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| Last week’s YOUR PRODUCE MAN’S PRODUCE PUZZZZLE still dealt with the Mini Pumpkin: What caused the Mini Pumpkin to be grown in the United States? Of course, we know that it is the sun and water that make things grow. But the fun story about the mini-pumpkin is the "why" behind it. It seems like it’s a story right out of Garrison Keeler’s "Prairie Home Companion." Just ask Phil Foster. He was the original commercial grower of mini-pumpkins, from Huntington, Indiana. It was in the mid 1980s. Phil had seen an Asian farmer grow a few of these little pumpkins, so he started searching for the seed variety. He searched through all the seed catalogs, but could not find these mini pumpkins. He then searched in Asian seed catalogs, where he finally located the seed variety. He ordered just enough for a few rows in his pumpkin and cantaloupe field. "When I finally cut them," Foster tells us, "I took them with me to the Evanston Farmer’s Market, just outside of Chicago. I really didn’t expect to sell them. In fact, I wanted them just for my display." To discourage purchases, Phil put up a sign that read, "Miniature Pumpkins: $1 each." He thought that would keep people from buying them. And for the most part, Phil was right. People picked up this miniature pumpkin, looked at it, glanced at the price, smiled, and then put it down. One such "look-e-loo" came back several times. Finally, before the market closed for the day, this customer returned and purchased the entire stock of mini pumpkins, at $1 each. This customer then asked the farmer to grow even more the next year. You see, this customer owned a chain of florist stores. He wanted these mini-pumpkins for his Fall floral arrangements. By the way, he was an FTD florist. The first major commercial crop of mini-pumpkins grown in the United States was for FTD florists. And now you know, as Paul Harvey would say, "the rest of the story." The mini-pumpkin is more than just a pretty addition into a floral arrangement. In fact, Sunset Magazine says that the Jack Be Little Mini-Pumpkin is the best tasting of all the hard winter squash. What a great addition onto your menu. Serve a pumpkin soup or custard right in the shell. Or simply bake them, add some butter, cinnamon, brown sugar to the inside. What a great side dish. This week’s YOUR PRODUCE MAN’S PRODUCE PUZZZZLE deals with apples: What was the first apple variety to be exported from the United States? See next week's "Fresh Tips" for the answer. |
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FRESH HERBS (Monday, Nov. 22): Comedian Rodney Dangerfield would have turned 83 years old today. He died earlier this year. He made famous the phrase, “I don’t get any respect.” Well, many times, fresh herbs don’t get any respect either…at least from consumers. Simon and Garfunkel may have sung “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,” but for the holidays, those fresh herbs will make your dinner sing with unbelievable flavor. When you leave a restaurant, and it was awesome food, usually what made it awesome was something actually quite simple: Fresh Herbs. The secret to many recipes at fine dining restaurants…is using fresh herbs. If you really want to “wow” your holiday guests, then use fresh herbs in your recipes. When the early pilgrims arrived, one of the first things they planted was their herb garden. First things first. Even the pilgrims knew the flavor power of fresh herbs. The holy trinity of holiday herbs is sage, rosemary and thyme. When picking out the freshest, look at the leaves. The leaves are where the oil content is. The better-looking leaves will have better oil content. Tear one of the leaves and wave the bunch. If you can easily smell the aroma, those are leaves with a lot of good oil content. If you have to put your nose right up to the bunch to smell them, then those herbs are old. A lot of the oil content has dissipated. If the herbs are in a container, there should be no wilting, and no black on the leaves. Black is an indication of chill damage, which ruptures the leaf cell structure and causes oil content…and flavor…to dissipate. When you get them home, cut off the very bottom, just as you would with a fresh bouquet of flowers. Then refrigerate the herbs in a mug of water. You could also put a damp paper towel around the herbs. When you are cutting your herbs, use a sharp knife. If you don’t, you simply end up crushing the oil all over your cutting board, instead of the oil flavoring your food. If you never have, try fresh herbs this year.
SHALLOTS (Tuesday, Nov. 23): Have you already seen “National Treasure” at the movie theaters? It was the #1 movie over the weekend, so somebody watched it. Well, there is a treasure in the produce department. It is sometimes hidden, so you might have to look for it. You have probably walked by them hundreds of times. Maybe once, you looked at them and wondered, “What kid of onion is that?” Shallots, a culinary treasure…especially at the holidays. Generally, you will find them in the bulb section, with onions and garlic. If you dare to pick one up, you may think to yourself, “Is this an onion…or a garlic?” You’re not quite sure. If you don’t know what it is, then you certainly don’t have a clue as to what to do with it. For shame. For the Shallot is one of the secrets of great chefs in preparing great, memorable meals. Your Thanksgiving Day dinner will take a notch up, with Shallots. Shallots are often thought to be another variety of onion, but they are actually a species of their own. They grow in clusters, where separate bulbs are attached at the base and by loose skins. The shallot has a tapered shape and a fine-textured, coppery skin, which differentiates it from onions. Shallots were first introduced to Europeans during the 12th Century. Crusaders brought them home as “valuable treasure” from the ancient Palestinian city of Ascalon. Shallots have a mild taste that combines the flavor of a sweet onion with a touch of garlic. The shallot is a member of the Liliaceae family, and is apparently not a direct member of the onion family. Fine. And a Hummer is not really an automobile, either. In any case, the shallot is an onion-looking specimen with the flavors of both onion and garlic. Simply divine when sliced thinly and used in place of onions, or sautéed with vegetables, baked or roasted whole with your favorite fish, fowl, or beef dish, they are simply delicious no matter what you wish to call its mother! Best kept between 35-40 degrees F, in a dark, dry atmosphere. They produce no ethylene gas, nor are they affected by it: so put some in your favorite cooler space and use them like they’re going out of style!
GREEN BEANS (Wednesday, Nov. 24): Today, in 1888, Dale Carnegie was born. He was the author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” Well, if you serve bad Green Beans on Thanksgiving day, you won’t win many friends. So, how do you serve the perfect Green Beans? It starts with the day you buy them. You see, today is the day to buy your Green Beans for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Day dinner. If you bought them over the weekend, then go buy more today. You’ll be glad you did. You see, all produce breathes. When fruits and vegetables are still on the tree or vine, or in the ground, they “breathe” opposite of humans. They take in carbon dioxide and let out oxygen. Works good for people, because we need the oxygen. However, once a fruit or vegetable has been picked, it begins to breathe just like people, taking in oxygen and letting out carbon dioxide. It’s not “muscle” breathing with lungs, but nonetheless, fruits and vegetables “respire” carbon dioxide. We can measure this to find out which fruits and vegetables breathe faster than others. We can measure the carbon dioxide levels over a one hour period at a constnat 59 degrees. A potato breathes the slowest. Not surprising. That’s why potatoes last longer than other vegetables. And that’s why we call someone who sits around, doing nothing, a “couch potato.” They are barely breathing. The fruit or vegetable that breathes the fastest: Green Beans! Think of it this way. When you bought those Green Beans a few days ago, they have now been doing jumping jacks in your refrigerator for several days. They are breathing fast, and are a bit tired. That’s why when you bought those Green Beans, they looked great. Crisp and snappy. But today, you get them out, and they look…well, they look tired. They are. Best thing to do is just to head to the store today and buy a fresh batch of Green Beans.
PINEAPPLE (Thursday, Nov. 25): These past few years have been among the most difficult in my life, in the life of our country. But it reminds me of the greatest treasures in life: life itself and your family. My family has grown again. Little Landon turns 2 this month, but now, we will have Lincoln joining us at today’s Thanksgiving Day dinner. Lincoln is the baby of the family, so we affectionately call him “Babe Lincoln.” Also joining our family this year is Katie Houghton, who married our son, Shaen this year. We will be missing Shaen and Katie today. They live in Ozark, Missouria. My dear wife, Julie is a saint, taking care of the Marks boys. And our little girl, Claire, whom I affectionately call my little “Pearl” brings great joy and life to our home and family. Yes, what a great day. I will tell each one in my family how very thankful I am for them, and how they make my life worth so much more. Today, I am also so very grateful for this great nation we call the United States of America, a place where freedom rings. And where we feed a world. Yes, we have some of the finest farmers found anywhere in the world, producing some of the best and safest food and agricultural products on the face of the planet. To every farmer, “Thank you for nurturing the soil, bringing us the most bounty of food.” As you gather around the table today, express your thanks to those who have prepared the meal, and to those who have joined you around the Thanksgiving day table. Giving thanks makes Thanksgiving such a wonderful day. And be sure to have plenty of Pineapple, the universal symbol of friendship and welcome.
SNACKS FOR KIDS (Friday, Nov. 26): Today is the
biggest single shopping day of the year. And that means fast food
for you and the kids. May I make one small suggestion: Take some
healthy snacks on your adventure today, for you and for the kids.
Sure, you may eat out today, and perhaps at a fast food restaurant,
but try your best to get in some fruits and vegetables. Here’s
a couple of suggestions: Take along some carrot sticks for the kids,
some cut apples, a banana or two and some dried fruit. At the end
of the day, fast food and all, at least you did get some fruits
and vegetables, so the day won’t be a total loss. Be creative
on days like today, and be firm with the kids. You brought the snacks,
they need to eat them. At least when you do get to the fast food
restaurant, they’ll be full enough not to eat all the french
fries and burger. In fact, some fast food restaurants, like McDonalds,
are giving you an option of sliced apples instead of fries for the
kids. Take the sliced apples. Also, instead of sodas all day long,
stop at a juice bar and order a smoothie for the kids.
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