Tangerines are among the earliest harvested mandarin oranges. They are distinguished from other mandarins simply by their red-orange to red peels. They have a rough skin and sweet flesh. All tangerines are mandarins but not all mandarins are tangerines. (Other mandarins are the tangelo and the clementine.) The tangerine is named for the port city […] More
Cremini mushrooms have a rich, nutty flavor. They are dense and meaty. When cremini mushrooms are fully mature they are called portobellos. Cremini mushrooms should not be confused with all-white button mushrooms. The cremini has a brownish cast and twice the flavor of a cultivated white mushroom. The peak season for mushrooms harvested in the wild […] More
Since pears—that is the European varieties–are plucked from the tree before they are ripe and cure to ripeness usually in a cool, dark place, how do you know a pear is ready for your bite? Well, there are two ways to choose a pear for eating out of hand: smell and feel. A ripe pear […] More
Print Candied Citron Recipe Author Steve Albert Here’s how you can candy citron (and by the way, it works for other citrus as well). Instructions Grate moist citron peel to release the oil from the cells. Cut the peel into thin strips and place in a heavy pan: Use 2 cups of citron peel. Cover […] More
Eggplant? Did you say ratatouille? All of the key ingredients for ratatouille are available fresh and local in mid summer tomatoes, onions, zucchini, bell peppers and, of course, eggplant. When you think of eggplant, you think first of the oval, black-skinned cultivar known as ‘Black Beauty.’ That is the classic eggplant with its rich, complex […] More
Mesclun is the French word for “mixture.” Mesclun is a mix of tender, young salad green leaves. Mesclun mixes usually include a variety of lettuces and European and Asian salad greens that grow under similar conditions, have similar rates of maturity, and taste good together. Greens can be mixed by season, by flavor, by color, […] More
A great beet salad for summer: shred raw beets and toss with a vinaigrette and lots of chopped parsley. Flavor. The sweet flavor of a beet’s root is affected by the speed of the plant’s growth. Beets that are allowed to mature more slowly in cooler soil and weather will be sweeter than those that […] More
Stephen Albert