Produce Briefs...
Italian Black Summer Truffles
Black summer truffles are more subtle than the winter variety. Shave truffle over cooked potatoes, toss with herbs and a shallot vinaigrette. Thinly shave truffle over scrambled eggs.
Iceberg Lettuce
It is the only lettuce type that does not occur in red form as well as green. Iceberg is the given name to dozens of cultivars of lettuce, all of which are adapted to specific planting regions and time periods.
Seasons/Availability
Cilantro flowers are available in late spring.
Current Facts
Cilantro flowers are the blossoms of the plant, Coriander, botanical name Coriandrum sativum. The flowers occur during the plant's life cycle once it is near its last stage of maturity. The only stage left is the plant going to seed. Cilantro is an annual herb and member of the carrot family. It is the most widely used, aromatic, leafy herb in the world. It is an indispensable herb in the culinary landscape with no substitute that can simulate its flavor.
Description/Taste
Cilantro flowers are interchangeably white or pink. The blossoms grow in an umbel shape (essentially an inverted umbrella). The middle flowers in each umbel are infertile and the outer slightly larger and fertile. Like all elements of the plant, the flowers give off distinctive aromatics, which is a nuanced mixture of camphor, lemon and a hint of pine, that result in a signature fragrance of dill. The flavor is less dill-like and more herbaceous, almost cooling with mild citrus and mint undertones. The finish, though, unlike other parts of the Cilantro plant, is memorably sweet.
Applications
Cilantro flowers have a somewhat limited use as a culinary ingredient, though when they are utilized, they always elevate the appropriate dish they accompany. The singular most effective and popular use is as a garnish. The flowers can also be left to dry and used similar to the seed of the plant, known commonly as coriander. Cilantro flowers can finish dishes both cold and hot, including salads, raw, seared and grilled seafood dishes, appetizers, tacos and chilled soups. Complimentary pairings include arugula, basil, mint, albacore, melon, including watermelon and honeydew melon, chiles, citrus, especially tangerine and lime, olives, Shelling beans, squash and squash blossoms, cheese, specifically feta and burrata and spices such as cumin, fennel and mustard seed.
Geography/History
Cilantro is native to the eastern Mediterranean with archeological evidence documenting that it was first distributed from what is now, modern day Israel. Early trade routes heavily defined Cilantro's placement within the culinary landscape as it is historically found in North Africa, Asia and Southern Europe, regions where the plant's seeds, roots, stems, leaves and flowers are all used for culinary purposes still today.
Recently Spotted
Someone spotted Cilantro Flowers using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
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Santa Monica Farmers Market Near Santa Monica, California, United States About a day ago Spotter's comments : Coleman Family Farms. |
