Fruits & Vegetables

Here’s a quick look at a different point of view… Check out an MRI of fruits and vegetables vegetables/ vegetables/

Winter Fruits Citrus Tropical

Spring Fruits Winter fruits are still available Summer fruits are starting to make an appearance

Summer Fruits Berries – highly perishable and fragile Stone Fruit – AKA drupes because they have a central pit enclosing a single seed. Melons – categorized into two groups: sweet melons and watermelons – Sweet = rough, netted skin and a soft fleshy interior. – Watermelon = larger in size and have a smooth, thick green skin and light, crisp texture. Grapes

Stone Fruit

Fall Fruits Apples Pears Grapes (still available in early Fall) Cranberries (Thanksgiving) Persimmons

Vegetables Fall/Winter – Mushrooms, roots, squash, hearty greens Spring/Summer – Onions, radishes, peas, lettuces, peppers Vegetables are categorized differently…

Flower Vegetables

Fruit Vegetables

Fruit Vegetables ~Squash Summer Squash – Zucchini – Yellow Crookneck Squash – Cucumbers Winter Squash – Hard Shell Variety (Fall/Winter)

Leafy Vegetables

Seed Vegetables

Root & Tuber Vegetables Beets Carrots Radishes Turnips & Rutabagas Potatoes Onion: Common bulb, scallion, leek…

Onion Family (Bulbs) Red, yellow, white & sweet Shallots Garlic Leeks Scallions (Green onions) Chives

Stem Vegetables

The Fungus Among Us Always Purchase Wild Mushrooms from Reputable sources! White (Button) Mushroom Crimini & Portobello (crimini is the baby) Shiitake ~ Beech Enoki~ Morel Oyster~ Trumpet Lobster~ Truffle

USDA Grading For Produce U.S. Extra Fancy = $$$$$ U.S. Fancy = $$$$ U.S. No. 1 = $$$ U.S. No. 2 = $$ U.S. No. 3 = $ Fruits are graded before shipping, but temperature and handling can affect their quality when they are received. Grading of fresh vegetables is voluntary – the major grade is U.S. No. 1. Lower graded items can be used in dishes where appearance is not a factor.

Wash your Produce! Some Produce is grown directly on the ground, in the dirt (& dirt contains…?) Regardless of where the produce is grown it can have pesticides (chemicals) on it Even if it is pesticide free, it has been picked, packaged, un-packed, placed out for selling, picked through by shoppers… That’s a lot of hands!! However, don’t wash fresh produce with soap or detergent. The produce can absorb the detergent and make you sick. In addition, the detergent may react with any pesticides and waxes on the produce, forming a combination that could be very harmful.

A couple more things about washing your produce… even if you’re going to peel it, washing helps prevent chemicals and dirt from being transferred to the edible parts. Scrub thick-skinned produce, such as squash, and items that might have a lot of dirt, such as potatoes, with a thick brush.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Grilling/Broiling – To cook by direct (HOT) heat over coals, gas flames or directly beneath the element. – Must be done quickly to avoid breaking down the fruit’s structure. – Caramelizes the natural sugars. – Vegetables are great when marinated before grilling.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Poaching (Typically Fruit) – To cook in liquid below a simmer (around 180) – Peel & Seed the fruit. – Heat in poaching liquid just below a simmer. – Cook until just tender & cool in liquid or serve immediately. – The poaching liquid should be flavored & can be reduced after the fruit is cooked & used as a sauce for the dish.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Sautéing & Stir-frying – To brown (caramelize) or cook in a small amount of fat on medium high heat & constantly moving. – Fruits should be peeled, cored or seeded, and cut into uniform sizes. – Most fruits can easily be sautéed. Bananas Foster is the most popular sautéed fruit recipe.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Sautéing & Stir-frying – Gives vegetables a crisp texture. – “Finishing in butter” involves Stirring in butter, off the heat, after the vegetables have been cooked. – Glazing is a finishing technique in which a small amount of honey, sugar, or maple sugar is added to the fruit or vegetable, coating it and giving it a sheen as it reheats.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Fruit Sauces (AKA Coulis or Puree) – Puree = to turn food into a smooth, thick semi- liquid by putting through strainer or in a blender or food processor after cooking. – Coulis are common as dessert sauces & typically made with berries. – Coulis can also be added to vinaigrettes (fruits or vegetables)

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Boiling – To cook in liquid at 212* where bubbles rise & break at the surface. – Boiling takes away a lot of the nutrients in vegetables so avoid it whenever possible. – Dried beans & legumes and root vegetables are best when boiled. Both dried beans & potatoes need to be added to cold water & brought up to a boil with the water.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Roasting – To cook uncovered in an oven. – Both fruits & vegetables can be roasted. Apples, Pineapple, Pears, Root Vegetables, Squash – They are left whole or cut into large pieces, with no additional liquid added. – Those with thick skins are most suited for roasting since it protects the interior from drying or scorching.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Steaming – To cook food with steam by placing it in a basket or rack over, but not in, boiling water. – Steaming is the best method for retaining vitamins and minerals because they are cooked gently in a vapor bath, not in direct contact with water. – Any vegetable can be steamed

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables FryingPan/ShallowDeep – Pan-fried vegetables are often coated with breading or batter. – Potatoes aren’t coated with anything, they’re just cut & fried. (Chips & Fries) – Tempura is a Japanese cooking term in which vegetables or seafood are coated with a light batter and deep fried. – Nothing Healthy about fried anything, but YUM!

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables Stewing & Braising To simmer slowly in a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan in the oven or on the stove top. Vegetable stews and braises are good ways to retain the vitamins and minerals that are transferred to the cooking liquid because the liquid is served as part of the dish. Stewed vegetables are cut into small pieces. Braised vegetables are cut in large pieces or left whole.

Cooking Fruits & Vegetables How Tender? 1.Al Dente! 2.The cooked vegetable or fruit should resemble the natural characteristics of its raw state. – A little bit of crunch, structure & bright color. 3.The quality standard for a particular cooking method. (Sauté vs. Stew) 4.Regional and local preferences.