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CLICK ON LINK ABOVE.  PRODUCE PETE A CATEGORY ON JEOPARDY??  WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED!

 When i think of Broccoli Rabe, my father always comes to mine, you see in Italy where he was born they ate Broccoli Rabe which grew wild with every meal. Meat was exotic and hard to come by so vegetables that grew wild were the meal of the day. For someone that ate some much Rabe, he still loved it, but one thing bother him, the PRICE.  Broccoli Rabe in America became a sort of a pricey vegetable that showed up in trendy restaurants , and when pop would go out to eat and see the price he would always bring up when he was young they ate broccoli rabe sandwiches, broccoli rabe and eggs, broccoli rabe and just about everything just to fill them up. Times might have changed, but in the Napolitano family Broccoli Rabe is still our favorite vegetable.

BROCCOLI RABE

Broccoli rabe is a non heading variety of broccoli that's also known as broccoletti di rape, brocoletto, rapini, choy sum, or Chinese flowering cabbage. It has long, thin, leafy stalks topped with small florets that look like tiny broccoli florets. The florets or flowers are quite delicate; the leaves slightly bitter.

Once highly prized by the Romans and cultivated all over the southern Mediterranean, broccoli rabe didn't appear in more northern areas of Europe until the sixteenth century, and didn't appear in North America until the 1920's, when Italian farmers brought it to the United States. For years broccoli rabe was favored mainly in the Italian and Asian communities here. In the old days broccoli rabe was a staple and sold for twenty-five cents a pound, maybe ten cents a pound. In my father's family broccoli rabe was used to flavor all kinds of filling dishes when meat was just too expensive. They'd have it with pasta, with potatoes--they'd even make broccoli rabe sandwiches! They had it so much that my father once swore he'd never eat it again. Now it's a yuppie food that shows up in trendy restaurants and fetches $2.99 a pound at the market.

Even though it's a little pricey now, broccoli rabe is still a great vegetable. It packs a wallop and has a bitter zest that gives a real lift to bland foods.

Broccoli rabe is most plentiful between late fall and early spring. It is grown in various places all over the continent, including Quebec, California, Arizona, and other states, so it's usually available year round, except for a couple of months in midsummer--usually June and July.

SELECTING

At the market you'll usually find broccoli rabe displayed in a refrigerator case sprinkled with ice because it wilts very easily. Choose firm, green, small stems with compact heads. Like broccoli, the flower buds that make up the florets should be tightly closed and dark green, not open or yellow. The Any Boy label is the top of the line when it comes to broccoli rabe and should be bought whenever 

STORING

Store broccoli rabe in your refrigerator crisper unwashed, either wrapped in a wet towel or in a plastic bag. It will keep two or three days. For longer storage, blanch and freeze.

PREPARING

To prepare, rinse thoroughly in cold water, shake off, and cut off the bottoms of the stalks (they're too tough to eat). Broccoli rabe is much better cooked than raw. Raw, it's very bitter but has no other flavor. Even a light steaming brings out its distinctive taste. As a side vegetable, broccoli rabe yields only about one serving per pound because it cooks way down. You can cook it like broccoli, but whether you braise, saute, boil, or steam it, you only need to cook it for eight to ten minutes. Most Italians like broccoli rabe al dente--cooked about six minutes. You can steam it in water or chicken broth, or saute it with oil and garlic. Some people like it as a cold salad, steamed then cooled and dressed with oil, hot peppers, garlic, and other seasonings. For terrific potatoes, add steamed broccoli rabe to boiled potatoes and dress with olive oil and garlic. Broccoli rabe also makes a great sauce for pasta when steamed and combined with olive oil, garlic, and hot sausage.

Don't forget to check out our Broccoli Rabe Christmas Pie at the top of the page under Bette's Recipes, it's GREAT!!!

Known as the divine food in Japan because it's sweet, the persimmon is an orange to

orange-red fruit about the size of an apple, with four prominent, large, papery leaves at the crown. It has a very thin, smooth, delicate skin that bruises if not handled with care. The persimmon is one of the sweetest of all fruits when it is ripe.

Although there are hundreds of varieties, only two principal types are well known here are

Hachiya and Fuyu. The Hachiya, which is incredibly sweet when ripe, is full of mouth-puckering

tannic acid when it's not. The Fuyu, a newer variety, has had the tannic acid bred out.

Hachiya are bright, heart shaped, and orange-red inside and out. They have an exotic taste

but can only be eaten fully ripe, when the tannic acid dissipated--a stage don't reach until they are very soft.

The black seeds in the center are edible, but they can be discarded, along with the skin,

which retains tannic acid longer than the flesh and usually isn't eaten unless the fruit is very soft.

Fuyus sometimes called fujis or marus, look like brilliant orange tomatoes or apples. This new

variety is unusual because it can be eaten either soft or while it's still quite firm. Fuyus have a few

large brown seeds what should be discarded.

Hachiyas are the misunderstood fruit of winter: although they are sweet and wonderful when

baked into cakes and puddings, many people are afraid to eat them because they are truly awful

when immature. A firm Hachiya is extraordinarily astringent and inedible. I admit that taking a bite out of one is sort of like eating an unripe bitter walnut while suddenly having all the moisture sucked out of your cheeks and tongue. But there’s a very simple way to avoid this: don’t eat Hachiyas until they’re ripe

Like Fuyus, Hachiyas range in color from light orange to a reddish sunset. They are easy to

distinguish from Fuyus, however, because while the Fuyu looks like an orange tomato, the Hachiya is shaped like a large acorn.

 Hachiyas are lovely in both appearance and taste, just not at the same

time. While they are outwardly attractive when unripe, they only become appealing once the skin

starts to shrivel over the soft ripened fruit. Yet while Hachiyas may not be pretty when they’re ready to be eaten, they are luscious when added to cakes and steamed puddings.

The two most prevalent varieties at the markets right now are Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons.

Fuyu are the squat-shaped persimmons which are eaten while still hard and crisp. Perfect

chopped into a salad, or eaten like an apple, they are a very different texture and experience from their distant cousin, the Hachiya.

Hachiya are more elongated and need some time to go quite soft before they are ready to eat.

Fully ripe, they should feel squishy like a water balloon or over-ripe tomato. Be patient, if you attempt

to eat one before it has softened, it can be unpalatably astringent (or "furry" tasting) as Hachiyas

contain very high levels of soluble tannins . In other words, they can leave a nasty taste in your mouth.

Once ripe, my favorite way to eat a Hachiya persimmon is to cut off the top where the leaves

are, and just dig in with a spoon, like a natural-made jelly cup. The texture will be gooey, sweet, and

delicious.

Before you eat a Hachiya, make sure it is soft and squishy as you need to wait for the fruit's

tannins to break down before the pulp loses its astringency and takes on a sweet and sugary flavor.

The mature fruit has jellylike texture, which may make them seem unappealing. To coax Hachiyas

into ripening, just set them out on your counter for a few days to over a week, depending on how firm

they are. If you're in a hurry, you can freeze a partially ripe Hachiya for at least 24 hours and then

defrost it, which helps soften and sweeten the fruit.

SEASON

Persimmons are available nearly year-round. California persimmons are available from

September to November, with the bulk harvested in October. Fuyus from Japan and Israel are usually

shipped between November and January. Brazilian persimmons are on the market between February

and April, those from New Zealand from March to May, and those from Chile from April to May.

SELECTING

Avoid persimmons with greenish or yellow skins and those that show cracks or splits. The four

leaves should still be attached to the stem end.

STORING

A Hachiya in good condition will often need to be ripened at home. Leave it out on the counter

at room temperature or hasten the process by putting it into a paper bag with a banana or apple. The ethylene gas from the other fruit will help the persimmon ripen. A fully ripe Hachiya will be slightly wrinkled  or have a few brown spots. At this very soft stage, almost like a firm jelly, it's at a peak of perfection and should be eaten immediately.

Refrigerate or eat Fuyus while they're still fairly firm--about like a ripe pear. Once persimmons

are ripe, refrigerate them as soon as possible.

PREPARING

Persimmons can be blanched to remove the skin easily. Just dip in boiling water for a few

seconds, then plunge in cold water. Or simply wash before eating. Pluck or cut out the top leaves

.A ripe Hachiya can be halved or quartered and the flesh scooped out with a spoon. A Fuyu can be

eaten out of hand, like an apple, and the firm flesh makes it a good addition to fruit salad.

A soft ripe persimmon can be wrapped whole in plastic or foil and eaten partly frozen like a

sorbet. The flesh can also be pureed with a little lemon juice and used as a topping for ice cream or

as a filling for layer cakes and crepes.

Because they are readily available during the early winter, persimmons are a good addition to

holiday fare and make a wonderfully colorful decoration when arranged and allowed to ripen in a fruit bowl or Christmas basket.

Click link below for Persimmon Show

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/565638212.html 

  For the third week of our Thanksgiving Day Table, we are talking about two of the most

popular vegetables for Thanksgiving, Broccoli and Cauliflower.  A must on Bette and Pete's table, what would this holiday be without these traditional side dishes.Don't forget to check

out Bette's Thanksgiving Day Recipes at the top of this page. the Broccoli and Cauliflower 

ones are great.

BROCCOLI

Kids who call broccoli "trees" are imitating the Romans, who called it brachium, meaning "strong branch or arm." Their nickname for it was "the five green fingers of Jupiter," and they ate a lot of it. Broccoli is one of the cruciferous vegetables--in the cabbage family--that is packed with beta-carotene; the precursor to vitamin A that researchers believe has anticarcinogenic properties. 

Thomas Jefferson first brought broccoli seeds form Italy to Monticello. Although broccoli flourished there, Jefferson wasn't fond of it--probably because it was cooked to death. Broccoli didn't really catch on in the U.S. until the twentieth century; as Italian immigration increased, Italian farmers started growing it in California. They knew how to cook it, and by the mid - 1920's broccoli was becoming more popular. Although broccoli is grown almost everywhere, the bulk of the crop is still grown in California. 

A cool - weather crop planted in the spring and fall, broccoli is available year round, but the peak of the season is March through November. It's usually very consistently priced, but when the price jumps up 30 to 40 percent, you know it's out of season and in short supply. 

Look for a firm, clean stalk with tight, bluish-green florets. Check the stalks to make sure they're not too thick and hard--they will be a bit woody. Most important, the florets should be tightly closed and the broccoli should have little or no fragrance. Broccoli is eaten at an immature stage; left to grow in the field, the buds will open into yellow flowers. Buds that are starting to open and look yellowish will be mushy and have a strong cabbage taste. Use your nose when you're selecting broccoli: if a head has an odor, it's not good. 

Broccoli will keep up to seven days if refrigerated and kept moist. You can break apart the stalks and put them in ice water or spread crushed ice on top. Or wrap broccoli in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel and place in the crisper. 

DID YOU KNOW??

Cup for cup, broccoli has as much Vitamin C as oranges and as much Calcium as milk.

The less you do to broccoli, the more it will do for you. Broccoli will lose up to 30 percent of its vitamins and minerals when it's cooked, so for nutritional reasons as well as good flavor, never overcook it. Broccoli is also very good raw on a platter of crudités, added to other vegetables in a salad, or served with dips. 

At certain times of the year, broccoli may harbor a bug or worm or both. When cleaning, soak the head in salted water about fifteen minutes, and the critters will float to the top. 

Broccoli can be prepared in countless ways. Sauté it with a little garlic and onion. Add it to pasta, or serve it blanched and cooled in vinaigrette. It's excellent simply steamed for a few minutes and serve with a dab of butter or squeeze of lemon--or both. To steam, put it in about half an inch of salted water, stem ends down. Don't let the buds touch the water--they'll cook very quickly and will get mushy and disintegrate. Cover and cook over low to medium heat for not more than four to five minutes--just until its fork tender. Check the pot once or twice to make sure there is adequate liquid in the bottom to keep from burning, and add a few tablespoons of water as needed. Properly cooked, broccoli has a delicate flavor and arrives at the table tender-crisp and bright green. If you're going to add lemon or vinegar, do it at the last minute because they tend to drab the color.

CAULIFLOWER

    Known as the "queen of garden vegetables", cauliflower is actually a densely packed head of tiny, unopened flower buds that form clusters called florets. Straight off the farm, cauliflower is enclosed by large, green, edible leaves. In the field these are bundled up around the head to keep it white. Left exposed to the sun, the head turns yellow. When you see cauliflower with the leaves on, it's been grown locally. Cello-pack cauliflower, usually shipped in from California, is what you see in the store 90 percent of the time. 

Look for a good-sized cauliflower that is hard and heavy, with a touch of dew on the head. The florets should be compact and tightly packed. If florets have started to spread apart and the head looks very light and granular, that's called ricing, and it indicates changes in growing conditions. Ricing doesn't mean the cauliflower is spoiled, but it won't have quite the flavor or crispness of a firm, compact head. Riced cauliflower is a little softer and should be cooked for a shorter period.

Cauliflower must be refrigerated. Wrap it in plastic and store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, where it will keep for several days. 

Cook whole heads in just an inch or two of water until fork-tender - no more than ten minutes. Broken into individual florets, cauliflower takes a little less time to cook. Cauliflower can be eaten raw, steamed or braised, or breaded and fried. It can be curried, served in a cream or cheese sauce, or mixed into vegetable salads, and it makes a terrific pickle. 

Click link below for Broccoli and Cauliflower Segment

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Broccoli-and-Cauliflower_New-York-565035392.html 

 I love apple season. There are few things better than a good apple eaten out of hand. Whether the flesh is mild and sweet or tart and winey, when you bite into it, a fresh-picked apple will make a crisp cracking sound and you’ll get a spurt of juice.  There’s a season for everything and the main season for American apples starts the last half of October. I’ve probably said this a thousand times, but our problem in the United States is that we try to buy produce out of season. Many varieties will keep well late into winter, but by summer most apples have been stored for seven or eight months. No wonder they are soft, mealy, and without juice. When peaches and melons come in, stay away from apples. Come back when there’s a snap in the air, and you’ll remember what makes apples so good. Apples are one of the most esteemed fruits in the northern Hemisphere in part because they’re so versatile. They’re delicious raw, baked, dried, or made into apple sauce. They make great pies, apple butter, apple jelly, chutney, cider, and cider vinegar, and they’re a welcome addition to dozens of other dishes. A member of the rose family, apples have been known since ancient times and were cultivated by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Many places grow wonderful apples now, but overall, the United States produces the finest apple crops in the world. The Northwest, the East Coast, and parts of the Midwest, regions where the seasons change, grow the best apples. They’re not a fruit for hot climates. Only a few of the thousands of varieties of apples grown today are mass marketed, but there are many more out there than Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Macs. There are very old and very new varieties you may never have heard of. If you’re north of the Mason-Dixon Line, you’re going to find the best apples at local farm markets and stands, where they’re fresh-picked, and you’re likely to find great varieties you’d never see at the supermarket.

 SEASON

The vast majority of apples are picked from September through November and either sold immediately or put into cold storage, where some keep well – some don’t. The peak of the season for domestic varieties – when most stored apples still retain their snap – is generally over by December. A few will last through the early spring, but by March it’s hard even to find a good Winesap.

  SELECTING

In most cases look for very firm, bright-colored fruit with no bruises and with the stem still on – a good indication that you’ve got an apple that’s not overripe. The apple should feel heavy in the hand for its size and have a good shine on it. A dull look usually means the fruit has been in storage too long, although some excellent varieties like Winesaps and eastern Golden Delicious have relatively rough skin with little or no sheen. As always, use your nose. An apple that smells great is going to taste great.

HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE VARIETIES

HONEYCRISP

 Sometimes the name of an apple says it all. Honeycrisp apples are honey sweet (with a touch of tart) and amazingly crisp, some say “explosively crisp.” It’s easy to see why this new variety continues to grow in popularity since its 1991 introduction in Minnesota. Supplies are limited for now but more Honeycrisp trees are being planted every year. 

   EMPIRE

 With the popular Red Delicious and McIntosh for parents, Empire apples were destined to be a hit. It’s a sweet-tart combination that’s great for everything. The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva Introduced this new variety in 1966.

  MCINTOSH

Nothing evokes Fall better than the aromatic fragrance of McIntosh apples. People have enjoyed this apple since 1811 when John McIntosh discovered the first seedling. McIntosh apples grow particularly well in New York’s cool climate!  

  MACOUN

 Want a perfect no-fat dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth? Macoun may just be your apple, but, hurry, these special apples are only available in the Fall. Macoun was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva in 1932. It’s named for a famous Canadian fruit breeder.

 GOLDEN DELICIOUS 

 Ever hear that Golden Delicious is the yellow cousin of the popular Red Delicious apple? Actually, they are related in name only, but this honey sweet apple is a special treat all on its own.

• Mild, sweet flavor
• Juicy
• Crisp, light yellow flesh

Excellent for eating, salads, and sauces

• Good for pies, baking, and free
• You can put less sugar in pies and sauces made from Golden Delicious apples, because of the natural sweetness these apples provide.

CORTLAND 

Picture a fresh fruit cup featuring beautiful, snow-white apples. It’s likely made with Cortland, the very best salad apple. This great, all-purpose apple was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva in 1898.Sweet, with a hint of tartness

• Juicy
• Tender, snow-white flesh

Excellent for eating, salads, sauces, pies and baking

• Good for freezing

Cortland apples are wonderful for kabobs, fruit plates and garnishes because they don't turn brown quickly when cut.

 STAYMAN WINESAP

 The Stayman-Winesap is a cross between a Stayman apple and a Winesap apple. The combination of the two strains produces an apple of exceptional eating quality.The Stayman-Winesap’s firm yellow flesh; crisp, coarse texture; and its tart, rich wine-like taste makes it memorable. Some say it smells like cinnamon. Stayman-Winesap’s thick skin maintains sufficient moisture within the flesh to keep the apple crispy to the bite and flavorful to the taste.The late maturing Stayman-Winesaps keep well and can last until spring if properly stored or placed in a fruit cellar. This multi-purpose apple is excellent when eaten fresh, or used in pies, desserts, applesauce, and cider.

 A TRIP TO DONALDSON'S FARM

One of my favorite farms in New Jersey, Donaldson's Farm is located in Hackettstown, N.J. Today I am here filming my Apple segment for Weekend Today in New York. I especially love this farm in the fall when the apple orchard and the pumpkins are in season. A family run farm it's a great place to take your family for a day trip and enjoy what made America great, FARMING. The apples from Donaldson's are great tasting,  juicy, crunchy, and a great taste of fall. Enjoy the fall weather and please support your LOCAL FARMERS     

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOG IN NEW JERSEY MONTHLY ON APPLES

 https://njmonthly.com/category/eat-drink/table-hopping/ 

Click link below for Apple Show

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Northeast-Apples_New-York-563908052.html