Synopses & Reviews
Must-have information and amazing recipes for cooking with the freshest, tastiest organic produce
With hundreds of farmer's markets and an increased interest in organic fruits and vegetables, today's home cooks need an accessible reference for shopping and cooking organic. Melissa's World Variety Produce is the nation's leading distributor of specialty fruits and vegetables and the professional chef's go-to source for new and unusual produce. Their products have been certified organic for over 10 years. In Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce, the team from Melissa's compiles vital information on fresh, seasonal organic produce with the best recipes for getting the most out of your organic finds.
This inspiring, mouth-watering resource is packed with delicious recipes and gorgeous full-color photos, making it a must-have for anyone who wants to incorporate organic produce into flavorful everyday meals. Inside, you'll find more than 400 recipes, including quick-prep recipes and deliciously easy variations, as well as a special section of meatless options for vegetarians.
- Covers 56 of the most commonly available fruits and vegetables, arranged alphabetically for quick reference
- Includes overviews of each food, what to look for when shopping, tips on buying and storing produce, produce varieties, serving suggestions, and complete nutritional information in the standard USDA format
- Offers "Cook's Notes" and tips, suggested variations, meatless options, and complete nutrition profiles for each recipe
For home cooks who want the latest and most comprehensive information on shopping and cooking with the best organic produce, this book is an invaluable guide.
Review
[STARRED REVIEW] In this invaluable guide to fresh produce, food columnist Thomas (Melissa's Great Book of Produce) proceeds alphabetically through 56 popular fruits and vegetables, offering tips on varieties, buying year-round, and proper prep and storage. The real bounty, though, is the recipes-more than 400-that give readers copious suggestions for those persimmons, leeks, or eggplants that look so tempting at the market, and so perplexing on the kitchen counter. While obvious applications such as salads are included, Thomas's recipes are anything but phoned-in: cooks with too many cherries can use them in Cherry, Chocolate and Toasted Almond Ice Cream or as a relish for a grilled pork tenderloin; fresh ginger can be used to liven up Chicken Saté with Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Raita; and even the spinach-averse will reconsider when facing Linguine with Baby Spinach and Blue Cheese, complemented by toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, and prosciutto. Thomas even ventures beyond mains and sides to include a tasty Kiwi Martini and White Sangria, as well as a Nectarine Barbecue Sauce, basic carrot vinaigrette, and easy-to-accomplish pickled shallots. (Apr.) (Publishers Weekly, April 19, 2010)
Synopsis
Entries highlight 56 of the most commonly-available fruits and vegetables, arranged alphabetically for easy reference. The focus of this book will be on recipes and cooking delicious, flavorful food with fresh organic ingredients. There are over 225 recipes in the book, including four per fruit and vegetable listing, and a special section of Meatless Options in the back matter. Over 100 beautiful 4-color photos highlight the delicious recipes, as well as the individual organic fruits and vegetables in each entry. Sprinkled throughout are photos from real organic farms in California spread throughout the book. Each topic begins with an overview of the food, what to look for when shopping, buying and storing tips, varieties, serving suggestions, and complete nutritional information in the USDA format. Each recipe contains Cook's Notes and tips, suggested variation, Meatless Options that highlight vegetarian substitutions for dishes with meat, and complete nutrition profiles. Helpful resources and information in the front and back include a seasonality chart and a list of the best buys for organic fruits and vegetables.
Synopsis
Todays farmers markets and grocery stores are bursting with an abundance of fresh organic fruits and vegetables of every type. But to take full advantage of the organic produce in your local market, you need to know whats in season, the differences between varieties, how to tell if its perfectly ripe, and which recipes make the best use of it. Melissas Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce is a handy, comprehensive guide to making the most of every seasons organic bounty. Organized alphabetically for quick reference, this beautifully illustrated book covers all you need to know about the 56 most commonly available organic fruits and vegetablesfrom apples to turnips and everything in between, including herbs. It shows you how to select, cook, and store organic produce and also includes more than 225 delicious and unique recipes like Green Bean and Beet Salad, Tea-Poached Asian Pears, Spicy Grilled Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Raita, Baked Radicchio Stuffed with Leeks and Goat Cheese, Roasted Red Radishes, Heirloom Tomato Salad with Mangos and Blue Cheese, and much more. Plus, each recipe includes important nutritional information and Cooks Notes that help make every dish a smashing success.Whether youre a professional chef or just a home cook who loves working with the best ingredients, this is the ideal companion for every trip to the market or to the kitchen.
Synopsis
The ONLY guide youll ever need forshopping and cooking organicThe freshest organic produce makes the most flavorful meals. But there are so many delicious options at todays markets that its tough to know where to begin. Melissas Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce is the definitive guide to shopping and cooking with the very best organic fruits and vegetables. This information-packed resource includes:
- Overviews of the 56 most commonly available fruits and vegetables, including all varieties
- More than 225 recipes with variations, quick-prep ideas, and meatless options for vegetarians
- Shopping tips, including what to look for at the market, how to store it, serving suggestions, and complete nutritional information
- More than 100 gorgeous full-color photographs
Melissas World Variety Produce is the countrys 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 Melissas 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 Melissas label. The Melissas brand is named after Joe and Sharons daughter, who takes an active role in the company.
About the Author
CATHY THOMAS is the award-winning food columnist at the Orange County Register. She also writes for magazines, teaches cooking, and has studied with chefs around the globe. She lives in Huntington Beach with her husband, Phil McCullough.
Table of Contents
Apple.Ambrosia (October to February).
Braeburn (October to August).
Crimson Gold (October to February).
Fuji (October to August).
Gala (Year-Round).
Golden Delicious (September to April).
Granny Smith (Year-Round).
Pink Lady (September to January).
Red Delicious (Year-Round).
Apricot (April to June).
Artichoke (Year-Round, peaks March to July).
Asian Pear (Year-Round).
Asparagus (Year-Round).
Avocado (Year-Round).
Banana (Year-Round).
Bean.
Fava (March to June).
Green (Year-Round).
Soy Bean "Edamame" (Year-Round).
Beet (Year-Round).
Red (common).
Gold.
Bell Pepper (Year-Round).
Green.
Red.
Yellow.
Berry.
Blackberries (June to April, peak season June and July).
Blueberries (Year-Round, peak season June and July).
Cranberries (October to December).
Raspberries (April to December).
Strawberries (February to August).
Broccoli (Year-Round).
Brussels Sprout (November to May, peak season November to February).
Cabbage (Year-Round).
Green.
Red.
Carrot (Year-Round).
Cauliflower (Year-Round).
Celery (Year-Round).
Cherry (May to August).
Corn (June to August).
Bicolor.
White.
Yellow.
Cucumber (Year-Round).
Common.
English (Hothouse).
Eggplant (May to Aug).
Globe.
Fennel (Year-Round).
Fig.
Black Mission (June to October).
Brown Turkey (June to October).
Kadota: (August to October).
Garlic (Year-Round).
Ginger (Year-Round).
Grape.
Green (March to October).
Red (March to October).
Grapefruit (Year-Round).
Greens (Year-Round, peaks late spring to early summer).
Chard (green, rainbow, Swiss red).
Collard.
Dandelion.
Kale.
Mustard.
Spinach (mature, baby).
Herbs (Year-Round).
Arugula.
Basil.
Chives.
Cilantro.
Dill.
Mint.
Oregano.
Parsley (curly, Italian).
Rosemary.
Sage.
Thyme.
Jicama (Year-Round).
Kiwi (Year-Round).
Kumquat (December to May).
Leek (Year-Round, peak season spring).
Lemon (September to July, peak season December to February).
Lettuce (Year-Round, peaks late spring and early summer).
Butter.
Green Leaf.
Iceberg.
Red Leaf.
Romaine.
Lime (Year-Round, peaks May to July).
Mango.
Ataulfo (February to March).
Haden (Year-Round).
Kent (Year-Round).
Tommy Atkins (Year-Round).
Melon.
Cantaloupe (Year-Round).
Honeydew (Year-Round).
Watermelon, Mini Watermelon (June to September).
Mushroom (Year-Round).
Crimini (cremini).
Common White.
Portobello.
Shiitake.
Nectarine (May to September).
White Flesh.
Yellow Flesh.
Onion.
Cipolline (September to November).
Green (Scallion) (Year-Round).
Red, White (Year-Round).
Sweet (March to August).
Yellow (Year-Round).
Orange.
Blood (December to February).
Cara Cara (December to January).
Navel (November to March).
Valencia (February to December).
Peach.
Saturn (June to August).
White Flesh (June to September).
Yellow Flesh (May to September).
Pear.
Bartlett (August to April).
Bosc (September to June).
D?Anjou (October to July).
Red Bartlett (August to April).
Starcrimson: August to January.
Pea.
Sno peas (December to March, June to July).
Sugar snap peas (February to December).
Persimmon (October to December).
Fuyu.
Hachiya.
Pineapple (Year-Round).
Plum/Plumcot.
Plum (May to October).
Plumcot (May to August).
Pomegranate (August to mid December).
Potato.
Baby, Creamer (September to May).
Fingerling (September to March).
Red, Russet, Yukon Gold (Year-Round).
Radish (Year-Round).
Shallot (August to April).
Squash (Year-Round).
Acorn.
Butternut.
Crookneck.
Kabocha.
Spaghetti.
Zucchini.
Sweet Potato (Year-Round, peak season September to February).
Tangerine, Mandarin.
Clementine (November to January).
Honey (February).
Lee (January to February).
Minneola Tangelo (February to April).
Orlando Tangelo (November to January).
Page (December to January).
Satsuma (November to January).
Tomato.
Baby Heirloom (July to August).
Cherry (Year-Round).
Common Red (Beefsteak) (Year-Round).
Grape (Year-Round).
Heirloom (Year-Round).
Red (Cluster, On-the-Vine (Year-Round).
Roma (Plum) (Year-Round).
Teardrop (red or yellow) (Year-Round).
Turnip (Year-Round).