SUMMER (WARM SEASON) VEGETABLES

Summer or warm season vegetables need: sunshine (long hot days) warm soil warm air In order to: grow and mature develop sugar develop flavor

For warm season vegetables, cold temperatures mean: no germination no flowers slow growth no fruit no flavor

What is in season? Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Green beans Jimaca Lima Beans Okra Peppers Summer Squash Tomatoes

CORN

Varieties YellowBlack White Red Blue Baby Multi-colored New varieties are extra sweet. Sugar converts to starch after harvesting.

BLACK CORN-PERU BLUE CORN RED CORN MULTI-COLORED ANCIENT CORN WHITE CORN

CORN Cooking –Boiling – 3 to 5 minutes –Roasting –Grilling –Baking Commonly eaten on the cob in US.

CORN CULTURE –Mexico – 7,000 YEARS OLD –Thai – corn ice cream –Hispanic – masa, tamales, arepas, tortillas –US southern – corn meal, corn bread, corn fritters –New England – corn chowder, corn pudding –Italy (north) - Polenta Animal fodder

MAYAN CORN MASK INDIAN CORN

EVERYBODY LOVES CORN

CUCUMBERS

LEMON CUCUMBERS

ARMENIAN CUCUMBER JAPANESE CUCMBER

WHITE CUCUMBERSENGLISH (BURPLESS) CUCUMBERS PICKLING CUCUMBERS

CUCUMBERS Native to India Commonly eaten raw – can be cooked Peeled or unpeeled 3 Basic Types –Slicing or Salad –Pickling –Gherkins

CUCUMBERS Commercial – wax coating Shriveled ends = old Bitter taste – growing conditions Larger cukes = more seeds Remove seeds & gel –More digestible for some –Prevents watering down dish

SNAP BEANS (GREEN BEANS)

SNAP/GREEN BEANS Varieties –Edible pod beans Snap –Green –Purple turn green when cooked

SNAP BEANS –Golden –Wax Look waxy Don taste it

SNAP BEANS –Romano Italian Thicker,flatter –Haricot Vert Filet beans Pencil-thin

PEPPERS (CHILES)

PEPPERS Varities Sweet Bell Pimiento Banana Italian Hot Chile Jalapeno Serrano Tabasco Cayenne Hungarian Wax

Capsaicin Heat Veins and seeds Not the walls Scoville Heat Units Measure of heat Jalapeno 2,500 to 4,000 Tabasco 60,000 to 80,000 Color not a factor

OKRA

Varieties –Green –Red –White

OKRA OKRA FLOWERHIBISCUS FLOWER

OKRA Large pods are tough Does not store well –Toughens –Loses color Came from Africa on slave ships. Called Lady Fingers

OKRA Usually served hot Sticky juice – cooked Acts as thickener Described as –Slimy –Ropy

OKRA StiSti Popular in: –India –Africa –Caribbean –Southern US Cajun Creole

OKRA Cooking –Boil –Braise –Steam –Saute –Microwave –Fry Southern US – dipped in cornmeal

TOMATOES

Varieties –Over 500 –Wide range of shapes, sizes, colors 3 Categories –Cherry Tomatoes –Round/Slicing Tomatoes –Plum/Paste Tomatoes

TOMATOES Heirloom –Old, non hybrid varieties Hybrid –A cross between 2 genetically different plants Specialty –Different or unusual – might be a heirloom or a hybrid

TOMATOES Never refrigerate tomatoes – flavor loss –Exceptions: extreme heat, over ripe Ripen in a brown bag out of sunlight Vitamin A content determined by color –Orange – most –Red and yellow –White – the least Nutrients in the gel around the seeds

TOMATOES Native to South America Believed poisonous until 1700s In the top 5 favorite vegetables in US Each American eats 20 lbs. of fresh tomatoes annually, plus 70 lbs. of processed-ketchup, salsa, BBQ sauce Not a vegetable – a fruit Lycopene & beta carotene give red tomatoes their color

TOMATOES Southern US favorite –Fried Green Tomatoes

EGGPLANT

Varieties –Color Purple-black Green Pink White Yellow Orange

EGGPLANT –Shapes Oval Oblong Round

VIETNAMESE EGGPLANT TURKISH EGGPLANT CHINESE EGGPLANT

AFRICAN EGGPLANT INDIAN EGGPLANT ROSA BIANCA – ITALIAN EGGPLANT AMERICAN EGGPLANT

THAI EGGPLANT

EGGPLANT Name –Early fruit small, white, round Culture –India or maybe China –Eggplant Parmigiana – Italy –Caponata – Italy –Ratatouille – France –Moussaka – Greece –Baba Ghanoush – Middle East

EGGPLANT Cooking –Never eaten raw –Cook thoroughly –Spongy texture Soaks up oil –Cook quickly-hot pan –Salt and press prior to cooking May remove bitterness

EGGPLANT Cooking –Roasted – Fried – Baked – Sautéd – Stir-fried – Stuffed – Grilled – Casseroles

EGGPLANT Limited storage Dull color, brown spots=old Peeling –Depends on the recipe –Depends on the eggplant older & tougher - yes Discolors when cut –Oxidizes lemon juice, water

NOT EVERYONE LIKES EGGPLANT

EGGPLANT – 0 – LANTERNS

SUMMER SQUASH

Varieties –Chayote –Crook-necked –Scalloped/Pattypan Green, yellow, white –Straight Green, yellow –Zucchini –Round Sunburst

SUMMER SQUASH Summer and Winter Squash –Both grown in summer –Summer is immature –Winter is mature Harvested in fall Hardened rind

SUMMER SQUASH Small are best – no longer than 8 inches Round squash – no larger than 4 dia. Larger squash = more and larger seeds 95% water Absorbs other flavors Do not peel Eat raw or cooked Flowers are edible

SUMMER SQUASH Cooking –DO NOT OVERCOOK! Steam Sauté Grill Bake Microwave Stuff

SUMMER SQUASH