super bowl sunday hass avocado 01/25/20

   Farms View Farm and Roadstand in Wayne , New Jersey is one of the last working farms in Northwest New Jersey. The Kuehm family dates back to 1894 when the property was purchased by the first of five generations that operate the farm in Wayne New Jersey. Farms View Roadstand has evolved from a picnic table on a side lawn many years ago to this farm stand with attached greenhouses. I love doing segments at family farms to show all of you where fresh fruits and vegetables get their start. Long days and hard work are what farming is all about. Today we are talking fresh corn right from the farm, picked 5 am this morning at Farms View Farm.
Please support your local Jersey Farmers, Fresh From the Farm Daily.  

Americans seem to be the only people who understand the virtues of sweet corn on the cob. A native American grain related to wheat, barley, and rye, corn didn't reach Europe until the sixteenth century. It's still far more popular here than among Europeans, who continue to call corn by its proper name--maize. Sweet corn is harvested young for use as a vegetable. Field corn is the variety that's dried and ground for meal, pressed for corn oil, or used as feed for livestock. The best sweet corn is an ear that's brought from the field straight to the pot. Years ago farmers would deliver corn to our market at three o'clock in the morning. My father would wake us, and we'd have to go down to the store to unload the corn--dozens of bags with fifty ears in each bag. There was a little stove at the back of the store, and my mother would put water on to boil, husk a bunch of ears, and cook corn for us right on the spot, which made this awful middle-of-the-night chore bearable. It was so fresh coming off the truck that to this day I don't think I've ever had corn as good. Once corn is picked, its natural sugars start turning to starch. The process is slowed by refrigeration, but by the time corn is harvested and shipped form California or Florida to the rest of the country, as much as a week may have passed. The corn will be pretty good, but not as good as corn picked locally. People with vegetable gardens literally start boiling the water before the corn is picked so they can put it in the pot as fast as they can shuck it.

You can get white, yellow, or bicolor corn, and though lots of people have preferences, the color has little to do with the sweetness. The only thing that determines taste is how long it's been off the stalk. There are, however, two relatively new hybrids designed to make corn hold its sugar longer: sugar-enhanced varieties and the newer "supersweets." Sugar-enhanced varieties have good corn flavor and are excellent when corn is out of season and has to be shipped to market. The supersweets are very- very sweet in fact, many corn lovers think they have an artificial taste. For my money, old-fashioned sweet corn straight out of the field is still tops. 

The best time to eat corn on the cob is middle to late summer. Corn is grown almost everywhere, and the best place to get it is at farm stands or produce markets where corn is delivered every day. We use to send someone up to Smith's Farm every morning at 6 A.M. to pick up corn from Wally, who had been supplying Napolitano's for more than forty years.

Look for a husk that's firm, fresh, and green-looking. Don't strip it; just look at the tassel or silk. On really fresh corn, the tassel will be pale and silky, with only a little brown at the top, where it's been discolored by the sun. Also try holding the ear in your hand: if it's warm, it's starting to turn to starch; if it's still cool, it's probably fresh. Although producers have fewer problems with worms now, don't worry if you spot a worm or two. The worms know what they're doing--they go after the sweetest ears. And since they usually eat right around the top, you can just break that part off.

  STORING

The short answer is don't; just eat fresh corn right away. But if you must, store it in the refrigerator. 

A lady came into my store years ago and said, "I cook corn so long it almost starts to pop, and it's still tough." I said, "That's because you're cooking it so long!" Never overcook fresh, sweet corn. It only needs a few minutes' cooking time. To boil it, bring the water to a boil before dropping in the shucked ears. If the ears are too long for the pot, don't cut them with a knife, which tends to crush the kernels; just break them in two with you hands. Let the water return to a boil, and boil hard for three to four minutes. Remove immediately and serve: don't let the corn stand in the water.  To microwave corn, shuck it, spread with butter if you wish, cover closely with plastic wrap or waxed paper, and microwave on full power (100 percent) about 2 1/2 minutes per ear.  Corn is also great cooked on the grill. To prepare, pull down the husks but don't detach them and remove the silks. Spread some butter and salt on the kernels, then pull the husks back up and twist closed. Grill the ears for about fifteen minutes, turning them often.  If you've got corn that's two or three days old, you can add it to soups or use it to make creamed corn, fritters, or spoon bread. Add it to seafood chowder or other soups, or make corn relish with it--there are plenty of ways to prepare it.

CORN MAKES BUTTER TASTE BETTER

PRODUCE PETE SWEET CORN FUN FACTS  

Corn was first grown by Native Americans more than 7,000 years ago in Central America

.Sweet corn leaves were used as chewing gum by Native Americans.

Corn is grown on every continent except Antarctica

.Corn plants typically grow 7 – 10 feet tall. 

Sweet corn plants are several feet shorter.

The tassel borne at the top of the stalk is the male part and the silk of the ear is the female part.The tassel releases millions of grains of pollen, and some of them are caught by the silk.

There is one strand of silk for each kernel on a cob.

On average there are about 800 kernels on an ear of corn

.An ear of corn always has even number rows

.One acre of land can produce 14,000 pounds of sweet corn. Depending upon the cultivar type, the crop may be ready for harvesting in 65-90 days

.Corn is cholesterol free.It’s a good source of vitamin C and A, potassium, thiamine and fiber, and very high in antioxidants .

Corn is a 100% whole grain .Corn is high in natural sugars/starches.One average ear of yellow sweet corn equals 86 calories

.Sweet corn is a tasty and nutritious addition to any meal.

Click on the link below for New Jersey Corn Show  

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/produce-pete_-new-jersey-corn_new-york/1633162/ 

  There’s perhaps nothing more iconic in New Jersey during the month of October than corn mazes, hay rides and especially pumpkins. Heading out to a farm with the family         to pick pumpkins or enjoy a hay ride is a great fall tradition that shouldn’t be missed; for a list of pumpkin farms in your area, visit www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org. Since October is one of my favorite months of the year, I thought I’d share some fun facts about pumpkins and Halloween:

• Pumpkin seeds should be planted the last week of May to the middle of June to allow them 90-120 days to grow.
• The original birthplace of Halloween Jack-o’-lanterns is believed to be Ireland, where people would place candles in hollowed-out turnips to ward off ghosts and spirits.
• Though many people only buy pumpkins to make Jack-o’-lanterns, pumpkins are actually among the most nutritious of all produce, supplying more beta carotene per serving than any other fruit or vegetable.
• Besides the color orange, pumpkins come in white, blue and green varieties.
• Despite public consensus, pumpkins aren’t vegetables — they’re actually fruits.
• The largest pumpkin grown in the U.S. in 2018 weighed in at 2528 pounds, grown by Steve Geddes in New Hampshire.
• Pumpkins usually always have one flat side, which is where they lay while growing.
• Carving a pumpkin out from the bottom instead of the top usually makes for a better looking Jack-o’-lantern.
• Always use a flashlight or another light source in the pumpkin instead of a candle for safety’s sake
• 
  

TODAY I'M AT DONALDSON'S FARM IN HACKETTSTOWN NEW JERSEY, ONE OF MY

FAVORITE FARMS ESPECIALLY IN THE FALL WHEN PUMPKINS AND APPLES REMINDS US OF OUR CHILDHOOD AND THE FUN OF HALLOWEEN. 

SELECTION AND STORAGE

When picking any kind of pumpkin, select one without bruises or soft spots. It may be greenish in color, but left whole in a cool spot — not refrigerated — it will ripen and turn orange. Always select a pumpkin with a nice green stem (I always say that a pumpkin without a stem is like a Christmas tree without a star on top), but never handle a pumpkin by its stem because it can break off easily.

  PREPARATION

Some people use Jack-o’-lantern pumpkins for cooking, but these were developed specifically to be oversized and thin-walled, with a huge seed pocket and a relatively small proportion of flesh. By contrast, the smaller sugar pumpkins, or pie pumpkins, will give you more meat for cooking purposes and often a better flavor and texture. Sugar pumpkins make an especially delicious pumpkin soup. For another interesting application, buy an extra sugar pumpkin, clean out the cavity, and use it as a tureen.If you can find it, I suggest using a variety called cheese pumpkins for pies. They’re medium-to-large-sized pumpkins with very flattened shapes, a light tan shell and orange flesh. Found most readily at farm stands and throughout New England, cheese pumpkins make delicious pies, while regular pumpkins — particularly sugar and especially Jack-o’-lantern varieties — sometimes make a stringy filling. 

 DECORATING JACK-O LANTERNS

Instead of cutting and hollowing out a pumpkin for your Jack-o’-lantern, here’s a way to decorate pumpkins that’s different and colorful: Leave them intact and create a face using fresh vegetables. My mother used to decorate our pumpkins this way because it preserved the pumpkin, which she could then use in cooking after Halloween was over. Depending on what you use, you can give the pumpkins a wide range of personalities. I’ll never forget how my mother would use a carrot or parsnip to make a long, witchy nose, red peppers for lips, radishes for eyes, and string beans for eyelashes. Then she’d slice potatoes to make ears and make “hair” out of fennel tops. The result was unusual and very striking .My wife, Bette, who’s quite artistic, picked up a lot of kitchen techniques from my mother, and she’s decorated pumpkins for my NBC segments that were really something to see. 

WHY DO WE CARVE PUMPKINS 

Thought the Americans were the first to carve the orange fruit into freaky figures? Think again. Like most American folklore, this spooky ritual comes from our European ancestors. We’re a country of immigrants, so most of our traditions originate from outside the U.S.—and jack o’ lanterns are no different. The practice dates back to a centuries-old Irish myth about a man named “Stingy Jack.”

THE TWISTED TALE OF STINGY JACK 

According to the legend, Jack was a devious fellow who outsmarted the devil time and time again.  Jack was the town drunk but had a clever side and so he met the devil one fateful night. The duo shared a drink and, too cheap to pay for his booze, Jack convinced Satan to morph into a coin that he could use to pay for their beverages. As soon as he did, Jack put the coin in his pocket next to a silver cross. The devil was unable to change back into his original form, and Jack held him that way until Satan agreed not to take his soul. Sneaky!

Next, the shifty swindler convinced the devil to climb up a tree to steal a piece of fruit. He quickly carved the sign of the cross into the tree bark. Again, the devil couldn’t come down until he agreed not to bother Jack for another 10 years. Shortly after his meeting with the devil, Jack died. As legend goes, God would not accept Jack into heaven and sent him down to visit the devil in hell. But the devil kept his promise. He wouldn’t let Jack into hell, either, and imprisoned him to an even darker fate. The devil sent Jack into the dark night to roam the world for eternity, with only a coal to light his way. Jack lit the coal, put it in a hollowed-out turnip and has been drifting through the world, scaring children ever since the Townsfolks began to refer to this figure as “Jack of the lantern,” and shortly thereafter “Jack o’ lantern.” People began to carve their own lanterns out of turnips, beets, potatoes and eventually pumpkins in hopes of warding away any ghostly spirits. 

  THE TRADITION TODAY

 Over time the tradition reached American shores by way of mouth, and immigrants from various countries took their own approach to the ancient tradition. A chiefly American fruit, the pumpkin became our own adaptation of this European tradition, and it’s now a symbol of Halloween. As years went by, the spooky history behind this family tradition has been lost. So now carving pumpkins is synonymous with family and friends instead of spooky spirits.This October, when you reach for a warm glass of cider and a carving knife, remember the spirit of Stingy Jack, and spook your friends and family with this ghostly tale. 

Click link below for Pumpkin Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/produce-pete/produce-pete-picking-pumpkins/4705680/

 So, just what is this speckled fruit that looks like a plum and bears a similar, yet funny name?

Pluots are a member of the (delicious!) stone fruit family. They are a hybrid fruit developed in the late 80s that are 75% plum and 25% apricot. They resemble plums with smooth skin, and a similar shape and texture. If you’ve never tasted a pluot you’re in for a treat! The flavor is intense, and I say that in the best way possible! Pluots don’t have the bitter taste that you can sometimes find with plums. Instead, their flavor is brimming with sweetness.

There are quite a lot of pluot varieties, most of which bear interesting names, like Dapple Dandy, Dinosaur Egg, Flavor Grenade and Flavorglo.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A PLUOT ?
Seventy-five percent plum and 25 percent apricot? Or 60 percent plum and 40 percent apricot? And how is a pluot different from a plumcot? 

IT'S COMPLICATED ? 

Plant breeder Luther Burbank, who died in 1926, was indeed the first person to successfully cross plums with apricots in the late 19th century, releasing a handful of half-plum, half-apricot hybrids. He called these hybrids plumcots.  Also, as a rule, the term “plumcot” referred only to half-plum, half-apricot hybrids.   While it’s surely true that one variety’s family tree shakes out around 75 percent plum to 25 percent apricot (or even 60 percent and 40 percent), it’s not correct to say that all pluots are three-quarters plum and one-quarter apricot (or three-fifths and two-fifths). Best just to say that pluots are mostly plum and leave it at that. The misunderstanding over the pluots makeup is most probably due to marketing. As the pluot got more popular, and moved from the farmers market to the supermarkets, growers were producing larger and hardier varieties, sometimes at the expense of flavor. Produce Pete says that the fruit is unusually sweet. "If you can get a ripe one, it's hard to stop eating them because they're so good. The flavor is fantastic." I expect they will become sought after because of their eating quality. Pluots do not have the bitterness in the skin that plums often have and Apriums have a more full-bodied flavor than an apricot.  

Select pluots just as you would a plum. Look for fragrant-smelling fruit that’s firm but gives to the touch, and is free from blemishes. Pluots come in a variety of colors — choose the most vibrant looking fruits among each variety, as those will be the sweetest. Stay away from plots that feel especially hard, they won’t ripen well.

Store ripe pluots on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Clearly the most important part — how to eat this magical stone fruit. Pluots are simply wonderful eaten fresh. You can also bake them into pies, crisps, cobblers, tarts and cakes.

A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION FROM PRODUCE PETE 

• Dapple Dandy: large size with mottled pale green to yellow, red-spotted skin, red or pink juicy flesh, firm flesh, moderately late ripening.
  • 'Dinosaur egg' is a trademarked name for Dapple Dandy variety.
• Early Dapple: good flavor, medium-sized, mottled green over red skin with pink flesh, early ripening
• Emerald Drop: medium to large size, green skin and yellow-orange flesh, moderately late ripening
• Flavor Delight: medium-sized, fuchsia-honey colored skin with pink flesh, early ripening
• Flavor Fall: large size, average flavor, red skin with yellow flesh, late ripening
• Flavor Finale: medium to large size, purple-red skin with amber-red flesh, exceptional complex flavor, late ripening
• Flavor Grenade: large size, oblong shape with red blush on green background, yellow juicy flesh, moderately late ripening
• Flavor Heart: very large, black with a heart shape, and yellow flesh
• Flavor Jewel: sweet flavor, heart shaped, red over yellow skin with yellow flesh
• Flavor King: Fruit punch flavor, medium size, with burgundy skin and red super sweet juicy flesh, moderately late ripening, flesh is hard until fully ripe
• Flavor Prince: large round and purple, with red flesh
• Flavor Penguin: medium size, early ripening grown in a humid climate
• Flavor Queen: medium to large size, very juicy flesh, very sweet, golden yellow when fully ripe, midseason
• Flavor Rich: medium-sweet, large black round fruit with orange flesh
• Flavor Royal: very sweet, medium-sized, dark purple with crimson flesh, very early ripening
• Flavor Supreme: medium or large, greenish purple skin, juicy red flesh
• Flavorich: large size, dark purple skin and firm, sweet, yellow-orange flesh, moderately late ripening
• Flavorosa: very sweet, medium-sized, flat, round, dark-purple fruit with red flesh, very early ripening
• Geo Pride: medium size, red-skin and yellow flesh, balanced acid-sugar, predominately sweet with unique plum/apricot flavor, moderately late ripening
• Raspberry Jewel: medium, dark red skin, brilliant red, honey-sweet flesh
• Red Ray: medium, bright red with dense, sweet orange flesh
• Splash: small to medium red-orange fruit, with very sweet orange flesh, midseason
• 
  

In general, all of these hybrid varieties have an intense flavor, much like a blend of fruit juices where the mixture of taste is an improvement over any of the separate ingredients. Additionally, the sugar content of these varieties is much higher than in standard plums or apricots, yielding fruit of incomparable sweetness.
From time to time, when all conditions are just right, nature can produce truly unique treasures. Such is the case with Pluots, with a sweet and savory blend of plum and apricots

Click link below for Pluot show 

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/produce-pete_-pluots_new-york/1508453/
 

  Once known as the fruit of kings, for many years, pineapples were available only to natives of the tropics and to wealthy Europeans. Despite the fact that the pineapples were available only to natives of the tropics and to wealthy Europeans. Despite the fact that the pineapple has become a familiar item in U.S. markets, it's still a true exotic. For one thing, it is a member of the bromeliad family, in which edible fruits are rare. A pineapple starts out as a stalk of a hundred or more flowers that shoots up from a plant about three feet tall. Each flower develops a fruit that forms one of the scales on the outside of the pineapple. The more scales or marks on a pineapple, the stronger the tropical taste will be. A pineapple with fewer and larger scales will have a milder but sweeter flavor and more juice.It was probably the Guarani Indians who took pineapples on sea voyages as provisions and to prevent scurvy, thus spreading the plants from their native Paraguay throughout South and Central  America. Columbus called the fruit piña when he found it in 1493--piña because he thought it looked like a pinecone--and from that we got the name. The hybrid we know today first appeared around 1700, when the Dutch improved the fruit by crossbreeding. They sold cuttings of the plant to the English, who raised them as hothouse plants. It wasn't until the nineteenth century that canned pineapple began to come out of Hawaii. If you wanted a fresh Hawaiian pineapple, you had to go there to get one. Picked ripe, as the Hawaiian variety has to be, a fresh pineapple simply could not survive the long journey by ship. It was only when air transport became available that fresh Hawaiian pineapple began to arrive in mainland markets.

There are two main varieties of pineapples: Red Spanish and Cayenne. The Red Spanish is the most commonly available. It is a deep orange color, with white to yellow meat and a crown of hard, spiky leaves on top. A recently developed "thornless" variety has a softer, smoother leaf crown that makes the pineapple easier to handle. Red Spanish pineapples are grown in Honduras, Costa Rica, Puerto  Rico, Mexico, and elsewhere in Central America. The Cayenne pineapple is the Hawaiian variety. The scales on a ripe Cayenne tend to be a lighter yellow, the leaves have a smoother edge, and the pineapple itself is much larger and more elongated than the Red Spanish. The flesh is deep yellow. There are three other less- common varieties. One, called Sugarloaf, is a heavy, round variety with a pointed top that's cultivated in Mexico and Venezuela. Sugarloaf is another big pineapple that can reach ten pounds. Finally, the sweetest pineapples I have ever eaten come from Africa's Ivory Coast. They show up here only rarely--I've had them only two or three times in all the years I've been in the business. If you ever come across them--most likely n June, July, or August--Buy some. Of the pineapples readily available here, to my taste the Cayenne is by far the best, although it can be two or three times as expensive as the Red Spanish. It is sweeter and juicier than the Red Spanish, which is picked greener because it's shipped by boat instead of by air. If you're in the islands where they're grown, by all means buy and eat Red Spanish pineapples--they'll have been picked ripe and they'll be excellent. If you see a Red Spanish in the States that looks and smells good, it's going to be pretty good too. For consistent quality and sweetness, however, Cayennes are your best bet. The tag "Jet Fresh" tells you the pineapple is a Hawaiian Cayenne picked ripe and flown in. The Dole and Del Monte labels also indicate a Cayenne pineapple, although they may not be Hawaiian. Cayennes are now being cultivated in Honduras and Costa Rica by both companies. They're a little more expensive than the Red Spanish but cheaper than those from Hawaii.

 
HONEYGLOW PINEAPPLES  ( NEW VARIETY) 

Honeyglow Pineapple is a new pineapple variety that the Del Monte company, a leader in the production and marketing of pineapples in the world, has just added to its catalog.This new pineapple will be marketed in calibers 5-6, with a coloration level that ranges between 3 and 4, and a minimum of 12 degrees brix. Its production will be limited, but it will be available 52 weeks a year and it will be sent by sea. Consumers today demand healthy and tasty products that are easy to consume and that are produced in a sustainable manner that is friendly to the environment. Del Monte Fresh's new reference, the Honeyglow ™ Pineapple, meets all these requirements while maintaining its competitiveness in cost by being shipped by sea," stated Gianpaolo Renino, Del Monte's vice president for Europe and Africa."Since Del Monte's pineapples are cultivated in the Pacific and the Atlantic areas of Costa Rica, they can be available at the points of sale 52 weeks a year, maintaining a maximum consistency in their aroma, texture, sweetness and color characteristics.

For Hawaiian pineapples, the peak season generally comes in April and May, but they're available year round. Caribbean pineapples have two seasons: December through February and August through September.

Many people think that if you can easily pull a leaf out of the crown, the pineapple is ripe, but this test doesn't tell you anything useful. Like tomatoes, pineapples are considered mature when they develop a little color break. If a pineapple at the market looks green, take a look at the base. If it has begun to turn a little orange or red there, you'll be able to ripen it at home. If there is no break, the pineapple was picked too green. It will have a woody texture and will never be very sweet. The pineapple should be very firm, never soft or spongy, with no bruises or soft spots. If you find a good-looking pineapple at your market and you're going to use it right away, ask your produce manager to cut it in half to make sure it's not discolored inside. Reject it if it is. Finally, use your nose. If the pineapple has a good aroma, it's ripe. If you can't smell much of anything, it needs to be ripened. If it has a fermented smell, don't buy it!

To ripen a pineapple, stand it upside down on the counter. That's right, stand it on the leaf end. This makes the sugar flow toward the top and keeps the pineapple from fermenting at the bottom. Let it ripen for a few days. When it develops a golden color and smells good, it's ripe. Peeled pineapple should be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. If it's not wrapped well, a pineapple will absorb other food odors in you refrigerator. A lot of supermarkets have a machine that will cut and core your pineapple for you, but it wastes up to 35 percent of the fruit. Pineapples are not that difficult to cut. Just twist off the leaves, lay the pineapple on its side, and slice it like a loaf of bread. Then peel and core each slice. I just cut off the peel and eat the slices with my fingers--around the core, like an apple. That's my favorite recipe for ripe pineapple! If you want to serve the pineapple chilled, I suggest that you chill it whole, then slice and peel after it is cold.

A LITTLE MORE FUN INFORMATION ON PINEAPPLES

 It takes almost 3 years for a single pineapple to reach maturation. Which makes the price tag a bit more understandable.   

 Pineapple plants have really pretty flowers.  The pineapple plant’s flowers — which can vary from lavender to bright red — produce berries that actually coalesce together around the fruit’s core. So the pineapple fruit itself is actually a bunch of “fruitlets” fused together. 

   Once harvested, pineapples don’t continue to ripen.  That means that every single pineapple in the grocery store is as ripe as it will ever be so don’t buy one and save it for a week, thinking it will ripen. The difference in colors is mostly based on where the pineapples were grown so a green pineapple can be just as sweet and delicious as a golden brown one.

  Although the fruit originated in South America, the majority of the world’s pineapples now come from Southeast Asia. Namely the Philippines and Thailand. For the freshest pineapples in the U.S., look for Costa Rica- or Hawaii-grown pineapples. 

  Pineapple Nutrition Pineapples contain bromelain, an enzyme that may help arthritis pain by easing inflammation. They are also a good source of vitamin c, which helps your immune system. Click link below for Golden Pineapple Show  

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Pineapple_New-York-511671082.html 

You know it’s the beginning of summer when you start to see cherries in the market.

As with many fruits and vegetables, supply and demand dictates prices and, with such a short season filled with unpredictable weather conditions and so much of our crop sold abroad (where buyers pay high prices), cherries can be expensive a lot of the time.

Back in the 1950s, when we first opened our family store, Napolitano’s Produce in Bergenfield, I remember that we sold cherries by the bag and box at reasonable prices.

Now don’t get me wrong – you’ll still see cherries on sale in the marketplace, where they’ll often be priced as “loss leaders,” selling for cost or just above cost to bring people into the store.

I recall one time in the early 1960s, Pop got a sale on cherries and brought hundreds of 18-20-pound boxes of them into the store, where we stacked them up and sold them (today they’re sold to stores in 14-15 pound boxes and 9-10 pound boxes on imports in the winter).

It was a long time ago, but I think we charged $3.99 for an 18-20-pound box of cherries, which is hard to believe – you can’t necessarily even buy one pound of cherries for that now. But what’s cost as long as they’re good, right? That’s my way of thinking.

Big, red, crunchy, juicy, and loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, cherries have been one of my favorite fruits for as long as I can remember.

The season is short so load up and get your fill now before they’re gone. Look for them on sale if you can, and remember what I always say – if you eat right, you’ll live right.

SHORT SEASON BIG FLAVOR

Cherries have one big flaw – they have a very short season, not much more than weeks in most places.

Although cherries originated in the Middle East and have been cultivated for centuries in Europe and Asia, the U.S. remains the biggest producer, consumer and exporter of cherries.

Most sweet cherries are grown on the west coast, where Washington State is the biggest producer. Except for local crops, which aren’t shipped at all, the cherries you’ll typically see on the market have been shipped from California, Oregon and Washington state, with Idaho and British Columbia contributing to the supply.

The two most common cherry varieties are Lamberts and Bings.

Lamberts ripen earlier and are smaller and more tender than Bings. They range in color from deep pink to red, with a soft, somewhat watery flesh and a deep red or blackish-red juice.

They arrive from California in early June, with later harvests coming from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

Bings are big, dark, heart-shaped cherries with great flavor. They’re very firm, with a deep red to black skin, a white heart, and a bit of crunch when you bite into them. They last longer and ship better than Lamberts.

Royal Annes, also called Rainers and sometimes Napoleons, are also occasionally seen on the market.

This large, heart-shaped fruit is amber to yellow in color, with a red blush. It’s an excellent cherry with an intense flavor, juicy flesh, and a white heart. These cherries are more fragile, easily bruised, and have a shorter shelf life than Bings; many people shy away from them because of their color, but one taste and they’re hooked.

OPEN SEASON

California cherries arrive in early June and are generally out of season by mid-June, with more northern crops gradually replacing them during the summer months, ending with cherries from British Columbia in early August.

That’s a total of seven or eight weeks, so if you like cherries and see some good-looking ones at the fruit stand, buy them, because the next time you look they may be gone.

Sweet cherries are also grown in the midwest and in northeastern states, but I don’t think their fruit compares to the size or flavor of western cherries.

The sweet cherries that show up in January are from Chile, and they continue to improve in flavor and texture.

SELECTION, STORAGE AND PREPARATION

Cherries won’t ripen or improve in flavor after they’re picked, so what you see is what you get.

They must be picked ripe and then they’ll last only a couple of days, so harvesting time is critical.

A ripe cherry is heavier in the hand, meatier, sweeter and juicier than an immature cherry. Cherries that are picked too soon are pale and tasteless, while those picked too ripe are soft and watery. The best time to pick them seems to be right before the birds start eating them – birds have an uncanny instinct for ripe cherries.

When selecting cherries, choose firm, large, bright-colored fruit.

Royal Annes should be bright and unblemished, while Bings should be as firm and dark as possible; pale red Bings are immature and won’t be especially sweet.

Also look at the stems – if the cherries have green stems, they’re fresh, and if the stem is missing, pass on these cherries because they’ve been off the tree too long.

They should also look clean and dry – never buy cherries that are soft, flabby, or sticky on the outside.

When cherries go bad, they start to lose their vibrant hue, develop a brownish color, and leak. Once a cherry starts leaking, the fermentation process will quickly make the whole box go bad.

I love eating cherries on their own, cut up into fruit or green salads, or blended into a variety of baked goods like muffins or cherry pie.

PRODUCE PETE'S FUN CHERRY FACTS

Turkey is the largest supplier of cherries in the world

Cherries came to the United States in the 1600's from Europe, first to Oregon and then to the Northwest.

The Bing cherry got it's name, not from Bing Crosby, but from a cherry orchard forman by the name of bing who was over 7 feet tall.

There are over 1000 varieties of cherries but only 10 are grown commercially. 

The biggest producer of cherries is Washington State ( 62%) with Oregon and California making up about 94% in total.

The average Cherry Tree produces about 7000 cherries per tree.

25 million 20 lb boxes will be packed and shipped in 2019.

Cherries have been around since the Stone Age, that's even older then me.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN WITH PRODUCE PETE

This weeks segment was filmed at Farms View Farm in Wayne New Jersey, I love to stop by farms and markets and look, it drives Bette crazy, she would rather be shopping at one of the malls .Enjoy your fill of what summer gives to us and enjoy these Bing Cherries, its a short season. 

Click on link below for Cherry Show

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Northwest-Cherries_New-York-512698852.html 

 The secret of the sweetness is the South East Georgia soil. and thanks in part to a span of cold weather in December volume should be down, but quality thanks to a burst of heat in early April should be good. Harvest of Vidalia onions, which usually starts in late April, is a little late this year so you should start to see them in your stores right about now. Vidalia Sweet Onions are a yellow granex hybrid known for their sweet, mild flavor. This unique Georgia - grown onion, known as "The World's Sweetie" receives its mild flavor from the sandy, low-sulfur soil, and the mild, temperature found only in the 20-county production area of Southern Georgia. A fresh Vidalia onion has a light golden-brown skin and white interior. Its shape is rounded on the bottom and somewhat flat on the top or stem end. Vidalia’s mature and are harvested from late April through mid-June. A true Sweet Onion is what we call a spring onion - early dug - after the onion is picked and put in storage it starts to get hot. By using controlled atmosphere storage, which is cold storage, it keeps the onion from turning hot somewhat. The Vidalia Onions are the Georgia State Vegetable, and about 70% are distributed through grocery stores with the other 30% through roadside stands and mail-order businesses. The region grown is the most important factor in determining sweetness. The sulfites in the onions are the things that give you the heat and make your eyes tear. By keeping cool, the sugar stays in the onions and the sulfites take longer to take hold. Vidalia onions have always been a favorite of mine, but the most important thing to remember is buy them early in the season. You will still see Vidalia’s in the stores late into the summer and you will pay a premium price for them, well to tell you the truth they are not worth it. As the season goes on the onion will get hotter, and even though they call them Vidalia’s the sugar in the onion has turned to sulfites and are hot not sweet. To me there is nothing better then a sweet onion, and a couple of slices of a red juicy tomato. So enjoy your Vidalia’s and please remember, BUY THEM EARLY!!

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE 2019 VIDALIA ONION CROP 

The 2019 Vidalia onion crop looks to be a strong one with normal volume, growers say. ( Courtesy Vidalia Onion Committee )Vidalia onion growers say they expect normal volumes, good quality and a usual start to their deal this year.“The crop looks good,” said Bob Stafford, interim director of the Vidalia Onion Committee.“It’s not going to be a bumper crop, but it will be a normal crop.”Growers got a New Year’s jolt when a freeze gripped the region and produced 2-3 inches of snow over most of the district in early January.“The snow didn’t bother it, but some of them (the plants) were frozen.They probably lost 10% to 15%, but we did get the right amount of heat units we need, so we’re very happy with our quality. We’re going to have a good marketable crop.”Last year, the Vidalia district shipped 5.7 million 40-pound units of sweet onions, compared to 5.3 million in 2016.They always shoot for 5 million, so they are going to shoot for  somewhere around that 5- to 5.5-million range.The January cold was a bit of a concern, but February and March compensated, said Delbert Bland, president of Glennville, Ga.-based Bland Farms LLC.“We have about 9% plant loss on 2,500 acres, and that’s not out of the ordinary,” he said. “It could be better, but it’s not devastating. We actually plant 89,000 plants per acre. That’s not that much, when you get down to it.”The first shipments should go out in mid-April, which would be a normal start, Bland said.“Last year we were earlier than that, but April 15-20 is probably about average over the last 10 years,” he said.The Georgia Department of Agriculture has set April 20 as the official pack date for Vidalia onions this season.The crop will transition into storage around July 1, and supplies likely will be available through Labor Day, growers say.The January chill had some growers shaking, but the crop emerged in good shape.“The crop has rebounded nicely to this point,” he said, noting he expected a “normal” crop.“Quality is very nice at this point in the fields, with early varieties showing normal yields and mid- to late-season varieties showing a stand loss. We do expect these later onions to produce less yield than normal.”The Vidalia District produced record crop yields in 2016 and 2017, but growers aren’t expecting a repeat in 2019.“All things considered, we see this year’s crop being back to normal.“The early varieties look good, with the mid-to late season varieties showing a stand loss from the cold weather. As of mid-March, it’s simply too early to tell at this point how those will yield.”Growers hesitated to forecast market conditions for 2019.“It’s a commodity, so it’s based off the supply“The good thing about Vidalia is people know our time period, and they know there’s not a lot of competition during that time.” 

TEN FUN FACTS ABOUT VIDALIA ONIONS

1. Mose Coleman of Toombs County accidentally discovered the Vidalia onion during the Great Depression.
2. Piggly Wiggly was the first retail store to sell Vidalias.
3. The Vidalias are named after the town they are grown in, Vidalia, Georgia.
4. The sweet flavor is due to the low amount of sulfur in the soil in which the onions are grown.
5. It can be called a Vidalia only if it’s grown in one of 20 counties designated by the the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986.
6. The Vidalia onion was named Georgia’s official state vegetable in 1990.
7. Farmers grow Vidalias on more than 14,000 acres.
8. There is a 1,300-square-foot Vidalia Onion Museum that is filled with exhibits that highlight the sweet onion’s economic, cultural and culinary significance.
9. Vidalia sales now total $90 million, 40 percent of the nation’s spring onion crop.
10. Around 5-million 40 lb. boxes are shipped out each season!  

Click on link below for Vidalia onion show
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/509482002.html 

 Most people want to know, are Zucchini and squash the same thing, the answer
They are the same thing. Zucchini is the Italian word for the fruit which the French call a courgette. ... In the US and Canada, we refer to most cucurbita pepo as“squash,” which I believe comes from a Native American word. So all Zucchini are squash but not all squash are zucchinis.
Squash was a food staple in the Americas for some eight thousand years before the first European explorers arrived here. Like melons and cucumbers, squashes are edible gourds that are indigenous to North, Central, and South America. The name comes from the Algonquin word askutasquash, which means, "eaten raw" and probably derives form the kind of summer squash encountered by early European settlers. The Native Americans taught them how to store and use winter squashes as a staple and demonstrated the curative and hygienic properties of squash seeds. Following the practice of the natives, the settlers ate whatever was available in the wild--fish, fowl, venison-which often carried parasites, and cured themselves by eating squash.

The squashes commonly found in the United States are divided into summer and winter varieties. Summer varieties are immature squashes, usually small in size, with a soft skin, white flesh, high water content, and crunchy texture. Summer squashes are 100 percent edible, seeds and all, and very perishable. Winter varieties are fully mature squashes that are usually larger in size, with a hard outer shell and a long shelf life. They are always eaten cooked. Most have an orange flesh that is sweeter and nuttier in flavor than the more delicate summer squashes and contain large quantities of beta-carotene. The larger, harder seeds of winter squashes are usually discarded, but they can be salted, roasted, and eaten like nuts.

Yellow squash and long, slender, dark green zucchini are probably the two most familiar summer squashes, but there are other good varieties. These include the chayote, which is pear-shaped, with white, pale, or dark green skin, the cocozelle, which is shaped like a zucchini and striped green and yellow, and the tiny scalloped pattypan, which has white, yellow, or green stripes and looks like a little flying saucer.

Summer squashes, especially zucchini, are generally available year round, but the peak seasons between April and September.

All squashes should have a solid, heavy feel. A squash that feels light for its size may be soft and dehydrated inside. Summer squashes should have a firm but tender, sleek, unblemished skin. A shiny skin on yellow squash and zucchini is a good indication that it was picked young and tasty. Choose small to medium-sized squashes, rather than large ones, for the best flavor and texture.

Summer squash: Store refrigerated in an unsealed plastic bag and use within three or four days. Handle summer squash carefully because the tender skin is easily nicked.

Summer squashes have high water content--never overcook or they will turn to mush. Overcooking is probably why so many kids hate squash! There are exceptions, but zucchini, chayote, crookneck, and cocozelle never need peeling. If the squash looks nice and tender, leave the peel on. Simply wash it and discard a thin slice from each end.Summer squashes are terrific brushed with a little oil and cooked on the grill, and they can be steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, or baked in casseroles. Use very little water if you're going to boil a squash. Cut it into horizontal slices about a quarter of an inch thick, put in just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, add salt, pepper, and butter if desired, cover, and cook no more than three to five minutes. Turn the squash a few times to cook evenly and test frequently for doneness--it's done when it's easily pierced with a fork but retains some crunch.To grill, slice the squash lengthwise, marinate or brush with an oil-based salad dressing or with olive oil, herbs, and perhaps some garlic, then grill over hot coals, turning occasionally so it doesn't burn.Young, tender summer squashes, especially zucchini, are good raw in salads or with dips. They are delicious lightly steamed, stir-fried in a little oil, or fried tempura-style in batter. There are many Mediterranean recipes that call for squash--it's good in a ratatouille or baked with Parmesan cheese. Zucchini can also be used in zucchini bread--a sweet bread, almost like cake, that makes a good dessert--and muffins.At home Betty makes a cold zucchini salad that's very simple, quick, and delicious. Slice the zucchini and sauté briefly in olive oil with a bit of garlic. Remove from the heat and, while the zucchini is still hot, splash a top-quality vinegar over it. It can be a good wine vinegar or a balsamic or herbed vinegar, depending on you preference. Add some salt and pepper and serve either warm, at room temperature, or chilled.Because of its versatility, zucchini is a good staple to keep around the house. The other night we got home late, and neither of us wanted to bother with a big meal, so Bette sliced and sautéed zucchini and potato, added beaten eggs to the pan when the vegetables were almost done, and made a terrific frittata.

 Click on link below for Summer Squash
 

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Summer-Squash_New-York-507567182.html 

 Leeks are in the same vegetable family as onions and garlic. They taste sweeter and milder than onions. Leeks are made up of elongated, white bulbs with broadening and darkening green leaves at their tops. The bulb comes to an end at a point, often with roots still attached. The bulbs and lighter green leaves are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. The darker green leaves are much tougher and along with the roots, should be removed before eating or cooking.  Leeks have never played as big a role in American cooking as they have in European – especially French cuisines, and that’s a shame.  They look like enormous scallions and they are the sweetest and mildest of all the onions.  Cream of leek soup is delicious (my mother made one I still remember vividly), and leeks also add a wonderful flavor to other soup stocks and stews.  They are delicious braised and served almost as you’d serve asparagus.  I love them.
SeasonBecause they’re grown in various parts of the country – California, Florida and Texas are major producers – leeks are available nearly year-round.  They’re best and most plentiful from late fall until early spring.
SelectingLook for leeks with crisp, green tops.  The lower two or three inches should be white.  Avoid leeks that have soft spots or are yellowed or fibrous-looking.  The smaller leeks are usually the most-tender.
StoringTrim the roots but don’t cut them off entirely, if you do, the leek will fall apart.  Remove any limp or discolored leaves, trim the tops a little, and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Don’t leave unwrapped leeks near other foods.  Like onions, they readily transmit their odor and flavor to milk and other foods in the refrigerator. 

The challenge when cooking with leeks is that they are almost always dirty. When leeks are grown, soil is piled up around them, so that more of the leek is hidden from the sun, and therefore lighter in color and more tender.What produces a beautiful leek, a long pale body, also results in sand and dirt being lodged deep inside the leek. 

Cut from opening to ends of greens:

 Place leek on a cutting board. Insert the tip of a sharp knife about a 1/4-inch below the lowest opening in the leek

.Cut straight through, up to and through the green ends of the leek, leaving the pale part of the leek whole.

 Rinse:

 Fan open the leek and place under cold running water. Rinse out any dirt or sand. If the leek is especially dirty, you may want to make another similar cut through the leek to further be able to fan the leek open

 Cut off dark green tops: 

Cut off the dark green tops of the leek, reserving on the body of the leek as much of the dark green as you want. We like the taste (it's basically just a big onion green), so we typically keep about 2 to 3 inches or so of the dark green part with the body of the leeks.  Discard the dark greens or save them to flavor soups or stews, or use for making stock. 

Cut of the root end of the leeks

 staying as close to the roots as possible. Cutting close to the roots will hold the leeks together when cooking them whole.  

• Good source of Vitamin C
• Good source of dietary fiber and other minerals
• Leaf tops are a good provider of beta-carotene, like carrots!

If you’re using them in soups, use the whole leek without trimming. If you’re serving leeks as a vegetable, trim the green ends, but save them for soup stock.  The white lower portions are good sliced raw into salads.  Leeks are especially sweet and delicious braised whole in water or chicken stock, then served warm with a bit of butter and seasonings or cold in a vinaigrette dressing 

CHECK OUT BETTE'S LEEK AND POTATO SOUP AT BETTE'S RECIPES !!!

Click on Link below for Spring Leek Show !!
 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Leeks_New-York-507882601.html 

Raspberries are an extraordinarily flavorful fruit with a tart-sweet, almost floral taste that can't be duplicated. A bramble fruit and cousin to the blackberry, raspberries ounce flourished wild in North America; now almost all are cultivated and available only in limited supplies. Unlike blackberries, which are relatively firm, raspberries are hollow and are therefore extremely fragile. The plants themselves have a low yield, and the berries frequently break when they're picked, further reducing the quantity that can be shipped fresh. Because of all these factors, in the winter raspberries can be as high as six or seven dollars a half-pint--and that's wholesale! At the height of the season, however, you can enjoy them at more reasonable prices, especially if they are local. Ninety-nine percent of commercially cultivated raspberries are red, but there are also black and golden varieties. Black raspberries can be quite good, but golden raspberries are not as sweet or flavorful as the red. For my money, rose-red raspberries can't be beat. Although they're never inexpensive, try to enjoy them when they're in season. There is no finer berry. 

Local Raspberries are most abundant during June, July, and August. The local raspberries are available for about three to four weeks during the summer; the exact month will depend upon your region. (Most cultivars do not thrive in the South.) Some farmers will grow two crops, with the first ripening in late June and early July, and the second in September or early October. This year Mexican raspberries will be priced reasonable from the beginning of November for about three weeks because of good supply. Raspberries from California are available from summer through late fall, and also available in the late fall raspberries arrive from the Pacific Northwest and Mexico. Winter raspberries are available from Chile. 

Look for local raspberries at roadside stands or farm markets in the summer months. If you find a farm that offers pick-your-own berries, don't pass them up. Like a ripe blackberry, a ripe raspberry will practically fall off the vine into you hand.  Raspberries this time of year are great out of Mexico and California with a great sweet taste.At the market select dry, firm fruits with excellent form and hollow centers. Avoid soft, wet or mildewed berries that seem to be stuck together, and fruit that is badly stained on the bottom pad of the container. 

Always refrigerate, and use the same day of purchase if at all possible. 

Rinse briefly in cold water just before serving. Raspberries are delicious fresh and whole as is or with a little cream. Fresh raspberries are also wonderful pureed, slightly sweetened, and used as a sauce for ice cream, custards, or other fruits. Freeze the puree for an elegant sorbet.

HOW WE GOT RASPBERRIES FROM THE BACK YARD TO THE STORES 

“If you go back to the early 20th century, raspberries were picked and eaten fresh off the plant. You wouldn’t have found raspberries in a grocery store in the 1920s because the shipping, refrigeration, and all the things you need weren’t really there. If anyone was growing and selling raspberries locally, they were sold down the street at the local store for a month or two out of the year. They’d produce a few berries in the summer and that's all you'd get.Beginning in the 1930s, a small group of plant breeders wanted to change that.“There were some crosses made in the 1930s, but nothing worked and they couldn’t make it happen. “Someone was clever enough to keep these plants—there was a house that had these raspberries in the yard for many years. Then sometime in the 1970s, one of those varieties was resurrected from the yard and multiplied, starting an industry. “In the 1970s, breeding started at Driscoll’s and it was very hard—one failure after another. Raspberry plants were such a difficult crop to commercialize and the older varieties were so delicate. But Miles Reiter had a vision and he just kept at it, and finally we had some breakthroughs in the 1990s. Miles said that the goal was to make these raspberries so good, you can’t help but eat them before you get them to the fridge.”   Maravilla variety was an outlier—a total needle in the haystack. It’s a beautiful, glossy berry. It doesn’t mold, it doesn’t darken. It’s got a pretty good fruit size, and the yields are pretty good on the plant—it’s a very healthy plant. Maravilla raspberries aren’t too sweet, aren’t too sour, and have a consistent flavor.  All of these great traits about the famous raspberry lead Driscoll to the next question. Are Driscoll Raspberries Genetically Modified ??       No, we're not doing GMO at all, "It's all very natural, what we do. It's all old fashioned. It's plant breeding, like people did with wheat two thousand years ago. It's the same thing.”   “Persistence—and you just have to be steady. Wins are going to be slow and take time. I think that’s true with just about everything we do, really. You have to steadily work at what you want to improve and don’t expect something in a month. Give yourself years, maybe, or decades.”  The hidden potential for Driscoll’s raspberries is enormous—that’s part of what makes this fun, is you just don’t know what’s around the next corner.

THANKS DRISCOLL

Click on to the link below for Raspberry Segment

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Raspberries_New-York-499496971.html

New Jersey grows a variety of cantaloupe called the Athena melon (years ago, we called them muskmelons), which are usually sweet with very soft flesh and are highly perishable.

I remember in our produce store growing up, my father would bring in loads of them in the summer, and you could smell their sweet scent for miles, but unfortunately, they would only last a day or two before they went bad.

That’s why most stores today sell popular California cantaloupes, which are high in sugar content and are good keepers that usually last up to a week.

Like many other households today with just two people, both of whom work, my wife, Bette, and I shop once a week and rely on produce to keep for weeks. However, since produce is meant to be eaten, not stored, we now depend on farmers and stores to offer produce that will last longer. This means picking and buying the product greener and not as ripe, which I’m not crazy about, but it’s a sign of the times.

SEASONS AND VARIETIES

Great fragrance is the hallmark of a good ripe cantaloupe, and the warm, rich, sweet summer smell of melons is always the first thing that hits me. Inexpensive and highly popular, cantaloupes are sweet, fragrant, and juicy, with a pinkish-orange to bright orange flesh. Grown primarily in California and other Western states, cantaloupes are round with a golden, tightly netted skin.

Although good cantaloupes from the West are available from June through December, they’re best between June and September, when the California crop is at its peak. I think California grows the best cantaloupes, followed by Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. From December through February, cantaloupes will be imported from Central America; these aren't as good as summer cantaloupes from the U.S., but over the last few years, their quality has improved, and their price has become more reasonable.

Almost all cantaloupes commercially grown in California are of the ‘Hale’s Best’ varieties. Several strains are on the market, and each of them has a few distinct characteristics. Other varieties include Hymark and Mission.

SELECTION AND STORAGE

Color and, more importantly, fragrance — not softness at the stem end — indicates ripeness. A cantaloupe with a golden color and a ripe, sweet aroma is going to be a ripe, sweet melon. Don’t push the stem end: If your neighbor presses a thumb there, and I press mine there, eventually you’re going to feel something soft even if the melon is grass green.

For some reason, cantaloupes with tighter netting seem to have a firmer, crisper texture and cut better than those with the looser, more open netting.

If the stem end is rough with portions of the stem remaining, the melon was harvested prematurely. A shriveled, flabby, or badly bruised product signals poor quality. Also avoid melons with growth cracks, mottling or decay (mold or soft sunken spots on the surface). A mature cantaloupe will be well-netted or webbed with a smoothly rounded, depressed scar at the stem end.

A cantaloupe on the green side will ripen if you leave it out at room temperature until any green undertones in the rind have turned golden, and the melon has a rich smell. But during the summer, there’s no excuse for taking home a green melon, as in-season melons should have been picked fully mature and ripe, with little or no green showing.

When ready to eat, cantaloupe will take on a yellow background appearance, acquire an aroma and soften. Because cantaloupe is shipped in a firm state to avoid damage, it usually needs a few days at room temperature to soften and become juicier.

PREPARATION

I think melons have a better taste and texture at room temperature, but if you like your melon chilled, refrigerate it right before you’re going to eat it. Cut melons, of course, have to be refrigerated, but wrap them tightly in plastic to preserve moisture. If you don’t want everything in your refrigerator to smell and taste like cantaloupes (and vice versa), it’s a good idea to put the melon in a heavy plastic or glass container with a tightly fitting lid.

High in folate and vitamins A and C, cantaloupes are great eaten as is for breakfast or dessert or cut up with other melons and fruits in a salad. Because cantaloupe is easy to cut, it can be used as an appetizer, in salads, as a breakfast plate garnish and in compotes and desserts.

FARMS VIEW  MUSKMELONS

This week we are back at Farm's View Farm in Wayne , New Jersey so here's a little more information on Muskmelons grown right here on the farm.

The Muskmelons taste is attributed to the combination of flavor, texture, and sweetness. Sugars are pumped into the fruit from the leaves as the fruit matures. Once harvested, the fruit receives no more sugar, though changes in flavor and texture will continue. Therefore, it is better to leave melons on the vine as long as possible, so they can reach peak sweetness and the best taste. Cantaloupes (Muskmelons) When cantaloupess are beginning to ripen they will turn color, from a dull grayish green to a buff-yellow. Cantaloupess also develop a netting over the skin as they mature. Cantaloupes are harvested by the degree of “slip,” or ease of detachment from the vine. A melon at full-slip is one that is fully mature and at peak flavor. At full-slip, the cantaloupe will detach easily from the vine, leaving a clean stem scar. “Locally Grown” melons are usually harvested at full-slip, which is why they usually taste better than melons shipped in from other production areas. Those melons are harvested at quarter or half-slip, which means part of the stem detached from the fruit, but part remains. Although not at full maturity or peak sugar content, these melons are firmer and remain in good condition when shipped long distances. Full-slip melons are softer and do not ship well. In the home garden, there is no reason to rush cantaloupe harvest. Wait for them to reach full-slip. So that's why if there is a farm stand by you take advantage of getting a ripe muskmelon/cantaloupe and enjoy this great taste of summer

Click on link below for Muskmelon Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Muskmelons_New-York-492768201.html

Peaches, nectarines  are similar, but they aren't exactly the same. They're all part of same family, the Prunus family, a genus that's categorized by a hard shell that surrounds its seed in the center of the fruit. That hard shell and seed are often referred to as a stone, and the three fruits are all commonly called stone fruits. 

Peaches have skin with a soft fuzz. The skin is often removed before eating or using in a recipe because of the fuzz, but it's completely edible. Peaches are sweet and juicy when ripe. They're used in baked goods, salads, salsas, sauces, smoothies, jams, jellies and of course, eaten fresh, as is. 

Nectarines are almost genetically identical to peaches. There is only one gene that separates them, and that gene determines whether the skin has fuzz on it or not. The taste of a nectarine is very similar to that of a peach, and it's often difficult to tell them apart by taste alone.

They're used in baked goods, salads, salsas, sauces, smoothies, jams, jellies and of course, eaten fresh, as is.

Clearly, the two fruits can be used for the same purposes, but can they be swapped out in any recipe without making a difference?

Because peaches and nectarines are so closely related, they are easily interchangeable in recipes. So go ahead and use the nectarines in the peach salsa recipe if you want, or use a peach jam recipe to make nectarine jam without any other changes.

WHITE PEACHES AND WHITE NECTARINES

White peaches and nectarines are not newfangled or genetically modified. They’re grown around the world, but until 20 years ago were mostly a niche fruit popular with home growers. In America, they date back to the colonies. Especially popular in the 1800s was a white peach called the Belle of Georgia, which still exists today. It was so sweet, it was considered dessert quality. White peaches and nectarines were typically fragile and not suited for shipping. 

In 1968,  white peaches and nectarines fetched premium prices, due in part to the great care required in their handling and shipping. The time was right to rekindle white-fleshed varieties in the U.S. and develop fruit that could tolerate shipping. Big changes in American food culture often have to do with the development of new transportation and refrigeration technology.

The key description of white-fleshed stone fruit is that they are “sub-acid.” Now, sub-acid sounds like some underground band and not like something you should put in your mouth. But it’s simply the old acid/alkaline principle. The less (sub) acid, the sweeter the fruit. This can be a boom to people seeking less acid in their diet. White peaches and nectarines come in an array of complex flavors and aromas, tending toward the more delicate with sweet honey and vanilla overtones. Not necessarily snow white, their flesh is usually pearl with some rose at the pit—thereby inspiring the bevy of beautiful names.

Some summer white peach varieties fruiting on the East Coast are Snow Giant, Manon, and Raritan Rose. 

White peaches and nectarines have several characteristics that set them apart from their yellow counterparts. They have a delicate white flesh and an incredibly sweet taste due to their low acid levels. Acid is what gives yellow peaches and nectarines their slightly tangy flavor. As yellow varieties ripen, some of this acid dissipates, leaving a nice balance of sugar and acid. Because white peaches and nectarines have very low acid, they have the same sweet flavor whether you eat them crisp like an apple or wait for them to become soft and juicy. 

White peaches are commonly a darker, redder cheeked fruit whose background color is a soft, creamy white.  These too are sweet, juicy treats.  The white peaches, contrary to the yellow peaches, will not have that "bite" - that tangy, acidic counterpoint to the sweetness of the peach juices.  Conversely, if you are mixing peaches with a more acidic yogurt - plain yogurt, or a mildly acidic vanilla, you may find you prefer white peaches in these instances.  

Once a rarity, white nectarines have become popular in the last 10 years. But most modern varieties are what plant breeders call sub-acid--they taste simply sweet. But get an old-fashioned farmers market variety like a Snow Queen or a Stanwick and you've got one of the most amazing fruits of late spring, intensely sweet but with enough acidity to be interesting and layers of flowery peach flavor. The best white nectarines tend to come early in the summer harvest cycle. 

  AVAILABILITY

White peaches are available from late April through mid-October. White nectarines are available from mid May through September.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Low fat; saturated fat free; sodium free; cholesterol free; good source of vitamin C

SELECTION AND STORAGE

The amount of red color on the skin is not an indication of ripeness and can vary greatly from variety to variety. Look for a creamy white background color with no green. Storage at home depends on how you prefer to eat them and how ripe they were when you bought them. The temperature of home refrigerators can actually damage the eating quality of firm peaches and nectarines, turning them dry and mushy. If you prefer them crisp, purchase firm fruit and consume them within a day or two. If you like them soft and juicy, leave them out at room temperature (not in a plastic bag) until they reach that stage – then refrigerate. The fruit will remain at that stage and can be refrigerated for around a week. . Soft, ripe fruit can be refrigerated without damaging the eating quality. They're ripe when they give slightly to the touch and are extremely fragrant. The best varieties of white-fleshed nectarines do tend to be cosmetically challenged, prone to scabbing and cracking, so don't let the appearance put you off. 

HOW TO SELECT THE SWEETEST NECTARINES:

Look For:

The “sugar spots” – This is an indication the fruit is so loaded with sugar, it’s essentially crystallizing on the skin.

FUN FACTS

 ■ Lower acid levels mean that white peaches are a great choice for those with sensitive stomachs.

■ White peaches are more delicate than yellow peaches. They also tend to ripen faster.

■ The sweet flavor of white peaches makes this specialty fruit a standout in recipes

. WHITE NECTARINES:

White nectarines have a smooth skin and are creamy-white on the inside with a red-over-white exterior. Just like their yellow counterparts, white nectarines are very closely related to peaches. The only difference? A gene that causes fuzz is not present in nectarines like it is in peaches. White nectarines also have a more delicate flavor than yellow nectarines. White nectarines are super-sweet, with low acid levels.

FUN FACTS:

■ Lower acid levels mean that white nectarines are a great choice for those with sensitive stomachs.

■ A smooth and fuzz-less flesh means that white nectarines are very delicate and highly susceptible to bruising.

■The history of the nectarine is unclear in the U.S. Some say the USDA introduced the fruit in 1906, while newspaper references have the fruit growing in New York prior to the Revolutionary War.

■Nectarines still naturally occur as bud mutations on peach trees.

HOW TO CHOOSE:

Select white-fleshed peaches and nectarines as you would any other stone fruit: They’re ripe when they give slightly to the touch and are extremely fragrant. The best varieties of white-fleshed nectarines do tend to be cosmetically challenged, prone to scabbing and cracking, so don’t let the appearance put you off. 

HOW TO STORE:

If the peaches or nectarines are a little too firm, leave them at room temperature for a day or two, and they’ll finish ripening. When ripe, they should be stored in the refrigerator, unless you’re going to eat them quickly.  

Click on link below for White Peach and Nectarine show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Peaches-and-Nectarines_New-York-490631301.html

 Many people have never had a fresh fig, since so much of that perishable crop is dried rather than shipped fresh to the consumer.The very best in the world, however, are often ones that are ripened on trees in the backyard.I remember my wife Bette’s grandfather had a fig tree in his backyard that required loving care. By the time Bette and I started dating in the early 1960s, her grandfather was getting on in years and every fall, around October, I'd help him prepare the tree for winter.  The tree was probably 15 feet tall, but together we'd tie a rope near the top of its trunk, pull on the rope until the tree was bent in half, then lash it down and wrap the whole thing in old rugs and any plastic we could find to protect it from the winter weather.Being an inexperienced young man at the time, I would go into the house after we wrapped the tree and tell Bette that it was going to die. She, however, would assure me that every year since she was a baby her grandfather would do this and the tree would be perfect come springtime. “Sure it will,” I always said, disbelieving.Pretty soon, spring would come, and we'd remove the rugs and plastic and untie the tree.“See, Bette -- the tree is still bent in half,” I’d tell her, to which she’d always say “just give it time.”And boy was she right. The tree would gradually straighten up and the growing season would progress. Come summer, the figs on that tree were incredible, big and sweet as honey.Her grandfather was amazing and could grow anything, so I learned a great lesson -- never doubt him or Bette. More than 55 years later, I still don't doubt her and I still listen – well, sometimes! 

THE FACTS ON FIGS!!
Fresh figs can be round, flat, oval, or elongated, with a white, green, purple, or black skin depending on the variety. The flesh, which ranges in color from yellowish-white to a deep reddish pink, has a very delicate flavor and soft texture.Figs are one of the most fragile fresh fruits you'll find at your produce store and must be handled with extreme care by both shippers and consumers.Although there are some seedless varieties, most figs are full of tiny crunchy seeds that are eaten along with the flesh. The three most popular figs on the market are the sac-like Breba, the flat green Kadota, and the round black Mission fig, so-called because it was first cultivated by monks in California. Of these three, I think the Mission is the best of all.Historians argue about whether the Greeks sent figs to Egypt and beyond or whether figs traveled the other way. Regardless, figs are grown extensively in India and are also cultivated in Iran, Turkey, Greece and Sicily.I may be biased, but I think that Sicilian figs are especially wonderful.In the U.S., figs are grown in many home gardens as far north as New York, but almost all of the fresh figs on the market here are grown in California, with a smaller crop from Texas that’s primarily sold to canneries.California figs, which are in season from June to September, are packed individually in separate compartments within cardboard or wooden boxes, then shipped by air to the rest of the country to protect their delicate flesh.Because they're so perishable and hard to handle, they tend to be one of the more expensive items you'll find at the produce market. 

SELECTION AND STORAGE !1
Because packers handle them so carefully, figs usually arrive at the market in good shape, but avoid figs with brown or grayish spots on the skin, as these indicate that the fruit has started to ferment.If the fruit doesn't show signs of fermentation or damage, it will almost certainly be good. Firm fruit can be ripened at home at room temperature, but even firm fruit must be handled with great care.Perfectly ripe figs are soft to the touch and secrete a sweet sap from the opening at the blossom end. At this stage, they're extremely fragile and perishable and need to be handled very gently and eaten right away.If you must store them, lay them on a paper towel, cover them with plastic wrap, and store them in the refrigerator for no more than three days. 

PREPARATION  !!
A ripe, fresh fig is delicious simply eaten out of hand. You can eat the skin or nibble the flesh from the skin.Figs can also be poached with sugar, used in baking, or made into jam or preserves.Fresh figs help retain the freshness and moisture of items they’re combined with and are often used to help extend the shelf life of cakes and baked goods without chemicals or preservatives.Figs mixed with olive oil, rosemary and garlic make an excellent spread for focaccia bread, while figs and rosemary make a great stuffing for pork chops, chicken and dumplings. Grilled figs on skewers basted with brandy are simply delicious.In place of melon, try wrapping fig halves in prosciutto, an appetizer that Bette and her family have made for years using a tasty recipe sourced from the great Long Island chef Ina Garten.
PRODUCE PETE FUN FIG FACTS
Fig trees have no blossoms on their branches. The blossom is inside of the fruit! Many tiny flowers produce the crunchy little edible seeds that give figs their unique texture.

• Figs are harvested according to nature’s clock, fully ripened and partially dried on the tree.
• Figs naturally help hold in moisture in baked goods, keeping them fresher.
• Fig puree can be used to replace fat in baked goods.
• California grows many varieties of figs, but the two most common are the amber-colored, slightly nutty-flavored Golden and the dark purple, sweet Mission.
• California produces 100% of the nation’s dried figs and 98% of the fresh figs.
• The Spaniards introduced Mission Figs to the California territory in the early 16th century.
• The priests at Mission San Diego originally planted figs in California in 1769. This is how the dark purple fig became known as “Mission"
• Many believe it was figs that were actually the fruit in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, not apples.
• The early Olympic athletes used figs as a training food. Figs were also presented as laurels to the winners, becoming the first Olympic “medal.”
• In Roman times figs were considered to be restorative. They were believed to increase the strength of young people, to maintain the elderly in better health and to make them look younger with fewer wrinkles. 
• Figs made their first commercial product appearance with the 1892 introduction of Fig Newtons® cookies.
• The fig tree is a symbol of abundance, fertility and sweetness.
• Eating one half cup of figs has as much calcium as drinking one-half cup of milk.

Click on link below for Mission Fig Showhttps://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Fresh-Mission-Figs_New-York-485737402.html


 

WELL FINALLY ITS HERE , WARM WEATHER. IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD NEVER COME. THE FIRST OF THE SUMMER FRUITS IS ALWAYS THE APRICOT, WHEN I SEE THEM IN THE SUPERMARKETS OR AT YOUR GREEN GROCERS , I KNOW THE REST OF THE SUMMER FRUITS IS NOT FAR BEHIND. WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND POP HAD THE STORE, PEOPLE WOULD ALWAYS COME IN LOOKING FOR PEACHES, PLUMS, NECTARINES AFTER A LONG WINTER. IN THOSE DAYS IN THE WINTER NO SUMMER FRUIT WAS EVER AVAILABLE, NOT LIKE TODAY WHEN FRUIT COMES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, NOW PLEASE LISTEN, I SAID ITS AVAILABLE, BUT I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS ANY GOOD.  THE OFF SHORE FRUIT HAS TO BE PICKED TO GREEN TO WITHSTAND THE LONG TRIP HERE, FRUIT WILL GET RIPER, SOAFTER BUT NEVER SWEETER, IT HAS TO HAVE MATURITY IN IT WHEN IT IS PICKED, SO THAT'S WHY IN THE WINTER FRUIT IS ONLY SO SO. POP WOULD ALWAYS TELL THE CUSTOMERS TOO EARLY, WHAT'S YOUR HURRY, WHEN YOU SEE GOOD SWEET APRICOTS THE REST WILL FOLLOW. GOOD THINGS ARE WORTH WAITING FOR, IF YOU WANT THE FRUIT TO TASTE LIKE A LIME, WE SELL LIMES TO. WHERE HE CAME FROM IN ITALY THE FRUIT WAS ALWAYS GOOD BECAUSE THEY WAITED FOR THE SEASONS AND IT WAS GROWN LOCAL. I LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON FROM HIM, ALWAYS BUY IN SEASON AND WHEN THE SEASON IS IN WAIT A WEEK AND AT THE END OF THE SEASON STOP BUYING TO GET THE BEST. HIS WAYS MAYBE ARE OLD FASHION NOW BUT THEY STILL WORK.    

APRICOTS

When apricots arrive in the store, I know that summer has finally arrived and all the other hot weather fruits are not far behind.  A good apricot is small, round, delicate, and glows with golden color.  About the size of a plum and similar in appearance to a very small peach, a ripe apricot is sweet, fragrant, richly colored, and extremely fragile.  It is also one of the richest sources of beta carotene (vitamin A)  Apricots are delicious and low in calories eaten out of hand, they're also great poached with a little sugar, turned into jam or fillings for layer cakes, made into tarts, dried or glaceed.

Although apricots from China were introduced to Europe by Alexander the Great, they apparently disappeared at some point during the Roman Empire.  Some say that the Moors reintroduced them when they conquered Spain, but apricots definitely reappeared during the Crusades.  And it's certain that Franciscan friars brought them to California, which still grows the bulk of the crop in the United States.  Although we get a few out of Idaho, I think those from California are the best.  They're surpassed in flavor only by apricots from Morocco, where weather and soil conditions produce wonderful apricots.  The trouble is, they're so fragile  they must be picked hard and shipped under refrigeration and often don't ripen properly.  Too many times in and out of the refrigerator, and an apricot becomes dry and woody.  If you see great-looking apricots from Morocco, try them, but your safest bet is the California apricot, mainly because it travels a shorter distance.

California apricots are at their peak from May through August.  Later in the fall, apricots from Idaho appear.  Winter fruit from Chile, Australia, and New Zealand are not worth buying, simply because they've been picked too green (which means they will be very hard, very woody).  Australian apricots are fine in Australia, but not here. 

SELECTING

Since apricots will ripen off the tree, in many instances it is your best bet to buy firm fruit and take it home to ripen.  Firm apricots should be gold, with no traces of green.  A good ripe one will be a rich allover gold, often with a red blush, and the flesh will be soft.  Avoid wrinkled apricots, which are old.

Because they are so tender, ripe apricots will often show small bruises or soft spots.  Don't let that worry you, as it is usually a sign that the fruit is ripe and sweet (but don't select fruit that is bruised all over--something that can happen in a self-service market where dozens of people may have squeezed the life out of the fruit).  Although Napolitano's was self-service, we tried to keep the apricots near the check-out counter so that we can help our customers with them.  Do yourself and your neighbors a favor, and handle apricots and other fragile fruit very carefully.

STORING

Leave hard apricots on the counter in a warm place for as long as five or six days to ripen, until very gold in color and soft to the touch.  A ripe apricot may be refrigerated, but not for more than a day or two.  Like peaches, apricots dry out fairly quickly in the refrigerator.

PREPARING

A fresh ripe apricot is a sublime treat.  But this fragrant fruit is also delicious gently poached, or try the Apricot Mousse featured in Bette's Recipes

Click on link below for Apricot Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Apricots_New-York-484380321.html

When I see a mango, I think of my father, Pete. He loved mangoes and had no problem eating them, but he could never stand next to a mango tree because he would break out in hives. Something on the tree while they were growing triggered that response. I guess we’ll never know!

America’s awareness of mangoes has definitely been on the rise. I’ve lectured about different fruits and vegetables at schools for a long time and years ago, when I’d hold up a mango and ask the kids what it was, most would say an apple. But all that’s changed now based on the number of American children hailing from different parts of the world, as well as because of the mango’s increasing popularity.

HAITIAN MANGO

By far my favorite kind is the Haitian mango — it’s not necessarily pretty to look at, flat and elongated and all kidney-shaped and green, but taste-wise it’s great. Though available most of the year, its peak season is from late April to July, so get ready to see them in stores and bring home a bunch. When you buy them, they’ll probably be on the green side, so leave them out on the counter until they get a little golden color and have that great sweet smell they’re known for. Bright orange inside and less stringy than regular mangoes, they’re a great treat with a super sweet taste!

ORIGINS AND BENEFITS

The mango originated in Southeast Asia, where it’s been grown for over 4,000 years, and since then has spread to many tropical and subtropical settings where the climate is conducive to the mango’s success. Mango trees are evergreens that will grow to 60 feet tall and require hot, dry periods to set and produce a good crop. Today there are over 1,000 different varieties of mangoes throughout the world. In India, the mango tree plays a sacred role as a symbol of love, and some also believe that the mango tree can grant wishes.

A comfort food, mangoes really can make you feel better. Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, mangoes contain an enzyme with stomach-soothing properties similar to the papain found in papayas, which acts as a digestive aid. Mangoes are high in fiber and are also an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and beta carotene.

SELECTION AND STORAGE

Handle a mango very gently, as it bruises easily. Pick it up and gently press your thumb against the flesh — it should have a little give and a really sweet smell. A very ripe mango will often have some black speckling outside; don’t worry about that or about a little bruising, but avoid mangoes that are black all over, as they’re beyond the point of no return. I think mangoes that weigh a pound to a pound and a half have the sweetest taste.

Always use your nose when you’re choosing mangoes — 99percent of the time, a mango that smells wonderful tastes wonderful. If the stem end smells sour or acidic, reject it. If a mango is firm and green, it won’t have any smell, but if it looks good, bring it home and ripen it yourself.

Leave a firm, unripe mango out on the counter for a few days until it colors, develops a sweet aroma, and “gives” when you press it very gently. But never refrigerate a mango. If you must have it chilled, you can put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes, but I think mangoes taste best at room temperature. In any event, storing a mango below 50 degrees for any length of time will take the flavor out.

PREPARATION

Mangoes are great simply peeled and eaten as is or with a squeeze of lime juice (but don’t eat the peel — it’s bitter). Unlike many fruits, they’re slow to discolor when they’re sliced, which helps them make and retain a nice presentation. They make a beautiful tropical salad sliced with pineapple chunks, kiwi, papaya, banana, or just about any tropical fruit; I like to add a little squeeze of lime and some shredded coconut, too. For a refreshing and very nutritious tropical drink, purée some sliced mango with banana, pineapple and a squeeze of lime and enjoy!

Because mangoes have a large and nonfreestanding stone right in the center of the fruit that’s difficult to remove, people always ask me how to cut and eat a mango. Following, I’ve shared the results of my years of experience to help you get greater access to this fantastic fruit. Hope this makes it easier for you to enjoy this burst of sunshine!

HOW TO EAT A MANGO

To deal with the pit in the center, take two lengthwise cuts on either side of where you figure the pit is; if it’s a flattish mango, turn it up so a narrow side is facing you. The pit is large but fairly flat, so make the cuts no more than half an inch on either side of an imaginary center line. You’ll have three slices, the center one with the pit in it.

Now take the two outside slices and score the flesh with the tip of a knife, getting as close to the skin as you can without breaking it. Hold the scored slice in two hands and gently push up from the skin side, which will pop inside out. The segments of mango will separate and can easily be scooped off the skin with a spoon or butter knife. Add a sprinkle of lime juice if you like.

As for the slice with the pit, you can discard it if you have the willpower, but I personally find the flesh around the pit to be the tastiest part. All I can say is that the best way to eat it is to remove the strip of skin around it, pick it up with your fingers, stand over the sink, and enjoy!

HAITIAN MANGOES DOMINATE THE NEW YORK MARKETS  The most popular mangoes in New York are Haitian. There are everywhere, unlike the Dominican banilejo mango, which can be mainly found in upper Manhattan and the Bronx 

In Haiti almost half of the fruit rots before reaching the market, partly because of the poor condition of rural roads and partly because of the mismanagement of trees and the mangoes harvested.

In addition, most producers of Haitian mangoes have less than a dozen trees, from which they don't get more than $1,500 dollars per season. Productivity tends to be low because small farmers lack training to properly take care of their trees, harvest, and transport the fruit properly.

As a result, nearly 40 percent of the fruit that reaches the packing plants is rejected. Besides Haitian and Dominican mangoes, the New York market also sells Mexicans mangoes, which have a high consumption in that community and are usually eaten with salt and spices.

There are said to be over 100 varieties of mangos grown in Haiti. This fact even gave birth to the moniker of Haiti being known as “Mango Land”. The most sought after variety is the Francique ( the haitian). It is large and fleshy and well-known in the business as the best Caribbean variety. It is the King of the mangos grown in Haiti. 

Everywhere in Haiti, you will see women sitting on the side of the roads selling mangos, their baskets piled high with several varieties in different stages of ripening. To some, “a mango is a mango,” but to people of this country; this could not be further from the truth. Everyone has their personal favorite and they will argue the values, flavors, and tastes to defend their choice.

 Spring is a great time of year when everything bursts forth and comes alive, including a whole new crop of fruits and vegetables. Hope you embrace the season by enjoying all of the bounty our country has to offer. From my table to yours, wishing you good eating and the best of health.

Click the link below for haitian mango show!!

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Mangoes_New-York-481829141.html