Last week’s YOUR PRODUCE MAN’S PRODUCE PUZZZZLE still dealt with citrus: What was the first citrus to be patented? It's hard to imagine a citrus being patented, like a new machine or a new invention. At the time, this new citrus was so unique and so different, you wouldn't think of not patenting it. Grapefruit came to the US in the 1840s, first to Florida. Grapefruit at this time, were white and full of seeds. The first seedless grapefruit appeared in a Florida orchard in 1890. In the 1920s, some bare rooted grapefruit trees were shipped via railroad to Texas, thus beginning the Texas industry. It was in Texas that the first red seedless grapefruit was discovered, in an orchard near McAllen, Texas. This "Red Ruby Seedless" grapefruit became the banner of the grapefruit industry. It was so unique and so good, it became the first patented citrus. We are enjoying wintertime citrus so this week's YOUR PRODUCE MAN’S PRODUCE PUZZZZLE still deals with citrus: Who planted the first citrus trees in California? See next week's "Fresh Tips" for the answer.

Sometimes, the Pink Lady just has to mellow out.

PINK LADY APPLES (Monday, Jan. 31): Mellow out. Maybe you knew someone who needed to mellow out. Maybe you’ve even been told to do so. But have you ever heard of an apple that needed to “mellow out?” The Pink Lady Apple is one such apple, especially if they are grown in Washington State, where most of them are. It is so full of spitfire flavor, once it has been picked, it needs to mellow out just a bit. The Pink Lady is the last apple of the season to be harvested. From blossom to harvest is between 190 to 210 days. Washington State grows the most Pink Lady apples. If they wait to 210 days, they are looking at snow and frost on the apples before they pick them. A few years ago, Washington growers waited too long and they were caught by snow, ruining 80% of the crop. So most growers in Washington State pick the apples on the lower end of that scale, 190 days or even lower. That means the Pink Lady will have a lot of starch. High starch is what makes your mouth pucker. So the growers have to let the Pink Lady mellow out a bit, settle down. The apples are put into special storage that helps the starch in the apple turn to sugar. This curing process takes about 1½ to 2 months. Most Pink Lady apples were finished with harvest by early November. In fact, this year is a record crop of Pink Lady apples, but they are just now starting to come onto the market. They are mellow and settled down. And you can taste that difference. Pink Lady apples are also grown in California. They don’t have mellow out their fruit. They pick their Pink Ladies on the higher end of the scale, closer to the 210 days. This means the Pink Lady’s starch content has already converted to sugar on the tree. But, because the apple is grown in California, it doesn’t get quite the outside color that Washington state Pink Lady apples will get. The pink blush comes from colder night temperatures, which Washington has more of during that time of year. To apple growers, an apple is made up of starch and acid. The combination of these two things make up the flavor. There are high starch and low starch apples. There are high acid and low acid apples.

This crop of apples is ruined by an early snow storm.

The Fuji apple, for example is a low starch, low acid apple, which is why it tastes so sweet. The starches in a Fuji have turned to sugar. The Granny Smith, however, is a high starch, high acid apple. In fact, the Granny is the highest starch apple commercially grown, which is why the Granny can really make you pucker. It is also why the Granny packs a lot of flavor. Next to the Granny, the Pink Lady is the next highest starch apple commercially grown. When growers try to determine when to harvest their crop of apples, one of the tests performed is a starch test. They will cut an apple in half and spray iodine on the flesh of the fruit. If it turns black, that indicates a lot of starch. If it turns just a tan color, that indicates more sugar content. When picking out a good apple, there are a couple of tricks to use. For bi-color apples, take a look at the background color. First look at the color around the calyx, the stem end. The background color should have a lime green color. As you move down the shoulder, the background color should be a straw or tan color. By the way, blush color is not a factor in picking out an apple. The outside color has nothing to do with the flavor inside. You could have a gorgeous colored apple, but have not flavor. You could easily have a dull colored apple, but packed with flavor. One thing I like to do is to ask the produce manager for a bite of a few different apple varieties. Each shipment could be different, so I ask each time I’m in. That just proves that of all the tests we can perform on an apple, to see whether it’s good or not, the best test…is still the old fashioned bite test. How good does the apple taste? It’s time to buy the Pink Lady. She’s mellowed a bit.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS (Tuesday, Feb. 1): We all know that Brussels Sprouts are a very healthy food, but that does us no good if we can’t get our family to eat them. Well, today marks the 23rd anniversary of David Letterman being on late night television. He started with “Latenight with David Letterman” on NBC, before moving to CBS with “The Late Show.” Besides the stupid pet tricks, Letterman is the one to really coin the “Top 10” list. Everyone does lists now, but David Letterman was the first. So, in honor of David Letterman’s anniversary, we thought we would do our own Top 10 list. Here are the “Top 10 Reasons…to Eat Brussels Sprouts.”

10. YOU DON’T KNOW ANYONE NAMED BRUSSELS.
9. THEY’RE EASIER TO EAT THAN PUTTING ON A WET SUIT AT THE BOTTOM OF SWIMMING POOL.
8. ONLY SMART PEOPLE EAT BRUSSELS SPROUTS.
7. YOU’LL BE THE TALK OF THE DINNER PARTY, CUZ YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE THERE WHO LOVES BRUSSELS SPROUTS.
6. TASTES BETTER THAN ANYTHING EATEN ON “FEAR FACTOR.”
5. IT’S THE ONLY B.S. YOU CAN PUT UP WITH.
4. IF YOU’RE A KID, YOUR PARENTS WILL LET YOU PLAY MORE X-BOX.
3. KEN JENNINGS, THE GUY WHO WON ALL THAT MONEY ON JEOPARDY, HE LOVES BRUSSELS SPROUTS.
2. IT’S THE ONLY SPROUT THAT’S NEVER BEEN LINKED TO SOME FOOD BORNE ILLNESS LIKE SALMONELLA.
1. YOU CAN BET YOUR FRIENDS YOU CAN EAT 10 HEADS OF CABBAGE…IN LESS THAN 60 SECONDS, AND WIN.

To find good spears of Asparagus, look at the tips. They should be tight.

ASPARAGUS (Wednesday, Feb. 2): We are just a few weeks away from the premier Asparagus growing region in the United States, the Delta growing region of Northern California. Generally, some of the growers there will begin making their first cuts around the 2nd or 3rd week of the month. Until then, we are getting Asparagus from the southern growing regions of Baja California and the desert growing regions in California. Both of these growing regions normally will experience warm winds this time of year. Well, this isn’t the best thing for Asparagus, especially the tips. You see, the warm winds cause the Asparagus tips to “brush out” and even start to go to seed. It’s easy to spot. Just look at the tips. Asparagus tips should tight, kind of like an unused paint brush. They should look like you could dip the tip in ink and write your name. If the tip looks like a used paint brush, that’s what we call “brush out.” The reason you don’t want this is because brush out tips will simply slime when you steam or boil your Asparagus. Slimy Asparagus will not be very appealing, especially if you’re trying to get your family to eat it. Supplies are increasing from the desert. In just a few weeks, we should have several growing regions in production including Baja, the desert, Oxnard, Salinas and the Delta. Prices will start to improve as well.

No other pepper turns red as fast as the Gypsy.

GYPSY PEPPERS (Thursday, Feb. 3): This Gypsy is a good girl. In fact, here come the Gypsy Chicks. Experience the flavor…of a Gypsy. It has a flavor that really rings the bell. A small pepper with a sweet flavor…and a little zestiness too. When most people see a small red pepper, they will think HOT, HOTTER, HOTTEST. These Gypsy Peppers trick you. They are indeed very sweet. Few could have imagined the impact of Columbus' discovery of a spice so pungent that it rivaled the better-known black pepper from the East Indies. Nonetheless, some 500 years later, chili peppers (Capsicum) have come to dominate the world spice trade. They are grown everywhere in the tropics as well as in many temperate regions of the globe. Their genetic recessive non-pungent form (Bell Peppers) has also become an important "green" vegetable crop on a global scale, especially in temperate growing regions. After the plant produces nine to eleven leaves, a single stem terminates in flower. Here comes the pepper. Leaves are important to peppers. The leaves shield the pepper from skin-blistering heat and sunburn. That’s what makes these smaller red peppers better than their grown up cousins. The larger Green or Red Bells cannot be protected from sunburn. The Gypsy can, small enough to hide behind those leaves. The pepper is related to the tomato, but unlike the tomato, the pepper’s pollen stays viable, even when temperatures reach 100 degrees, which often happens in Mexico, where these are being grown this time of year. The fruit matures in four stages, from dark green to light green, and chocolate stage, which is when the red pigments develop in the fruit turning it brown. Finally, the fruit turns red and begins to soften. These sweet Gypsy peppers are very versatile. They can be eaten raw or cooked, used for dipping or stuffed. Choose firm, crisp, shiny peppers with a good bright color and a green stem. They should be hard, not limp, with no wrinkles or withering or signs of mold. Those that have lost some of their crispness can be fried or chopped and added to cooked dishes. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid peppers with sunken areas, slashes or black spots. Refrigerate in the crisper drawer, wrapped in a damp paper towel and in a plastic bag. This helps prevent dehydration. They’ll keep up to 2 weeks. Left at room temperature they'll lose their crunch in a matter of hours. Don't wash them until you're ready to use them. OK, so you’re wondering how this pepper got the name “gypsy?” This remarkable pepper turns from shades of green-orange to shades of vibrant scarlet-orange. And they do it very quickly…like a gypsy. No other pepper changes color as quickly as the Gypsy. Similar to bell peppers, these peppers have no heat, but are much sweeter. Much sweeter than even a Red Bell Pepper. The walls of the Gypsy are thinner, which means they are easier to cut, clean and turn into strips, and they cook faster then traditional Red Bell Peppers. These Gypsy Peppers also hold their vibrant color better when cooked. Gypsy Peppers are great used as vegetable sticks, stuffed or chopped in salads. Bring out their delicious flavor by cooking them with meat or chicken. Or try this very simple dish. Caramelize some onions. Add some sliced or diced Gypsy Peppers. Then add some of your favorite sausage. It’s like the Gypsy Pepper was made for this dish. You can stuff them with cooked couscous or rice enhanced with onion, herbs, golden raisins and toasted pine nuts. Then roast or fry the stuffed peppers just until they soften slightly.

How in the world can you enjoy the Super Bowl without a big bowl of Guacamole?

GUACAMOLE (Friday, Feb. 4): This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl XXXIX at ALLTEC Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Next to Cinco de Mayo, more Guacamole is eaten on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year. So let’s make some Guacamole today. The best guacamole begins with the best Avocado. And that is the Hass Avocado, named after Rudolf Hass, a postman from Southern California who first discovered this variety in the early part of the 1900s. Unlike most other Avocados, the Haas has one of the highest oil content of all avocados. Oil is where the flavor is. Many other “smooth-skinned” avocado varieties have much less oil, much more water. That high water content also makes for a very watery Guacamole. Hass, with less water, more oil, makes a much creamier Guacamole. Virtually all the Hass avocados grown in the United States, are grown in Southern California, from Santa Barbara to San Diego. This time of year, Mexico also supplies a lot of Hass avocados to the United States. During our off season, Southern Hemisphere supplies from Chile and New Zealand help fill the void, from around September into January. Be patient with your avocados. Before you smash them for your Cinco de Mayo Guacamole, make sure they are ripe. To ripen a Hass Avocado, place your green Avocados in a brown paper bag. If you leave them exposed in the open air, they may just dehydrate before they ripen, so it is always best to enclose them. Roll up the paper bag and set out on the counter. Early in the season, it can take up to a week for them to ripen. To speed up the ripening process, you can place a ripe banana or an apple into the bag. These fruits will put off ethylene gas, a natural ripening gas put off by all fruits that ripen. This ethylene gas will help trigger the ripening in the Hass Avocado. In making the best Guacamole, get out your Limes. Quick. Once you smash your Avocados, you need to get a little ascorbic acid (Vit. C) onto the avocados to keep them from turning brown. About 90% of the Limes consumed in the United States come from Mexico. Find the heaviest ones. They’ll have the most juice. Just before you squeeze the Lime, roll the Lime on a hard surface, like a table or counter top. Put a lot of pressure on it as you roll it. You see, all citrus is made up of hundreds of tiny “citrus water balloons.” By rolling the Lime, you are breaking those water balloons, making it much easier to squeeze the Lime. For every three avocados, you’ll want to use at least one fresh Lime. To our Guacamole, add fresh onions and fresh Garlic. For every avocado, use at least one clove of Garlic. This time of year, the Garlic is coming out of storage. It has lost some of its oil content, and that means it has lost some of its flavor. You may need to add more Garlic. To peel the cloves, put the flat edge of a large knife on the clove of Garlic. Then hit it with your other hand. The skin should come right off. To get the most oil from Garlic, you might want to use a Garlic press. The best onion to use will be a Red Onion. It has a little bit of a bite to it, plus, it adds some good color. At this point, you can add your salt to taste. Kosher or sea salt is best. Iodized table salt is crystallized. Kosher or sea salt is flat. So which melts quicker, a snow flake or an ice cube? Of course the snow flake. When cooking with salt, Kosher or sea salt will dissolve quickly into your recipe. Table salt will just sit there. You’ll taste the recipe and say, “Humm. Needs more salt.” So you add more. Taste again. Add some more. Well, by the time the recipe gets to the table, the salt has dissolved, and your guests are wondering why you went crazy with the salt shaker. Adding some sweetness to your Guacamole will come from the Tomato, and some of the fullness of flavor will be brought out by Cilantro. As for the Tomato, I prefer to use the Roma. If you use a regular slicing Tomato or a Cherry Tomato, they have quite a bit of gel. That liquid gel can make your Guacamole a little too thin. So I choose a meatier Tomato. Enter…the roma. The Italian Roma is perfect. It’s meaty. That’s why the Italians use the roma to make sauces. Thick and full of flavor. For every Avocado, use one Roma tomato. Make sure they’re red ripe. You can place them in brown paper bag a few days before you need them, to make sure they’ll be ripe, and at the peak of flavor. For a 3-avocado Guacamole, use about ¼ of a bunch of Cilantro. Just chop it up and mix it in. The secret ingredient to Undeniably the Best Guacamole on the face of the planet…is the Jalapeno Pepper. If you don’t like all the heat of the Jalapeno, but you like the flavor, then keep the seeds out of your Guacamole. The seeds and white membrane contain about 60% of the heat of the Jalapeno Pepper. Make sure that when you chop your Jalapeno, use rubber gloves. Those throw-away surgical gloves are fine. If you don’t use gloves, then make sure you don’t rub your eyes. You’ll end up with burning eyes for a few minutes. If you like the heat of the Jalapeno, then look for “stretch marks” on the pepper. It’ll look like somebody scartched the pepper. Stretch marks mean the chile pepper was grown in hot temperatures. The hotter the temperatures, the hotter the chile pepper. This time of year, virtually all the chile peppers in the United States are being imported from Mexico. Zero to Guacamole in 60 seconds or less? You bet. Most stores now carry fresh “Pico de Gallo” in the fresh cut section in the produce department. Mash up your Avocados, add the Lime and salt and toss in the Pico de Gallo.

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