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.

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 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)

Produce Picker Podcast Featured in The Produce News

If you remember back a few weeks ago I mentioned that Produce Picker Podcast was chosen as a feature story in the produce industry trade paper The Produce News.

I was interviewed by Tim Linden, a writer for The Produce News, about my career as a produce clerk and how that led to the creation of my show Produce Picker Podcast.
Well that article has been published in hard copy and online. As promised here is that article for anyone who is interested in reading the story and learning a little more about me and the show.

Thanks Tim for a great article, thanks to Mr. Groh (editor for The Produce News) for choosing myself and the show to profile, and thanks to everyone who watches the show and participates in this blog!

CLICK HERE TO READ: TECHNOLOGY AT WORK: Produce clerk bridging the information gap with podcasts
by Tim Linden

Ray

What Grade Do You Get? Guest Blogger Serena Shares Her Tips for Eating Healthier

Ok, so how many of you know that you should include more servings of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables in your daily diet? Yes, just as I suspected all of you knew that one. Great, you received an A grade for this test question. Now onto your second test question. How many of you are eating the recommended daily amount of 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day? Aha, just as I thought, a minority of you. But if you are meeting the recommendation, congratulations and keep up the great work; however for a lot of you it looks like you are receiving a failing grade for this one, for now. As your dutiful nutrition professor I feel compelled to guide you toward an A grade.

I often ask my peers, mentors and students what is their personal disconnect between knowing and acting. The knowing being that fruits and vegetables are good for you and the acting being obtaining, preparing, and consuming them. What I have found is three reoccurring themes.

• Fresh fruits and vegetables “go bad” too quickly.

• Fresh fruits and vegetables are too labor intensive to prepare.

• I just don’t like the way they taste.

In order to address each of these barriers I have created a “study guide” so you can be well on your way to that desirable A grade.

Problem: Fresh fruits and vegetables “go bad” too quickly.

Solution: Simply buy less and buy fruits and vegetables that have a longer shelf-life. Start with an attainable goal of 1 serving of fresh fruit and 1 serving of fresh vegetables a day. In this way when you go to the grocery store you need only purchase 3 apples and a bunch of grapes to last a week. These specific fruits will last the week for a single person. (Hint: start with the grapes and keep them in your refrigerator). For your vegetables, bagged lettuce will last up to 7 days (or more) if stored properly and winter squash, onions, celery, cauliflower, and potatoes much longer.

Problem: Fresh fruits and vegetables are too labor intensive to prepare.

Solution: Purchase fruits and vegetables that are simple to prepare. Yams only need a scrub, time and a hot oven. Bagged lettuce only needs a quick rinse, tangy vinaigrette and handful of nuts. Apples and pears, merely need to be eaten. Additionally, over time, both farmers and grocers have adapted to our frenetic lifestyles, developing either new products like broccolini (a hybrid of broccoli that requires no chopping and only a quick steam or sauté) or value-added products such as prewashed and chopped green beans.

Problem: I just don’t like the way they taste.

Solution: All this requires is a sense of adventure. If you don’t enjoy Napa cabbage give the slightly sweeter (and very delicious) Savoy cabbage a try. Don’t relish the thought of steamed zucchini tossed with butter? Try it roasted with tomato sauce. By altering either the variety of vegetable or the method of preparation you should find a wide range of fruits and vegetables that you will not only enjoy, but dare I say crave.

I hope you found my study guide helpful. As your nutrition professor I would like to encourage all of you to study hard (i.e. eat more fruits and veggies), retake the exam following all that hard studying, and give yourself that A grade you deserve! You can do it. Just remember to start small and try different fruits and vegetables and/or find new ways to cook the classics. Good luck and happy studying!

Serena

-Serena Marie is a fourth year Nutritional Biology Doctoral Candidate at the University of California, Davis. Her primary research focuses on the genetics of body weight and the investigation of gene x diet interactions. Serena is adjunct faculty at Napa Valley College teaching, Nutrition Today, an introductory nutrition class for non-science majors and is a guest lecturer for Physiological Genomics and Clinical Nutrition at the University of California, Davis.

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

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

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