INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

NONE
"Now You're Cookin' " is a new monthly cooking column by Virginia Willis,
food stylist for "The Main Ingredient." Virginia has joined the Lifetime
team to help us cook a little smarter, a little faster and a little richer!
This month, Virginia shows you how to produce the best produce for your
shopping cart! Have you ever picked up a cantaloupe at the market and taken
it home, only to find it hard, green and tasteless inside? Of course you
have! Picking good produce seems to be one of the "unsolved mysteries of
the world." But it doesn't have to be! In general, when choosing produce,
whether it be a perfect peach, a tasty tomato, or a crisp and refreshing
cucumber, there are a few things to look for that should help you in your
search. Use the following guidelines and become a renowned produce picker!
Fruits and vegetables should be firm and fresh, not limp and flabby. There
is a difference between soft and ripe, and "on the way out"!
The skin should be unblemished, without indentations or sunken or soft
spots that indicate bruising. Eggplants should be firm and shiny, with no
dark patches.
Use your nose! A ripe tomato smells like a ripe tomato! When a fruit or
vegetable is ripe, its color is rich and plentiful.
In general, the stem end of the produce should be slightly soft, not hard
and stiff. A ripened fruit or vegetable doesn't have to be forced from the
vine or stem.
A watermelon should have a soft stem end, and the fruit should feel heavy.
Look for a watermelon with a yellow or yellowish bottom, indicating that
the fruit was able to mature on the vine, not picked green and sent to the
market for sale.
Use your sense of touch when shopping for produce. Don't just pick an item
and hope for the best. Make a fist with your thumb aligned to your pointer
finger. Do you feel the slight softness between your finger and thumb?
That's just the amount of softness you'll want in many fruits and
vegetables.
These beta carotene-rich veggies have a shelf life. Don't purchase carrots
that are too hard. Also, note that carrots with the stem still attached
were just picked and should be eaten within a couple of days.
Nice, juicy apples should be rich in color. Don't pick the bruised ones.
A ripe nectarine is oh, so sweet. Be sure the fruit doesn't feel too soft
when you squeeze it.
Zucchinis and squash should have a shiny coat. The tougher the veggie, the
less flavorful it becomes. However, if you're looking to brew a stew, the
hard ones can come in handy!
A sugar baby watermelon should also feel firm and have a yellowish bottom.
We all know Mr. Potato: He's fast, inexpensive and filling. Be sure to pick
ones that have a nice, smooth skin. Bruised and abused potatoes not only
don't look good, but could turn out to be a bit aged.
Ah, garlic! The spice that adds flair to food! Squeeze the head in your
hand and make sure that it is full and firm.
If you've been staring at these tropical treats and wondering how to pick
the freshest one, here's a great tip. Pull a leaf from the center and if it
releases easily, the fruit is ripe and ready!
© 1997 Lifetime Entertainment Services. All rights reserved.
MC formatted using MC Buster by Barb at PK
Recipe by: Virginia Willis
Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

A Message from our Provider:

“Even when life may be difficult, we should thank God for all He does for us—which we do not deserve. #Billy Graham”