilutes dressing. Strawberries How To Pick 'Em: Look for fresh, plump, firm, bright red berries. Avoid green/white berries. Keep It Fresh: Cover strawberries and store at room temperature. Eat immediately. Serving Tip: For a pretty, cooling summer dessert, toss strawberries and mango pieces with a teaspoon of sugar and a squeeze of lime juice. Sugar Snap Peas How To Pick 'Em: Look for firm, bright green pods. Avoid any pods that are swollen, too light or flecked with gray. Keep It Fresh: Refrigerate in a plastic bag. Eat within three to five days. Serving Tip: Eat sugar snap peas fresh or sauté them with mushrooms and ginger. Swiss Chard How To Pick 'Em: Choose chard with crisp stalks and bright leaves. Keep It Fresh: Pack in a large plastic bag and refrigerate for two or three days. Serving Tip: Slice the leaves into ribbons and cook like spinach. Slice the stalks and add to stir-fries or pasta dishes. Tomatoes How To Pick 'Em: Buy firm, bright, fragrant tomatoes. Avoid any that are too soft or cracked. Keep It Fresh: Place on a windowsill to ripen if too green. Store at room temperature and out of the sun. Eat within four to seven days. Refrigerate only when very ripe. Serving Tip: Quickly broil thick tomato slices with garlic and basil. Watermelon How To Pick 'Em: Look for a symmetrical watermelon that feels heavy. Keep It Fresh: Store uncut fruit at room temperature. Refrigerate and tightly wrap cut watermelon. Serving Tip: Whizz cubes of watermelon with ice, fruit juice and honey in a blender for a refreshing smoothie. Zucchini How To Pick 'Em: Choose firm, well-shaped zucchini with smooth glossy skin. Select smaller sizes - they are usually more flavorful. Keep It Fresh: Store in vented plastic. Use within five to seven days. Serving Tip: Quickly sauté zucchini with tomatoes, basil, garlic, black pepper and salt for a zesty side dish. Elizabeth Zipern is the co-author with Dar Williams of The Tofu Tollbooth (Ceres Press/Ardwork Press), and author of Cooking with the Dead & Made With Love (St. Martin's Press). ===== Language is an expression of thought. Everytime you speak, your mind is on Parade Exodus 20:8-11 & Hebrews 4:9 Web Hosting - Let the expert host your site http://webhosting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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