SC - Pickled Onions and Eggs - Recipes pleas

[DianaFiona@aol.com]

Adamantius is right- there are so many different types of fruit and
vegetables, that it's pretty much a plant by plant proposition. For example,
with tomatoes, you want bright red ones, with flesh of a certain firmness.
What if they're yellow tomatoes? Or what if you want green tomatoes, for
cooking?

Adamantius sez:

>and
asparagus, which, BTW, should neither be the subject of sexual fantasy
nor pencil-thin. <

Here, he's about half accurate, despite his joking. While it is true that
most commercial varieties are of a certain thickness in proportion to their
length, there are varieties which are very thin and tender, as well as very
thick and tender- my local stores carry several strains throughout the year
at different times, depending on what's growing where. Most asparagus should
be green- there are purplish varieties, some so purple they're almost black,
and there are white varieties, some of which are so white they almost glow
in the dark.

It all boils down to experience, and the only way you're going to get
experience is by bringing them home and trying them. You might experiment a
bit, by bringing home a couple of whatever, and trying one immediately, and
another after a few days sitting on your counter. Many fruits and vegetables
are under-ripe because they ship them that way so they look good when they
get here, others have been here a bit too long.

Another question, is that some people like their f & v more or less ripe
than other people do- bananas are an excellent example- it's kinda like, how
do you like your meat cooked- rare, medium, or well done. With bananas, most
people buy them by the bunch, which usually starts out green on the ends,
matures into full yellow, then starts getting brownish spots on it. Some
people look for the latter specificly for making banana bread, others think
that's the only way to eat them, others will only eat them one of the first
two ways, and others just don't care- they want a banana.

The suggestions about checking with little old ladies is good but don't
forget talking to your produce manager as well. They can tell you what has
just arrived, and what has been there for a few days, and if they're not
terribly busy, might take the time to show you about a specific item. Don't
forget to look around, too, for giveaway recipes and produce information- a
lot of stores are putting up racks with information about their produce (and
meats) so people will try different things, and maybe buy more.

Also, many stores are doing samples on weekends, with fresh f & v, either to
showcase them, or to showcase a dip or spread. I used to joke, when I lived
in Athens, that I was going down to my local grocery for lunch on Saturday
afternoon, on all the samples ;-)

When you are looking, though, you use several of your senses. First, you use
your eyes- what colors are on the item? Does it have blemishes, or what
appear to be blemishes? Some fruits do, at their peak of ripeness, others
have blemishes which will cause no problems at all, for your purposes.

Smell them- A was right on that- the smell will tell you a lot. He was also
absolutely correct about feeling their weight. Gently squeezing them, with
the softer skinned things, like tomatoes, peaches, etc, will help, too.

And for melons, most of them you can tap gently with your knuckles. There is
a sort of hollow thump, which varies a bit from melon to melon, which tells
me where they are.

Once you've looked them over, you then make your decisions- are they
something you'll want to sit on your counter in a paper bag for a couple
days, so they finish ripening? Are they perfect now, but they'll keep a
couple days in the fridge, until the meal you planned for them? Are they
good today, but will be past their prime tomorrow, so you want to cook them
today? Or are they just plain too old, and you'll give them a pass- if you
really need them for something, you'll look in the frozen food case?

Hope this helps a bit.

Phlip

Nolo disputare, volo somniare et contendere, et iterum somniare.

phlip at morganco.net

Philippa Farrour
Caer Frig
Southeastern Ohio

"All things are poisons.  It is simply the dose that distinguishes between a
poison and a remedy." -Paracelsus

"Oats -- a grain which in England sustains the horses, and in
Scotland, the men." -- Johnson

"It was pleasant to me to find that 'oats,' the 'food of horses,' were
so much used as the food of the people in Johnson's own town." --
Boswell

"And where will you find such horses, and such men?" -- Anonymous