Produce Briefs...
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are members if the Brassica family and therefor kin to broccoli and cabbage. They do, indeed, resemble miniature cabbage. They are hardy and slow growing winter vegetable.
Green Swiss Chard
Swiss chard leaves grow on a pale whitish-green stalk. Shiny and dark green, the crinkly green leaves offer a taste that lies somewhere between asparagus and celery with possibly a hint of beet.
Seasons/Availability
Cherimoya season typically runs January through October.
Current Facts
A new hybrid, atemoya, pronounced ah-teh-MOH-ee-yah, is a cross between the cherimoya and the sugar apple also known as sweetsop.
Description/Taste
Light green in color, egg-shaped, globe-shaped or heart-shaped, this fruit, pronounced cher-uh-MOY-uh, is encased in an unusual, thin green skin. Some varieties, though not all, produce scaly depressions on their skin. The white pulp offers a mild flavor likened to a blend of banana, vanilla, mango, papaya, pineapple or coconut. The refreshing texture is soft, smooth and melting and the flesh is studded with large, black, inedible seeds. Almost custard-like, is also known as the custard apple. The thin rind breaks off like scales when ripe.
Nutritional Value
High in calories, 300 grams of fruit has about 170 calories. High in fiber, it is a good source of vitamin C and calcium, plus contains niacin and phosphorus.
Applications
Ripe cherimoya have a delicate, sweet flavor and texture that is most apparent when eaten fresh. Cut chunks of cherimoya and add to salads with kiwi, strawberry, papaya or other tropical fruit. Scoop flesh from skin and blend into smoothies and shakes. Add mashed pulp to yogurt or freeze with coconut milk into semifreddo. Top puff pastry with slices of cherimoya and fresh berries, and bake into a tart. To store, keep at room temperature until ripe. Ripe cherimoyas give slightly with gentle pressure. Wrap ripe fruit; refrigerate up to four days.
Geography/History
Cherimoya is the fruit of Annona cherimola, a fast-growing evergreen tree native to the mountains of Ecuador and Peru. Grown today in California, this rather dense tree that can reach thirty feet or more in height is deciduous from February through April. The name "cherimoya" is derived from the Quechua (Incan) word, "chirimuya", meaning "cold seeds" as the seeds will germinate in altitudes up to six thousand feet. In Central and South America, the trees grow wild in tropical highlands of the Andes Mountains.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Cherimoya. One
is easiest, three is harder.
Cherimoya season typically runs January through October.
Current Facts
A new hybrid, atemoya, pronounced ah-teh-MOH-ee-yah, is a cross between the cherimoya and the sugar apple also known as sweetsop.
Description/Taste
Light green in color, egg-shaped, globe-shaped or heart-shaped, this fruit, pronounced cher-uh-MOY-uh, is encased in an unusual, thin green skin. Some varieties, though not all, produce scaly depressions on their skin. The white pulp offers a mild flavor likened to a blend of banana, vanilla, mango, papaya, pineapple or coconut. The refreshing texture is soft, smooth and melting and the flesh is studded with large, black, inedible seeds. Almost custard-like, is also known as the custard apple. The thin rind breaks off like scales when ripe.
Nutritional Value
High in calories, 300 grams of fruit has about 170 calories. High in fiber, it is a good source of vitamin C and calcium, plus contains niacin and phosphorus.
Applications
Ripe cherimoya have a delicate, sweet flavor and texture that is most apparent when eaten fresh. Cut chunks of cherimoya and add to salads with kiwi, strawberry, papaya or other tropical fruit. Scoop flesh from skin and blend into smoothies and shakes. Add mashed pulp to yogurt or freeze with coconut milk into semifreddo. Top puff pastry with slices of cherimoya and fresh berries, and bake into a tart. To store, keep at room temperature until ripe. Ripe cherimoyas give slightly with gentle pressure. Wrap ripe fruit; refrigerate up to four days.
Geography/History
Cherimoya is the fruit of Annona cherimola, a fast-growing evergreen tree native to the mountains of Ecuador and Peru. Grown today in California, this rather dense tree that can reach thirty feet or more in height is deciduous from February through April. The name "cherimoya" is derived from the Quechua (Incan) word, "chirimuya", meaning "cold seeds" as the seeds will germinate in altitudes up to six thousand feet. In Central and South America, the trees grow wild in tropical highlands of the Andes Mountains.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Cherimoya. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Dishing Up Delights |
|
Cherimoya, Kiwi, and Strawberry Salad |
| YumSugar |
|
Cherimoya Shake |
| Pikelet and Pie |
|
Custard apple and coconut semifreddo |
| Almost Bourdain |
|
Custard Apple Honey Yoghurt Recipe |
