Melissa's Great Book of Produce: Everything You Need to Know about Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Organized alphabetically for easy reference, this book tells you everything you need to know about loganberries, lychee, fiddlehead fern, rapini, and other exotic fruits and vegetables, plus things you may not know about garden-variety produce. In addition to information on seasonal availability and how to select, cook, and store all kinds of produce, it includes 100 delicious, distinctive recipes such as Uniq Fruit, Avocado, and Red Onion Salad; Magenta Soup; Fish Fillets with Fennel and Orange; Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms; Key Lime and Pistachio Parfaits; Watermelon Margaritas; and more.

Whether you're a home cook or a professional chef, you'll turn to this produce adventure guide again and again for information that will help you add both variety and a fresh touch to your menus.

Melissa's World Variety Produce is the country's leading distributor of specialty fruits and vegetables, marketing thousands of items. Joe and Sharon Hernandez, produce pioneers with a combined experience of over half a century, created Melissa's World Variety Produce, Inc., in 1984. They seek out and test new and unusual produce from around the world. Using "baby" vegetables is just one of the trends they have introduced to chefs around the globe, branding those tender-tiny veggies with the Melissa's label. The Melissa's brand is named after Joe and Sharon's daughter, who takes an active role in the company.

"It's not enough to know your jicama from your heirloom tomatoes these days. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, there's a whole new terrain and this book is your GPS. From dragon fruit to yuzu, this smart, savvy, handsomely illustrated guide tells you how to recognize it, buy it, prepare it, and cook it, with edgy recipes from all over the world."

—Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue! Bible and How to Grill

Chances are, you're tempted to venture beyond the standard fruits and vegetables when enticed by the array of fresh produce at your grocer's. But then you're stymied. Exactly what is that? Is it supposed to be eaten cooked or raw? Should it be firm or soft? Do you peel it? How do you get to the good stuff?

This guide gives you the answers. It tells you how to choose and use all kinds of produce and includes:

• More than 100 fruits and vegetables
• 200 gorgeous color photos and 100 delicious recipes
• The seasonal availability of each fruit and vegetable
• Information on how to select, store, eat, and cook each item

The definitive up-to-date, full-color guide to fresh fruits and vegetables With burgeoning farmersmarkets and greengrocers, enhanced produce sections in supermarkets, and increased interest in regional ingredients and organic fruits and vegetables, consumers and professionals alike are hungry for information. Drawing on the resources and expertise of the respected Melissas World Variety Produce company, this book explains how to choose, eat, and cook common produce, as well as exotic fruits and vegetables. With 200 color photos as well as charts, facts, tips, and special recipes for unusual produce, this is a must-have food reference. Melissas World Variety Produce is the countrys leading distributor of specialty fruits and vegetables, marketing literally thousands of items. Cathy Thomas (Huntington Beach, CA) is an award-winning food editor at the Orange County Register and a cooking teacher.

Melissa's World Variety Produce has been in business for over 30 years, and is the country's leading distributor of specialty fruits and vegetables. They market literally thousands of items. Because of their constant search for new fruits and vegetables, as well as their high standards of quality, owners Joe and Sharon Hernadez have formed alliances with many star chefs.With their resources and knowledge, they bring their specialized team, including corporate chef Ida Rodriguez and marketing maven Robert S. Schueller, who is known as the "Produce Answer Man," and is frequently quoted in magazines (Vogue, Martha Stewart Living) and newpapers and does many radio interviews, trade shows and conferences. The company feels so strongly about this project that they are planning to buy back 15,000 copies of the book.

Author Cathy Thomas is an award-winning food editor at the Orange County Register. Last year she won first place in the Best Food Columns category (large newpaper division) of a national contest sponsored by the Association of Food Journalists.  She also writes for magazines and teaches cooking. Along with a university degree, she has studied in London at Le Cordon Bleu, in Paris at La Varenne and with renowned pastry chef Gaston LeNotre.

Introduction.

Fruit.

Vegetables.

Glossary and Prep Help.

Availability Guide.

Index.