Medjool dates The peak season for dates is from mid autumn through mid winter, October through January in the northern hemisphere. Select plump, shiny dates. Stay away from dates that are too sticky or covered with crystallized sugar. Most dates will need to be pitted before they can be used for cooking or eating out
January brings summer holidays in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s midsummer in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. Australia Day is coming January 26. Australia Day is the official national holiday of Australia. On that day in 1788 the British Admiral Arthur Philip and his fleet of 11 ships arrived in Sydney Cove
As October comes to a close, the final harvest of the hardier vine crops is underway and the fresh fall pickings of greens and root crops have begun. Kale is approaching full maturity and cabbages are starting to slow down in their growth. Now is the time to enjoy your final fresh pickings of tender
Calabaza en Jarabe is pumpkin in syrup. This is a tasty old-fashioned Mexican dessert that you can serve for Halloween. Piloncillo is the traditional cone shape of unrefined sugar commonly used in Mexican cooking. Piloncillo (which means little pylon) is made when sugar cane is crushed, the juice is collected and boiled then poured into
Champignon button mushroom Mushrooms have a deliciously woodsy flavor and are easy to prepare. Use mushrooms in appetizers, salads, dips, soups, sauces, omelets, stews, pizzas, and pasta, or match them with meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish. Mushrooms can be sautéed, broiled, grilled, steamed, or stir-fried. Cultivated mushrooms are available year-round. The peak season for many
The oyster mushroom gets its name from its cap which, some say, resembles an oyster. The stem of the oyster mushrooms is perhaps more distinct; it unfurls something like one of those old-time paper lady’s fans. The oyster mushroom has been cultivated in Asia for centuries. Today it is very popular in Japanese and Chinese
The portobello mushroom is a large brown mushroom. It’s immature self–a small brown mushroom–is called a crimini mushroom and sometimes baby bella. In France, the portobello is called champignon de Paris. Champignon is the French word for fungus. In the wild the common brown mushroom can have a cap that grows 2 to 4 inches
Autumn into early winter is a great time to find fresh savory salad greens. Arugula is still in the market now and mustard, mizuna, and cress are easily found from late autumn to early spring. Cultivated mushrooms, such as the portobello, are easy to find year round, but their peak natural season is fall and
Jicama, blueberries, roasted corn kernels, avocado, and romaine lettuce leaves The stark white flesh of jicama is cool and crunchy, perfect for eating out of hand after peeling. Jicama can be diced and added to fruit or green salads or speared and featured on dessert trays next to cantaloupe and pears and cheese cubes. Jicama
Radicchio with steamed beets, fresh orange slices, and black olives salad. Radicchio is a sharp-tasting cool-weather salad green that can be simply dressed with vinaigrette. It also can add a spicy note to mixed green salads dominated by milder salad greens. Radicchio is a type of leaf chicory that resembles a small redhead of lettuce
