Eat This Now—Tuesday 01/19/10
2010
Best if Used By 01/25/10
Eat This Now for Tuesday January 19, 2010 features: Blueberries, Honey Dew, Cantaloupe, Organic Romaine Hearts, and Organic Baby Greens.
1. Blueberries
Got winter blues? Good for you! I’m referring, of course, to Winter Blueberries. It’s actually summertime down in Chile; and in spite of a crop that is falling short of original pre-season estimates, now through mid-February looks to be an excellent time to enjoy some fresh Blueberries. For the first time, most Chilean blueberry growers will be packing much of their fruit during the peak of the season in full pint clamshells. Yes! – you’ll get enough fruit for more than just one bowl of cereal. Look for full pints this week for around $4 to $6. Some stores may continue to sell the smaller 6oz containers to keep a lower price point, some may carry both sizes. Either way, fresh Blueberries are worth a taste. Berry size has been large on the lots I’ve seen this week and flavor has been delicious (6oz Organic Blueberries tasted phenomenal). All of the other kinds of berries are really expensive right now so grab a couple packs of Blueberries this week – yummy and healthy, what a combo!
If you need any more convincing on the dynamite health attributes of Blueberries, or if you dig finding cool new recipes – visit http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/about-winter.php. Check out their Winter Blueberry video while you’re there to see how berries are picked and packed.
2. Honeydew
“Honeydew, That’s the money melon” – though this week you should not have to spend a ton of money to buy one. There are plenty of good honeydew loads arriving from Central America right now and shippers are moving them at a discount. It is typically harder to find a good ‘n sweet Honeydew in the dead of winter, but you’re chances are much better this week. Select a melon with creamy skin color and expect a tropical aroma when they’re ripe for cutting. If you don’t like what you see on the shelf – skip it, but hopefully you’ll find a nice Honeydew and it will cost you less than $3.
3. Cantaloupe
There have been some decent Cantaloupes from Guatemala and Honduras the past several weeks, but the samples I just tasted from two loads of Costa Rican fruit were exceptional for winter off-shore lopes. The skin has a green cast and the flesh is firm, so it may surprise you how sweet the cantaloupe actually tastes. Now, don’t go expecting local summertime quality, because you won’t get it. Still, tons of stores across the US are advertising XL and Jumbo Cantaloupes this week, so it’s a good buy – and probably a particularly satisfying one if you find Costa Rican fruit.
4. Organic Romaine Hearts
A large organic vegetable grower in California had extra production last week on Organic Romaine Hearts, which may translate into an in-store special where you shop for produce. The heart size is running on the small side, but after a stretch of high prices it’s nice to see some deals on fresh, crisp and juicy Organic Romaine Hearts.
5. Organic Baby Greens
Since I’m sure you’re sticking to your Resolutions, you’re probably eating lots of salads, right? Well, even if you’re not, this is a great week to buy a container or bag or three of Organic Baby Greens (basically spring mix). Tender in texture, bold and nutty in flavor, Baby Greens can be the start of all kinds of exciting salads. I am not a scientist, just a Produce Geek with a Netbook, but it’s easy to imagine that baby lettuces are something that would soak up pesticides. Go organic this week with Organic Baby Greens – hey, they might on sale too.
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