If you are not that familiar with this orange variety you might be asking yourself: “What is Cara Cara oranges. Cara Cara oranges are pink-fleshed citrus fruits that originated as a mutation that occurred on a Washington Navel orange tree in 1976. The first mutated fruit was found at Hacienda Cara Cara in Venezuela and thus was given the name Cara Cara.  Cara Cara oranges are extremely sweet and have a slightly lower acidity than Navels with a hint of cranberry or blackberry flavor. Furthermore, aside from their supreme taste and beautiful coloring, Cara Cara oranges contain 20 per cent more vitamin C and 30 per cent more vitamin A when compared to regular Navels.. Cara Cara navel oranges may appear similar to Ruby red grapefruit, but other than color and being citrus fruits, they are not the same. Cara Cara navel oranges are a result of a mutation in the navel orange which was found in Venezuel Cara Cara is a medium-size orange with a glossy, textured rind. The inner flesh of the Cara Cara is pink, resembling the color of a ruby grapefruit. The peel clings to the flesh. It tastes sweeter than any given orange with flavors far more comparable to tangerines with robust and complex citrus aromatics. Its flesh is also seedless, an advantage among any fruit. When ripe, the Cara Cara orange's flesh is tender, succulent and extremely juicy.  You know the saying, "It's what's on the inside that counts"? Well, that couldn't be more true when it comes to Cara Cara oranges. From the outside, these citrus beauties look like your run-of-the-mill, bright-skinned navel oranges. Cut them open, though, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.  Cara Cara oranges are a type of navel orange.  Grown in California they reach their peak season between December and April.Cara Caras have the same round shape and bright orange rind as traditional navels. What really sets these oranges apart is what's on the inside! Cara Cara oranges have distinct pinkish-red and orange flesh. It's not just their beautiful color that makes them stand out — they have a remarkable taste that goes right along with it. Compared to traditional navels, Cara Caras are sweeter, slightly tangy, and less acidic, with a hint of red fruit, like cranberry or blackberry. And if that's not enough, they're seedless, too. 

SEASON

 Cara Caras are ready for market starting in August, Venezuelan fruits arrive in October and California fruits make their seasonal debut in late November and are available through April.

 Buying and Storing Cara Cara Oranges

While other navel oranges can vary in size, cara caras are all generally medium-size fruits. Choose oranges that are firm, shiny, and heavy for their size. Avoid pieces that have soft spots and blemishes.As with other citrus fruits, store Cara Cara oranges in a cool spot. Kept on the counter, they'll last three to four days, so you're better off storing them in the refrigerator where they'll last up to two weeks.

Eat Cara Cara oranges just as you would other types of navel oranges! Peeling away the rind and eating them section by section, blending them into smoothies or a fresh-squeezed glass of juice, and making citrus curd are just a few of my favorite ways to use Cara Cara They also make a beautiful addition to salads. Just like regular navels, Cara Cara has a bright exterior and has a crisp citrus aroma. But unlike your run-of-the-mill navels, Cara Cara’s flavor is more complex; it is extremely sweet with a tinge of raspberry or cranberry zing and a hint of cherry and rose. It is also low in acidity and is not sour like other citrus fruits.  Select Oranges that feel heavy for their size – a sign of juiciness. They don’t have to be hard, but the orange should not feel so soft that it is squishy either.

• Skin scars and shape do not impact the internal fruit flavor, but oranges with sunken areas, black spots or extra soft areas should be avoided.
• Keep Oranges refrigerated to extend shelf life, especially here in the later part of the season when sugars are running higher. Room temperature is fine for a day or two, but will cause dehydration thereafter or allow decay to happen
• Placed on your counter, the fruit will last for 4 days, but when stored in a fridge can last up to 2 weeks.
• Cara Caras have 30 per cent more Vitamin A and 20 per cent more Vitamin C compared to regular navels.
• Cara Cara orange is seedless and has rich pink flesh due to lycopene.
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2. They're similar to grapefruit. Because of their flesh, they remind us of grapefruits with their pink flesh. Only these Cara Cara Oranges have such sweet flavors that you don’t need to add any sugar.

Click link below for Cara Cara Show

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/produce-pete/produce-pete-california-cara-caras/2307213/ 

Move over Popeye to eat more kale. Gaining in popularity, kale is an amazing vegetable being recognized for its exceptional nutrient richness, health benefits, and delicious flavor.

Eating a variety of natural, unprocessed vegetables can do wonders for your health, but choosing super-nutritious kale on a regular basis may provide significant health benefits, including cancer protection and lowered cholesterol.

Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. A leafy green, kale is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

What makes kale so exceptional? Here is why it's a superstar vegetable -- and ways to work it into your diet.

KALE IS A NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE

One cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.

Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.

SUPER -RICH IN VITAMIN K

Eating a diet rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin K can reduce the overall risk of developing or dying from cancer, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vitamin K is abundant in kale but also found in parsley, spinach, collard greens, and animal products such as cheese.

Vitamin K is necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions, including normal blood clotting, antioxidant activity, and bone health.

But too much vitamin K can pose problems for some people. Anyone taking anticoagulants such as warfarin should avoid kale because the high level of vitamin K may interfere with the drugs. Consult your doctor before adding kale to your diet.

Kale might be a powerhouse of nutrients but is also contains oxalates, naturally occurring substances that can interfere with the absorption of calcium. Avoid eating calcium-rich foods like dairy at the same time as kale to prevent any problems.

SEASON /  SELECTING

In summer, vegetable choices abound. But during the cooler months, there are fewer in-season choices -- with the exception of kale and other dark, leafy greens that thrive in cooler weather.

To find the freshest kale, look for firm, deeply colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavor. Leaves range from dark green to purple to deep red in color. 

STORING

Store kale, unwashed, in an air-tight zipped plastic bag for up to five days in the refrigerator. 

TUSCAN KALE   ( Known by many different names )

What is the difference between Tuscan kale and regular kale

Tuscan kale (also called dinosaur, Lacinato or black kale) is not as tough and fibrous as its curlier kale cousin, so it is often served raw in salads. But as delicious as it is raw, it is especially good cooked .

Hearty, ridged, and almost frilly in appearance, curly and red kale can be used interchangeably; the main difference between the two is merely aesthetic. ... Dinosaur kale, also know as lacinato or Tuscan kale, is more tender than curly and red kale, making it a good candidate for raw and shortly cooked dishes

Lacinato Kale 

literally known as black kale, is a variety of kale with a long tradition in Italian cuisine, especially that of Tuscany. It is also known as Tuscan kale, Italian kale, dinosaur kale, kale, flat back kale, palm tree kale, or black Tuscan palm .Lacinato kale has been grown in Tuscany for centuries, and is one of the traditional ingredients of minestrone soup and ribollita.

Tuscan kale, like all kales, is extraordinarily nutritious: a cup provides more than 100 percent of the daily value (DV) of vitamins K and A, and 88 percent of the DV for vitamin C. Like other members of the brassica family such as cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts, kale is a rich source of organosulfur compounds that have been linked to cancer prevention. 

Check out Tuscan Kale Recipe under Bette's Recipes at top of page.

Click link below for Kale Show

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/produce-pete/produce-pete-kale-and-tuscan-kale/2261788/ 

 For the third week of our Thanksgiving Day Table, we are talking about two of the mostpopular 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 checkout 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/2197893/ 

From acorn to turban, winter squash are some of the most delicious and versatile ingredients of the season. Unlike summer squash, these are harvested in autumn when they are hard and ripe, and most varieties can be stored and enjoyed for use through the winter.   Cutting a winter squash can present an interesting challenge.Years ago on WNBC, I did a segment on winter squash. I put on a  pair of goggles and heavy gloves and pulled a chain saw from under the counter.It was a joke, but not too far off the mark. The problem is that the shell is very hard, the squash tends to roll, and the blade of a knife tends to slip off the smooth skin.To avoid consumers from having to deal with this hassle at home, green grocers and supermarkets have increasingly offered more and more cut-up fruits and vegetables, though the price for this service can cost as much as triple that of an uncut item.Coming from humble post-WWII beginnings like our family did, I remember my mom always cutting and preparing produce herself, and I encourage consumers to consider taking on this worthy challenge. As the fall weather starts to bring on a chill in the air, we look for something hearty, so here are a few of my favorite winter squashes.  

ACORN SQUASH

 Acorn squash is small in size, typically weighing between one and two pounds, with orange-yellow flesh and thick, dark green and orange skin.The flavor of Acorn squash has a mild, subtly sweet and nutty flavor. The skin is also edible.Like most varieties of winter squash, acorn squash is really versatile. It can be baked, roasted, steamed, sautéed, or even cooked in the microwave 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

  This pear-shaped squash has a smooth, cream-colored exterior with bright orange flesh and comparatively few seeds The flavor is the sweetest variety of winter squash. Butternut squash is extremely versatile. It's perfect for roasting and sautéing, or making a smooth purée or soup

.CARNIVAL SQUASH

The pumpkin-shaped Carnival Squash has a pale yellow skin with green markings and often ranges in size from 5 to 7 inches in diameter. Unlike summer squash (which are picked when immature and skins are tender), Carnival Squash have hard, thick skins and only the flesh is eaten. The delicious yellow meat is reminiscent of sweet potatoes and butternut squash and can be baked or steamed then combined with butter and fresh herbs

.  DELICATA SQUASH

 Also known as sweet potato squash, this small cylindrical squash has thin cream- to yellow-colored skin with green stripes, and orange-yellow flesh. Delicatas are smaller than most winter squash, so they're quite easy to prepare and cook.Delicata has creamy flesh with a mild flavor akin to sweet potatoes.The skin on this small squash is edible, so don't worry about cutting it off. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds, then you can either bake it as is, or cut it into slices which can be roasted, sautéed, or steamed. Delicata squash is also ideal for stuffing 

HUBBARD SQUASH

 Hubbard squash is one of the largest varieties of winter squash. It has a hard, firm exterior that can range in color from deep green to gray or blue. Hubbard squash has a rich, sweet pumpkin flavor. While the hard exterior is generally discarded, the sweet orange flesh can be substituted for any other variety of winter squash. It's ideal for both cooking and baking, and is especially great for making pie.

 SPAGHETTI SQUASH

 Spaghetti squash has a cylindrical shape with a firm exterior that ranges in color from pale cream to bright yellow. When you cook the squash, the moist flesh develops strands that resemble spaghetti .Spaghetti squash doesn't actually taste like spaghetti. It has a tender, chewy, fragile texture, and a very mild flavor. Unlike other winter squash varieties, it lacks sweetness.Roast or steam it, then scrape out the strands. Top with marinara, pesto, or mix in other veggies, and eat it as you would spaghetti

SWEET DUMPLING SQUASH 

This small yellow squash, with bright orange to dark green striations, may be the cutest of the bunch The flesh is starchy and sweet, with a flavor that's reminiscent of corn. The small, single-serving size of this squash makes it ideal for stuffing and roasting

. TURBAN SQUASH

 This large, decorative squash has an irregular turban shape with a dull-looking, bumpy exterior that can range in color from mottled green to orange and yellow. This large squash has a very mild, nutty flavor. Turban squash is most often used as a decoration, though you can use it in recipes in just about any way you use butternut, acorn, or other winter squash. Hollowed out, it makes a beautiful soup tureen. 

 SELECTION AND STORAGE

 Squashes should have a solid, heavy feel; a squash that feels light for its size may be soft and dehydrated inside. The hard shell of a winter squash should be undamaged, but the skin, unlike that of summer squashes, should be dull, which indicates that the squash was picked when fully mature. Make sure the stem is still attached, as a missing stem indicates that the squash has been in storage too long.Never refrigerate squash unless it’s been cut, then wrap it in plastic and store it for only a day or two before using. The smaller the winter squash, the shorter its shelf life. Acorn squash, for example, should be used within two to three weeks of purchase. Some of the larger varieties of winter squash will remain sweet and tasty for as long as six or seven months if kept in a dry, cool (but not cold) place, out of direct sunlight.

 PREPARING WINTER SQUASH

 A kitchen saw or even a small saw will make short work of it, but another reasonably simple way to cut into a winter squash is to look for the area on the squash that has indentations or ribs. Lay the squash so that it’s steady, insert the point of a sturdy knife in a crease, give the handle a couple of taps with a hammer to start the cut, and then proceed as if you were cutting a watermelon, being extremely careful. Remove the seeds before cooking.Smaller winter squash like acorn squash are best baked. Cut them in half, brush them with butter, sprinkle them with brown sugar, and bake them for about thirty minutes or until tender.Very large squashes like butternut squash can be peeled, cut into chunks, and boiled for 10 to 20 minutes or until tender; the chunks can then be puréed or mashed and prepared as you would make mashed potatoes.Spaghetti squash is best when it’s baked whole in a moderately hot oven for 1 to 1½ hours, depending on the size of the squash.Pierce the squash in two or three places before baking to release the steam. After it’s done, cut it in half and use a fork to remove the flesh, which looks and handles like spaghetti. You can toss it with marinara sauce or top it with butter or cheese. Many people also like to eat spaghetti squash cold with a vinaigrette.Winter squash is delicious added to soups and stews or sliced, battered and fried. Remember to pre-cook it in water until the flesh is tender-crisp before frying.

 DID YOU KNOW  ???   

• Squash seeds make a delicious snack. Wash and dry the seeds with a paper towel. Don’t worry about removing all the stringy material as these will shrivel when roasted. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with oil; mix the oil into the seeds with your hands to coat well. Sprinkle a pinch of salt or any other herbs or seasonings desired (if you prefer sweeter, try cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg). Roast at 275-300 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until seeds start to brown. It is preferred to cook seeds at a lower temperature in order to prevent the breakdown of the unsaturated fats.
• Which squash skins can you eat? All winter squash skin is technically edible but the thinner the skin, the more pleasant the texture is, such as with delicata, acorn, and sweet dumpling. Thicker skins are usually too tough to chew and enjoy, so they might be saved instead to make a vegetable stock.
• Winter squash is technically classified as a fruit, but for culinary purposes is treated like a vegetable.
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Enjoy these Winter Squashes and check out Bette's Recipes !!!     Click link below for Winter Squash Show  

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/produce-pete/produce-pete-winter-squash/3327650/

 All my life, perhaps nothing has reminded me of my mother more than navel oranges at Christmas.Growing up in Bergenfield to Italian immigrant parents in the ’50s and ’60s, money was always tight and, while northeastern apples were plentiful in our area all fall and winter, oranges from Florida or California were an exotic novelty for our family. I’ll never forget how mom would wrap navel oranges in colored foil or paper and put them in my and my younger brother David’s stockings for Christmas—and the joy we’d get when we’d unwrap them! We never wasted anything in our house—not even the peels from the oranges, which my mom would put in a used tin pie plate with water and place on the radiator to give our house a great citrusy aroma.I remember once telling these stories to my granddaughter Alexandra, to which she rolled her eyes and said “really, Poppy?” It’s a whole different era today—one where kids get expensive video games or keys to cars as gifts, not oranges—but I still get choked up when I think of what mom did with so little and the love and care she always put into making our holidays special. To me, that’s what families and holidays are all about. 

You’ll see oranges in the supermarket all year, but navels—which are renowned for their clean, discernible sections—are available now through Easter and are truly at their best and sweetest right around Christmas. While the two most familiar varieties of oranges are navels and Valencias, California navel oranges are considered by many to be the best oranges in the world for eating out of hand. They have a meaty flesh, their thick rinds are easy to peel, the segments separate easily, and they have no seeds. All navel oranges have a navel at the blossom end (an opening with a convoluted interior that looks like, well, a navel); some have a very small navel while others have a larger one.
While California is the largest producer of navel oranges, it’s not always safe to assume that a Florida orange is a Valencia juice orange and a California orange is a navel. Texas and Florida also grow navel oranges, which are on the market between late fall and the end of January. The Florida navel comes in all sizes, from tennis-ball to softball size, and doesn’t have as much color as the California variety; the rind will be bronze to light orange, with a richer orange color later in the season. Florida navels are, of course, seedless, but they have a higher juice content and a thinner rind that’s not as easy to peel as California navels. Despite their relatively pale color, they’re good oranges and very sweet. Here again, check the blossom end—if it’s stamped ‘Florida’ but has a navel, it’s a navel orange. 

There are over 600 different varieties of oranges. An orange tree is highly productive and with proper care can produce fruit for well up to 70-80 years. Oranges are outstanding sources of vitamin C and fiber. Florida is the top orange producer in the U.S., but Brazil leads the world in orange production, producing about half of the world’s orange juice and 80 percent of the world’s orange concentrate.The word “orange” hails from a Sanskrit dialect and translates to “fragrant.”

Whatever the variety, look for oranges that are shiny and heavy in the hand. Also check the scent—the orange should smell good, not fermented, and the rind should never feel puffy. (It shouldn’t feel like there’s any space between the rind and the flesh.) There should also be no spotting, no signs of shriveling, and no white patches on the rind.
Unlike more perishable tangerines, oranges can be kept out at room temperature for three or four days with little problem. Refrigerate them in a plastic bag or in the crisper drawer and they’ll keep well for one to two weeks.

CHECK OUT BETTE'S NAVEL ORANGE CAKE --  UNDER BETTE'S RECIPES AT TOP OF PAGE

In the Napolitano family, my wife Bette’s famous navel orange cake represents the best of the holiday season and is always a big hit in our household at Christmas time. We hope you like it too and wish you all the best for a happy and healthy holiday season!

 Click link for Navel Orange Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/produce-pete/produce-pete-oranges/4976478/

 

New Jersey Red and Green Leaf Lettuce, Boston and Romaine

Come the spring is when New Jersey farms are just coming into season with all the great lettuces that are fresh and on your table the very next day. The boston lettuce, romaine and leaf lettuces, to my way of thinking, are the best I have ever eaten. When the weather starts to get hot boston lettuce, romaine and leaf lettuces don't really do too good but they use a drip irrigation system that works great for them and keeps the lettuce from burning up. When I went down to see some of my farmer friends, they had me out in the field picking lettuce, not a job I am suited to!!! But it was fun. So if you can't make it to a farm, a farmers market or your local supermarket here is some information on how to pick the best local boston, romaine or leaf lettuces when you are out shopping, and a quick tip, never wash until you are ready to use and store in your refrigerator in a paper bag (you get 2-3 more days out of them ).

RED AND GREEN LEAF LETTUCE

Red and green leaf lettuces are the most popular leaf lettuces, and the ones you'll readily find at the market. Both have very soft curly leaves and a semisweet taste. Red leaf lettuce is softer, sweeter, and also more fragile than the green. It makes a good salad, but it wilts and turns black very quickly, especially at the red tips of the leaves.  Green leaf lettuce is a little coarser and not quite as sweet, but it's a bit crisper. I love it on sandwiches.

Supplies from California and Florida are available year-round. Local leaf lettuces are available May thru the first frost.

You don't want to see any dark green or brown slime on leaf lettuces - a sign that the head will deteriorate very quickly. Look at the rib to make sure it's not discolored. As with iceberg and other head lettuces, the butt should be white to light brown, and there should be no pink color on the ribs, which indicates the lettuce has had too much rain and will rot quickly in your refrigerator.

Red leaf lettuce is probably the most fragile of all the lettuces. The tender red edges of the leaves deteriorate rapidly and should be used as soon as possible after purchase.

Red and green leaf lettuces contain large amounts of Vitamin A and K, Calcium, Iron plus, Antioxidants, and Beta carotene.

BOSTON LETTUCE

A soft bright green, round ball lettuce.  Boston is one of the sweetest of the lettuces.  The leaf texture is more-tender, and it forms a looser, generally smaller head than iceberg.  Like most lettuces, the leaves get whiter and whiter as you get toward the heart, but unlike iceberg, the inner leaves of Boston lettuce tend to be sweet and soft.  When you get to the middle of a good head of Boston lettuce, its leaves are very pale and crisp.

There is a red leaf Boston that’s popular at our market.  It looks the same as the green except for a little red at the tip.  It’s pretty and I think even sweeter than the green.

Season

Boston lettuce is available year-round from California and Florida, which are the two main producers.  Local crops are available in May, June, and occasionally in July, but Boston lettuce particularly hates the heat.

Selecting

Look for crisp-looking heads with outer leaves that are bright green, especially toward the edges.  Around the base the color should be nearly white.

Storing

Tender Boston lettuce won’t keep long – generally three to five days.  Unlike leaf lettuce, however, Boston wilts from the outside in.  You can peel off any wilted or slimy outside leaves and find good, usable leaves inside.  With leaf lettuces, once you discard everything that has deteriorated, all that is left is the ribs.

Preparing

Boston grows in very black soil, and because it’s a loose head, a lot of that soil finds its way inside.  Peel off leaves as needed and wash them carefully, especially toward the base of the ribs.

Boston makes a great tossed salad and is becoming more and more popular as the public discovers its virtues.  As a result, it’s also becoming less expensive than it was just a few years ago.  Boston makes an attractive bed for tuna or fruit salad and is fine on sandwiches.  It can’t be cut into wedges as iceberg can, but other than that you can use it any way you’d use iceberg.

ROMAINE LETTUCE

Romaine dates back to the days of the Roman Empire, its name was coined because each leaf is shaped something like a roman tablespoon.  I like its extra-tender crisp inner leaves the best.

Season

Although it’s available year-round, romaine is essentially a cold-weather lettuce that in most regions has its peak seasons in early spring and mid-autumn.  All lettuces tend to bolt – send up a seed head – in hot weather, and romaine is particularly susceptible.  Don’t buy it if it has a stalk protruding from the center, it has bolted and will be bitter.

Selecting

Good romaine usually has very green outer leaves that should curl away from the center.  A smaller head of romaine isn’t necessarily a more tender lettuce – a big one can be just as tender and tasty.  Look for a crisp leaf and a fresh green color, avoid tire-looking, limp, yellow, or discolored heads and any heads that have bolted.

California and Florida are the biggest shippers.  Florida romaine is usually greener than romaine from California, but my personal preference is for California romaine – I think it’s sweeter.

Storing

Like iceberg, romaine should be kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator, either in the crisper drawer or in a plastic bag.  It also should not be exposed to apples or other fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas.

MORE ABOUT NEW JERSEY FARMS

There’s a reason it is called the “Garden State.” New Jersey’s diverse agriculture enables the state to hold its own with the largest fruit, vegetable and nursery-stock producing states in the nation. Each year New Jersey is a top-10 producer for such items as cranberries, blueberries, peaches, bell peppers, spinach and tomatoes. In fact, New Jersey is the most productive farmland in the United States based on highest dollar value per acre .

Farming is a billion - dollar industry in New Jersey. One good thing farming in New Jersey isn't shrinking any more, the number of acres used for farmland had been dropping, but it ticked up in 2017 for the first time in 20 years. Even thought the big farms are decreasing, only 113 farms of a 1000 or more acres left, there is a number of smaller farms, over 800, that have started up since 2012.

SO PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMER  -- WHEN HE'S GONE THERE IS NO REPLACING HIM.

Click link below for Local Lettuce Segment

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Local-Lettuce_New-York-510113752.html 

The wearing of the green is nearly upon us, and so the season of green beer, bagels and milkshakes has begun. While there’s nothing particularly Irish about shamrock-shaped cookies or green-frosted cupcakes, you might be surprised to learn that the traditional St. Patty’s meal—corned beef and cabbage—is no more authentic. Like many aspects of St. Patrick’s Day, the dish came about when Irish-Americans transformed and reinterpreted a tradition imported from the Emerald Isle.

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place not in Dublin but in New York City, in 1762. Over the next 100 years, Irish immigration to the United States exploded. The new wave of immigrants brought their own food traditions, including soda bread and Irish stew. Pork was the preferred meat, since it was cheap in Ireland and ubiquitous on the dinner table. The favored cut was Irish bacon, a lean, smoked pork loin similar to Canadian bacon. But in the United States, pork was prohibitively expensive for most newly arrived Irish families, so they began cooking beef—the staple meat in the American diet—instead.

So how did pork and potatoes become corned beef and cabbage? Irish immigrants to America lived alongside other “undesirable” European ethnic groups that often faced discrimination in their new home, including Jews and Italians. Members of the Irish working class in New York City frequented Jewish delis and lunch carts, and it was there that they first tasted corned beef. Cured and cooked much like Irish bacon, it was seen as a tasty and cheaper alternative to pork. And while potatoes were certainly available in the United States, cabbage offered a more cost-effective alternative to cash-strapped Irish families. Cooked in the same pot, the spiced, salty beef flavored the plain cabbage, creating a simple, hearty dish that couldn’t be easier to prepare.

After taking off among New York City’s Irish community, corned beef and cabbage found fans across the country. It was the perfect dish for everyone from harried housewives to busy cooks on trains and in cafeterias—cheap, easy to cook and hard to overcook. It was even served alongside mock turtle coup at President Lincoln’s inauguration dinner in 1862.

Far from being as Irish as a shamrock field, this St. Patrick’s Day classic is as American as apple pie.  Growing up in an Italian household with an Irish mother, Corned beef and cabbage was a must on St Patty's day even though my pop wanted to put tomato sauce on it. Actually my pop got to like it and in later years when he retired he would dress up in green and take his motorcycle, pickup the nuns's at my sister Lu Anne school and ride them in the St Patrick's Day Parade. I guess the old saying everyone is Irish on St Patty's day is true.

The Cabbage Story

One of the least expensive and most available of all vegetables, cabbage is a food staple in Europe and northern Africa and has been around for more than four thousand years. Long associated with boarding-house cooking and lingering smells, cabbage has been reinstated as one of the members of the important crucifer family--vegetables that contain important anticancer nutrients.

The problem with cabbage is the usual one most people overcook it. When it's cooked quickly and evenly, cabbage s a mild, sweet flavor and a pleasing texture, eaten raw, it has a spicier flavor and crunchy texture.

The difference between green and white cabbage is that the green comes straight in from the field, while the white has been blanched. In upper New York State, for example, growers cut the heads and then bury them in trenches to blanch the leaves and protect the heads from freezing. This method gives us cabbage all winter long. Many people think cabbage with a touch of frost on it is sweeter too.

Savoy cabbage has puckered, wrinkly leaves and forms a looser head. Red cabbage is a different variety altogether. Both are good simmered in vinegar and allowed to cool overnight, then served as a side dish with veal or pork.

SEASON

Available year round at reasonable prices.

SELECTING

Select hard, round heads with crisp outer leaves that are free of rust or yellowing. Red cabbage and Savoy cabbage should be crisp and brightly colored. None of them should show black edges or other signs of rot.

STORING

Refrigerate in a plastic bag or in the crisper drawer. Cabbage will keep well for weeks. If the outer leaves turn yellow or dry out, just peel them off. The cabbage underneath will still be good.

PREPARING

Pull off and rinse the green outer leaves for stuffing. The head may be cut into wedges for steaming, sliced thin for sautéing, shredded raw and mixed with salad greens, or made into coleslaw. For a tasty winter salad, shred cabbage together with apples and carrots, then add raisins and nuts and toss with a dressing. Cabbage is excellent added to stir-fries, pickled, made into sauerkraut, or cooked and served with corned beef, smoked pork, or German sausage.

RED POTATOES

With over 4000 varieties of potatoes to choose from whats the best for my St Patty's Day meal, well I

do what mom always use to, she liked the Red Potatoes, and you know Mother Knows Best !!

Red-skinned potatoes (as well as round whites) are considered “waxy;” slice into one, the flesh looks translucent and firm. Though not all red potatoes are “new” (they can only be considered that if they were picked young) red potatoes, like all true new potatoes have a low-starch content and so can be used interchangeably. When boiled and sliced, they will hold their shape, which makes them perfect for potato salad; their low starch content means they only lightly absorb salad dressing, which makes a potato salad that’s chunky, rather than creamy. Red potatoes may also be mashed, but be careful: they easily turn gluey if over mashed; use them when you want a more rustic, lumpy mash smashed with a spoon.  

Try to buy loose so you can easily evaluate them. They should feel firm and heavy for their size and never soft, wrinkled, or blemished. Avoid those with even a hint of green, which indicates the presence of solanine, produced when potatoes are exposed to light. This mildly poisonous alkaloid has a bitter flavor that can cause an upset stomach. If your potatoes turn green after you get them home, peel off all traces of the colored flesh before

Potatoes should be stored in a dark, cool (ideally 45° to 50°F), dry place. Never refrigerate raw potatoes. If the temperature is too cold, some of the potatoes’ starches will turn into sugars. Not only does this taste unpleasant, but the extra sugars also lead to overbrowning during cooking. If a potato winds up in cold storage, you can convert the sugars back to starches by storing it at room temperature for a few days. 

Click on link below for ST PATTY'S Day show

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Cabbage-and-Potatoes_New-York-507249812.html 

 A lot of people understand that fresh oranges are best in the winter, but not many people understand that different varieties have particular seasons. You'll have better luck coming home with good oranges if you learn which varieties are in season when  and keep a simple guideline in mind when you're selecting them at the market. Oranges and all citrus fruit should be heavy in the hand for its size. This simple test and it's your most reliable guide for citrus fruit.

A Childhood Remembrance

When I was a young kid I always loved oranges, I guess because mom would always put them in our Christmas Stocking. As I got older I always wondered why those oranges didn't taste and smell like the oranges I remembered as a child . When I tried the Heirloom Navel Oranges all those smells and that taste came back to me, so give them a try, I know you will love them too.
 

What Makes a Navel Orange a Heirloom?

 The word heirloom itself means something that has been passed down from generation to generation. The heirloom navel is the same fruit that got California’s citrus industry booming. It’s the original or “old line” Washington Navel. The navel has been bred over the years to produce more fruit, easier, and faster without considering flavor. Heirloom navels are grown using certain farming practices. The grower gives special attention to the soil, just like it was done since navels were introduced to America from Brazil in the 1800s. The secret is to use the best root stock. The heirlooms grow best in a sour root stock. But these are not commonly used anymore because the trees don’t produce fruit as heavily or as quickly than in newer root stocks. Doing things the right way is what gives the heirloom navels there amazing taste. If you have tried one of these, I think you will be disappointed if you ever buy the grocery market standard navel again.  While these hybrids are brighter in color with increased per tree production number, they also contain less sugar in order to extend shelf-life at retail level. While improved farming practices have expanded both volume and availability, the trade-off for this success has also degraded the original flavor characteristics of this icon citrus fruit.

  When are Heirloom Navels in Season? 

Growing things the right way sometime takes more time. The first California Navels start to hit the market more than a month before the heirlooms. Around mid-January is when you can realistically begin expecting to see Heirloom Navels show up in your local store.  Sometimes you find find heirloom navels still with their leaves intact and sometimes you won’t. Unlike the navel you are used to, heirlooms aren’t in stores year around. They typically will find them in stores from December into late April/early May with the peak being in the winter months  California Seedless Navel Oranges remain in peak season and are great for snacking during late Winter and early Spring. But if you want to improve your likelihood of a great Navel eating experience – look for Heirloom Navels

.  

Whatever the variety, look for oranges that are shiny and heavy in the hand. It's a primary rule for a number of fruits, but it's especially important for oranges. Check the scent - the orange should smell good. Except for Robinson tangerines, the rind should never feel puffy - that is, it shouldn't feel like there's any space between it and the flesh. There should be no spotting, no signs of shriveling, no white patches on the rind, and no fermented smell.    

Tangerines are the most perishable of the oranges. They will keep a day or two at room temperature and up to a week in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Other oranges can be kept out at room temperature for three or four days with little problem. Refrigerate them in a plastic bag or in the crisper drawer, and they'll keep well for one to two weeks

.Click link below for Heirloom Navel Orange 

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Heirloom-Navel-Oranges_New-York-504913542.html 

Did you know December is National Pear Month? No? Yes? You don’t care? Well, that’s okay, we don’t pay too much attention to fake food holidays either. But we do care about pears, and since the best time to eat them is now, December is a great month to talk about this juicy fruit.

Commercially, the United States harvests 10 types of pears, each with their own nuances and uses. Some are great to just munch on plain, others sing when paired with a soft, ripe cheese or sliced thin and put between bread with cheddar for a lovely grilled sandwich. You can also bake pears with warming spices for a festive dessert and toss some chopped fruit in a salad with pecans to give winter greens a nice, crisp sweetness.

 During the holidays, line a basket with napkins, pile up Comice or Red Barlett's or a mix of pears, tuck in sprigs of holly and maybe a few ornaments, and you'll have a pretty centerpiece that's also a good way to ripen the fruit. Money was always tight in our family when i was growing up but mom always made the best of it, especially around christmas. i remember she would always put the pears in a colorful basket and decorate them just like i mention above.

Cultivated for nearly four thousand years, pears have been known to man since ancient times. They originated in Asia and spread throughout Europe during the Roman Empire. Until the sixteenth century pears were tough and always eaten cooked, but in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, gardeners for European noblemen began to crossbreed varieties, competing with each other to get a pear with a soft, buttery flesh. Most of the pears we know today are derived from those cultivars. 

Pears are grown throughout the United States and Europe and are now being introduced as commercial crops in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile. In the United States, Oregon, Washington, and California produce particularly excellent pears. 

This is one fruit you do not want tree-ripened. Pears have a characteristically gritty texture caused by cells in the flesh called stone cells. Although more and more of these have been bred out, all varieties still contain them. Picking pears before the fruit has matured and holding them under controlled conditions prevents the formation of too many stone cells. 

Pears are delicate even when they're hard and green, so they're always picked by hand. Most markets don't sell really ripe pears because they bruise so easily, but it's very easy to ripen them at home.

VARIETIES

Because they crossbred so easily, there are somewhere between four thousand and five thousand cultivated varieties. Two of those are commonly available to shoppers below.

COMICE

A very large, round, short-necked pear, the Comice is my personal favorite. Of all the pears, I think it's the sweetest and most fragrant. Comice pears have a greenish yellow skin, sometimes with a red blush. Originally a French variety, they have been grown in North  America for more than one hundred years. Because they scar very easily, they're sometimes hard to sell here. Ethnic groups buy them, but a lot of Americans just don't like the way they look. With a peak season in November and December, they're one of the best things going around the holiday season. 

Called the  Christmas Pear (note the red and green hue). A word to the wise: It’s popular during the holidays, but they are still available from August to March

RED BARLETT

Pretty much everything that was said about the green Bartlett can be said about the red, save that this variety came about as a sport, just like the Starkrimson. It was found on a standard Bartlett tree in Washington state in 1938, just a little bud that naturally sprouted. They dubbed it Max Red, a name that surely would have made this pear even more popular today. Still, you will find these blushing beauties all over the place, and they make a nice complement to their paler brethren.

 SELECTING

Green pears should be free from blemishes. Ripe pears- especially tender varieties like the Comice, are going to have a few scars. Avoid bruised or too soft fruit, but don't be afraid to bring home pears that are still green, that's the way you're going to find most of them.

RIPENING AND STORING

Place unripe pears in a bowl or paper bag, leave them at room temperature, and they'll ripen in a few days to a week, depending on how green they are when you buy them. 

Most pears show a subtle change in color as they ripen, and some develop a sweet fragrance. You can test a pear for ripeness by applying gentle pressure to the stem end with your thumb - it should yield a bit. You can hold off the ripening process by refrigerating them, and they'll hold for a long time - as long as three to four weeks. A few days before you want to eat them, bring them out to ripen. You can refrigerate a ripe pear too, but at that point it's only going to last a couple days. 

PREPARING

There are lots of ways to eat pears. They're good with prosciutto. You can use them in any recipe that calls for apples. Use several different varieties, all on the green side, to make a terrific pie. My aunt used to make pear pies just like apple pies, mixing in one or two quinces. You can poach pears and serve them with strawberry sauce for a simple, very pretty dessert that tastes great. 

Check out Bette's pear recipe on Bette's Recipes above.

Click link below for Christmas Pear Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Pears_New-York-501171922.html
 

HISTORY : Satsuma mandarin may have originated in China but it was first reported in Japan more than 700 years ago where it is now the major cultivar grown. It was first introduced in the 1800's by early settlers to the state along the banks of the Mississippi River near New Orleans.  The 'Owari' Satsuma arrived from Japan, first in 1876 and next in 1878. During the period 1908-1911, nearly a million budded trees from 1908 to 1911 for planting in the Gulf   States. The first recorded introduction into the United States was in Florida by George R. Hall in 1876. The name "satsuma" is credited to the wife of a United  States minister to Japan, General Van Valkenberg, who sent trees home in 1878 from Satsuma, the name of a former province, now Kagoshima Prefecture, on the southern tip of Kyushu Island, where it is believed to have originated.

Among the sunny-colored citrus fruits that brighten produce aisles during winter, satsumas hit peak season this month. Part of the mandarin orange family, which also includes tangerines and clementines, satsumas are one of the sweetest citrus varieties, with a meltingly tender texture. Their moderately thick skin peels off readily, and with easy-to-separate segments, they make convenient and healthful out-of-hand snacks. 

Typically classified a mandarin, the mandarin is the big category, which contains all the zipper-skinned [easy-peel] fruits. They probably originated in northeast India but like most citrus fruits were cultivated in China and then brought to the west." Hence the name "mandarin." Satsumas, a Japanese variety named for a former province of that country, were developed in the 16th century and introduced to Florida in 1876. Today most American satsumas are grown in California, followed by coastal Louisiana and Alabama, where mild winters allow the fruit to flourish. 

"Satsumas have that perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a rounded flavor and a great acid edge," and they just melt in your mouth." 

Because of their relatively similar size and appearance, satsumas are often confused with tangerines and clementines, all members of the mandarin orange family. The main difference is what lies inside the satsuma: particularly thin membranes filled to capacity with liquid, which mean less pulp and more of the prized juice.

SELECTION AND STORAGE:

One of the first mandarins to hit grocery store shelves in early winter, satsumas is best from October to February. Look for satsumas with firm, tight peels, with no hollow-feeling or dented spots; heavier ones are generally juicier. Seek fruit with fresh-looking, bright green twigs and leaves still attached; this signals careful picking (each stem must be clipped by hand), meticulous handling, and freshness, all indicators of high quality. Store at room temperature or, if you prefer, in the refrigerator (refrigeration may prolong storage but can dry them out). Fresh satsumas are most enjoyable, so use within four or five days. 

Satsuma oranges are an excellent source of Vitamin C and a good source of fiber and folate. 

  Click on Link for Show !!!  https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Satsuma-Oranges_New-York-469132203.html

 GRAPE TOMATOES

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

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

Refrigerating kills the flavor, the nutrients, and the texture. It just kills the tomato--period.
When grape tomatoes first hit the market in the late nineties, they were a novelty available only in specialty food stores. But it didn't take long for people to fall in love with these tiny, tasty treats. Grape tomatoes have a sweet flavor, a firm texture, and less juice, so there's no need to worry about any squirting when you bite into one. Averaging between one-half and three-quarters of an inch in length, they're perfect for popping whole into your mouth like candy, which is probably why kids adore them too. They're low in calories and high in vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, and lycopene, so what's not to like? When buying, look for bright, shiny skin and firm flesh.
A grape tomato is a class of tomatoes originally believed to be of Southeast Asian origin, shaped similarly to the oblong plum tomatoes but having the small size and sweetness of cherry tomatoes. Grape tomatoes produce small and typically oblong fruits.
The most well-known and commercially significant variety, the "Santa F1" was introduced into the United States market in 1997 by grower Andrew Chu, who obtained the seeds from Taiwan's Known-You Seed Company. Procacci Brothers Sales Corporation (PBSC) in Philadelphia acquired global exclusivity of this fruit and has aggressively marketed it under its subsidiary Santa Sweets, Inc.
Because the grape tomato is a hybrid, seeds produced directly from the fruit cannot be used to grow more plants. Anyone interested in producing a grape tomato commercially must obtain seeds from the original hybrid strain. This is precisely what a grower from Florida did during the 1990s.
The life cycle of the plants is short in comparison to larger varieties, but the yield during that short period of production is usually ample. Some examples include cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes. One of the best known varieties of tomato plants is the beefsteak tomato plant.
Available year-round they vary in price due to weather conditions. Supply and demand equals price and quality

SIMPLE PLEASURES

We have all kinds of upscale restaurants, and there is a lot of interest in complicated cuisines, but sometimes it's the really simple things that give you the most pleasure. When I was a kid, I had to help my father sell produce out of the back of his truck. At lunchtime he'd stop at some little store and buy a loaf of Italian bread. Then we'd find a place where we could pull off to the side of the road. He'd put down a piece of cardboard for a cutting board, slice the bread, cut up a tomato and an onion, and make tomato sandwiches.
Sometimes when I come home from the store and I'm too bushed to prepare or even eat a full meal, I'll make myself a tomato sandwich. Food brings back memories. You can sit down with the most ordinary things on your mind and eat something good and it will bring back memories - things you haven't thought about in years. Even memories that might not start out being so good seem to improve as time goes by. At the time I hated peddling fruits and vegetables out of that truck with Pop, but now I wish I had the time to pull off to the side of the road they way we did then. We don't have the luxury of slowing down - everything is geared to working and being productive. Produce, produce, produce. Wouldn't I love to be able to take my son and go sit by the side of the road and have a tomato sandwich? With the perfect ripe red tomato and good bread, there's nothing' better. 

Click on link for show !! 

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Grape-Tomatoes_New-York-470267203.html

 ESCAROLE AND CHICORY

Escarole and chicory are two varieties of basically the same plant, but they have different shapes and uses. Although they are not true lettuces, they are in the same broad family--Asteraceae--and their leafy heads are usually found alongside lettuces at the market. Chicory, sometimes called curly endive, is simply called endive in Europe, and although it's related, it's not the same thing as Belgian endive. Chicory is a wild-looking, spreading head, with long, slender, very curly notched leaves. Escarole leaves are a bit broader and flatter than chicory leaves and have a smoother edge. The outer leaves are a fairly dark green but get paler toward the inside of the head. The heart is nearly white and has a semisweet flavor.Both escarole and chicory are zesty, bitter greens. Chicory is almost always used raw, while escarole can be used cooked or raw. Escarole is very popular among Italians. One of my all-time favorite dishes is a simple combination of escarole, beans, and seasonings. When I was a kid, we got to choose whatever we wanted for our birthday dinners. My brother David would choose steak or leg of lamb, but no matter what, I always chose escarole and beans. Mom said she loved to feed me because I was the cheap date in the family. Escarole is less bitter than other chicories and the level of bitterness varies throughout the head, with the inner, lighter-colored leaves being less bitter then the outer, darker leaves
SEASON
Available year round from Florida and California during the winter and spring months, in May and June buy locally.
SELECTING
Escarole: Look for green outer leaves with a white to yellow center. The butt end should be white to light brown. The leaves should be free of wilt and decay. For a salad, the inner , lighter-colored leaves are a good choice, the outer green leaves are good for cooked dishes.
Chicory: Exactly the same as escarole, but the outer leaves should be very crispy and sharp. Chicory is mostly eaten raw, never cooked.
STORING
Store escarole and chicory as you would lettuce. Both keep reasonably well--up to a week--when properly refrigerated.
 

Escarole provides more vitamins and minerals by weight than common iceberg lettuce. Escarole is low in calories and high in vitamin A, fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin C. A serving of 1/6 of a medium head (about 86 grams) has 15 calories, 3 g carbohydrates (all fiber), 1 g protein, and provides 35 percent of the RDA of Vitamin A, 10 percent vitamin C, 4 percent calcium and iron.Compared to iceberg lettuce, escarole has two to three times more of each of those nutrients for the same weight and provides much more vitamin A and fiber than radicchio.Adding escarole to soup will add fiber as well as the other nutrients, in addition to providing some color when using the dark green leaves.
 

Curly endive contains significant amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin K as well as some Vitamin C. Additionally, it contains phosphorus, potassium and dietary fiber with the darker green leaves offering more nutrients than the white leaves.  

PREPARING
Both escarole and chicory can be sandy, so wash the leaves well before using. The outer leaves of escarole, which are relatively bitter, are the ones to use for cooking. They're excellent in my favorite dish and delicious added to soups, cooked with noodles, or mixed with lettuce to top Mexican dishes like tacos and burritos. The sweeter inner leaves are very good in salads.Chicory is a zesty, attractive addition to other greens, including bitter greens, for salad.
CHICORY COFFEE
If you've ever had the experience of drinking chicory coffee ( and chances are, you were in New Orleans when you drank it ), you might've had to wonder just exactly what chicory even is. For the record, chicory is a pretty flowering plant , sometimes called Curly Endive, and great for salads. The secret is underneath the plant, it's root, and that's what gets roasted and ground to be coffee.

Click link for show on escarole and chickory

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Escarole-and-Chicory_New-York-475735213.html

 According to the Dictionary the word artisan means , a worker who practices a trade or handicraft , a person that makes a high-quality or distinctive product usually by hand or using traditional methods, which is what the term must mean in relationship to lettuce, the leaves are not plucked from it's root and the lettuce stays in it's natural cluster like form, non-processed, hence the name Artisan lettuce.

In 2006, one of T&A growers was handed a handful of seeds that Bob Antle had received from a friend in Europe.  Curious as to what they would be, the seeds were planted.  Unlike other lettuces available at the grocery store, what grew wasn’t a spring mix or a baby lettuce.  What grew were full grown, petite red and green varieties of specialty lettuces:  Gem, Tango, and Oak.  And so the story of Artisan Lettuce began.  They began to develop the seeds in the United States.  Through trial and error, we learned and mastered the art of growing six unique seed varieties side by side.  Today, this program is called Artisan Lettuce and is still grown side by side, cut, packed, and shipped at the same time from the field. The three varieties they came up with are gem, tango,and oak. There are red and green versions of each. The gem is sweet, the tango is bitter, and the oak is on the bland side. Mix them all together and you have a wonderful, flavorful salad. It takes about 60-85 days, on average to grow. They plant the red and green Artisian Lettuce varieties side by side in the same field. 

Each package of Artisan Lettuces contains four heads from the six varieties of Artisan Lettuce that they grow. Green or red, ruffled or scalloped, each variety has a distinct, complementary flavor. Mix them together or try them individually.

A fresher alternative to processed lettuce blends, Artisan Lettuces last longer in your fridge. Leave the heads whole in the stay-fresh package until ready to use. You’ll be amazed at how many days of freshness you’ll enjoy!The longtime problem with pre-mixed salads is the high spoilage rate. The mixture of lettuce varieties always means that some leaves decay before others, forcing us to either pick out the slimy ones from the remaining crisp leaves. With the Artisian pack because they are tightly packed whole heads of red and green lettuces they have a much longer shelf life. 

• Artisan Lettuces are field-packed for freshness and are not washed. Please wash and dry before serving.
• Store in your refrigerator’s vegetable crisper drawer
• One package makes 8 side salads or 4 main meal salads.
• Great for salads, wraps, sandwiches, & dipping.
• Stands up to all kinds of dressing
• Fully mature, yet petite in size, they offer a more flavorful alternative to processed salad
• Available Year round

Like must salads the health lies in the nutritional facts, and Artisan Lettuce is loaded with Vitamin A, numerous B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium,manganese, iron,potassium, copper, phosphorous, just a few of the nutritional treasures found in lettuce.
SELECTING   Because they come in a clear container, check top and bottom of container for dark red or green slime on lettuces. a sign that they will deteriorate quickly. The red variety usually goes bad faster then the green but like i said because these lettuces are mature and are whole heads they should be fine. There also should be no pink color on the ribs, which indicates the lettuce has had too much rain and will rot quickly in  your refrigerator.
Most beneficial to consumers, when properly stored, the clear containers contribute to the lettuces' refrigerated shelf life of more than two weeks.  
 I LOVE THIS PRODUCT, IT'S GREAT TO SEE FARMERS THAT GROW SOME COLORFUL, FLAVORFUL LETTUCES AND PICK THEM SMALL AND AT THEIR PEAK FRESHNESS IN THE FIELD !!!

Click on link for Artisan Lettuces Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Artisan-Lettuce_New-York-477169363.html

  PLANTAIN
In the Southern Hemisphere, a good part of the dinner is this cooking banana, which is served not for dessert but as a main dish. In the tropics and subtropics, it’s treated like a staple – fried, baked, boiled, grilled, or combined with other fruits and vegetables.Imported from Central America, the plantain is often ignored here because people judge it as if it were a banana and decide it’s either too-green, too black, or too large. Don’t let its looks deceive you. Unless a plantain is rock hard, moldy, or practically liquid, chances are it is good. For each stage of ripeness, the plantain has a different taste and different cooking requirements.When the peel is green to yellow, plantains are bland and starchy and can be cooked like potatoes. As the peel changes from yellow to black, the plantain gradually changes its character from vegetable to fruit, developing greater sweetness and a banana aroma but holding its firm shape, even after cooking. Unlike a banana, a black plantain is merely ripe. Take the greener ones home and let them ripen. At room temperature, they’ll ripen slowly to the stage you want.
SEASON
Like bananas, plantains are imported year-round.
SELECTING
You can usually find plantains at all stages of ripeness. Because they’re firmer, a ripe plantain is less likely to be bruised than a banana, but you don’t want it mushy. A black plantain should still feel firm. Avoid plantains that are cracked or moldy.
STORING
Plantains last a long time at room temperature, gradually ripening and changing color. When a plantain is black, it should still feel as firm as a firm banana. If it’s still very hard, throw it out. Even when it’s ripe, a plantain keeps well. It can be refrigerated if you wish, and unlike a banana it can also be frozen. To freeze, peel the plantain first and wrap tightly in plastic.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT PLANTAINS 

Plantains contain more starch and less sugar than dessert bananas, therefore they are usually cooked or otherwise processed before being eaten. They are always cooked or fried when eaten green. At this stage, the pulp is hard and the peel often so stiff that it has to be cut with a knife to be removed.Mature, yellow plantains can be peeled like typical dessert bananas; the pulp is softer than in immature, green fruit and some of the starch has been converted to sugar. They can be eaten raw, but are not as flavourful as dessert bananas, so are usually cooked. When mature, yellow plantains are fried, they tend to caramelize, turning a golden-brown color. They can also be boiled, baked, microwaved or grilled over charcoal, either peeled or unpeeled.Plantains are a staple food in the tropical regions of the world, ranking as the tenth most important staple food in the world. As a staple, plantains are treated in much the same way as potatoes and with a similar neutral flavour and texture when the unripe fruit is cooked by steaming, boiling or frying.Since they fruit all year round, plantains are a reliable all-season staple food, particularly in developing countries with inadequate food storage, preservation and transportation technologies. In Africa, plantains and bananas provide more than 25 percent of the carbohydrate requirements for over 70 million people.
STEAMED, BROILED, GRILLED, BAKED OR FRIED 

In countries in Central America and the Caribbean, such as Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and Jamaica, the plantain is either simply fried, boiled or made into plantain soup. In Kerala, an Indian state, ripe plantain is steamed, a popular breakfast dish.In Ghana of West Africa, boiled plantain is eaten with kontomire stew, cabbage stew or fante-fante (fish) stew. The boiled plantain can be mixed with groundnut paste, pepper, onion and palm oil to make eto, which is eaten with avocado. Ripe plantains can also be fried and eaten with black eyed beans cooked in palm oil – a popular breakfast dish. Kelewele, a Ghanaian snack, is spiced ripe plantain deep fried in palm oil or vegetable oil.In Nigeria, plantain is eaten boiled, fried or roasted; boli – roasted plantain – is usually eaten with palm oil or groundnut. In Guatemala, ripe plantains are eaten boiled, fried, or in a special combination where they are boiled, mashed and then stuffed with sweetened black beans. Afterwards, they are deep fried in sunflower or corn oil. The dish is called rellenitos de plátano and is served as a dessert. In Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, it can also be mashed after it has been fried and be made a mofongo, or fried and made into tostones, tajadas, or platanutres, or it can be boiled or stuffed. Tostones, also known as patacones are a popular staple in many South American countries, including Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

PREPARING
The greener the plantain, the harder it is to peel. A black plantain will peel like a banana, other stages are unpredictable. For greener plantains, cut off both ends, then score the skin lengthwise in several places to make peeling easier.Experience will teach you what degree of ripeness is best for your purposes, but generally, a green or greenish plantain will be very hard and starchy, with little banana flavor and no sweetness. They require a fairly long cooking time and, like potatoes, can be boiled or mashed. They are excellent sliced thin and fried like potato chips, or cut into chunks, boiled, and added to salty or spicy soups and stews.Yellow-ripe plantains can be prepared in the same ways, but they will have a lovely creamy texture and a light banana scent when they’re cooked. They are much more-tender than green plantains but much firmer than bananas. You can rinse them, cut into fairly thick cross sections, boil until tender, then peel the chunks and serve them as a side dish. If you plan to add them to soups, stews, or vegetable mixtures, peel them first.Half-ripe plantains are also excellent grilled. Cuban cooks peel the plantains, cut them on the diagonal, and grill them slowly over a low fire with a little oil or melted butter. Turn and brush them with additional oil or butter until they are tender and creamy inside.Black-ripe plantains are superb cooked any way you would cook a ripe banana. They’re delicious sautéed and will cook for a longer time than bananas without falling apart, permitting full development of their flavor and aroma. They’ll also absorb the flavors of whatever seasonings you use.

 Click on link below for Plantain Show

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Plantains_New-York-477818353.html

COCONUT

Along with the date, the coconut is an indispensable member of the Palmaceae family, plants of utmost importance to hundreds of millions of people throughout the tropical areas of the world. The coconut palm has provided food, drink, oil, sugar, fuel, housing, and even clothing materials for thousands of years. It probably originated in Southeast Asia, but because coconuts (which are actually huge seeds) can stay afloat for weeks at sea, the plant spread to the islands of the Indian Ocean, throughout the Pacific, and finally to the West Coast of the Americas. Coconuts were introduced to the Caribbean and to tropical areas of the Atlantic coast in the sixteenth century.

Coconuts are very large fruits encased in elongated green husks. Inside is the fibrous brown nut familiar to most Americans. A coconut takes about a year to mature, but it can be enjoyed at several stages of development. In the tropics, coconuts are consumed at early stages. At six months they contain milky liquid and a thin interior coating of meat that is extremely nutritious and so tender it can be eaten with a spoon. As the coconut matures, the milk is gradually absorbed by the meat.

The mature coconut is what is exported. The green husk is usually removed to expose the hard, dark brown, fibrous shell. Inside, the nutty-tasting white flesh is covered by a paper-thin brown peel.

SEASON

Available year round but most plentiful from October to January.

SELECTING

When buying a coconut, look for a heavy one. Shake it and listen for a sloshing sound--the coconut should still contain some milk. There are three "eyes" or indentations fairly close together on the shell, this is where it's softest and thinnest. There should be no sign of moisture near the eyes nor any smell of fermentation--check the coconut eyes with your nose.

STORING

Coconuts keep at room temperature for three or four weeks or more. They'll last for weeks in the refrigerator, but the milk will eventually dry up. Once opened, a coconut must be wrapped and refrigerated, and it will only keep two or three days. To store longer, you can grate it, then either freeze it or dehydrate it and store tightly covered.

PREPARING

Here is an easy way to open a coconut, drive a screwdriver or nail into the eyes 

and drain the liquid, which can be chilled and added to fruit juice, then place the whole coconut in the oven at 250ᵒ to 325ᵒF and roast about fifteen minutes. This will make the shell easier to crack and cause the flesh to shrink away from the shell slightly. Remove from the oven and tap the shell with a hammer, it will break easily and the flesh should be easy to remove. If the flesh clings to the shell, return the pieces to the oven for five to ten more minutes.

You can eat the flesh with the thin brown skin on--I think it's good that way--or you can peel it. Grated coconut can sprinkled over fruit salad or ice cream, added to granola, or made into macaroons, coconut cake, or cream pie. Use it in curries or tropical drinks. I love to add it to my cereal in the morning.

Coconut milk is used in a number of cuisines, including Thai and Indian. You can make coconut milk by grating the flesh by hand or using a food processor. Combine the grated meat with three or four cups of water, bring to a boil, and let it simmer a few minutes, stirring constantly. Allow to cool and strain it through a cheesecloth, squeezing the cloth to wring out all the milk. Discard the solids and store the milk in the refrigerator or freezer. Coconut milk makes a terrific rice pudding, and it can be added to the filling for coconut pie. It's a key ingredient in tropical drinks like the coconut (coconut milk and rum) and pina colada (pineapple juice, coconut milk, and rum).

FIVE HEALTHY FACTS ABOUT COCONUTS

1.Coconuts grow from sandy beaches with lots of rain and sun. Often they are found near the ocean and can handle a lot of salt in the air.

2. Coconuts are considered a type of nut but actually are the seeds of the coconut palm tree.

3. The “meat” of one coconut has 13g of protein; whereas the milk is light and low in sugar with only .5g per tablespoon. The two compliment each other very well.

4. Coconut oil is an effective moisturizer for skin and hair of all ages. It has a valuable amount of the antioxidant vitamin E, which can protect your skin and hair from the elements.

5. Coconuts support the development of strong, hearty bones and teeth by improving the body’s ability to absorb calcium and magnesium.

COCONUTS VARY IN FLAVOR AND USE DEPENDING ON THEIR AGE

They can be eaten from seven months old to twelve months

The Ripening Process

At just 6 months old, coconuts are usable for drinking.

Young coconuts like this contain only water (no meat).

At 7 months old, thin "jellymeat" begins to build on the inside shell.

(as this happens the water gets sweeter)

As the coconut ripen, the water will continue to sweeten & the meat will keep thickening.

At 8 months delicate "spoonmeat" is forms.

At 9 months the meat begins to firm up into "rubbermeat"

Each month the fat content of the meat increases.

At 10 months the meat conatins enough fat to make milk.

The sweet water is transforming into fat.

For that reason the coconut is no longer full of water and when you shake it, you hear water sloshing around inside

Thats why these coconuts are called "shakers"

A few months later the nuts will turn brown & fall naturally from the tree.

These are the fully mature seeds of the coconut!

Brown coconuts are the richest in fat and are used to make creme and oils.

Scroll up to Produce Pete Shows. Past and Present for Coconut Show or click link below!!

 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete-Tropical-Coconuts_New-York-478453693.html 

In late summer, we’d sell plum tomatoes to people who would make and jar sauce for the winter. Some households would take 100 bushels at a time, and the same went for wine grapes, which usually came into season at the end of September.I remember going up and down the cellar stairs of family homes carrying hundreds of cases of wine grapes, which they would use to make their homemade wine. Of all the different varieties of these grapes, my favorite was always the muscatel grapes – they came in 40-45 pound boxes and always had bees circling around the boxes because the grapes were so ripe and sweet.I sure hated all those bees buzzing around my head all the time, but the reward of being able to eat those grapes was well worth it.Sadly, those days are long gone, but thanks to production in Chile, I can get that great taste back. Beginning in the first week of March and lasting through the second week of May, seedless pink Muscatel grapes are available and they taste just like they look, very sweet and delicate – and look Ma, no bees! I love to cover what I think is the very best in produce and  you’re in for a real treat because these grapes are my favorite. So enjoy and buy plenty (or ask for them if you don’t see them in the store), because the season is short!

 WHAT TO KNOW

 The characteristic trait of the Muscat grape is its sweet, musky, floral flavor. In addition to being eaten fresh out of hand and dried to make Muscatel raisins, true Muscat grapes are used to make a popular variety of fragrant wines.The Muscat family of grapes is among the oldest known and evidence of Muscat wine has been found in a tomb in Turkey dated back to the seventh century B.C.While their colors can vary from golden to black, all of the varieties share a distinctive floral aroma and Muscat wine is claimed to be the only type that shares the aroma of the grape from which it was made.Today’s seedless Muscat grapes – all 200 varieties of them! -- have the same distinctive Muscat flavor without those pesky seeds, and they’re best served at or close to room temperature for maximum enjoyment. The varying color of these grapes (which ranges from greenish to bronze, pink, and light red) has nothing to do with their very sweet and gentle perfumed taste – that’s derived from their high Brix content, or the natural sugar level of this specialty variety. The Muscat grape has a floral taste with a high brix level - 20 to 24 vs 16 to 20 for most grapes. The taste is so unique, as is the color, which runs from a rosy pink with a green backround to golden yellow, Because they are such an attention grabber, and so popular with shoppers, retailers will often place them in the center of a grape display. There are a lot of consumers who have never tried a Muscat grape, but when they try them, they buy them.Muscat raisins are praised as larger and more flavorful than raisins made from conventional seedless grapes and are available over the internet from providers like Sunmaid and Bella Viva Orchards. 

SELECTION, STORAGE AND PREPARATION

Look for plump, smooth grapes with good color that are firmly attached to a fresh-looking green stem, with no evidence of wrinkling or withering. There should be a dusty bloom on the skin of the grape itself; much like that found on blueberries, this dusty bloom is a naturally-occurring substance that helps protect the grapes and is a good indication of freshness.Green or white grapes will have a golden glow when they’re ripe, while red grapes will be a soft, rich red, and black grapes will have a deep, blue-black color.As for storage, grapes don’t ripen off the vine, so what you buy is what you get. They’re very delicate and need to be handled carefully, so it’s best to refrigerate them dry in a plastic bag. And like many other fruits, never wash them until you’re ready to eat them, as moisture will make them deteriorate very quickly. Grapes will last up to a week when properly stored in the refrigerator, but it’s best (and most enjoyable) to eat them as soon as possible.Muscatel grapes are delicious tossed in green or fruit salads, paired with cheese, frozen for a twist on ice cubes and added to lemonade or sparkling wine, made into sorbet, or simply enjoyed raw as a juicy snack.

  A LITTLE MORE ABOUT GRANDMA'S PINK SEEDLESS MUSCATEL GRAPES 

The weather in Chile has provided ideal growing conditions, especially when compared to 2017's less-than-perfect weather, creating an optimal environment for Muscatel Grapes . It has been a normal spring and a very good summer - hot days and cool nights, which promotes quality, coloring and edibility.This years harvest looks like higher Brixx ( sugar levels) which will produce richer flavor and aroma.Unlike other varieties that depend on spray additives to produce red color, Pink Muscatel Grapes get there color from natural weather. The real uniqueness of this grape is the exotic perfumed sweet flavor that comes from an exact type color, when the grape hits it's full Brixx and is ready to be harvested. Maturity is the key and the Pink Muscatel grape, is picked at full maturity for a great tasting flavor.
 

WHERE TO FIND THEM!! 

 Sickles Market, Little Silver, N J   Citarella's NY and Long Island ,   All Shoprite Supermarkets  ,   Fairway Markets,     Kings Supermarkets ,          2 Guys from Brooklyn,      The Orchard   ,   Berry Fresh Farms  ,    Ave Z  ,    North Shore Market Place   

   Just ask your local market to bring them in, remember you are the boss, and ENJOY

Click link below for Pink Muscatel Show   
 https://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Produce-Pete_-Pink-Muscat-Grapes_New-York-508214142.html