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President George W. Bush
knows what he likes. Perhaps the “W” stands for
Watermelon,
his favorite fruit. |
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| Senator John Kerry knows
more about what he doesn’t like than what he does like…when
it comes to fruits and vegetables. |
PRESIDENTIAL PRODUCE (Monday, November 1): Tomorrow,
America votes. During the Revolutionary War, every musket counted.
Today, every vote counts. If you are registered, be sure to take
time…and vote. If you still have not decided who you will
be voting for as President, then perhaps I can help. Every Presidential
elections over the past 15 years, I have developed what is called
the “Produce Factor.” I find out the favorite fruits
and vegetables of the canidates, so if for no other reason, perhaps
you agree with the favorite fruits and vegetables. I call it the
“Produce Factor” in Presidential elections. Four years
ago, Vice-President Al Gore informed me of his favorite fruits and
vegetables: “I like all fruits and vegetables,” he told
me, “and I eat a lot of them.” Here was a man who could
not make up his mind about his favorite, so how can he make up his
mind about important matters of state? Well, this year, we have
the Democratic Senator from Massachusettes, John Kerry. After several
weeks of pursuing, we finally learned some of the culinary likes
and dislikes by a memo faxed to a cateror working for the Kerry
campaign. It was a short list of produce items he does not like.
We don’t have a list of his favorite fruits and vegetables,
but the Senator knows what he doesn’t like, so here we go.
First on his list of dislikes…Celery. Now that would concern
the late Julia Child, who once lived in Massachusettes. The first
lady of food once said, “There are two things you must always
have in your kitchen. Onions…and Celery.” The second
item on the Senator’s “Don’t Like” list
is Tomatoes. California grows 99.9% of all the processed tomatoes
in the United States. Since California appears to be heavily favored
for Sen. Kerry, I guess he doesn’t worry about offending their
tomato farmers. Third on his list of “Don’t Likes”
is all citrus. Florida appears to be one of the most crucial states
in this election again this year. He doesn’t like citrus?
It only happens to be the #1 agricultural item in Florida. And he
wants to win Florida? One final item on his list was a surprise.
He doesn’t like Ketchup…not even Heinz Ketchup. The
Democratic Presidential nominee knows more about what he doesn’t
like than what he does like. He knows more about what he is against
rather than what he is for. That’s a pretty negative way at
looking at fruits and vegetables. Well, to the incumbent, President
George Bush. When his campaign was asked about his favorite fruit
and vegetable, the answer came quickly. The President seems to know
exactly what he likes. His favorite fruit is Watermelon. His favorite
vegetable is summer sweet corn on the cob. So there is our “Produce
Factor” for the 2004 Presidential elections.
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| Raspberries are being
imported, so prices will be a bit higher. |
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| Blueberries are also being
imported, so prices will be higher. |
RASPBERRY, BLUEBERRY (Tuesday, November 2): Today,
America votes for the next President of the United States. In election
coverage on television stations around the country, states will
be colored either blue or red, whether that state went Democrat
or Republican. So let’s talk a little red and blue in the
produce department, Raspberries and Blueberries. This time of year,
we start moving quickly into imported berries from Mexico, Chile,
Argentia and Guatemala. Most domestic production is done for the
season. There are just a few fields still in production in Southern
California, mainly some Raspberries. As we begin importing our berries,
you will notice two things. First, the basket size gets a little
smaller. Second, the price will be higher. It quite costly to efficiently
pick, pack and then air-ship berries for next-day deliveries to
your favorite grocery store. Within 72 hours, these berries will
leave Mexico or Chile, and be in your grocery store. It’s
efficient…but costly. Thimble Berries are in full production.
Well, at least in places like Chile and Mexico. It may be winter
in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere,
so summer berries are plentiful. Some of the best growers in the
United States are the same growers of Raspberries in Chile and Mexico.
That’s why we can count on the quality of these foreign-grown
berries. If an American company has its name on the label, you can
be assured they will protect that name by establishing and maintaining
the highest standards of excellence in food safety and good agricultural
practices. Berries grown in Chile are inspected by USDA and FDA
inspectors…in Chile. I have seen the inspection process at
the Santiago International airport, where the inspections take place
before the berries are loaded onto the containers for shipment.
And these berries are air shipped. They are picked, packed, inspected
and loaded all in one day. Within 24 hours of picking, those berries
are in the United States, either in Miami or Los Angeles. Within
another 24 hours, they are heading to the stores in the United States.
Remember that Raspberries are the most delicate of the major berries.
Treat them like a newborn baby, and wash them just before you use
them. Also, buy them just before you use them. They may be more
expensive than during the summer months, but to have fresh, sparkling
Raspberries in the middle of winter, oh what a treat. One of the
most popular berries grown in the Southern Hemisphere is the Blueberry.
In the middle of summer is when the United States produces the most
Blueberries. Well, it is almost summer in Chile. That’s where
most of our Blueberries are starting to come from. Blueberries are
a good source of antioxidant activity, which can help lower the
risk of cancer and heart disease, and even slow down some of the
age-related brain deterioration. According to some recent research
from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts
University, blueberries take the lead in a list of antioxidant-active
fruits and vegetables. Blueberries contain significant quantities
of both antibacterial and antiviral compounds, and have a reputation
in northern Europe of fighting infections. They may also help protect
against heart disease. Blueberries contain significant quantities
of two types of antioxidants: vitamin C and anthocyanin, the pigment
that makes a blueberry blue. Recent studies indicate that blueberries
in particular may reverse some age-related impairments such as memory
loss and motor coordination, as well as increase cell membrane fluidity.
In Japan it is also widely felt that the anthocyanin extracted from
blueberries can help improve tired eyes. Just 3.5 ounces of blueberries,
enough to cover a bowl of cereal in the morning, has the antioxidant
capacity of 1,773 International Units of vitamin E. Now, most people
have heard about the antioxidant power of substances such as vitamins
C, E, and beta-carotene. What most don't know is that fruits and
vegetables, especially blueberries, are like super vitamins filled
with dozens of other disease-preventing substances! Plump, juicy
berries with a deep purple to blue-black skin color highlighted
by a silvery sheen called "bloom." The more bloom you
find on the berry, the fresher it is. Even Blueberries grown in
Chile will still have bloom. How? Because the berries are picked,
packed, inspected and loaded onto airplanes at the Santiago International
Airport, all within 24 hours. By the time they reach U.S. soil,
the Blueberries have been picked for less than 48 hours. The blueberry
is the second most popular berry in the U.S.; the strawberry is
No. 1. The blueberry muffin is the official muffin of Minnesota.
Global Berry Farms
partner Hortifrut S.A. is the largest berry producer of berries
in South America, with 25% to 40% of the Chilean blueberry, raspberry
and Mexican blackberry market. GBF expects a great year for blueberries,
raspberries and blackberries this season. According to Edmundo Ruiz,
Hortifrut’s President, the potential export for this season
is 1 million flats of blueberries and 800,000 flats of raspberries;
and 1 million flats of Mexican blackberries. “This translates
to a 75% increase in our blueberry and raspberry import program,
and a 61% increase in our Mexican blackberry import program,”
said John Shelford, President of Global Berry Farms.
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It’s time…still…for
a Bartlett Pear |
BARTLETT
PEARS (Wednesday, November 3): Usually, around July
4th, California pear growers start harvesting their first Bartlett
Pears of the year. The Bartlett Pear is the most popular pear in
the world, although in most other parts of the world, you will find
it marketed as the “Williams” Pear, as it was originally
known in England. When the Williams Pear crossed the Atlantic and
landed in Massachusetts, a nurseryman named Enoch Bartlett began
selling the tree. Unaware of its name, he named the tree after himself.
The Bartlett was grown in most regions of the country until a Pear
Blight destroyed virtually every pear tree east of the Rockies.
That’s why today, all Bartlett Pear production is west of
the Rockies. California grows about 60% of the nation’s Bartletts.
The middle of summer is Bartlett Pear season. Well, it definitely
is not the middle of summer in the US, but there are still some
wonderful Bartlett Pears available, some still from California,
and most from the Northwest. These pears will ripen
nicely, and actually will ripen pretty quickly as well. New research
is showing that Pears will ripen better in groups. Don’t set
a single pear out in the open air on the counter to ripen. Pears
have no natural oils on the skin to keep them from dehydrating and
shriveling. Rather, they love to be part of the Pear Gang, a group.
Together, whether in a ripening bowl or on the counter, these Bartlett
Pears will help each other ripen just perfectly. Call it “group
therapy” for Bartlett Pears. Pears are great in many different
recipes.
My favorite is to makes some Caesar Salad, add some roasted chicken.
Put that into a pita, then slide in slices of ripe Bartlett pears.
Or, how about a simple chicken Quesedilla with pepper jack cheese
and slices of a Bartlett. It’s time…still…for
a Bartlett.
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| Pomegranate: The ruby
of the produce department. |
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| Was the Pomegranate the
“forbidden fruit” from the Garden of Eden? |
POMEGRANATE (Thursday, November 4): They are the
rubies of the produce department. The pomegranate is one of the
earliest cultivated fruits. Historical evidence suggests that man
first began planting pomegranate trees sometime between 4000 B.C
and 3000 B.C. The pomegranate tree is native from Iran to the Himalayas
in northern India and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout
the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe. The fruit was
used in many ways as it is today and was featured in Egyptian mythology
and art, praised in the Old Testament of the Bible and in the Babylonian
Talmud, and it was carried by desert caravans for the sake of its
thirst-quenching juice. Pomegranate is a very popular fruit all
over the Middle East. Though it can't be proven for sure, the fruit
of the “Tree of Life” mentioned in the biblical history
of creation was most likely not an apple, but most probably was
a pomegranate. It traveled to central and southern India from Iran
about the first century A.D. and was reported growing in Indonesia
in 1416. It has been widely cultivated throughout India and drier
parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa.
The most important growing regions are Egypt, China, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, India, Burma and Saudi Arabia.
There are some commercial orchards in Israel on the coastal plain
and in the Jordan Valley. It is rather commonly planted and has
become naturalized in Bermuda where it was first recorded in 1621,
but only occasionally seen in the Bahamas, West Indies and warm
areas of South and Central America. Many people grow it at cool
altitudes in the interior of Honduras. In Mexico it is frequently
planted, and it is sometimes found in gardens in Hawaii. The tree
was introduced in California by Spanish settlers in 1769. It is
grown for its fruit mostly in the dry zones of that state and Arizona.
In California, commercial pomegranate cultivation is concentrated
in Tulare, Fresno and Kern counties, with small plantings in Imperial
and Riverside counties. There were 2,000 acres of bearing trees
in these areas in the 1920's. Production declined from lack of demand
in the 1930's but new plantings were made when demand increased
in the 1960's. Today, the Golden States produces 100% of the pomegranates
grown in the United States, although they can be grown outside as
far north as southern Utah and Washington, D.C. but seldom set fruit
in these areas. Steeped in history and romance and almost in a class
by itself, the pomegranate, Punica granatum L., belongs to the family
Punicaceae which includes only one genus and two species, the other
one, little-known, being P. protopunica Balf. peculiar to the island
of Socotra. Despite its ancient background, the pomegranate has
acquired only a relatively few commonly recognized vernacular names
apart from its many regional epithets in India, most of which are
variations on the Sanskrit dadima or dalim, and the Persian dulim
or dulima. By the French it is called grenade; by the Spanish, granada
(the fruit), granado (the plant); by the Dutch, granaatappel, and
Germans, granatapfel; by the Italians, melogranato, melograno granato,
pomo granato, or pomo punico. In Indonesia, it is gangsalan; in
Thailand, tab tim; and in Malaya, delima. Brazilians know it as
roma, romeira or romazeira. The Quecchi Indian name in Guatemala
is granad. The Samoan name is limoni. The generic term, Punica,
was the Roman name for Carthage from whence the best pomegranates
came to Italy. The island country of Grenada gets both its name
and its national emblem from the Pomegranate. The name “pomegranate”
is of ancient origin. In classical Latin, the fruit was known either
as malum punicum or malum granatum. In these names, malum means
“apple”, granatum derives from granum “grain”
and means “(multi)grained” (alluding to the many seed
grains). The French named their hand-tossing explosive after the
seed-scattering properties of the Pomegranate. The name of the weapon
granade derives from the same Latin word granum “grain.”
The French military division which weilded this weapon, was called
grenadiers. When picking out the best Pomegranate, color is everything.
And weight. The pomegranate is equal to the apple in having a long
storage life. It is best maintained at a temperature of 32º
to 41º F (0º-5º C). The fruit can actually improve
in storage, become juicier and more flavorful and may be kept for
a period of 7 months within this temperature range and at 80 to
85% relative humidity, without shrinking or spoiling. 'Wonderful'
variety pomegranates, stored in Israel for Christmas shipment to
Europe, are subject to a little surface browning ("husk scald").
Every pomegranate is composed of exactly 840 seeds, each surrounded
by a sac of sweet-tart juice contained by a thin skin. The seeds
are compacted in a layer resembling honeycomb around the core. The
layers of seeds are separated by paper-thin white membranes which
are bitter to the tongue. The inner membranes and rind are not generally
eaten due to high tannic acid content, but they are useful as a
skin wash. These gemlike seeds, completely edible, cluster beneath
the thick, red, leathery hide of a pomegranate. Technically, each
seed is an aril (sort of a tender pip sealed in a juicy packet).
Of California’s three main varieties, Wonderful pomegranates
produce the largest fruit with the most vibrant color and the sweetest
taste. In season during the fall and winter months, Wonderful pomegranates
are superb for eating, cooking and decorating. Mix them with other
fruits or flowers to create a dramatic centerpiece, use them to
bring life to salads, baked goods and main dishes, or just put them
in bowl by themselves. Their deep purple-red, glossy appearance
and beautiful shape also make them a must-have for the holidays.
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| To keep from making a polka-dot mess of
your kitchen and your clothes, follow these simple steps to
extract the seeds from your Pomegranate. Cut the top and bottom
off the Pomegranate (1). Cut wedges into the Pomegranate, but
don’t cut all the way through (2). Place the Pomegranate
in a large bowl of water and let it soak for 5 minutes (3).
Under the water, break open the Pomegranate and gently tear
the seeds apart (4). The seeds will sink to the bottom while
the pithy pulp and rind will float to the top.. Take a slotted
spoon and lift out the pithy pulp and the rind (5). Finally,
pour the water and seeds through a strainer to capture the seeds
(6). |
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| POM is one of the hottest
items in the produce department. |
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| Thanks to Melissa’s,
you can now purchase just the seeds. |
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| The powerful Pomegranate
juice has been shown to actually help reduce plaque build up
in your arteries. |
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| Pomegranate is one very
powerful juice. |
POMEGRANATE
(Friday, November 5): The juice from pomegranates is one of nature’s
most powerful antioxidants. In fact, studies
show that Pomegranate Juice has more polyphenol antioxidants than
any other drink. Yes, more than red wine, green tea, blueberry juice,
cranberry juice and orange juice. Because antioxidants guard your
body against free radicals, the harmful molecules that can cause
heart disease, premature aging, Alzheimer’s disease, even
cancer. But don’t just take my word for it. The antioxidant
power of pomegranate juice has been well documented in the medical
world. Recent laboratory tests have shown that pomegranate juice
consumption in mice reduced the size of atherosclerotic lesions
by 44%. An atherosclerotic lesion is the build-up of plaque in the
inner artery lining that restricts the flow of blood to major organs,
including the heart. This condition can lead to atherosclerosis,
or "hardening of the arteries," a major factor in heart
disease. Additional studies published in the prestigious scientific
journals American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Nutrition,
and Atherosclerosis have demonstrated that the antioxidants found
in POM Wonderful
Pomegranate Juice reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation
in mice, and lower blood pressure in hypertensive humans. This is
extremely important because LDL cholesterol (i.e. "bad"
cholesterol) that has been oxidized is much more likely to become
arterial plaque. And high blood pressure (in addition to putting
extra stress on your lower left heart chamber) has been linked to
increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The bottom line is this.
Antioxidants are extremely important to maintaining your overall
health. Throughout history, this richly-colored and delicious fruit
has been revered as a symbol of health, fertility, and rebirth.
Some cultures also believed it held profound and mystical healing
powers. Still others chose to use it in more practical ways, as
a dye or decoration. The pomegranate’s irresistible appeal
and legendary medicinal properties have also made it the subject
of countless myths, epics and works of art, from Raphael and Cezanne
to Homer and Shakespeare. Many scholars now suggest that it was
a pomegranate, not an apple, depicted in the biblical Garden of
Eden; a theory that is given further support throughout ancient
and medieval times. In the mythical tale of the unicorn, pomegranate
seeds "bleeding" from its horn symbolized Christ. The
pomegranate tree to which it was bound represented eternal life.
Sweet and savory dishes benefit from the pomegranate’s sweetly
acidic personality. Enjoy the succulent seeds as a tasty snack all
by themselves. Making a great tasting wine, the juice is excellent
for flavoring jelly, hot and cold sauces, sorbets, vinaigrettes
and marinades. Sprinkle the crisp tasty seeds on salads and desserts
or use as a colorful edible garnish for meat, poultry and seafood.
Add pomegranate pizzazz to relishes, dips and glazes. Pair with
shrimp, halibut, white fish, lamb, goose and Cornish hens. Eggplant
dishes love it. Wake up cereal, oatmeal or cream of wheat. Enhance
cakes and baked apples. Sprinkle seeds on ice cream sundaes. Marinate
seeds in liqueur; top ice cream. Add flavor and color to orange
juice. Dress up fancy cocktails and iced beverages. For an easy
impressive dessert, blend juice of two limes and one-tablespoon
brown sugar, adjusting to desired taste. Seed two chilled pomegranates.
Pile the seeds on four fancy dessert plates; slice three bananas
and divide among the four servings, arranging slices around the
seeds. Drizzle with lime dressing; serve immediately. For elegant
syrup, combine one-cup pomegranate juice and one-half cup sugar
in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; continue boiling
one minute. Remove from heat and cool. Covered and refrigerated,
use within two weeks. Delicious on pancakes, waffles, French toast
and crepes. For juice, liquefy seeds in a blender or food processor.
Use a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth lined strainer to separate
seeds from the juice. Whole fruit may be kept at room temperature
in a dark cool place about one month; refrigerate up to two months.
Seeds can be refrigerated up to three days or frozen for later use.
To freeze seeds, place in airtight container; use within six months.
Freezing breaks down the seeds, releasing juice as they thaw making
them good only for juice, not for fresh eating. Fresh pomegranate
juice may be frozen in an airtight container up to six months. One
medium fruit usually provides three-fourths cup of seeds and one-half
cup of juice. A crafty bonus, this fruit’s unique decorative
shape and cheerful rich color add a special touch to holiday tables
and centerpieces. Hollowed pomegranate shells make absolutely splendid
and unusual candleholders to brighten blah winter days. By the way,
those seeds can be a pain in extracting from the shell. Well, guess
what? Melissa’s
has done all the work for you. That’s right. No more mess
or splattering. You can buy just the seeds in an 8 oz. container.
Dozens of small seeds are enveloped by juicy bright scarlet colored
flesh that are clustered in compartments by an inedible cream colored
membrane. Melissa’s is offering just the seeds in this pack
so there's no need to fuss with peeling the pomegranate.
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