WTF?! What's That Fruit...

I bring you another installment of What's That Fruit!

This time I was fairly familiar with the fruit, but am still intrigued by it and learning how to use it!  Meyer Lemons are something I did not seek out or stumble upon on my own!  A few months ago, while perusing cooking competitions, I came across a contest with "adventure" ingredients.  One of those ingredients was Meyer Lemon.  I wanted to use it in my recipe, and made my way to the grocery store before consulting Google.  I searched the baking aisle thinking that it was a particular brand of lemon extract, or maybe a special kind of extract.  After searching bottled lemon juice for at least 20 minutes I headed home and turned on the laptop!  I quickly learned that Meyer Lemons are a variety of lemon that tend to come from regions of Florida and California and rarely make their way to the northern regions of the US...great, I would pick the hard to find ingredient!  The next week I made my way to my usual grocery store for my weekly grocery order and, while perusing the produce section, was shocked to find an early out of season batch of them!  I quickly placed them in my cart...I felt like I was in the middle of a drug deal in broad daylight!   "At $4.99 for 5 lemons, they better be worth it," was all I could think as I shopped.

I got home and whipped together a batch of the cupcakes I was working on, zested my newly found lemons, and juiced them.  The first thing that struck me was their color.  They tend to be yellow, but with a orange undertone, both inside and out.  They also don't smell much like a lemon!  I put my lemon wedge smile on and was shocked at the taste!  It tasted like a lemon, but it was sweet like an orange! 

After some more research on the interwebs, I learned that Meyer Lemons are actually a cross between a lemon and either a mandarin orange or common orange.  They are native to China, and started to become popular in the United States when Martha Stewart began introducing them to the masses!  They hit their peak season during the dead of winter...mostly early January.  So, now is the time to find them!  I watched several grocery stores for months to make my cupcakes again, and finally found them in stores again just last week!  I contemplated buying several packages of them, but controlled my urges. 

My advice - GET'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT!!!

The second batch of my now infamous Coffe Cacao Cupcakes with Meyer Lemon Buttercream!

Fruit Pizza

So, when I told my sister I was going to make this for the homecoming after party, I was told that no one would want it.  In a cruel twist of irony, it was the first thing that all of them grabbed, and I was out of fruit pizza in about 5 minutes!  The spread adds just enough sweetness to the pizza to keep the fruit from tasting tart, but there is actually very little sugar in this recipe!  It is a healthy option for breakfast, and is always popular at bridal and baby showers!  Plus, it is pretty cheap to make! 

To Prepare the Pizza
1. Blend 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1 cup of whipped topping and 1 tablespoon of sugar. 
2. Evenly spread the mixture on a pre-made pizza crust.

3. Top with slices of your favorite fruits.  This time I used all berries, but melon, bananas, pineapple, mango, apples, pears, or seasonal fruits all work well! 

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So Fresh and So Green Green

After tonight's broccoli debacle (fungus...gross), I decided it might be a good idea to discuss the proper storage and shelf life of common fruits and vegetables, especially since we are taking a look at vegetable dishes this week!  How you store your veggies and fruits will affect their texture and flavor, and of course, the better the texture and flavor, the more likely we are to enjoy eating them!

Veggies

Artichokes - Keep in a dry plastic bag.  Will last several weeks at room temperature, or 2 weeks in the fridge.
Asparagus - Break off some of the bottoms, and place upright in 1 inch of water and refrigerate.  Will last 7-10 days. 
Broccoli - Keep in the fridge.  Will last 1 week.
Brussel Sprouts - If they are harvested on the vine, hand them upside down and store dry at a cool temperature and they will last 1 month.  If they are harvested individually, they will last 7-10 days in the fridge.
Cabbage - Will last several weeks in your fridge's crisper drawer.
Carrots - Will last up to 4 weeks if refrigerated in a bag in a crisper drawer.
Cauliflower - Will last for a week in the fridge.
Celery - Will stay crisp for a week in the fridge.
Corn - Should be eaten immediately since it loses its sugar content and turns starchy quickly! 
Cucumber - Will stay fresh in the fridge for 7-10 days.  Don't store it at too cold of a temperature or the flesh will go bad.
Eggplant - Will stay fresh in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Garlic - Keep it dry and at room temperature in the mesh baggy.  If you are able to, hang it!
Lettuce - Will last 7-10 days in a fridge crisper.  Not using steel edges to cut it will also keep it from browning and going bad quickly!
Mushrooms - Will last 5 days in the fridge.  Don't store them in a plastic bag though!
Onions - Will last for 2 weeks if stored in a cool, dry place.  They are best if stored in a mesh bag or hanging basket with air circulation.
Peppers - Will last in the fridge for a week.
Potatoes - Will last for a few weeks if kept in a cool, dry place with good circulation. 
Radishes - Will keep for 7-10 days in a fridge crisper.
Spinach - Will hold for a week in the fridge, but really should be cooked/eaten immediately.
Sweet Potatoes - If you do not wash them before storing them in a cool dark place, they will last up to 4 months!
Tomatoes - Will last 2-4 weeks if refrigerated, but they tend to lose their flavor over long periods of time.
Zucchini - If you do not wash before storing, they will last 1 week in the fridge.

Fruits 

Apples - When stored in a cool dark place, will last up to 4 months.
Bananas - Will last 5-7 days, but need to be kept at a temperature above 58 degrees to avoid freezer burn. 
Blackberries - Will only last 1 or 2 days and should not be washed until they are ready to be eaten.
Blueberries - Will last a few days when stored in the fridge.
Canteloupe - Will last 7 days when stored at room temperature.
Honey Dew - Will last 7 days when stored at room temperature.
Lemons - Will last for several weeks at room temperature.  Don't store in the fridge because the lemons will absorb the flavors of your fridge!
Limes - Will last for several weeks at room temperature.  Don't store in the fridge because the limes will absorb the flavors of your fridge!
Mangos - Will last 5-7 days when ripened at room temperature in a brown bag and then moved to the fridge. 
Peaches - Will last 5-7 days when ripened at room temperature in a brown bag and then moved to the fridge.
Pears - Will last 5-7 days when ripened at room temperature in a brown bag and then moved to the fridge.
Pineapple - Will ripen in 2-3 days when stored upside down at either room temperature or in the fridge.
Plums - Will last 5-7 days when ripened at room temperature in a brown bag and then moved to the fridge. 
Raspberries - Will only last 1 or 2 days and should not be washed until they are ready to be eaten. 
Strawberries - Will last a few days when stored in the fridge.
Watermelon - Will last 7 days when stored at room temperature.

Get Your Greens...Through a Straw!

Some of us just really hate our greens!  You can taste them no matter how mushed down and pureed they are, and no matter what you mix them with they always are there!  Over the last few years, many drink corporations have tried to trick us into drinking our veggies.  Here is a break down of what is currently on the market! 

V8 introduced their V8 Fusion juices in an effort to help us all get our servings of fruit and veggies daily.  Personally, I can still pick out the flavor of the veggies in these juices, and find the consistency of the juice not to appealing.  A lot of kids (and adults) are not fooled by their trickery!

The V8 Flavors are:
Strawberry Banana contains the juice of 10 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, beets, white grapes, oranges, apples, strawberries, bananas, banana puree.
Tropical Orange contains the juice of 6 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, carrots, yellow tomatoes, white grapes, oranges, pineapple.
Peach Mango contains the juice of 8 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, yellow tomatoes, yellow carrots, carrots, white grapes, oranges, peaches, mango puree.
Pomegranate Blueberry contains the juice of 8 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, purple carrots, tomatoes, carrots, apples, white grapes, pomegranates, blueberries.
Acai Mixed Berry contains the juice of 8 vegetables and fruits: sweet potatoes, purple carrots, carrots, apples, white grapes, açai, blueberries, limes.

Naked Juice is something I discovered at my local convenience store.  I was fighting a cold I just could not get on top of and found their Green Machine juice.  It promised a boost of vitamins, minerals, and all natural goodness.  They got me hook, line, and sinker...but I was beyond pleasantly surprised!  Many people would be put off by the color and the look of the texture of the juice.  My first sip was extremely apprehensive, but I ended up loving it!  The fruit juice is the texture of a smoothie!  They proudly boast how fresh their product is on their label, and proceed to tell you exactly how much fruit is in each bottle (i.e. 2 3/4 apples, 1/2 banana, 1/3 mango, 1/3 kiwi, and a hint of pineapple juice).  I was even more surprised when I read the ingredient list...brace yourselves!  Blue Green Algae, Garlic, Broccoli, Parsley, Wheat Grass, Ginger, Barley Grass, etc.  Yet, all I could taste was the fruit.  I just was not a fan of the protein varieties...very grainy and full of soy and whey...definitely an acquired taste!  All of the juices have no preservatives, added sugar, artificial flavors, or artificial colors. 

Here is a break down of the most easy to find flavors and their ingredients:
Green Machine: apple and pear juice blend, pineapple juice, mango puree, kiwifruit puree, banana puree with powdered spirulina, chlorella, brocolli, green tea extract, spinach, barley grass, wheat grass, blue green algae, echinacea purpurea extract, odorless garlic
Red Machine: apple and pear juice blend, red raspberry puree, banana puree, pear puree, grain flax seed, cranberry juice concentrate, natural strawberry flavor, natural cranberry flavor, dried dulse powder, red grape concentrate, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin B6
Blue Machine: apple and pear juice blend, banana puree, pineapple juice, blueberry puree, soluble dietary fiber, blackberry puree, coconut, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (dl-Alpha Tocopheryl acetate), niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamine), folic acid

The rest of the flavors are:
Berry Blast, Mighty Mango, Power C Machine, Tropical Smoothie, Acai Machine, Berry Veggie Machine, Orange Carrot, Chai Spiced Cider, and O-J.

Similar to the Odawalla's Naked Juice Line are the Bolthouse Farms line.  They produce several lines of beverages.  I stick to the smoothie line, and find that it is just like the Naked Juice.  Bolthouse does add a little extra (preservatives, etc) to their juices, but they usually run a few dollars cheaper than the Naked Juices! 

The smoothie line flavors are:
Strawberry Banana, C-Boost (Orange Mango), Berry Boost, Blue Goodness, Amazing Mango, and Green Goodness.
The juice line flavors are:
Carrot, 50/50 Passion (Fruit and Veggie Blend), 50/50 Berry (Fruit and Veggie), Passion Orange Guava, Pomegranate, and Pear Merlot.
The protein line flavors are:
Chocolate, Mango, Vanilla Chai, Hazelnut Latte, Mocha Cappuccino, and Vanilla Latte.
The Bom Dia flavors are:
Açaí Original, Blueberry, Pomegranate, and Mangosteen.

Most of these juices can be found at your grocery store, Walmart, Target, or convenience stores!  You will need to look for the Bolthouse and Naked Juices in the refrigerated area (usually near the produce).  The fact that they have to be refrigerated and expire quickly, makes me remember that 1.) I need to go through them (aka force myself to drink them...which isn't hard to do at all lol), and 2.) they are really fresh juices!  I will sometimes even have these juices as breakfast if I am in a rush, or as a snack.  They are filling, and chock full-o-vitamins and minerals!

WTF?! What's That Fruit...

Recently, a Brooklyn chain grocery store called Golden Mango opened in my neighborhood.  In a hesitant state, I strayed from my favorite grocery store and produce stand to check out the merch, and I was beyond pleasantly surprised!  They had my attention as soon as I walked in and stumbled upon black truffles...oh, this was gonna be good!  As I strolled aisle upon aisle of produce, I was amazed at the varieties of apples, pears, plums, and melons, not to mention the onions, whole spice roots, potatoes, turnips, and beets.  I quickly gravitated towards two things I had heard of but had never actually tried - Quince and Cactus Fruit!

Quince

My first encounter with quince was actually it being one of three flavors in a candle scent.  Not knowing what quince was, or what it smelled like, I didn't know what to look for in the scent!  When I bought the quince fruit, I was surprised by the overwhelming odor of apple, and it kinda resembled a golden delicious apple...hmmm!

After a little research, I learned that Turkey is the number one producer of quince, and that it grows from a tree similar to apple and pear trees.  Most varieties of quince are considered too hard and sour to eat unless they go through a process of bletting, which means to soften something by frost and decay.  It is also believed by many historians, and supported by some ancient texts, that quince was actually the Forbidden Fruit that Eve ate...not an apple!  Some countries use it as a cough suppressant, add it to their tea, use it as a jelly base (such as marmalade), a fruit to add to stew base, and cooking paste!  Whoda thunk!  Many people suggest adding quince to apple sauce and apple pies in moderation to add a little tartness to the flavor.  When quince is cooked the skin of it will turn from yellow to red.

When I cut into the quince, the color surprised me!  It looked like the brown color that an apple turns when it sits out.  I tried some and didn't think it was nearly as sour as I was expecting.  I do not know if this quince was bletted or not, but I thought the flavor was VERY similar to an apple!  I am definitely looking forward to trying it in some cooking once the cool weather comes!

Cactus Fruit

Ah the prickly pear!  I was first introduced to the prickly pear in the Disney movie adaptation of The Jungle Book.  The skin is a deep purple color with brown pock marks on it.  There was no distinct odor to it when I bought it.  In the Saudi Arabian region, prickly pears come in a yellow and orange variety. 

Prickly pear has to be skinned in order to eat it.  When you cut through you will find a fuschia flesh inside.  The color is intense, and like nothing I have seen before!  It is most commonly used to make candies, jellies, and drinks.  Some research has shown that there may be uses for prickly pears as a treatment for Type II Diabetes, as well as hangovers!  So, the next time you have one too many, hit your local grocery store for some prickly pears!  It also is made into liquor in Mexico, and was used as a dye by the Aztec and Myan people.

When I ate the cactus fruit, I found that the taste was similar to an EXTREMELY mild banana, but had the texture of a very juicy watermelon.  The seeds of the fruit are edible, but very hard!  Prickly pear is great when mixed with yogurt, and is a pleasant and unexpected change to the "normal" and "expected" flavors!  Many suggest adding prickly pears to tequila, vodka, or lemonade, as it compliments them very well!  Who knows, maybe adding prickly pear to your tequila will make for a hangover free morning! 

The Kitchen Tool You Probably Are Not Using

Yesterday, in the sweet potato cupcake recipe, I talked a little bit about a Food Mill.  I want to touch on the amazingness for a little bit here, and hopefully convert a few of you readers into loyal food mill users!

I purchased my food mill last year after Christmas, and it was love at first use!  We were inseparable, and our bond only grew stronger.  It started with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and quickly turned into turnips, sweet potatoes...you get the idea.  I was head over heels in love as soon as I learned that 1.) I don't have to peel ANYTHING to use it, as it keeps the skins and any tough bits of food out of the grated food, and 2.) it separates the seeds from the grated food as well.  No seeding.  No peeling.  WIN! The only downside of the food mill is the cleaning process...you have to take several pieces apart (which come off easily), but you will notice lots of peel and grainy texture stuck to the grate plates and the inner bowl the food is milled in.  I still think it is worth it and am willing to spend a few extra minutes cleaning for better food!

I splurged on the $49.99 Oxo Food Mill at Bed Bath & Beyond.  This particular model comes with 3 different grinding plates - puree (fine), medium, and coarse (grate).  These plates easily change out of the mill.  The mill has extending legs so it will rest on a pot or bowl with up to an 11 inch diameter.  There are definitely less expensive models out there depending on what you want to use it for, or if you don't plan on using it a lot.  Bed Bath & Beyond have models starting at $11.99 and running up to approximately $50.  You can also find food mills at Target, Walmart, and Amazon.com!

So now you may be thinking, "Ok...so you use it to make mash potatoes...whoop dee do", but there really is so much more you can do with it!  Not only can you use it for root veggies (potatoes, turnips, carrots, etc.), it is also great for fruit!  It makes great applesauce, smooth pie fillings, chutney, and jelly bases.  I think a food mill is also wonderful to have around if you have little kids.  A lot of food mill fans I know have babies and toddlers, and use theirs to make baby food, or break food down so it is easier and safer for their baby to eat.  I can't speak personally on that, but I do know that it has been a fantastic way to sneak veggies my 14 year old sister claims to hate into her food.  (Sneaky vitamins MUAHAHAHA)  I also like using the food mill for making pasta sauces and starting fruit for smoothies. 

It has been a fun tool to have in the kitchen, and I will recommend it, even if you only use it to make mash potatoes!  They will be beyond creamy and smooth!

Starting at $11.99, this food mill is great for making baby food, or for people that are only cooking for 1 or 2.

Starting at $29.99, this food mill is a little more sturdy and can take the pressure of cooking for quite a few people.  It also has 2 different grate plate settings. 

Starting at $49.99, this food mill has 3 different grating plates, extension legs, and I can tell you it works from personal experience!