Produce Picker on Emeril Green this Thursday!

Thursday September 4th at 8:30pm EST is the day!

The Produce Picker Podcast will be featured on this Thursday's episode of Emeril Green. The title of the episode is called "Vegging Out" which is a reference to the ingredients we used to prepare all the dishes we made. In fact we made all our dishes primarily out of vegetables and fruit. I think you'll enjoy the recipes, I know I did. They were all delicious and some surprisingly so.

Tune in if you can. They will also be running several repeats of the episode the following week. Check your local listings for the Planet Green channel and the "Vegging Out" episode. Let me know what you think! In fact I'll be seeing it for the first time along with everyone else and even though I was right there, I have no idea what they will show. We shot for about 20 hours total for a 1/2 hour episode. Kind of scary! Who knows what will turn up:)

As a celebration, I will be hosting a live premiere party via the web. If you can't see the episode because you don't get the channel or just want to join in the fun while you watch, check out my live broadcast at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/produce-picker-podcast.

We should be broadcasting live at least an hour before the show premieres at 8:30pm EST with a live taping of a new Produce Picker Podcast episode and a few celebratory drinks and BBQ. I hope to see you there!

Thanks for all the support!

Ray

P.S. If you are twitter you can follow me @producepicker for updates and tips.
Or become a fan of the show at Facebook.

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 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)

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!

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.

What You Should be Eating Right Now.

Due to an ever expanding global market it's often hard to tell what fruits and vegetables are actually "in season." These days most fruits and vegetables are available virtually year round. But does that mean that they are always at their best any time of the year? The simple answer is no. Despite the increasing availability of items such as apples, strawberries, artichokes, etc. there still remains specific times of the year when these fruits and veggies are at their best.
So what should you be eating right now? Let's begin by looking at a few different fruits that you may want to pick up during your next trip to the produce department or farmers market. Up first, figs! The summer is ending and with it the height of fig season. Because figs taste best at the end of the season, now is the time to get your hands on some before it's too late. Make sure to feel the figs. You're looking for figs that are soft and yield to gentle pressure but not so soft that they feel mushy. What do you do with figs you ask? Plenty. Check out some of these recipes you're sure to love: www.californiafigs.com/recipes. Homemade fig filled cookies, count me in!
Next up, Bartlett pears. Another end of summer fruit, the Bartlett has a greenish skin that often turns yellow during the ripening process. Buy Bartlett's that are firm and allow them to ripen on your counter top. If you want to eat them now make sure they are free from blemish (i.e. bruising, soft spots, and stem punctures) and give to gentle pressure.
Finally there's melons. The end of the summer also means a peak to melon season. If you haven't already bought a melon or two it's time to do so now while they are at their sweetest and the variety available is still large. My tip is to try a melon that you haven't tried in the past such as a Crenshaw (my personal favorite) or a Casaba with its sweet, crisp taste. Right now there is a large variety to choose from and if you're lucky enough to have them available to you try as many as you can before they are gone. You'll probably find you have a new favorite melon when you're done.
That's what you should be eating now. Remember to visit www.ProducePicker.com to see examples of all the fruit mentioned. Thanks for reading!

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

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