Fennel – A Special Treat

December 18, 2009 at 8:38 am (Uncategorized)
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I must have inherited my love of licorice from my father. Throughout my childhood, I could always find a package of his beloved Licorice Allsorts tucked away in a kitchen cupboard or perhaps stashed in my dresser drawer. While I loved the licorice, the “allsorts” part didn’t much appeal to me, so I spent a considerable amount of time picking away the neon-coloured candy coatings to get to the delicious licorice embedded inside.

Whether it was black Nibs, Whips, Sen-Sen breath mints or ice cream, the flavour of licorice always added a kick to sugar treats that I couldn’t resist. Eventually my insatiable candy cravings were curbed by too many encounters with the dentist’s drill, yet I still enjoy the occasional binge on the black stuff.

But there is another way to fill your face with the sweet taste of licorice without the dentist filling your teeth with composite. It’s called Fennel.

Fennel has three distinctive parts, giving it quite a unique appearance. It looks like conjoined onion bulbs sprouting white celery stalks, topped with bright green fronds resembling dill. Now before you go rushing out to find some Fennel, here’s a heads-up. You may discover Fennel seems impossible to find. That’s because quite a number of grocers mislabel the bulb as ‘Anise.’

When choosing Fennel, ensure the bulb and stalks are firm, white and free from cracks and blemishes, and that the green fronds are not dried or wilted.

To prepare, remove the stalks at the base of the bulb and use them as you would celery. The fronds can be chopped and used as a garnish or herb. Last and best, is the flavourful, aromatic bulb. It’s juicy and refreshing, boasting that sweet, tangy taste of licorice. Fennel mixes equally well with meats, chicken and a variety of vegetables. Slice or grate and add to salads and coleslaw. Cut in quarters and grill. Chop and sauté with onions and carrots. I like it best raw, as cooked Fennel tends to lose some of its licorice flavour.

Unlike a bag of Licorice Allsorts, a Fennel bulb has just 35 calories, contains potassium and calcium, and also provides 15% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C. Delicious and healthy… Now that’s a real treat!

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Hairy Melon – Big Hairy Deal!

November 25, 2009 at 6:15 am (Uncategorized)
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As I’m peeling the skin from a Hairy Melon, I realize what a long way I’ve come from my childhood staples of carrots, corn and peas. More importantly, I realize what a long way my kids have come from where I had been at their ages. They eat more variety of vegetables and fruits than I could have dreamed of. Or rather, had nightmares about.

It took quite some time for me to appreciate different tastes, textures and appearances, but by my early 20s, I had become open to venturing beyond the beanstalk.

With my children, it’s a very different story. The more unusual the food, the more likely they are to try it. This past summer, my husband’s overzealous sprinkling of carrot seeds in the garden resulted in a bumper crop of intertwined, gnarled bright, orange roots that the kids would endlessly fight over. “I want the twisty one! I want the creepy one!” So much for those perfectly shaped, pre-washed, plastic-packaged baby carrots that they now refuse to eat.

I also learned that presentation goes a long way. I carve little faces into my son’s red and orange peppers. I scallop the edges of zucchini slices. I stuff little green grapes into large red grapes. In some ways, preparing food is becoming as much of a craft as an art.

But back to my Hairy Melon… Also, known as Mo Qua, Mo Gwa and Fuzzy Melon, I opt for “Hairy Melon” because for some strange reason, that will have the most appeal for my kids. Hairy Melon resembles a zucchini in shape, size and colour. But unlike zucchini, it is adorned with white-coloured specks. But the really good part is that it’s covered with some fine fuzz for the kids to wrap their little fingers around.

While the fuzz is fun for them to feel, I wouldn’t want to eat it, so I always take care to peel the skin, revealing a creamy, white flesh that is firm and spongy like eggplant. Inside the centre are edible seeds, which can be removed if stuffing the Hairy Melon with meat or other vegetables. I hate to say I use Hairy Melon as a “substitute” for eggplant or zucchini, but its delicate flavour lends itself well to the ways in which summer squashes are prepared. Stir-fried stuffed and baked marinated and grilled. Mmmm!

Once Hairy Melon matures, the skin become thicker and loses its fuzz, while the flesh develops a bitter flavour, which is best suited to soups and stews.

When purchasing Hairy Melon, select ones that are heavy for their size, with unblemished skin. Hairy Melon contains Vitamin C and when eaten raw, has just 15 calories a cup.

Now… where can I get my hands on some Ugli Fruit?

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Karela – The Better Bitter

November 18, 2009 at 6:04 am (Uncategorized)
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During one long, hot summer day, I decided to search for a refreshing new food as an alternative to the endless watermelon wedges filling my plate. At the market I noticed a shiny object; an intriguing-looking vegetable called Chinese bitter melon. It looked like a pickling cucumber; but gnarly instead of knobby.

Even the checkout clerk commented on its unusual appearance.

“Hmm, interesting. Never seen one of these before. What is it? How do you cook it? What does it taste like?”

What was more curious was that she couldn’t find its numerical code. As she ran her index finger up and down the produce code list again and again, I diffused my impatience by deciding that this special melon was going to be something worth waiting for. Eventually, with the help of someone from the produce department, the code was cracked and for just 43 cents, I was on my way to discover the delightful tastes of bitter melon.

Back at home, I cleaned the melon and sliced into its crisp, green skin. It smelled wonderfully refreshing. I touched the enchanting circle to my tongue. And that was as close as it got. Next step, the trash can. Now, I’m not quite sure why I was expecting a watermelon-like sweetness from something called ‘bitter’ melon. And while I somewhat like the taste of bitter… dark chocolate, coffee (with a quarter cup of sugar and four Creamos), this bitter bite should contain a warning label.

Indeed, I think the expression, ‘Once bitten twice shy’ originated after someone sunk his teeth into a bitter melon.

Probably three months passed before I spotted another mysterious-looking green orb on the produce shelves. But this was a darker green, with decorative wrinkles etched throughout the skin. As I would soon find out, Karela, as it was labelled, is also known as Indian bitter melon. I think the expression, ‘Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me,’ originated after that same someone sunk his teeth into a bitter melon again.

Between the two types, I prefer the Indian Karela to the Chinese bitter melon. Perhaps I was better prepared the second time, sprinkling the slices with spices and lots of sugar, then sautéing with onions, garlic and bacon to help shed its bitterness.

To be fair, bitter melon is very nutritious, widely enjoyed in Asian cuisine, and used by many cultures as medicine for diabetes, viruses, cancer and skin diseases. And the really good news is you don’t have to eat it to get the benefits. It comes in capsules!

One day I may acquire a taste for bitter melon. I’m not hopeful. But at least I’m not bitter either.

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Chayote – Out of Your Gourd

November 11, 2009 at 6:10 am (Uncategorized)
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If one didn’t know better, one could easily mistake a Chayote (Chy YOH Tee) for a pear having a major meltdown. While it shares the pear’s shape, size and colouring, this Mexican gourd’s skin is fraught with folds of what could be misunderstood for fatigue and worry.

But once you peel back the furrowed, light-green covering, Chayote reveals its crisp, firm flesh.

From its beginnings as a staple food in Aztec and Mayan society, Chayote is a well-seasoned traveler spreading to the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, where its mild flavour becomes infused with the varied spices and tastes unique to those cultures. Eventually Chayote made its way to the United States where it flourishes in the warm climates of California and Florida.

When choosing Chayote, reach for unblemished skins with even colouring – and the smoother the better. Like we humans, the older the Chayote, the more wrinkled and dry the skin becomes. Chayote are high in water content, so make sure the Chayote is firm and heavy for its size to guarantee its moisture is intact.

Young Chayote doesn’t require peeling as the skin is soft and mild. But if you choose to remove the skin, do so under running water to avoid irritation from the resin that releases from the peel. Cut through the squash and you’ll find a solitary, thin seed settled in the centre. Although I’ve never eaten one, the seed is edible when cooked, boasting a nutty flavour.

Chayote lends itself well to many cooking methods and a variety of ingredients. But to keep it simple, this versatile squash can be used in much the same way as a zucchini or potato. Adding to stir-fries enhances its delicate flavour, while retaining its crisp texture. Raw Chayote can be a great substitute for water chestnuts in salads or slaws. And whether baked, sautéed or stuffed, it goes well with pork, seafood, chicken, and a variety of veggies.

The low-cal Chayote is high in Vitamins C and B6 and is a good source of potassium. And the taste? Cool as a cucumber.

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Okra – My Pod

November 7, 2009 at 6:02 am (Uncategorized)
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Seedy and slimy are not my usual favourite qualities in friends or food, but I’ve made an exception for Okra.

A flowering plant in the mallow family (related to cotton and cocoa), Okra produces beautiful green fruit in long, slender, curved pods. Sometimes referred to as lady fingers, Okra is also known as ‘gumbo’ particularly in the southern United States, where it serves as the signature ingredient for the stew of the same name.

While Okra is technically a fruit, it is primarily eaten as a vegetable. Or should I say two vegetables. Cutting into its slightly fuzzy, green skin reveals a cross-section of pale green flesh encircling round, cream-coloured, edible seeds that resemble broad beans in taste and appearance. The flesh, depending on how it’s cooked can be compared to zucchini or eggplant.

And that’s not all. Any way you slice it, Okra exudes a clear, slippery, slime. The more you cut, the slimier it becomes, making Okra an ideal thickening agent for soups and of course, gumbo.

My favourite way to eat Okra is dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, and then fried to a crispy, golden brown. But Okra can also be eaten raw in salads, marinated in vinaigrette, pickled, canned or in stir-fries.

When selecting Okra, choose firm, unblemished pods that are no longer than four inches, as larger pods lack the subtle flavour and delicate tenderness of the young fruit. Okra will keep for several days in the fridge as long as the pods are unwashed and loosely wrapped in paper towels. If the pods become moist, they are likely to leak and become soft and gummy.

Okra is low in calories (about 40 per cup) and is a good source of vitamins B6 and C, fibre, calcium, folic acid and the antioxidant lutein, which is reported to promote healthy vision. So keep an eye out for Okra.

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Yucca – Bark is Worse Than the Bite

October 26, 2009 at 6:36 am (Uncategorized)
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I have food sensitivities – not just lactose intolerance or a curious allergy to cucumbers; I mean I’m queasy about the appearance, texture, and even names of certain foods. By my early 20s, I overcame most of my childhood food aversions, but occasionally some still crop up. Like yucca. It sounds so bad; it has to be good.

Also known as cassava, the yucca root is like a high-starch potato with a waxy, bark coating and white flesh inside. Yucca is a dietary staple, being largely grown and eaten in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Yucca can be used in similar ways to potatoes, and because of its high-starch content is an excellent thickener for sweet and savoury dishes. After simmering for about 20 minutes, yucca can be mashed, then kneaded into a dough. I must admit I was very impressed with the ability to make dough without adding flour, water or any other ingredient.

And despite its name, yucca tastes just fine. It can be sweet or bitter, with the latter being a rare commodity in North America. This is good news as the bitter variety contains trace amounts of cyanide that is harmful if eaten raw in large quantities.

I tried some raw and it tasted sweet, so I had a bit more and I’m not dead yet. In fact, yucca is quite good for you; it’s high in Vitamin C, is a good source of fibre and contains about 120 calories per cup. You, see there is nothing to fear about yucca root.

Except, after further research, I discovered that the starch extracted from yucca is the ingredient of one of my most dreaded childhood foods. Tapioca.

I’ve never tasted tapioca but despised it since I was five. It all started one day when my mother informed me that I had to have my tonsils removed and would be going to the hospital in a couple of weeks for the surgery. This didn’t bother me in the least. I knew all about tonsillectomies from my ‘Little Audrey and Melvin’ comic book. When Little Audrey and Melvin got their tonsils out, they just fell asleep and when they awoke, were treated to unlimited amounts of ice cream. I was actually looking forward to it.

Well, the first night at the hospital wasn’t as pleasant as I had hoped. I had to suffer the indignity of being placed in a crib, as did all patients under the age of seven. After the surgery, my first meal and every meal after, included a small cup of tapioca.

The sight of lumpy, green globs in a little dish looked more like a science experiment than acceptable food for a five-year-old. Where was my ice cream?!

Now, I haven’t yet used yucca to make tapioca, but I’m sure that will come in time. For now, I’m just happy that I’ve conquered my fear of a name and aversion to a texture all in one root.

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Baby Bananas – The Best of the Bunch

October 20, 2009 at 5:45 am (Uncategorized)
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It was about 12 years ago in Rome when I first spotted them at an outdoor produce market. Amidst the vibrant shades of red, purple, green and orange, my gaze centred on the little fruit with bright yellow skin, sparsely flecked with tiny brown dots. Baby bananas! How adorable! What is it about miniatures that is so irresistible? But not only were they cute, they were the sweetest bananas I had ever eaten. Plus, those awful, long stringy things (called phloem bundles) you find on regular bananas were barely noticeable. Along with paprika potato chips and Banoffi Crisp cereal, the baby banana was definitely one of my favourite “food-finds” during my European vacation.

Banana plants (not trees as I had thought) are the world’s largest herb, grown in South America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa. And what we call a “bunch” is actually a “hand,” consisting of 10 to 12 fingers, while bunches are clusters of hands.

Although I wouldn’t mind an excuse to travel afar in search of the baby banana, I’m glad that these days I need not go further than the local grocer to get my mini banana fix. Aside from size, the mini banana has several distinguishing characteristics from our familiar, regular-sized banana; thinner skins, sweeter flesh and more variety.

While the world’s most popular fruit comes in 300 varieties, the large Cavendish is our only choice in most North American markets. It’s not the most flavourful variety, but its ability to proliferate well and withstand the shipping process makes it a mainstay on the shelves. On the other hand, little bananas are available in four varieties. The Chiquita “Mini” is a Pisang Mas variety, while the Dole brand offers “Baby” bananas in Orito, Manzano-Apple and Lady Finger varieties.

They seem thick-skinned, but bananas are very fragile and easily susceptible to spoilage and bruising if not handled with care. Depending on your preference for taste, or how soon you want to use them, bananas can be purchased from green-coloured, to bright yellow, to brown.

Minis, like other bananas, emit ethylene gas, which speeds the ripening process. To delay ripening, remove the bananas from any bags or packaging and separate the fingers. And unless you want them to become grayish, tasteless waste, keep them out of the fridge! At least until they have fully ripened… a perfectly sweet, ripe mini looks like an overripe Cavendish.

While regular bananas are among the cheapest fruit you can buy, compared to Cavendish, the minis can cost quite a bunch, due in part to lower yields driving higher production costs, and the extra care and handling required to preserve their delicate form. But at least my minis get eaten, unlike the last few Cavendish, which inevitably turn brown, then get tucked in the freezer for that banana bread I keep promising to bake.

Like a regular-sized banana, the mini can be used in baking and cooking; just double up on quantity when substituting the babies for the big guys. Baby bananas are also similar in nutrition to their larger cousins, containing potassium, fibre, and vitamins B6 and C.

And while I still search for the elusive paprika potato chip, it’s comforting to know I have a hand of baby bananas within reach.

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Ataulfo Mango – Just in Case

June 6, 2009 at 5:28 am (Uncategorized)
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ataulfo mango
I love this time of year when my beloved mangoes are readily and affordably available by the case.  But if I had one complaint about mangoes, it would be the stringy flesh.  And if I had another complaint, it would be the large pit.  Not that I am complaining, because I would pick a mango over most any other fruit.

But if there were a way to improve on the nearly perfect, the answer would be the Ataulfo.  Also known as a ‘Honey’ or ‘Manila’ mango, the Ataulfo variety is sweeter than your average mango, with non-fibrous flesh and a thin pit. 

While the ‘S’ shaped Ataulfo is smaller in size, its flavour is full and rich.  A ripened Ataulfo boasts a beautiful, bright, golden yellow skin that gives to gentle pressure.  Slight wrinkling of the skin is a good indicator of some juicy sweetness waiting inside. 

To ripen an Ataulfo, keep at room temperature for several days, or place in a plastic bag overnight with an apple or banana to speed up the process.  Once ripened, it can be stored in the fridge for about a week – if you can last that long.

The mango originated in Southeast Asia where it has been grown for over 4,000 years, although most mangoes found in North American markets are imported from Mexico and South America.

While mangoes are definitely delicious, they can also be messy.  I find the best way to prepare when eating fresh is to slice the fruit in half, cutting around the pit in the middle.  Score the inside flesh into cubes and gently invert the skin.  You can either scoop out the cubes with a spoon for adding to fruit salads or delve in and devour as is.

Mango can be used in place of peaches, nectarines or papaya, and added to chutneys, juices, smoothies or poultry dishes.  But mine never seem to make it that far.

With just over 100 calories per fruit, Ataulfo mangoes are a good source of fibre and Vitamins A, C and B6.  As with other mango varieties, they also contain enzymes that aid in digestion.

Now, if I had just one complaint about the Ataulfo mango, it would be that I’ve only seen them sold as singles.  But I’ll keep searching for boxes, just in case.

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Nuts About Lychee

May 27, 2009 at 5:52 am (Uncategorized)
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lychee nut
It wasn’t exactly love at first sight when my sister brought home a plastic bag of small, round, bumpy-encased fruits called lychee. And even after peeling open the reddish-brown shell to discover a translucent-white glossy fruit, I still wasn’t exactly smitten. But at first bite, it was a different story.

Its sweet, juiciness was so unique, I didn’t know what to compare it to. It’s one of those tastes you need to experience and savour for yourself.

Commonly pronounced LEE chee, (although some say LIE chee), this delicious fruit is not a nut, but a member of the soapberry family.

Originating in China close to 2,000 years ago lychee is still most widely grown where it was discovered in the southern provinces of Kwangtung and Fukien. Lychee nut trees are also quite productive in India, the Philippines, and Southern Africa.

It takes at least five years for a seedling tree to bear fruit, with some not producing for 25 years. This I know first-hand, as my husband has been painstakingly caring for a lychee plant he started nearly 10 years ago. The little plant has occupied the windowsill, sprouting six green leaves, with not a sign of any fruit to come.

In proper, tropical growing conditions, a five-year-old tree, depending on where it’s grown, can produce 500 to 1,000 fruits, while a 20-year-old tree can proliferate ten times that amount. Wow, I would be happy with just one little lychee to make my husband’s efforts seem worthwhile.

So for now, we’re stuck picking them from the grocery store. When selecting lychees, choose fruits with dark-red to brown coloured skins, preferably with the stem attached, and avoiding those with blemishes, black spots and splits in the skin.

The lychee nut does not ripen after being picked, so they will be ready to eat upon purchase. To prepare, simply snap off the stem and peel. I love lychees best on their own, but they can also be pitted and added to fruit salad, or stuffed with chopped fruit or other sweet fillings. Lychee fruit also makes a refreshing sorbet or sherbet.

If fresh lychee isn’t in season, it is available canned in syrup, pickled, jellied or in preserves.

Lychee nut keeps well for a week or so in the refrigerator and can also be frozen with the skin on. When thawed, the fruit quickly discolours, so should be consumed as soon as possible.

Potassium-rich lychees contain just 125 calories per cup, more Vitamin C than a comparable serving of oranges or lemons, and the fibre of an unpeeled apple.

Even though it’s not a nut, there’s no reason to not go nuts over lychees.

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I Heart Artichokes

May 20, 2009 at 6:01 am (Uncategorized)
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If ever there were a vegetable so full of intrigue, it could be the centrepiece of a steamy romance, a potboiler and a hotbed of controversy, the globe artichoke would take the prize.

With its ties to mafia, royalty, celebrities and even the gods, the artichoke has been called a monstrosity, rhapsodized in poetry by Pablo Neruda, and was once a food forbidden to women.

In Greek mythology, Zeus was so smitten by a beautiful mortal named Cynara, he made her a goddess so she could reside close to him on Mount Olympus. But when he discovered the homesick girl had briefly returned home to visit her mother, the spurned god threw her back to Earth, transforming her into an artichoke.

He must have aimed close to Sicily, as that is where globe artichokes are believed to have originated. The globe artichoke is simply an edible flower bud of a thistle plant from the sunflower family. With its outer scales, known as bracts, it looks cumbersome, almost dangerous to eat. But that’s not why 16th century women were outlawed from enjoying this delectable vegetable. Artichokes were believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac and considered indecent for a woman to enjoy.

How ironic, when centuries later and a continent apart, a beautiful young woman named Norma Jean Baker, who blossomed into sex symbol Marilyn Monroe, was crowned the first “Artichoke Queen” in 1948 at Castroville’s annual artichoke festival, which the small California community holds each May to celebrate the crop.

In 2006, American Idol’s William “She Bangs” Hung took the festival’s title of “Artichoke King.” Not to be confused with 1920s gangster Ciro Terranova, also known as “The Artichoke King” who monopolized the production and sale of artichokes, prompting New York City mayor Fiorelli La Guardia to temporarily ban the sale and display of artichokes in the city. In 1959, the classic TV series, “The Untouchables” based an episode on Terranova, entitled “The Artichoke King.”

With all of this rich back-story, one can’t help but be intrigued by the vegetable that generates such controversy. If all you’ve experienced of artichokes is marinated hearts, maybe it’s time for the rest of the story.

Although there are about 140 varieties of artichokes, the most common in North America are the green globes grown in California. The plants produce small, medium, and large sizes with the largest growing from the top of the plant and smallest at the bottom. And when it comes to taste and texture, the smaller the better.

When purchasing artichokes, choose globes that are dark green, heavy for their size, with tight bracts. Fresh artichokes can be placed in a plastic bag or dampened paper towels, then refrigerated for up to five days.

Wash thoroughly under running water, then turn upside down to shake out excess water. Slice an inch off the tip and cut all but one inch of the stem. Next, remove the layer of leaves at the base of the artichoke and trim the tops of the bracts with scissors to remove the thistles.

Artichokes oxidize quite rapidly, so either cook immediately or place in lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Use a large stainless steel pot to preserve the artichokes’ vibrant green colour. Boil or steam in salted water, with lemon slices and a bay leaf for 25 – 45 minutes depending on the size of the artichoke.

Once drained, remove each leaf one at a time and dip in lemon butter, hollandaise sauce or your favourite vinaigrette and pull the fleshy rounded section through your teeth.

A medium artichoke without the dips and sauces contains about 60 calories and is high in fibre, vitamin C, folate and magnesium.

Eating an artichoke can be a lengthy, yet satisfying experience. And once you have eaten all the leaves and scooped out the inedible choke (a cluster of hair-like strands) you will have reached what many consider to be the best part – the heart.

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