“Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God ever did.”
- William Butler

This amazing fruit has been around for centuries. The name has is believed to have come from several places. One idea is that the name represents the plant’s runners, which in ancient times were said to have been “strawed” or strewn over the ground. Another is based on legend – it is believed that school children put just-picked berries onto glass straws and sold them as a ‘straw of berries.’ Just think, if they had put them into a basket or a cup they may have had a completely different name today.

Regardless – whatever you call them, most of us just call them good!

So where do these remarkable berries grow?
Strawberries are grown in every state in the United States and every province of Canada. In the US, they grow in many regions throughout the country, from Florida to Ohio – but production is limited due to the short growing seasons, which can range from a couple of weeks to 5 months. The majority of the supply comes from California, which accounts for an amazing 75 percent of the nation’s strawberry crops. This is due to California’s nearly 12 month growing season. The Golden state produces an amazing one billion pounds of strawberries each year – now that’s a lot of berries! California’s blessed with a temperate climate and ideal soil conditions for strawberry growing. Can you imagine a growing region spreading over 500 miles? That’s exactly how large of an area California has dedicated to strawberry production: from the southern coast of San Diego to as far north as Monterey. The season starts in early January in the areas furthest south, with a peak of supply in April, and works its way up north. The Monterey area starts about April with a peak in May or June but continues through November.

So here we are – it’s May, and berries are in full swing. So how do you make sure they are good? First, look for bright red berries with fresh green caps or “calyx” on top. Then make sure there are no signs of mold growth. If one berry is molded, mold spores can travel throughout the entire
package and you won’t be happy when you get them home. Strawberries are best eaten as soon after purchasing as possible. But, if you need to store them, keep your unwashed berries loosely covered with plastic wrap in the coldest part of your refrigerator for two to three days at most. They should not be left at room temperature for more than a few hours, as they will break down quicker. Furthermore, do not wash berries until ready to use.

When you’re ready to eat them, place your berries in a colander and rinse under cold running water, but don’t let them linger in the water too long, as they will lose color and flavor. Once washed, remove the calyx with a paring knife without removing any of the fruit. Why wait to take off the top, you may ask?
The answer is simple. When you remove the caps you tear cells in the berries, activating ascorbic
acid oxidase, an enzyme that destroys Vitamin C – and you won’t want to lose any of this vital nutrient. Strawberries have a lot! Eight medium size strawberries contain 96mg of vitamin C, which is more than enough to supply the Recommended Daily Allowance for men (90mg) and women (75mg) to maintain good immune function.

If you are wondering whether organic is worth the price, add this fact to the buying equation. In addition to being #3 on the EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) “Dirty Dozen” pesticide list, they are among the top ten crops that account for half of all reported agriculture-related pesticide illnesses.

Lastly, if you believe in folklore, here’s a tidbit for you. Legend has it that if you break a double strawberry in half and share it with a member of the opposite sex, you will fall in love with each other.

So the next time you are sitting at the breakfast table with these flavorful red jewels or dipping them into chocolate, stop and think for a moment – imagine how it might feel to take a tasty journey up the California coast. Heck, you may even fall in love!

You walk through the store or farmers markets and see its long, firm, tender stalks piled near the strawberries – which is appropriate, because even though it is considered a vegetable, it is mostly used with fruit, and strawberries in particular. But don’t get stuck in the fruit aisle! It’s great with savory vegetables as well.

By now you may have guessed that I’m talking about rhubarb.

When you are picking your rhubarb at the market, choose medium-sized stalks
that are firm and blemish-free. Avoid those that are limp, shriveled or spotted
brown. Don’t be surprised if you see different colors in the pile; rhubarb comes in
multiple colors ranging from deep crimson to rosy pink, or even pink-streaked green when
fully ripe. Though rhubarb stalks are stringy similar to celery; the texture will break down during cooking, so de-stringing is not necessary.

Once you get it home, fresh rhubarb will keep for up to a week if you store it carefully.
Keep it in the refrigerator tightly wrapped in a plastic bag, but even more importantly – don’t wash it until you’re ready to use it, as it will break down quickly. If you are looking for a great recipe for rhubarb, see Sita’s blog this week. And if you just can’t get enough of this firm stalk and want to extend the short season, it’s easy to freeze! Just follow this simple process:

- Wash and cut it into 1-inch pieces.
- Drop the pieces into boiling water for one minute.
- Remove, and stop the cooking by “shocking” it (putting instantly into a bowl of ice water)
- Once cooled, drain the rhubarb pieces, and spread them into a single layer on
baking sheets.
- Place in the freezer
- Once it is frozen solid, remove and put into heavy-duty plastic bags where it will
keep for up to a year.

And if you really can’t get enough during its short season, consider attending the 
21st Annual Rhubarb Fest
 – held June 1-2, 2012 in Aledo, Illinois. Heck, it could become a regular summer affair!

Can you guess what is the world’s most popular herb? I’ll give you a hint. It derives its name from the Greek word meaning “rock celery” Do you know now? Ok – I’m talking about parsley.

The two most popular types of parsley are curly parsley and Italian flat leaf parsley. The Italian variety has a more fragrant and less bitter taste than the curly variety. There’s no doubt about it – many cooks prefer Italian parsley. They claim it chops more easily, has tender stems, and has more flavor. It is popular among cooks in the Middle East and Europe, where it’s also used as a vegetable in dishes like tabouli. Curly leaf tends to be more popular here in the US where it’s used as a garnish and ingredient. Is there a flavor difference? That’s up to you – but keep in mind that growing conditions, such as moisture and heat, will affect the flavor of both.

Since it has a stronger flavor than the curly variety, Italian flat leaf parsley holds up better to cooking and therefore is usually the type preferred for hot dishes. It should be added towards the end of the cooking process so that it can best retain its taste, color and nutritional value.

Parsley is, along with celery and carrots, a member of the Umbelliferae family. It’s no longer found in its original, wild form but is thought to have originated in Sardinia. The ancient Greeks, and possibly the Romans, used celery and parsley interchangeably as a seasoning. Both curly and Italian varieties were in use by 320 BC. Parsley use spread throughout the Middle East and Europe, and by 1548 parsley had arrived in England. Ancient Greeks crowned winners of sporting events with parsley, and warriors fed the leaves to their horses.

Do you ignore the parsley sprig on your plate? Maybe you shouldn’t! Parsley sweetens the breath, aids digestion, and helps relieve gas. Plus, it’s very nutritious. Loaded with vitamins C and A, calcium, magnesium and iron, parsley is also rich in chlorophyll, so it’s like all deep greens — it builds and helps detoxify your blood. It is an effective diuretic, helping the kidneys and bladder to relieve excess water due to weight gain, menstrual stress, and travel. To use, add chopped, raw parsley to pasta and rice dishes; use when making sauces or soup stock, or, steep some in hot water for a cup of tea. (I’ll have to try that after dinner some night!)

When buying parsley, choose bunches with firm, straight stems and bright green leaves. Avoid any with yellowing or wilted leaves. When you get it home, don’t wash it until it’s needed as too much moisture will cause it to break down quicker. At home wrap your bunch in a slightly moistened paper towel, place in a plastic bag and it will hold up for about a week in the fridge.

So whether you eat it cook it, wear it or feed it to your horse – parsley is one herb that is worth having around the house!

Springtime and fresh greens just seem to go hand and hand. Perhaps it’s because this time of year makes us think about eating a little less heavy, or perhaps it just because greens seem to be abundant in the marketplace. Whatever the reason, you should follow your instinct and add them to your diet. Why? Because they taste great and are great for you.

Just look at collard greens. Like many greens, they are a wonderful, dairy-free source of calcium. One cup of cooked collard leaves can supply 25-35% of your daily calcium needs. How about arugula? It’s got eight times as much calcium content as iceberg lettuce – more vitamin C than any other salad green. No wonder the Italians have eaten it since Roman times and consider the oil made
from its seeds a good luck charm and aphrodisiac.

Both collards and arugula are members of the Brassica family, along with cabbage and broccoli. The phytochemicals in these greens – known as indoles – help protect us against stomach, colon and breast cancer. The deep green color of their leaves tells us they are also high in beta-carotene, a potent anti-oxidant that helps rid our body of pollutants. Wow! Who needs vitamins when you’ve got greens like these around? And with all that calcium, perhaps the slogan should be “GOT GREENS,” instead of “GOT MILK.”

The funny thing is that even with all of the calcium sources available these days, some of us may not be getting all the dietary calcium we need and, in the long run, this could lead to serious bone loss. Amazingly, over ten million men and women of all ages in the U.S. have osteoporosis – and believe it or not, it’s on the rise. Part of the problem stems from bone-depleting dietary habits, like heavy soda and/or alcohol consumption, but for some, lactose intolerance is the issue.
Whatever the reason, spring greens can be part of the solution.

If you are thinking that collards and arugula are a bit strong-flavored for you, consider
this: during the cool spring days these two robust greens have a much more mellow flavor and may be easier to enjoy. If you’re still unsure about them, start with some chard. Chard has many health
benefits of other greens, but a much milder flavor and two distinct textures with the leaf being soft and tender and the stems with a firmer texture. It doesn’t matter which color you choose – green, red, gold or rainbow they are all equally as good.

A favorite vegetable of the ancient Greeks, asparagus was highly regarded for its cleansing and healing properties. Rich in the diuretic asparagine, asparagus is thought to benefit the kidneys, although too much can be an irritant. Modern alternative medicine cites asparagus as beneficial for vascular problems, arteriosclerosis and cleansing the arteries of cholesterol. The high folic acid content in asparagus is crucial to blood cell formation and growth, and aids in the prevention of liver disease, and birth defects such as spina bifida.

Tall and slender, asparagus shoots up like a blade of grass. It is a member of the lily family and not a grass at all, even though asparagus is often referred to as “grass” on the docks of the produce market. To keep your “grass” in peak condition, remove the band, clip the ends & store upright on a wet paper towel. It’s important to note that asparagus keeps growing after harvest, drawing water away from the lower stalk. Without water, your grass could get tough and fibrous. Too much moisture will cause rot, but just a little will keep it tender. As always, it is best to use your fresh spears within a few days.
Look for firm, fresh, spears with closed, compact tips and uniform diameter – this will ensure that all spears will cook in the same amount of time. Give them a whiff; your asparagus should smell fresh and not funky. Any smell that is a little off means that the grass is getting old and should be left alone.

In an analysis of government pesticide residue reports, the Environmental Working Group came up with some produce recommendations; among them — eat asparagus. Asparagus made their list of the top five best choices. While 14% tested positive for one pesticide, only 1% of the asparagus tested rated positive for 2 or more pesticides. For those concerned about residues, the study suggested eating asparagus instead of the more contaminated conventional spinach or red bell peppers for the same nutritional benefits – namely, vitamin C, carotenoids and folic acid. Still concerned about residues? Buy organic!

Have you ever eaten have Italian asparagus? I’ll bet you have! Probably quite often, unless you are a former president who just didn’t like it. That’s right – I’m talking about broccoli, but back in the day it had another name. Enamored with its tender shoots, Italian gardeners developed broccoli from its origins as a form of cabbage. In 1724, Miller’s Garden Dictionary aptly described broccoli as Italian asparagus. Italians selected and bred broccoli, creating the three main types still grown today: Calabrese, Romanesco and Sprouting. Calabrese types are the mainstay of commercial production the world over, while Romanesco and Sprouting remain specialty varieties. It was Italian market gardeners that settled in the San Francisco area that first introduced broccoli to the U.S.

A sturdy plant that enjoys cool weather and repels rain drops with its thick leaves and tightly compact heads, broccoli grows year round in regions where it doesn’t get too hot. A hardy feeder that requires lots of compost from the organic grower, broccoli grows best in deep loamy soils. The Salinas Valley in California has these conditions, making it the broccoli capital of the U.S. Harvested by hand and packed in the field, broccoli receives cool water showers and forced air cooling before being topped with crushed ice and moved to the cooler – where it may stay for up to a month before it is sold and transported. Remarkably, even after this, it is still alive and nutritious.

One of the best food buys around, broccoli is vitamin-rich, and high in fiber and anti-cancer agents. Calcium, folate and iron content make it a particularly good choice for expecting moms. Sulforaphane and chemicals known as indoles make broccoli an important food in cancer prevention, especially for those at risk for colon or lung cancer. Plus, it repeatedly earns accolades from environmental and consumer groups for its low pesticide residue scores. Do not overcook it or you’ll lose many of its valuable benefits. Better yet, chop some up raw for your salad.

Choose heavy broccoli heads with tight, green florets (avoiding broccoli with yellowing florets) and firm stalks. When you get it home, store it unwashed in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator. If bought very fresh at a farmers market or a really good produce department, it will keep up to 10 days. Rinse broccoli just before using it as washing before storing will cause it to break down faster.

For most preparations you’ll want to cut off the florets from the stem or stalk for even cooking but don’t toss the stem. If you take the time to cut off or peel its tough exterior, and slice into slender rounds you’ll discover a crunchy, delicious, tender treat that will cook up great with the florets or work really well on a dip plate with carrots and peppers.

If you find a good deal on broccoli and want to keep it longer, try freezing it. Broccoli holds up well in the freezer but like most vegetables, it must be blanched before freezing. That’s because fresh vegetables like broccoli contain an active enzyme which causes it to get tough, and can ruin the flavor if frozen without being blanched.
Lastly, if you have fallen in love with Broccolini because of its smaller florets and slender long stalk, you may think of it as just young baby broccoli – but it is actually across between broccoli and kai-lan, a.k.a Chinese broccoli.

Worldwide, more people eat mangoes than any other fruit. They have been cultivated in India for thousands of years, and in fact India is still the world’s largest producer – although in the
U.S. our supply comes mainly from Mexico and South America. While we eat the mango ripe, mangoes elsewhere are frequently enjoyed unripe and with a little salt. They’re nutritious too! One mango provides 40% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A and 15% of the RDA for vitamin C.

Mangoes come in a variety of colors; some are greenish-yellow, others have a deep red or orange blush – so which are ripe? As a general rule, golden yellow or orange throughout the skin indicates ripeness, as does freckling. A dark red blush is merely cosmetic and does not signify ripeness. To be sure your mango is ripe, check around the stem – the flesh should be plump and round. You should be able to detect a nice fruity smell. When held in the palm of your hand, it will yield to gentle pressure, similar to peaches or avocadoes. Mangoes continue to ripen after harvest; it’s ok to buy unripe mangoes to ripen at home, but avoid any that are hard and dark green or shrivelled at the end. A grayish cast indicates chill damage. Keep unripe mangoes at room temperature. Mangoes shouldn’t be refrigerated before they are ripe. To speed up ripening, place your fruit in a paper bag at room temperature. Once ripe, mangoes should be moved to the refrigerator, which will slow down the ripening process. Whole, ripe mangoes may be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator. They may also be peeled, cubed and placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to six months.

Before some mangoes can enter the U.S. they must have a U.S. supervised hot water bath to kill fruit flies. For organic mangoes, that’s all that happens. Conventional mangoes may then go through additional treatments. Some go for another bath in fungicides like thiabendazole (a mutagen capable of causing genetic mutation in test animals) before being packed in fungicide treated cartons to keep the fruit from rotting while in transport. Competition for the export
market is fierce and no one wants their mangoes to arrive in bad condition, so play it safe and always wash your mangoes before handling them.

Do you have fond memories of candied yams? Probably not. Why? Because the roots that we have long considered to be yams are actually sweet potatoes. Yams, a world wide staple with many varieties, are dry and starchy and can grow up to six feet long. The moist and sweet Garnet and Jewel sweet potatoes that we call yams were developed around 60 years ago in Louisiana, and were called yams to differentiate from the more common, milder, and drier Jersey sweet & Japanese sweet. Another more recent addition to the line-up is the Beauregard – developed in 1987 and often confused with the Jewel, it has a much smoother skin. Not only is it not a yam, but it’s not a potato either. It is part of the morning glory family and related to tomatoes, eggplant, and red peppers.

You’re probably wondering why I’m talking about sweet potatoes in March. Well, we just did a great show called “The Natural Baby: Get ‘em Started Right,” and sweet potatoes make great baby food. But you don’t have to be a baby to like them any time of year!

Need an afternoon lift? Pack a cold cooked sweet potato in your lunch. It is high in complex carbohydrates that your body can turn into an energy boost. There’s a lot of punch in a small package: just a half-cup serving provides a good supply protein, fiber, vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, magnesium, and potassium, and a mega dose of vitamin A, 21822 I.U. With all of this packed inside, the sweet potato is a nutritional powerhouse.

When choosing sweet potatoes for yourself or your baby, look for ones that are firm, with no dents, bruises or cracks. Medium sized ones tend to have the best texture, as large ones can sometimes be stringy.
When you get them home, store your sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, well-ventilated container like a hanging basket and they can keep for almost two weeks. Since they are a tuber and not a potato you don’t have to worry about them turning green from the light. However, one thing you don’t want to do is store them in the refrigerator – the cold of the fridge will cause them to develop a hard center and a very unpleasant taste. Enjoy the spring, and enjoy all the ways you can prepare these sweet creamy beauties!

If you have been buying organic produce for a long time, you’ll know that salad – or mesclun mix – wasn’t sold commercially in this country until the late 1980s. Even then, it wasn’t due to customer demand that it got started here in the US – it came from a desire to bring different flavors and textures to the American palette. Organic pioneers like Alice Waters and Warren Webber of Star Route farms played an essential role in bringing this organic staple to our dinner tables, and Earthbound – which has been producing salad for 25 years – helped to launch an entire industry.
Yes, I said a staple of American produce purchases; after all, packaged salads are the #1 selling organic produce item in the country. It’s easy to understand why: it’s convenient, tasty, and there are so many options to choose from. Mixed salad greens, baby arugula, herb mix, romaine salad, kits with dressing…the list goes on and on.

This brings us to a study led by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists, which found that the package you choose in your produce department may have an effect on the amount of nutrients you will get from your salad. Think about it – do you just grab the front package from the display? Or do you reach behind and try to get the one with the longest date? Either way, you’ll find the study done at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Crop Quality and Fruit Insects Research Unit in Weslaco, Texas to be of interest.

For the study, the researchers stored spinach at 39 degrees (the temperature it is stored at most stores) in market-type, light-transmissible polymer tubs with snap-tight lids. Then they exposed spinach leaves to light similar to the 24-hour artificial fluorescent light received by spinach in packages located at the front of the salad case.
At the same time they gave another batch of spinach leaves the dark treatment, so to speak. In this part of the study they put the leaves in double brown paper grocery bags. Guess what they found? Spinach leaves exposed to the continuous light had a significant increase in levels of carotenoids and vitamins C, E, K, and folate. So while you may get a little more shelf life reaching to the back, the healthier choice may be right there in the light!

In the children’s story Goldilocks, the titular character looked around the bears’ house for the perfect bed to nap in. One was too soft, one was too hard – and one was juuuust
right. Buying citrus can often be like Goldilocks’ experience when it comes to
flavor. Some are too sweet (yes, my friends, I do believe fruit can be too sweet -
especially when that is all you taste and the true flavor is hidden by the sugar),
some are too tart…but in the case of Minneola tangelos at the end of February,
they can be just right! The waning weeks of February and the beginning weeks of March are when Minneolas have the perfect blend of sweet and tart, and with this being such a great citrus year due to the low rainfall you can expect to find great tasting fruit wherever you go.

The Minneola gets its sweet-tart flavor from its parents, as it is a cross between a
Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine. So how do you pick the best fruit? As
always, look for fruit with the following qualities:
• Firm and heavy for its size. Pick up a few and you should be able to tell
right away.
• Isn’t too soft, or have soft spots.
• Has bright, shiny, slightly pebbly skin. If it is wrinkled or shriveled it has
started to age and may be dry inside.
• Has a scent that smells fresh and fragrant with no hint of fermentation.

Minneolas do well in your fruit bowl, as they can keep at room temperature for
three or four days if they are kept out of the warmest part of the house. Like most
citrus they prefer between 45° and 48° F so after a few days it’s best to move
them into the refrigerator. If you need them to last longer, they can keep for up to two weeks if you store them in the refrigerator when you get them home.

Minneola’s make a really nice juice – so much so that juice makers are now including
some Minneola juice in their OJ. If you’d like to make some juice at home here are a few quick tips that may helpful.

- It will take 2 to 4 medium Minneola Tangelos to make 1 cup of juice.
- If you are using zest in a recipe, 1 medium Minneola Tangelo will provide about 4
teaspoons of zest.
- Lastly, to get the most vitamins from your Minneola juice, make your juice as
close to the time you’ll be drinking it as possible. And for the best flavor do not store freshly
squeezed Minneola juice for more than 48 hours.