I'm the first to admit I'm not an expert when it comes to Tropical Produce, never really sold much of it. But one thing is for sure, I've been getting alot of request from all of you about Caribbean/Dominican/Hispanic Vegetables, so I have decided to bring in an expert to talk Tropical Produce.  Joe Battaglia is head Tropical buyer at S Katzman Produce in the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx. You all know me "JACK OF ALL TRADES-MASTER OF NONE", that's me, so this week I'll be asking the questions, hoping to learn a lot for me and all of you. Tropical Produce consumption is on the rise with Fresh Cuts, Store Sampling and Education. A few years ago people didn't know much about Mangoes and now they are one of the most popular fruits.

YUCA

WHAT IS YUCA?

Yuca commonly known as cassava or manioc ( not to be confused with yucca), is one of the world’s most versatile vegetables. Use it fried, boiled, or mashed, yuca is a nutty-flavored starch tuber native to South America that is also found in Asia and parts of Africa. Together with other tropical root vegetables like yam, taro, and most notably the potato, it is an indispensable part of the carbohydrate diet for many. Yuca is a major source of calories in the tropics and is considered a main food staple for millions. Because it is so drought-tolerant, it’s become a popular crop to harvest in the marginal countries that lack soil.

 Yuca, pronounced YOO-ka, 

 The large tapered yuca roots are similar in size and shape to a sweet potato and can be anywhere from one to several pounds in size. At most stores, you can find yuca roots in the produce aisle. They look very much like its close cousins the yam and potato, with a rough, bark-like skin that must be removed by grating or peeling. 

  The starchy flesh of the yuca root is a light white or cream color with a grainy texture similar to potatoes. The meaty flesh is often described as having a mild, sweet, somewhat nutty taste. 

 You can prepare it in the same way you would a baked potato, though it’s important to remove the skin first. Yuca have a high starch content which make them rather dry, so including a sauce helps. A common way to prepare a yuca is to make oven-baked yuca fries or chunks 

CHAYOTE

 Chayote (pronounced CHAH-YOH-TEH) is a pear-shaped, light green vegetable belonging to the Cucurbitaceae or gourd family. It has a mild flavor and a slightly crunchy texture that resembles a combination of a cucumber and a potato.

This vegetable has a thin layer of pale green skin, with multiple shallow, vertical furrows on the surface.Chayote also comes in different varieties, which may be easily differentiated by the surface texture and the color of the vegetables. It may also come in either a green or white shade, or have a spiky or smooth texture.Inside the chayote, you will find edible seeds, which are usually roasted or fried. 

Chayote grows on a perennial vine, with tendrils that enable the plant to climb and use a surface for support. The vine can cling to fences, shrubs and even on trees.Chayote grows best during a long and warm season and requires rich and well-drained soil. After about 120 to 150 days of maturation, chayote plants may start producing flowers.These flowers eventually develop into vegetables, with a chayote plant having the ability to yield up to 300 chayotes per year.

 Chayote have become popular in the U.S. and are found in many large markets. They are being cultivated in Florida, California, and Louisiana. They are very common in Latino grocery stores. Select firm, smooth, unwrinkled chayote.  Old chayote become very wrinkled and become dry and tough.  Chayote will keep refrigerated for many days but it is best to use as quickly as possible.

Chayotes are available almost year round with main crops in fall and late spring.

 The chayote can be eaten raw in salads, or stuffed and baked.  Other preparations include mashing, pickling, frying or boiling. The plain squash tends to be bland and benefits from "aggressive" seasoning.   You can also eat the chayote tuber portion of the roots boiled or you can add it to a simple vegetable or meat stew. 

CALABAZA

 A pumpkin-like squash, round in shape and ranging in size from small (cantaloupe) to large (watermelon). Grown in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Its flesh is a bright orange, and its skin ranges in color from green to beige to orange. The firm, succulent flesh has a sweet flavor like the butternut squash. The seeds are edible and can be toasted. 

Sold in chunks in Latin markets. Select fresh pieces with moist, tightly grained flesh . Avoid wet or soft spots. Whole calabase should be heavy for its size and unblemished with the stem still attached.

Store whole squash in a cool, dark place up to six weeks. Refrigerate wrapped chunks up to one week.

 Calabaza has a sweet flavor and its texture is firm. This is similar to the taste and texture of more familiar varieties of squash, such as butternut or acorn.

Pronounced  KAH-LAH-BAH-SAH

Cabaza squash or ‘Pumpkin” is a Hispanic favorite. It’s also been called “West Indian Pumpkin” or “Cuban Squash.” It is cultivated throughout Central and South America. and Florida. It is one of the three major tropical vegetables grown. However, most of the commercial volume comes from Panama, Costa Rica, and Dominican Republic.

Calabaza can be round or pear shaped, usually with a speckled surface which may be green, tan, or orange, or a combination of all of these colors. The bright orange flesh has a sweet taste and becomes very smooth once cooked. It can be halved and baked and then mashed with butter and garlic, or it can be peeled and cut up and boiled, or it can be cut up and added to soups and stews. The calabaza's wonderful bright color adds presentation to many dishes

BACK IN BROOKLYN

Because of the great response we got from the Tropical Vegetable Show we did a couple of weeks ago we are back at Pathmark, Albany Street, Brooklyn  with three more tropical vegetables

Hope you enjoy, and have a great Memorial Day Weekend

Now I'm the first to admit I'm not an expert when it comes to Tropical Produce, never really sold much of it. But one thing is for sure, I've been getting alot of request from all of you about Caribbean/Dominican/Hispanic Vegetables, so I have decided to bring in an expert to talk Tropical Produce.  Joe Battaglia is head Tropical buyer at S Katzman Produce in the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx. You all know me "JACK OF ALL TRADES-MASTER OF NONE", that's me, so this week I'll be asking the questions, hoping to learn a lot for me and all of you. Tropical Produce consumption is on the rise with Fresh Cuts, Store Sampling and Education. A few years ago people didn't know much about Mangoes and now they are one of the most popular fruits.

BATATA

  The batata is a root crop that is a type of sweet potato. It normally grows in the Caribbean and it’s flavour resembles that of the sweet potato but a little more starchy. Batatas can be substituted in any recipe that calls for sweet potatoes.

Batatas deliver important nutrients such as protein, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and folic acid. They are also a great source of potassium. Calcium and magnesium are minerals that the body needs for healthy bones, teeth and gums. Potassium is another crucial mineral that helps the body to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

When purchasing batatas, you can recognize the vegetable by its resemblance to a sweet potato. The difference between the batata and sweet potato is that the batata has a white flesh and sweet potatoes have a yellow to orange coloured flesh. Select batatas that are firm to the touch and that have smooth skins with little or no marks on them. Choose ones that are smaller in size because these will be more flavourful and they will have a better consistency when cooked. Once you have purchased your batatas, you can store them in your home for up to one week in a dark, cool, dry place at an average temperature. Batatas do not need refrigeration.

Make sure that when you are preparing to use batatas for cooking, you place the peeled ones in cold water before cooking them. This prevents the batatas from becoming discoloured . Try baking batatas, boiling and mashing them or substituting them for any dish that calls for a sweet potato. Batatas are delicious in soups and stews.

MALANGA COCO

 Malanga is a tropical root vegetable grown throughout the Latin America and the Caribbean. Today it is one of three main “Tropical Vegetables” grown in South Florida, along with calabaza and boniato. Malanga was originally planted Florida to meet the demands of the growing local Hispanic Community. Most of the commercial volume of malanga though, is cultivated in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. 

 Malanga Blanca, is the most common variety of this tuber. Other varieties include Malanga Lila, Malanga Coco, Malanga Amarilla, and Malanga Eddo (Tarro) 

 Covered in a brownish or grayish hairy skin, malangas are usually peeled before cooking. Commonly, the malangas are boiled or baked and can be mashed like a potato. They are enjoyed this way with garlic and olive oil or butter or are wonderful added to soups or stews. The texture is creamy and thick and very flavorful. Malanga can be milled into flour as well. It is considered one of the most hypoallergenic foods in the world, so it is easily digestible for people with allergies.

  Similar to a potato in texture, malanga has a woodsy taste with a hint of black walnut. It is a natural thickener, and makes stews and soups creamy. Don’t eat it raw as it can irritate the throat. 

JAMAICAN YELLOW NAME

Yellow Name root is a cylindrical, irregular-shaped tuber. The Yellow Name root, also known as Guinea yam, is a tropical plant that has vines that can climb to a height of about 80 feet. The Yellow Name tuber has spiky, thorny stems, broad green leaves and purple flowers above ground. Each Yellow Name tuber is typically 4 to 9 pounds in weight, but can grow to 50 pounds. Yellow Name roots have dark brown, thick, bark-like skins. When cut open, the Yellow Name root has a yellow to pink-orange interior flesh. The flesh is dense and mealy with a starchy, chewy texture that turns creamy when cooked. Its flavor is mildly nutty and sweet. Yellow Name roots can be used in recipes that call for sweet potatoes.

   Yellow Name (pronounced “nyah-may”) is botanically classified as Dioscorea cayenensis. There is also a white variety in the same family, classified as Dioscorea Rotundata. The Yellow Name root, is not cultivated as much as the white variety, perhaps because it takes longer to mature. Yellow Name root is harvested after around 12 months, while the white variety takes just 6 to 8 months. Yellow Name is also known as the Yellow Guinea yam in Africa and Yellow yam in Jamaica and other areas of the tropics. Yellow Name roots contain raphides, a naturally occurring oxalate which disappears when cooked, but which may irritate the skin when the root is freshly cut. 

 Yellow Name roots are a versatile vegetable. They can be used in soups and stews, and may be baked, steamed, scalloped, fried or creamed. They can be eaten plain, or with a sauce or gravy. Yellow Name pairs well with savory seasonings, hot sauces, mustard sauces and dressings. A common preparation is to mash them, then shape them into a cake or patty, and fry them. They may also also be cut into strips, and fried like a potato chip. The skin is often removed before use. Store Yellow Name roots whole in aerated plastic bags or containers. They can be stored in a cool, dark, dry area for up to one week.

 The exact origins of Yellow Name roots are unknown. They are found wild in the forests of West Africa.

 Yellow Name roots are available year-round.

  When selecting Yellow Name look for well-formed, similarly shaped tubers. Name should be firm and free of cracks or soft spots. The flesh should be juicy, not dry. Store whole in a cool, dark, dry area for up to one week. 

The skin of the Name should be scrubbed with a brush under running water prior to use. To easily peel, cut into cubes. With a knife cut out flesh and remove all skin. Place in a bowl of water and lemon juice until ready for use 

This weeks segment was filmed in Brooklyn at a new supermarket, Pathmark, a old familiar name that was gone to the public. The Pathmark Banner was bought by this supermarket and opened up a couple of weeks ago, with great reviews from the customers in the area. The key to any business, is know your customers, we did that for over 60 years, knowing what our customer base needed. This store has done that and that's way i choose them for my show on Tropical Vegetables.

We will be back there in a couple of weeks talking more Tropical Vegetables. A thank you to my friend Joey B for his knowledge on Tropicals and I hope you learned as much as I did.

Click on link below for Tropical Vegetable Segment

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Caribbean-Vegetables_New-York-509798332.html 

  Spring Tomatoes That Taste Good 

A fruit--oh yes, it's a fruit--but in the United States we treat the tomato like a vegetable. Thomas Jefferson grew tomatoes at Monticello back in 1781, but they didn't really start to become popular here until after the Civil War. Now the tomato is the third most popular vegetable in the United States--after potatoes and lettuce.Once called the Peruvian apple, the tomato is a member of the nightshade family. It originated in South America, and our name for it comes from the ancient Nahuatl name tomatl. The French called it the love apple, and the Italians named it the golden apple because the first tomatoes were small yellow fruits. After the early Spanish explorers sent seeds to Naples, the Italians went crazy for tomatoes, and the rest--all the way down to pasta and pizza sauce--is history.A really good tomato is sweet, tender, juicy, and except for the yellow varieties, a deep rich red color. When you get one of those hard tomatoes that tastes like cardboard, you've got one of the hybrids that started coming onto the market in the 1950's, when the businessmen and scientists got together and produced a tomato that could be shipped from one coasts to the other without bruising. Unfortunately, at the same time they also bred out all the flavor.A great tomato is worth looking for. And the way you handle it at home is almost as important as what you choose in the first place. The three most important rules to remember about tomatoes are:

1. Never refrigerate!
2. Never refrigerate!
3. Never refrigerate!

Refrigerating kills the flavor, the nutrients, the texture. It just kills the tomato--period.Unless you live in a really cold climate, the best tomatoes you can buy will be at your local farm stand, when tomatoes are in season in your area. That's true for most produce, but it's doubly true for tomatoes. About half the tomatoes shipped and sold in the United States come from Florida. They are the ones you find in the store in the winter. They're hard, they're thick, they never turn red, and they have no taste. A few winter tomatoes come out of Mexico and California, as well as from Holland, Belgium, and Israel. There are also more and more hydroponic tomatoes on the market. I may be biased, but I think that in season the Jersey tomato is the best around--maybe because of the soil. The truth is, any local tomato, picked ripe, is going to be good. In the summertime, in season, buy local tomatoes.In the winter I think Canada beats out the rest, with hydroponics a close second. Canada tomatoes are grown in greenhouses, picked ripe, and then shipped by truck. For that reason they're a little more expensive. If you have to have a good tomato in the dead of winter, choose one from Canada, Hydroponics grown in the U.S. are also excellent.Mexican tomatoes are a little better than most of the other winter varieties here because they're usually picked by hand and are a little riper when they come off the vine. Most tomatoes in the U.S. are shipped green because ripe tomatoes are just too fragile for machine picking.California tomatoes, which usually arrive in the late spring, have a thick wall and are very solid inside. A lot of people like them because they're easy to slice, but I don't think they're any better than Florida tomatoes. They look better and ripen more easily, but they're very dry.Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with a Florida tomato in Florida. Or a California tomato in California. The problem isn't the source--it's that the tomatoes are picked green, gassed with ethylene to make them turn more or less red, then refrigerated and shipped. Even if the tomatoes are picked ripe, they're refrigerated before they're shipped, and that's the final insult. 

TOMATOES ON THE VINE

The tomatoes on the vine with the stems still attached are your best bet.  With the stems still attached, this will let the T. O.V's still receive the nutrients from the stem and make the tomato sweeter.  They are always about 50 per cent sweeter than your regular tomato.  This also makes it possible to pick the tomatoes when they are deep red in color and fully matured.  When picked fully matured, the taste is always much better. Like all tomatoes you never want to refrigerate these because they will lose their flavor and texture. In the winter and early spring, it is very hard to find a good tasting tomato.  This is probably the best tasting of all the tomatoes this time of year.  These stem tomatoes are tomatoes you can pick by just smelling them.  They have a fresh, sweet smell that tomatoes from years ago had. Stem tomatoes, like all tomatoes, are a fruit.  You should not wash or remove the stem until you are ready to use.  Also, never ripen on the window sill or sun.  Just leave out on the counter and never, never, never, refrigerate!When selecting, look for a good red color.  Avoid those that look orange in color.  Check to see if the stems are still attached, if the stem are missing or tomatoes are off the stems, chances are those tomatoes have been sitting around too long.A great tomato is worth looking for, and the way you handle them at home is almost as important as the way you choose them.  The sweetness from the stem tomato is due to the high sugar to acid ratio. 

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

 Have you ever bought a ripe and luscious-looking mass market tomato from a grocery store, taken it home and bitten into it, only to find that it was completely tasteless 

 There is nothing quite like the taste of a fresh homegrown tomato. 

Easily bruised, heirloom tomatoes’ brief shelf life is why they are rarely included in supermarket produce aisles. The average grocery customers expect perfectly shaped, unblemished, red tomatoes.

Heirloom tomatoes, which come in hundreds of varieties, are perfect for the organic garden .

 Heirloom tomato cultivars can be found in a wide variety of colors, shapes, flavors and sizes. Some heirloom cultivars can be prone to cracking or lack of disease resistance .

Some of the most famous examples include San Marzano, Brandywine, Green Zebra, Gardener's Delight, Marglobe, Lollypop, Cherokee, Hawaiian Pineapple, Big Rainbow,  Chocolate Cherry,  Red Current, Three Sisters,  plus hundreds more.  

 A generally accepted definition of heirloom tomatoes comes from Taylor’s Guide to Heirloom Vegetables. To be an heirloom variety, the tomato must meet three criteria:

1. The tomato must be able to reproduce itself from seed. This is called “open pollinated” propagation. Heirlooms are from a single genetic make-up, as compared to hybrids that farmers breed for qualities that have nothing to do with taste and everything to do with high productivity, and ease of packaging and transport.
2. The variety must be at least 50 years old. Taylor’s Guide does note that some purists require the variety to be developed and preserved outside of the commercial seed trade in addition to being at least 50 years old. Tomatoes are native to the Andes mountains. Although introduced into the U.S. in the 18th Century, at first Americans (including Thomas Jefferson) considered them only ornamental plants. Today there are over 100 heirloom varieties. Heirloom often grow in irregular shapes, sometimes much larger than hybrids, and they come in many colors other than red.
3. The variety must have its own history, which may be related to a particular ethnic group, climate, or region – or it may be a murkier, folk history. 

Heirloom tomatoes are expensive because they are not mass-produced. With fewer available (than hybrids), their price typically stays high. Heirlooms are not disease resistant, their vines produce less per acre than hybrid varieties, and they do not travel well. Also, they do not have thick skins to protect them during transport and their lack of uniformity in size and shape makes it difficult to package and transport them.  

In the past 40 years, we've lost many of our heirloom varieties, along with the many smaller family farms that supported heirlooms. The multitude of heirlooms that had adapted to survive well for hundreds of years were lost or replaced by fewer hybrid tomatoes, bred for their commercially attractive characteristics.

In the process we have also lost much of the ownership of foods typically grown by family gardeners and small farms, and we are loosing the genetic diversity at an accelerating and alarming rate.

Every heirloom variety is genetically unique and inherent in this uniqueness is an evolved resistance to pests and diseases and an adaptation to specific growing conditions and climates. 

The Past is always important  --  Support your Local Farms   --  

Click on link below for Tomato Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Tomatoes_New-York-509162262.html 

Ever since I was a kid, I've always been a fan of football and Super Bowl Sunday. My father, not so much.

As an Italian immigrant, he worked hard at our family produce store in Bergenfield, N.J. and just couldn't understand the point of a bunch of guys throwing a ball around and getting piled on and shoved to the ground once they caught it.

I was a big kid in high school and I'll never forget one day when the football coach stopped me in the hallway and suggested I go out for the football team. I told him that I'd love to but that I had to work after school in my father's store, to which he said he'd call my father and tell him that I had my whole life to work.

I already knew what Pop's answer would be, but I told him to knock himself out anyway and gave him the store phone number.

Sure enough, a couple of days later the football coach informed me that he'd called Pop and that after asking him about my playing football, Pop asked him how much was he going to pay me.

That was Pop for you, born in a different country with a different set of rules. Back then, I thought he was always wrong, but you know what they say — the older you get, the smarter your parents get.

Pop's long gone and so are his way of life, his values and his willingness to work hard seven days a week, but boy do I miss him and those days. Pop, I hope you can try to enjoy the Super Bowl and eat plenty of avocados!

PRODUCE PETE'S FUN FACTS

There will be no shortage of avocados this year for your Super Bowl Party.

Avocado consumption in the United States has grown from 4 million pounds per week in 1985 to 50 million pounds per week in 2019, i guess americans love avocados

DID YOU KNOW ?

- Though people think that avocado sales peak on holidays like the Fourth of July or Cinco de Mayo, avocados actually experience their greatest demand on Super Bowl Sunday.

- In fact, In the four weeks leading up to the big game the United States will import from Mexico about 200 million pounds of avocados (about 400 million individual avocados) in the run-up to and on this year's Super Bowl Sunday, up from 2018

- This total would be enough to fill a football field end zone more than 53 feet deep with avocados — 10 feet over the goal posts!

- While many consider them a delicious but fattening treat, avocados contain healthy unsaturated fat, are loaded with vitamins A, C and E as well as beneficial antioxidants, and have one of the highest fiber contents of any fruit or vegetable.

ABOUT AVOCADOS

Above the equator, the avocado fruit blooms between February and May but is harvested year-round. Unlike most fruits, avocados don't have to be picked at certain times and can remain on the tree quite a while.

Like pears, avocados ripen only after they're picked and the firm fruits ship well. Patented in 1935 by postman Randolph Hass, California's dark green-to-purplish black Hass avocado has since become the most popular variety in the U.S. and accounts for the vast majority of California's crop.

This time of year, however, 80 % of the avocados available here hail from Mexico, a 100% increase from a decade ago.

When selecting, choose an avocado free of scars and wrinkles and don't squeeze the fruit or you'll bruise it. If the avocado is ripe, the stem will pull right out, but the best strategy is to buy avocados when they're still a bit green and firm and then ripen them at home by simply leaving them out on the counter for a few days.

To hasten the ripening process, put avocados in a paper bag or a drawer (some people think they ripen best wrapped in foil), and don't refrigerate avocados, as they can turn to mush in as little as a day.

Finally, avocado flesh exposed to the air will darken very quickly. Some people think that leaving the pit in with the avocado meat prevents discoloration, but the primary factor in preventing discoloration is keeping air away from the flesh, so wrap a cut avocado in plastic, refrigerate it, and use it as soon as possible.

Peeled and sliced avocados should be sprinkled with lemon or lime juice to retard discoloration, and the citric acid will also bring out the flavor.

To peel, cut the avocado lengthwise around the pit and then rotate the two halves in opposite directions. You can easily scoop the flesh out of the shell of a ripe avocado with a spoon, but in many cases the avocado will peel like a banana — just turn it over on the cut side and pull off the skin with your fingers.

PREPARATION

Avocados are great with a sprinkle of lemon or lime juice and salt. Mashed avocado is, of course, the primary ingredient in guacamole, and when you make it be sure to leave the pit in with the guacamole to keep it from turning brown; the pit is very effective in this application.

Avocado is also delicious served with slices of ripe red tomato or cut into slivers and added to tossed green salads.

For a pretty salad plate, cut avocados in half lengthwise, leaving skins on, and remove the pits; arrange on a bed of lettuce and fill the centers with crab, tuna, or chicken salad, garnishing with fresh raw vegetables and serving with bread if desired.

An avocado puréed with a little lemon juice, salt, other seasonings, and a dab of olive oil, makes a great creamy salad dressing for lettuce or other greens.

Avocados are also good on sandwiches — any combination of avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato, turkey, or chicken makes a great sandwich.

Click on link below for Avocado Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Avocados_New-York-505245352.html

If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.

Having a big sale, on-site celebrity, or other event? Be sure to announce it so everybody knows and gets excited about it.

Are your customers raving about you on social media? Share their great stories to help turn potential customers into loyal ones.

Running a holiday sale or weekly special? Definitely promote it here to get customers excited about getting a sweet deal.

Have you opened a new location, redesigned your shop, or added a new product or service? Don't keep it to yourself, let folks know.

Customers have questions, you have answers. Display the most frequently asked questions, so everybody benefits.