Produce Briefs...
Fingerling Russian Banana Potatoes
Although very petit in size, fingerlings are fully mature when harvested, thus they should not to be confused with new potatoes, potatoes that are harvested when immature.
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Rainbow chard, also known a 5-color silverbeet, is a tender chard variety with multi-colored stalks of yellow, white, orange pink and red.
Seasons/Availability
A fleeting spring delight, check for availability.
Current Facts
Did you know? Loquats are used to manufacture beer in Southern California.
Description/Taste
About the size of an apricot and fragile, the loquat, pronounced LOH-kwaht, wears a creamy-orange almost golden thin downy skin that bruises easily. The creamy-to-orange flesh is tender and juicy with a delectable crisp-firm texture. Some describe the tangy taste of a loquat as sweetly tart like a cherry while others says its flavor is like a blend of plum, pineapple and apricot. One or more smooth large somewhat flattened inedible seeds inhabit the center of the fruit. Depending on the variety, the taste of a loquat can vary from subtle to honey-rich. The loquat's fleeting freshness only lasts about ten hours, the reason this rather rare fruit is difficult to market and is seldom available in supermarkets.
Nutritional Value
Offering a first-rate source of vitamin A, potassium, beta carotene, fiber and carbohydrates, loquats are low in calories. Four ounces has about 50 calories. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure. NOTE: The seed of the loquat fruit contains toxic levels of cyanide. Never suck on loquat seeds!
Applications
Although most loquats require peeling, some do not. Cooking loquats with the skin helps hold the fruit together and adds flavor. Peeled, seeded and quartered, pair with fresh berries, bananas, oranges and kiwifruit. Poach in light sugar syrup; sprinkle with lemon or lime juice. Make yummy preserves. Enhance natural flavor with ginger. For a delectable dessert, sliver loquats; use as a filling for white or pound cake; top with whipped cream, frozen yogurt or ice cream. A tasty accompaniment for poultry and shrimp entrées. To store, refrigerate only if very ripe. Cooked loquats freeze well in plastic containers.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
This cherished fruit is a fact of life in Central America, parts of South America, India, Japan, and China. Other names for the loquat include the following: French: nefle du Japon; German: japanische Mispel; Italian: nespolo del Giappone; Spanish: nispero; Portuguese: ameixa do Japao; Chinese: pi pa; and Japanese: biwa.
Geography/History
The loquat, Eriobotrya japonica, sometimes called the Japanese medlar, nispero or nespola, is a member of the Rose family, Roseaceae. One of the few sub-tropical fruits in this family and native to China, the loquat has been cultivated in Japan for a thousand years. In the United States, loquats grow in Hawaii, Florida and especially love the compatible climate and soil conditions in the fertile San Joaquin Valley of California. Self-pollinating, the medium size trees love full sun and well-drained soil. A very handsome evergreen, the tree produces rich green leaves with prominent veins and roughly toothed margins. Popular as an ornamental, the large leaves spread into a characteristic umbrella shape offering a lovely source of shade. Avoid planting loquat trees in soggy areas as they require only minimal watering. Loquats keep longer on the vine, the reason the fruit is sometimes marketed with stems and leaves. This fruit is also known as May apple, Japanese medlar and Japanese plum.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Loquats. One
is easiest, three is harder.
A fleeting spring delight, check for availability.
Current Facts
Did you know? Loquats are used to manufacture beer in Southern California.
Description/Taste
About the size of an apricot and fragile, the loquat, pronounced LOH-kwaht, wears a creamy-orange almost golden thin downy skin that bruises easily. The creamy-to-orange flesh is tender and juicy with a delectable crisp-firm texture. Some describe the tangy taste of a loquat as sweetly tart like a cherry while others says its flavor is like a blend of plum, pineapple and apricot. One or more smooth large somewhat flattened inedible seeds inhabit the center of the fruit. Depending on the variety, the taste of a loquat can vary from subtle to honey-rich. The loquat's fleeting freshness only lasts about ten hours, the reason this rather rare fruit is difficult to market and is seldom available in supermarkets.
Nutritional Value
Offering a first-rate source of vitamin A, potassium, beta carotene, fiber and carbohydrates, loquats are low in calories. Four ounces has about 50 calories. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure. NOTE: The seed of the loquat fruit contains toxic levels of cyanide. Never suck on loquat seeds!
Applications
Although most loquats require peeling, some do not. Cooking loquats with the skin helps hold the fruit together and adds flavor. Peeled, seeded and quartered, pair with fresh berries, bananas, oranges and kiwifruit. Poach in light sugar syrup; sprinkle with lemon or lime juice. Make yummy preserves. Enhance natural flavor with ginger. For a delectable dessert, sliver loquats; use as a filling for white or pound cake; top with whipped cream, frozen yogurt or ice cream. A tasty accompaniment for poultry and shrimp entrées. To store, refrigerate only if very ripe. Cooked loquats freeze well in plastic containers.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
This cherished fruit is a fact of life in Central America, parts of South America, India, Japan, and China. Other names for the loquat include the following: French: nefle du Japon; German: japanische Mispel; Italian: nespolo del Giappone; Spanish: nispero; Portuguese: ameixa do Japao; Chinese: pi pa; and Japanese: biwa.
Geography/History
The loquat, Eriobotrya japonica, sometimes called the Japanese medlar, nispero or nespola, is a member of the Rose family, Roseaceae. One of the few sub-tropical fruits in this family and native to China, the loquat has been cultivated in Japan for a thousand years. In the United States, loquats grow in Hawaii, Florida and especially love the compatible climate and soil conditions in the fertile San Joaquin Valley of California. Self-pollinating, the medium size trees love full sun and well-drained soil. A very handsome evergreen, the tree produces rich green leaves with prominent veins and roughly toothed margins. Popular as an ornamental, the large leaves spread into a characteristic umbrella shape offering a lovely source of shade. Avoid planting loquat trees in soggy areas as they require only minimal watering. Loquats keep longer on the vine, the reason the fruit is sometimes marketed with stems and leaves. This fruit is also known as May apple, Japanese medlar and Japanese plum.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Loquats. One
is easiest, three is harder.
