Produce Picker Goes to the Emeril Show!

Hi everyone, big news!

Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker was chosen to be on an episode of Emeril's new show "Emeril Green."

Discovery channel has launched a new channel called "Planet Green." Emeril's new show "Emeril Green" will begin showing on July 14th (check your local listings for the channel). The new show will focus on the importance of organic foods and sustainable farming.

Filmed entirely at a Virginia based Whole Foods, Emeril Green will feature grocery shoppers who have a cooking dilemma. It will be Emeril's job to solve these problems for each individual shopper. What was my cooking dilemma you ask? Well that, along with what we cooked ,sounds like a good teaser that will hopefully make you want to watch the show. Of course if you look closely enough at the picture you might get the answer to at least one of those questions.

So how did I even get the chance to be on the show in the first place? When I heard they were filming the show near me I sent an email explaining what it is I do on my own show, Produce Picker Podcast. They were interested and extended me the opportunity to audition. Next thing I knew they wanted me to be on an episode and after two long but fun days filming we finished the episode that I will appear on which will premiere sometime in July (details to follow).

Make sure to follow this blog by subscribing (check the left hand corner of this blog) to be notified when and where the episode will air. As soon as they tell me, I will update here so everyone else will know. You can also follow all my happenings and news on Twitter @producepicker. Click the link to sign up and follow my updates. Twitter is a great way to keep up with the news of your favorite people on the Internet.

Thanks to everyone who has followed me thus far. My little show and a strong following has really taken me places! Thanks again.

Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker


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Episode 13 - Kiwano Melon

In this episode of The Produce Picker Podcast I introduce you to a unique, tropical fruit, the Kiwano Melon.

Enjoy the many uses of the Kiwano or just use it as a conversation piece. Either way the Kiwano is an interesting and fun fruit.

Show Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of the produce picker podcast, on todays episode we're going to take a look at an interesting and little lesser known fruit, the Kiwano melon.

Native to the Kalahari desert in Africa, the Kiwano Melon goes by many names. Some of these are the horned melon and you can see why when you look at this little guy...the African horned cucumber which will be a little more evident when we cut this open = an English tomato = a hedged gourd = jelly melon = and a melano.

Now grown in New Zealand and California, the Kiwano melon is widely available year round.

You'll want to choose Kiwanos that are bright orange and don't have any bruises or or soft spots. Look for the melon which has its horns most intact as this is a good indication of its freshness or that at the very least it hasn't been mishandled.

I guess the biggest question besides what is it would be what do you do with it, what do you use it for? Well, the Kiwano actually has many uses.

Use the Kiwano in desserts as a topping for cheesecakes, flans, mousses, soufflés, and sundaes It can also be an added as an ingredient to smoothies. Also try the Kiwano in fresh fruit salads or served as a garnish with roasted meats.

The Seeds of the Kiwano are edible and the shells can be used in a unique way. Hollow out the shells and use them as unique serving bowls for your deserts such as sorbets. I'm going to cut this guy open so you can see its unique insides and show you how you can use it to serve up unique deserts.

Another great use for the Kiwano is simply as decoration. Place this fruit on your table and its sure to start conversation. its one of a kind look and contrasting colors, the bright orange on the outside and the luminescent green of its interior are a sure fire way to get your dinner guests talking.

Now lets look how to cut open the Kiwano and what to do with it once you've got it open.

Here's where the Kiwano really shines. notice the bright green jelly like texture of the Kiwano. The taste is similar to bananas and lime with a hint of tartness and perhaps a little cucumber thrown in. Quite unique in appearance and taste.

You'll find the Kiwano melon in the produce department usually located next to other unique, tropical fruits such as star fruit, red tamarillos, persimmons, lechee nuts and other specialty fruit. You can store the Kiwano for up to a week on your counter top as this is a fairly sturdy item that shouldn't be placed in the refrigerator.


Selected still pictures used in this episode provided by:
starfruit http://www.flickr.com/photos/7304492@N06/417785923/
red tamarillo http://www.flickr.com/photos/ultimorollo/522864879/
persimmon http://www.flickr.com/photos/santos/62362526/
lychee nut http://www.flickr.com/photos/santos/62362526/

Viewer Question Answered (Celery Root)

Often times I receive emails from viewers of Produce Picker Podcast about items either featured on the show or just something they want to know more about. I answer each of these emails as thoroughly as possible however only the person who has asked the question tends to benefit from the answer.
The purpose of the show as well as this blog has always been to share my knowledge with as many people as possible. To this end I'm going to start sharing the answers to the questions asked by the viewers of the show as well as the readers of this blog. I hope this benefits all of you. Enjoy and always feel free to participate.

Linda in Virginia wrote in with her question. She writes,

I just love this site of yours! Thanks sooooooooooo much for it. I am learning a lot and I love to cook but there are things I don't even know what they are or how to cook them at the grocery store like celery root. I don't see it on your list of veggies could you tell me a little about this one? Thanks again. I'll visit your site a lot and share with my family too.

Thanks so much for the email and compliments on the site. I really love to hear from people who watch the show, I'm assuming you saw the show (Produce Picker Podcast) as well? The web site and blog are really here to support the show and grows as I put out new episodes. Sorry there are no pictures or info on celery root. I've included a picture and some info here.

Celery root is indeed just as it sounds, a root vegetable related to celery. However, the root you buy in the store is grown specifically for the root and is not where your store bought celery comes from.
To prepare it you peel away the tough outer layer and inside you'll find a creamy white flesh which can be cooked and used in "soups and stews; it can also be mashed or used in casseroles, gratins, and baked dishes."
It has the flavor of celery and parsley. "It can also be grated, julienned, or shredded and added raw to salads."
Also the green stalk part is not consumed but "the hollow stalk of the upper plant can be cut into drinking straw lengths, rinsed out, and used for tomato drinks such as the Bloody Mary. The tomato juice moving through the stalk is lightly permeated with the celery flavor."
You want to avoid choosing celery root that has soft spots. Thanks again for spreading the word and I hope this information helped.

Look forward to other viewer questions answered and send me the questions about fresh fruits and vegetables that you want answered. Also if you have a celery root recipe that you enjoy please submit it in response to this blog post and I'll include it here!

Thanks again Linda for your question,

Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

picture provided by a_sorense on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_sorense/76981257/

Episode 12 - Produce Bob's Seasonal Picks - Week of: 03/23/08

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Another installment of Produce Bob's Seasonal Picks. This time Ray The Produce Picker and Produce Bob discuss the transition from winter fruits and veggies to spring produce.

This episode focuses on the artichoke and mango. Join us and learn something you didn't know about both of these wonderful, in season produce items.

Episode 11 - Product Demo - OXO Apple Divider

The first in a series of episodes where I demonstrate how to use fruit and vegetable related products. These products are designed to make the process of preparing fruits and veggies easier. I only present products which I have used at work or home and believe to be of the best quality.

Each product shown is available for purchase here at the blog. Simply click on the product in the featured products section located on the left sidebar. I hope you enjoy this new segment designed to introduce you to some of the interesting products that are available for fruits and vegetables.

Don't forget to send an email to Ray@producepicker.com for your chance to WIN the OXO apple divider featured on this episode. All you have to do is send an email telling me which apple you like best and perhaps why. Thanks for watching!

Episode 10 - Produce Bob's Seasonal Picks

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The Produce Picker Podcast presents Produce Bob's Seasonal Picks. An audio segment hosted by Ray "The Produce Picker" and Produce Bob Gates.

Ray and Bob take you through current "in season" fruits and vegetables and Bob picks his favorites of the week. This week it's grapefruit and leeks.

This episode is an enhanced audio podcast which means pictures of the items mentioned in the show will show up on the screen.


((Ignore this part, it's just a test link.))My Odeo Channel (odeo/e9acc0b3a5f84d9f)

Episode 9 - How to Choose and Cut a Cantaloupe

Hi everyone. It's time for another episode of the Produce Picker Podcast. On this episode you'll learn how to choose that perfectly ripe cantaloupe from your local market. I also show you a fast and effective way to cut open your cantaloupe while getting the highest yield of fruit possible.
Below the show you can find the entire episode transcript in case you'd like an easy way to review the steps involved. Enjoy and let me know what you think by pressing the comment button below this post.



Episode 9 - Produce Picker Podcast - How to Choose and Cut a Cantaloupe (transcript)

The first thing to pay attention to when choosing a cantaloupe is its overall shape and color. It should be nice and round with no flat sides, impressions or dents. Your cantaloupe should have a nice overall netting with creamy yellow to orange undertones.

Next you want to notice the weight of the cantaloupe, it should feel heavy for its size. While you are holding the cantaloupe make sure to check all sides for blemish including but not limited to soft spots, cracking and mold.

A very good indicator to how sweet your cantaloupe might be is to check the stem area. Notice on this cantaloupe there is a deep impression where the vine used to be connected to the melon. The cantaloupe is fresh when this appears green as opposed to brown or black. Also make sure there are no jagged edges in the stem area. You can see here this one is very smooth. A cantaloupe that has jagged edges in the stem area indicates that it was picked too soon and that cantaloupe will never fully ripen.

Finally when choosing a ripe cantaloupe you'll want to feel the area just around the stem. If you want to eat the cantaloupe the same day you buy it then this area should give when you apply pressure.

The best way to do this is to use your thumbs to apply pressure around the area just around the stem. A ripe cantaloupe will have some give without being too soft. The rest of the cantaloupe should still be fairly firm.

You can also smell the melon to help determine ripeness. The smell should be pleasant without being too strong. However in some produce departments melons are kept on a refrigerated case or in a refrigerated storage cooler and this could eliminate the smell of the cantaloupe. Because of this use smell only as a test to aid in choosing your melon but not as a definite indicator of ripeness.

Now lets look at a fast way to cut a cantaloupe while still getting the highest yield of fruit possible.

You might recognize this technique from episode 4 where we cut and cored a pineapple. We'll being using the same technique to remove the rind of this cantaloupe.

Begin by removing the top and bottom of the cantaloupe. This will provide you with a solid base with which to cut the melon decreasing the chance that the melon will slip out of your hand when cutting. Remember to always pay close attention and don't go too fast when using a knife to perform these techniques.

Now that you have a solid base to work from, take your knife and move it just to the inside of where the melon and rind meet. You want to make downward cuts, moving the knife with the shape of the melon in order to remove as much of the rind as possible while still leaving as much fruit as possible.

Perform this cutting technique around the entire melon and remove any pieces of rind left over by simply cutting them off.

Now you're left with a giant melon ball. Next we'll cut the melon in half and remove the seeds. You can use a spoon to scoop out the seeds inside the melon or simply cut and scrape them out with a knife.

Finally cut the melon into half inch to one inch sections. Rotate the pieces 90 degrees and cut again to make bite sized cubes. Another alternative to cutting the melon into slices or cubes would be to simply serve the melon halves by themselves or perhaps with ice cream or berries in the center. Really it's up to. Use your imagination and above all enjoy the sweet taste of your perfectly selected cantaloupe.

Episode 8 - Food Newscast

Food Newscast is here! Our first issue of Food Newscast includes stories about a vegetable orchestra (it's true, you can play music with veggies), NYC fruit and veggie carts, a tip for mothers to be, plus more. Check out the newest segment to the Produce Picker Podcast and let us know what you think. Feel free to comment below this post by selecting the comment tab or send emails to Ray@producepicker.com.



To watch this episode in a bigger format visit www.ProducePicker.com

How to Choose Apples and Some Insight Into the Wax Used to Make Them Shine

In previous tips and episodes of the Produce Picker Podcast (see Ep. 1) I've talked about things to look for when choosing perfect apples. To review, make sure when choosing apples that you follow these simple guidelines:

• Apples should feel firm and heavy for their size
• Be free of blemishes (bruises, soft spots, stem punctures)
• Appear shiny with tight looking skin (which of course means passing the apple wrinkle test)
  

This final point, shiny looking skin is a result of a wax coating which occurs naturally on apples but has to be replaced after harvest. I've had several questions about what the wax is made of, why it's there, and is it safe to eat? Let me tell you a little about this waxy surface.

Before apples are picked from the tree they develop a waxy coating that helps to protect the apple from losing its moisture and prevents shriveling. However, after the apple is picked from the tree it gets washed at the orchard to remove any dirt, leaves, and other various debris picked up during harvest. Once the apple has reached the warehouse it has a wax applied back onto the apple to help protect it during the shipping process. Without this wax apples would show up to your local market severely depleted of moisture resulting in a soft and mussy apple, something I think we can all agree would not be very appealing or tasty for that matter.

So what exactly is the post harvest wax applied to apples made of and is it safe to eat? To begin with, yes it's safe to eat. According to the U.S. Apple Association all waxes applied to apples come from "natural ingredients and are certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be safe to eat."

They come from natural sources including carnauba wax, from the leaves of a Brazilian palm; candellia wax, derived from reed-like desert plants of the genus Euphorbia; and food-grade shellac, which comes from a secretion of the lac bug found in India and Pakistan. These waxes are also approved for use as food additives for candy and pastries. (Now you know why your chocolate bars melt in your mouth but not in your hand…)

When applied to each apple the natural wax used by growers only consists of one or two drops of wax. According to the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association it only takes approximately one pound of this wax to cover up to 160,000 pieces of fruits and veggies.

So buff up an apple on your sleeve and enjoy the nice crunch of a juice filled McIntosh (pictured above) all the while knowing that the wax providing it's nice sheen and moist, flavorful taste is as natural as the apple itself and has been in use since the 1920's.

Additional resources for this article:
Washington Apple Commission and The U.S. Apple Association
Picture Provided by The U.S. Apple Association

Thanks for reading!

Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

How to Cut Open a Pomegranate - Episode 7 - Produce Picker Podcast

In this episode of the Produce Picker Podcast I'll teach you how to cut open a pomegranate and avoid the mess that is usually associated with getting the seeds out of a pomegranate.

Episode 7 - Transcript (this is new feature that allows you to read the episode and/or use it as a guide while opening a pomegranate).

First off let me welcome you back to another episode of the Produce Picker Podcast. I'd like to apologize that it has been so long since the last episode but with the holidays upon us, which also includes a birthday for me, that meant a pretty hectic schedule. But I'm back now and speaking of the holidays let's learn how to open an increasingly popular holiday fruit, the pomegranate.

I've put down a paper towel on my cutting board to help prevent staining the board. The juice of the pomegranate will stain pretty much anything it touches so you might want to take precautions to protect your clothing and your work area. You'll want to begin by removing (with a knife) the crown or top of the pomegranate. Move on to the bottom and do the same.

Next, score (lightly cut into) the sides of the pomegranate by taking your knife and pressing it into the tough skin of the pomegranate. You only need to cut deep enough to get through the red outer lining of the pomegranate until you hit the pith or white part just underneath the red exterior. You'll be making four cuts or scores into the pomegranate, one on each side, extending from the top to the bottom of the pomegranate.

Grab a large sized bowl and fill it with water. You'll be pulling the pomegranate apart and taking out its seeds underwater. Using this method allows for separation between the pith and the pomegranate seeds. It also produces less mess.

Now let's begin pulling apart the pomegranate and getting to our ultimate goal, the delicious seeds (the seed is actually inside a sac of juice known as the aril). Place your pomegranate into the bowl you just filled with water trying to work as much as you can underneath the surface of the water to limit the amount of juice that will inevitability squirt from the pomegranate, staining anything and everything around you.

Break the pomegranate into four sections pulling apart the sections along the cuts you made earlier in the pomegranate's skin. These sections should come apart relatively easy and just allow them to float in the bowl until you are ready to separate the seeds from the pith.

Now simply begin pulling the skin and pith away from the seeds of the pomegranate. The seeds will sink to the bottom while the pith will float to the top. Do this for all four sections until all or most of the seeds have been separated from the pomegranate.

Next simply remove the pith that is floating on top of the water either by hand or with a strainer of some sort. I recommend using a mesh strainer like the one pictured on the right (picture supplied by: www.freedigitalphoto.net) in order to get as much of the pith out of the water as possible. Using this type of strainer known as a sieve makes it easier because of its handle, to get the strainer into the bowl and remove all the pith. I didn't have one handy at the time of filming and you'll notice I leave a few pieces remaining on top of the water. We can simply remove these after the water has been drained.

Empty the bowl of water and seeds into a larger strainer or colander with small holes. Take out any remaining pieces of pith that are still amongst the seeds. All that's left is to transfer the pomegranates seeds to whichever type of container you like and of course, a taste test. Yep, fresh pomegranate seeds are the way to go. It's worth the small amount of time and effort. Try this technique and live a healthier life with the antioxidant power of delicious pomegranate seeds and juice.

The Produce Picker Podcast can now be found on a variety of sites. We've built a profile page on each to introduce you to the show and keep in touch with each other. Choose your favorite site, sign on or sign up and become a friend of the show! Here is a list of various places to find the show. I hope to see you there soon!


(Click on one of these sites to subscribe, review, or become a friend of the Produce Picker Podcast)

• Produce Picker Podcast Show Site
• iTunes
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Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

Prickly Pear Fruit, Cactus Fruit, Indian Fig... Whatever you call it it's an exotic treat done many ways

I recently answered a question from a person who was looking to find out how they should choose, eat, and prepare Prickly Pear fruit. Here is the advice I provided and some links to additional info and recipes for Prickly Pears.

Generally there are two common types of prickly pear fruit, the green and red cactus fruit. First try to choose (red) prickly pears that are reddish-orange to purple in color and free of mold spots as these tend to be the sweetest of the prickly pears.

The seeds are fine to eat just be careful when biting into them because these little guys are quite hard.

If you bought your prickly pear from the grocery store they are most likely without larger spines, however, there still remains very small, hard to see spines. You can try putting the pear in a bowl of cold water which helps to remove some of the spines but using something to hold the pear other than your bare hands is always recommended (highly recommended).
Often times the spines are so small you can't see them and this means that when they stick into your hand it will be hard to find them as well. I've spent too much time under a strong light with a pair or tweezers trying to pull these small, very painful spines out of my fingers.
Despite this minor hassle, the prickly pear fruit is worth checking out just remember to use something (plastic bag, paper towel, etc.) to pick up the fruit at the store and while preparing it to eat.

To get to the fruit/flesh simply cut off both ends of the pear (top and bottom), make an incision down the length of the pear cutting into the skin just until you get to the meat and then simply peel away the outer layer. You should be able to role the tough outer skin right off the meat of the fruit. Then enjoy anyway that you like. Check out this episode of Produce Picker Podcast which shows how this techique is done!



The flavor has been likened to kiwis, berries, or a tart watermelon but I don't seem to get this same impression, I'd rather just eat a kiwi. There are however several ways to prepare the prickly pear fruit which make it more interesting and quite flavorful. For instance check out this cool recipe for prickly pear sorbet!

Prickly Pear Sorbet Recipe

Andy Boy Cactus Pear Cheesecake

Prickly Pear Cactus Video

Photo By Wandering Chopsticks


Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

Happy New Year! This year eat a pomegranate, it's good luck!

The Produce Picker Podcast wants to wish everyone a Happy and safe New Years! Whatever you're doing/did tonight enjoy it and I think a good resolution would be to eat better in the New Year. Of course I'm talking about trying to stick to the good ol' government program 5 a day (no they did not pay me to say that, unfortunately).

But if you did choose to eat more fruits and vegetables in '08 then potentially it would be beneficial to stay tuned to the Produce Picker Podcast so that you could choose and prepare the best tasting fruits and veggies possible:)

Now I couldn't let you ring in the New Year without a produce tip so here it is.
Pomegranates are fast becoming a favorite winter holiday treat. Americans typically use them as table decor around this time of year however many are quickly learning what most other cultures have known for centuries, they're good and good for you! This is due in large part to the POM company and their introduction of POM juice (again no pay, I just think it tastes great. Wow, I'm quickly becoming a "sell out" and I'm not even getting paid. I don't think that's how it's supposed to work lol). Since their introduction of pomegranate juice a few years ago they have marketed the incredible antioxidant benefits that pomegranates and their juice provide and thus Americans have begun to realize the beauty of this fruit.

interesting fact interruption: The ancient Egyptians used to place pomegranates in the graves of their dead for safe passage to the "other world."

The Pomegranate, however, does have a downside. It's messy! Real messy! If you get the juice on your clothes while drinking it or cutting one open it will stain. There is an alternative that is now being sold in most produce departments around this time of year, pomegranate seeds, just the seeds. This wouldn't be the way I'd go because it's just not as fresh but if you don't know how to cut into one or don't want to bother with the hassle and of course the mess then this is the way to go.

Speaking of not knowing how to cut into a pomegranate, this is a tip off to the next episode of the Produce Picker Podcast because this will be the topic I'll cover. Stayed tuned to learn the best way to cut into a pomegranate and get the seeds out. You won't want to miss it and you'll certainly want to try it, the seeds are great and add a great aesthetic touch to any salad or desert.

UPDATE: Here's the Episode! Enjoy:


Once again have a Happy New Year and stayed tuned for more great tips from the Produce Picker Podcast and Blogcast (this site's new name:))

Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

P.S. Check out the comment section on the previous post (12/30/07 located below the blog post in small print labeled comments) to see an interesting new product for your fruits and vegetables and meet Maya the first member of the Produce Picker Podcast community to contribute to the conversation! Join us!

A Few Tips About Storing Apples and Ripening Fruit Faster

In a recent response to a blog post about Uncluttering your refrigerator's crisper, I posted a reply about the storage of apples. You may find some of these tips useful in your own kitchen. Thanks for reading.

Learning how to best store your produce will save you a good deal of money and improve your recipes. I work for a specialty grocer and knowing how to best store your produce, as a produce manager, reduces what is know in the industry as "shrink" (bad product that must be thrown away).

A quick note about storage. The gas given off by apples is ethylene gas and can be harmful as well as beneficial to your other fruits and veggies.

To speed up the ripening time of produce such as avocados, peaches, bananas, apricots, plums, pears and kiwis place an apple into a paper or plastic bag with the fruit you want to ripen faster. The gas given off by the apple will speed up the ripening process of these fruits allowing you to eat them sooner.

The ethylene gas produced by apples, however, will work against you in the same way. Fruits and vegetables that are placed, stored, close to apples will go bad (wilt, mold, decay) faster.
If you have to store apples close to other fruits and veggies place them in a ventilated bag, however, as mentioned above this will speed up their ripening process and will result in a shorter shelf life. Also, if you put apples into a bag together, make sure to watch that one of the apples in the group does not go bad. A bad apple amongst others will turn the rest of the apples bad because of the excess of ethylene gas produced by the rotting apple. The best advice is to store apples on a shelf, in the fridge, away from odor producing food.

Storing apples away from odorous foods is important because apples, which are a porous fruit, will absorb these odors thus changing their flavor.

One final apple storage tip, once you cut open an apple, drizzle a solution of 50% water, 50% citrus juice on the cut apples pieces to prevent browning. This will buy you some extra time when displaying your apple slices and improve the presentation of your recipes.

Learn the Apple Wrinkle Test in this video and make sure you're getting the freshest apples in the store!




Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

Episode 6 - Cutting a Mango

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It's time again for another episode of the Produce Picker Podcast. In this episode I'll show you how to cut open yet another tropical treat, the mango. Get cubed sized pieces that you can eat out of hand, include in a salsa or add to your favorite recipe.

Grab a knife (carefully!) and give it a try. You'll be a pro at cutting into this fruit in no time at all. Sure to impress family and friends alike, cutting into a mango is not only useful it's something of a show!

Episode 5 - Opening a Coconut

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Here we go with Episode 5. In this episode I'll show you the easiest way of getting a coconut open. Whether you want to make a party drink, a unique serving dish, coconut milk, or just wish to eat fresh coconut this method will teach you how to get to the inside of that coconut. Pick one up at your local market and give it a crack.

Show Notes

Coconut facts
Melon knife
Tropical Coconut Cocktail
Coconut Shrimp
Coconut Deserts

Produce Picker Podcast - Episode 3 - Avocados

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It's time for another episode of the Produce Picker Podcast. In this episode you'll learn how to pick out that perfectly ripe avocado. These little guys can be expensive. You don't want to get home with an old one or not be able to use it in time for that party. Watch the tricks to getting the best avocado in the market.

Episode 2 of the Produce Picker Podcast - Watch Your Weight

Episode 2 of the Produce Picker Podcast. We're now also on iTunes! Search for Produce Picker Podcast on iTunes and subscribe. In this episode I demonstrate the importance of picking heavy citrus. The heavier the citrus the more juice it contains. The more juice it contains the fresher the citrus. Enjoy.

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A Tip for the Produce Rookie

When a new clerk is hired in my produce department I need him or her to understand quickly which products should remain on the shelf and which ones should be culled (an industry term meaning to get rid of, discard, or throw away) those fruits and vegetables that have gone bad or are in the process of doing so. In other words, these items are ugly and will not sell. Yes I know, in a world where people starve this sounds like a terrible thing to do and it is. Fortunately many companies are now making efforts to recycle these products or donate them to those in need. But in truth, many times these products simply get put into the trash. I encourage everyone to inquire at their local market as to their policy for culled product (a.k.a. shrink). Are they simply throwing it away or putting it to good use? If they have no policy in place you should send in a comment card or talk to the manager and suggest that in order to keep your patronage they should consider implementing a program to recycle or donate these items.
One of my first lessons to new hires that have no experience with recognizing good from bad fruit and vegetables is to simply ask themselves; would I buy this? If the answer is no then it must go. And before you ask, the answer is no, Johnnie Cochran didn't help me write that last line.
Because there is so much to learn when you first start working in a produce department such as what each item looks like, where it is located, what is is used for, etc., I find it easiest to tell the rookies (perhaps this is you) to apply the would you buy it rule.
The lesson here is that you should always take a couple extra seconds to look at the produce item you are buying and the others that are around it. If it looks appetizing, you should go ahead and pick that one for purchase. However, because often times the product available relies upon the subjectivity of the person who put it there, you should look at the surrounding like products (i.e. comparing one orange to another). The majority of items in the group should look the same. The bad items will reveal themselves in the form of bruising, soft spots, mold, wilting, discolorations and various types of other blemishing.
Until you learn the specifics of what makes each item fresh or if you never learn, simply remember to ask yourself; does that orange, peach, apple, lettuce, etc. look appetizing? If so then most times you've found an item that will yield fresh flavor.
Check back for more tips and personal anecdotes about picking fresh produce. While a piece of fruit might look appetizing on the outside it's often times the things you can't see that tell the real story. Here and on the web site I'll teach you via videos, pictures, and narratives how to look inside produce before you buy it and without cutting it open. You'll find the tips here will save you money and spare you the frustration of buying bad produce.

- Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker @ProducePicker.com

Learn the secret language of produce at: www.ProducePicker.com and SUBSCRIBE to this blog at the bottom of this page and get automatically notified whenever a new post is made!

Welcome

Welcome to the very first Produce Talk! Thanks for joining me on this journey to explore the world of produce. Believe it or not there is a lot more to know than you might think. But perhaps you're here because in fact you already know this. Whatever the reason, welcome. The goal here is to deliver the knowledge I've gleaned working as a produce clerk. At the same time I hope to learn from you and the knowledge you might have from cooking, eating, growing, or just reading about fruits and vegetables. The final product should be a great resource for anyone looking to answer their questions or curiosities about all the various fruits and vegetables available. ENJOY!

- Ray aka: The Produce Picker @ProducePicker.com

SUBSCRIBE to this blog at the bottom of this page and get automatically notified whenever a new post is made!