What's Good in Produce this Week?

8/26/10  I guess you can tell by the picture that I am recommending red grapes. They are really tasting great!  These are the flame seedless variety a relatively new variety that are characterize by sweetness with a little of crunch (I love grapes that go crunch!).   Remember to keep your grapes in the coldest part of your refrigerator and only wash just before using.  Frozen grapes are also fun and great way to get kids to eat a healthy snack, simply pull grapes from stem place them on a plate or tray and freeze until hard.  If you are having a dinner party, take the frozen grapes and dip them inchocolate (a mixture of white and dark makes a great display) and serve to your guests as a refreshing delicious dessert!

Do Prefer Peaches or Nectarines?

 
8/10.  Do you prefer peaches or nectarines?  Interestingly enough there is a distinct gender difference in the preference between peaches and nectarines.  Men overwhelmingly prefer nectarines in taste tests and in surveys!  Don't ask me why, but I will tell you that nectarines are typically sweeter and this week nectarines are at their best!    Did you ever grill nectarines?  Try slicing them into quarters, place them on a double skewer (prevents from spinning on the skewer), brush with a little oil like canola to prevent from sticking to the grill and then grill for approx 5 minutes over a med hot grill, turning once.  Remove and this is what I like best, sprinkle with a little brown sugar, some chopped macadamia nuts and top with homemade whip cream (an aerosol can will do in a pinch), grap a spoon and dig in!  Enjoy!

Seedling Farms Peaches Local!

8/10  Peapod always seeks out the best in local produce and this week we are proud to feature fresh picked orchard peaches from Seedling Farms in Michigan.  These peaches are left on the tree to ripen longer creating delicious flavor and they are so sweet!  Typically, these peaches (red haven variety one of the best if not the best tasting variety)  are usually only available at local farmers market like Chicago's Green City and Evanston's Farmer's Market, but this month you can buy these great tasting local peaches from Peapod. Enjoy and remember to leave fruit out at room temperature until soft to touch then eat or refrigerate and do not store in direct sunlight.

How do you cook fresh Sweet Corn?

7/28/10

 

This is hotly debated topic by many who enjoy fresh summer sweet corn and we are in prime season right now.  I have talked to most farmers who seem to be in agreement that boiling it in water with 1T of sugar for every 3 ears of corn for about 10 minutes is best to enjoy the fresh sweet flavor of corn. 

Then there are the die hard griller's who like wouldn't even think of boiling, instead some like to soak it ice water or cold beer, then place on the grill letting the moisture steam the corn on the grilling turning frequently.  I remember one backyard BBQ that was done that way with a large old coffee can filled with melted butter on the grill that once you peel back the corn you dipded the ear in the butter and enjoyed.

How about the roasters that cut corn off the cobb first, then toss it with a little oil,salt, pepper and touch of cayenne pepper then put it on a roasting pan in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes?

I am not even going to mention the Mexican tradition of steaming the corn then slathering with mayonnaise, lime and chili powder. (by the way, I've tried it this way from street vendors in Chicago and love it!).

How do you cook your Corn?

Corn from Kanakee IL WOW!

7/23/10

I just got back from Chicago's produce cooler and I have to tell everyone this is the best corn I have tasted this year, wow is the best way to describe how sweet it is with yyoung small tender kernels!  It is a must buy for anyone shopping for deliveries this weekend!  I like to clean it and cook in boiling water with 1T of sugar for every 3 ears.  It should cook in 8 to 10 minutes. 

Top 10 Reasons to Eat More Watermelon!

7/19/10

10. Watermelons are a good source of potassium.

9.  Watermelons are a low calorie food.

8.  Peapod sells seedless watermelons.

7.  Kids love wwatermelon and it is better for them than candy or juice.

6. Because of the hot weather in the growing areas, watermelon is tasting exceptionally sweet!

5. Watermelon contains healthy Lycopene, a powerful anti oxidant, studies indicate it can help in the prevention of heart disease and certain cancers.

4. It is high in vitamin A

3.  It is rich in Beta Carotene.

2. Watermelon is 92% Water and 6% sugar and good source of vitamin C.

1.  IT'S  HOT OUTSIDE!

Cherry Time!

6/30  Calling all cherry lovers!  These next few weeks are prime for cherries. These beautiful bing cherries are coming from Washington State where the higher altitudes, volcanic soil and cooler climate make this growing area the best in the world for cherries.  You will find these cherries to be bigger, darker in color, crunchier (I like a crunchy cherry, hard on the outside, sweet and juicy on the inside), and a much richer cherry flavor.  Tip:  Remember to only rinse your cherries just before using, because cherries act like a sponge absorbing water, making them mushy and watering down the flavor if you rinse them to far ahead of time.  You will also find the lowest prices of the year on cherries as well.  I would be remiss not to mention blueberries as well as the flavor is great and they are coming from New Jersey.

Are you Feeling Blue...berry?

 
6/15/10  What's cheap, plentiful and oh so Delicious... Blueberries!  Blueberries are plentiful this weekend and on sale!  Blues (as we refer to them in the produce industry) are one of the healthiest fruits or vegetables you can eat.  They are backed full of anti-oxidants (comes from the blue color), that studies show prevent some forms of cancer, heart disease and if you  consume enough blueberries it can actually reverse the aging process.  Before you get any ideas I've read you have to eat at least 2 full pints of blueberries everyday, that's a lot of berries.  But even if you do not eat 2 full pints, anything you eat you will enjoy and you will be healthier for it.

Weekend Produce Picks

 
6/5  Just a quick note to everyone on some great tasting produce this weekend.  I visited both our Washington and Chicago facilities this week and found the Peaches and Nectarines tasting superb with great sugar.  Tip:  Leave out at room temperature 20 minutes before consuming and you will have a better tasting, juicer fruit experience, that is because as the temperature of the fruit increases the acidity levels drop letting you taste more of the sugars in the fruit. I also loved the cantaloupes and its rich melon flavor!  I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Organic Produce for Kids

 

6/4 There has been recent studies looking at the effects of pesticides on young children and their developing bodies.  If this is concern for you, the produce items that may contain the most residual pesticides and ones that you should choose an organic option are:

#1 Strawberries: Hands down this is #1!  Because of their susceptibility to disease, their growing proximity to the soil (the soils are treated with herbicides and pesticides) and their surface area with all the indentations (can harbor residual pesticides that will not wash off easily) strawberries would be my #1 choice to feed children.  I will also add that while I do not believe this is true for all organic produce, organic strawberries to me consistently taste much better! 

#2 Apples:  A little known produce industry secret is that apples are treated with a lot chemicals to ensure regular shape, besides pesticides to prevent insect damage.  Next time you have a chance take a look at an organic and a conventional apple and you will see a much more irregular shape to the organic one.  Also because you want to eat the skin of the apple where must of the nutrients and health benefits are contained it may also harbor some of these chemicals and pesticides as well.

#3 Spinach:  Because of their close proximity to the soil, and it's delicate nature (does not stand up to strong rinsing) spinach is one that I usually recommend an organic choice.

CNN posted an article a while back on what they termed the dirty dozen produce items:

Celery,Peaches,Strawberries, Apples, Domestic blueberries, Nectarines, Sweet bell peppers, Spinach, kale and collard greens, Cherries, Potatoes, Imported grapes, Lettuce.

I have given you my top 3 items, produce like potatoes, celery, and peppers while true may contain higher amounts of pesticides they are more easily washed off because their surface lends to easy cleaning.  A rule of thumb is if it is grown in the ground and you do eat the skin vs. peeling like an orange or pineapple, then an organic choice is advisable if this is concern of yours especially for children.