Episode 18 - Banana Tips

On this episode I demonstrate three of my favorite tips regarding bananas.

Can you put bananas in the refrigerator? How about putting them in the freezer?

Learn how to extend the life of your bananas and a tip that is simple yet somewhat magical. It really works!

These tips and more on this episode of the Produce Picker Podcast.

Choosing and Storing Potatoes and "New" Potatoes

Make sure when choosing potatoes that the skin of the potato is not sprouting, wrinkled, or soft (see right).

Whether you're choosing a brown (i.e. russet, baking), white potato, or yellow (i.e. yukon) potato check to make sure that the skin does not appear to be green (see below. Bottom right potato shows greening).

When potatoes are exposed to light, as they are in grocery stores and farmers markets, they begin to build up toxins. This process will manifest itself on the potato as a greening of the skin. It may appear that the green color is coming from under the native color (i.e. brown, yellow, white) of the potato. A potato that is sprouting, wrinkled, soft and/or appears to have a green coloring under its skin is bad. Eating too many green potatoes can actually be toxic to your system and make you sick. So next time you're choosing potatoes make sure to take a good look at its skin coloring and avoid the green. If you find that you have a section of your potato that has a green coloring you can go ahead and cut out this section before cooking or simply discard the potato.

fun fact: Bagged potatoes often come in a tinted, brown colored bag. These bags are designed to help reduce the potato's exposure to light thus reducing the chances that the potato will become toxic (green).

Have you heard the term "new" potatoes? Often times people think this refers to the size of the potato. A "new" potato actually means just what it sounds like, new. These are potatoes that have been harvested earlier than normal which often results in a thinner, softer, more tender skin. While these potatoes are generally smaller in size, the term "new" potato does not necessarily mean each "new" potato will be small. Sometimes called "creamers" and/or "fingerlings" (see right, do you see any bad ones?), "new" potatoes come in many colors such as red, purple, yellow, and white. Often times you can tell a "new" potato because its skin will flake off easily. Run your thumb accross the surface of a "new" potato and you'll notice that the skin comes off easily or parts of the skin may already be missing.

Make sure to store your potatoes in a cool, dry and dark environment. Avoid putting them in the refrigerator (many people do this) as it will only make the potato have an uncharacteristic sweet flavor (because the starch turns to sugar) and can result in them turning a dark color once cooked. Potatoes that are stored properly at around 50 degrees can last up to a couple of months!

Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

Check out www.producepicker.com to become a friend of the show at your favorite social site! Or follow me on Twitter.

images provided by Flickr community (ideath, chickeninthewoods, Laura Bell) via creative commons license.

Episode 17 - Persimmons

It's Fall which means it's time for Persimmons!

In season from September through December, the Fuyu persimmon also known as Sharon fruit should be chosen while still firm. Fuyu's should have a nice overall orange coloring with a smooth, tight skin and a green, leafy top.

If your Fuyu persimmon is still a little green in color, let it ripen on the counter until it has reached an overall orange coloring but not so long that the skin becomes shriveled or starts to become soft. Fuyu's are best eaten while still firm. They will have a consistency something close to an apple or pear.

The two most commonly found persimmons are the Fuyu, which you can see in this episode, and the Hachiya (right) which is generally used for cooking.

Use the Fuyu persimmon as a garnish in salads or deserts or simply eat out of hand after washing and peeling away the skin.

*no cameras were harmed in the making of this podcast. In fact, I didn't even really hit the camera with the persimmon at all;)

Hachiya persimmon picture courtesy flickr user: bsterling via cc license.

Episode 16 - Picking Pumpkins - A Halloween Special

In this episode of the Produce Picker Podcast we leave the kitchen and go outside to the pumpkin patch to find out how kids pick perfect pumpkins!

Join us on this special Halloween edition and send us your pictures of your perfect pumpkins!

Food Newscast

Time for another edition of Food Newscast - Your source for fresh fruit and veggie headlines.

This episode features a two little girls being banned for running their own produce stand, farmers markets now accepting food stamps, people looking for economic relief in their own backyards, and the irradiation of lettuce and spinach.

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 (Stringy Avocados)

It's time again to answer another viewer question. Periodically I receive emails from viewers of the Produce Picker Podcast searching for answers to their produce questions. I try to 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 sharing some of the emails I receive and my responses to them in the hopes of helping out others who might have the same questions. I hope this benefits all of you. Enjoy and always feel free to send in your own questions, comments, and/or tips!

Laura sent in a question about stringy avocados, she asks:

Just saw the avocado episode on MIRO - first time watching. all great BUT,

sometimes I buy several unripe avocados, wait for them to ripen and then refrigerate.

When I pull it out to eat, sometimes it is stringy and strange inside - as if it had started to grow or something and one that looks and feels identical is fine to eat! What's going on?

thanks,
Laura

Thanks so much to Laura for sending in this great question. I have seen this before as well and yet it was a challenge to just come up with the answer on my own. So I put in a special inquiry to my friends at the California Avocado Commission and they provided me with a great answer to Laura's question, Erin replied:

The "stringiness" you describe is a relatively rare occurrence generally found in fruit from immature trees. Because the avocado has grown in popularity world-wide, so has the need for new orchards. On occasion young vigorously growing trees may produce a few fruit with fibers, mostly near the stem end. It is impossible for growers to predict which fruit is affected but we know that the phenomenon is relatively rare and passes as the trees grow. The fibers are natural cellulose and edible, although of course the texture of the pulp near the stem end may be less appealing when fibers are present. Simply pushing the pulp from affected fruit through a coarse strainer will separate the fibers from affected fruit. Using the mashed fruit in guacamole or dip recipes will allow you to fully utilize any fruit showing this phenomenon.

Thanks again to Erin at the California Avocado Commission for the great insight.

As a parting note I commented to Laura that her method of picking avocados unripe, letting them ripen on the counter and then refrigerating them until use, is a good one. Buying them unripe gives you a chance to get them before a bunch of other people get their hands on them, pressing all over your avocado thus bruising it before you buy it. Also placing them in the fridge only after they are ripe gives you a longer shelf life. So, good job there.

Thanks again to Laura and Erin for providing great content for this blog post. I hope everyone learned something about avocados and perhaps feels inspired to submit a question of their own or comment on this post. Thanks for reading!

Here's the Choosing Avocados Episode:




Ray a.k.a. The Produce Picker

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picture provided by Flickr user Will Merydith