Interesting Trivia: Kiwi fruits are native to China where they have been called “Yang Tao” since ancient times but to the western world they were known as “Chinese gooseberries” until about the 1950’s when the clever marketers in New Zealand re-named them “Kiwi” after their country’s fuzzy New Zealand bird. The new name was given to shift identity away from China and to sound more politically correct to the communist-fearing Americans of that era. Kiwis were introduced into New Zealand in 1906 and by the early 1980’s they had become a successful New Zealand export commodity. California grower’s soon learned that kiwi grew well on the west coast and by the late 1980’s the United States was growing more Kiwi then it imported.
Today Kiwi’s are available year round because the Californian and New Zealand crops support the other’s off-season. Domestic kiwis are in season between November and April and the New Zealand kiwis are in season between March and October.
California grows 98% of the Kiwi’s grown in American and they are grown on less than 300 farms of relatively small size – averaging about 13 acres.
Kiwi’s are nutrient dense and contain more potassium than bananas and more vitamin C than oranges. They contain an enzyme (similar to fresh papaya and pineapples) that will break down protein. Therefore, Kiwis are not well suited for use in desserts that contain gelatin or dairy unless, they are poached first (to inactivate this enzyme), or the dessert they mixed into are intended to be eaten within a few hours. This enzyme however, can be beneficial for tenderizing meat. Simply spread some sliced or chopped Kiwi on the surface of your meat and let it sit for about 30 minutes before grilling. As one of the few harvest fresh fruits available during the winter, Kiwi’s are truly a fruit you will want to enjoy time of the year.

Selection Tip:Kiwi’s are usually sold while still quite hard. They are ready to eat when they are as soft as a ripe peach. Select plump, unwrinkled fruit without bruises and which have a fragrant scent. If they are rock hard, set them out at room temperature for a few days to soften. They will also ripen lowly over several weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

Classic Use Idea: Kiwi’s slices and wedges make a striking addition to fruit salads, cheese platters, beverages and various desserts. Their bright color and clean flavor produce wonderful ices and sorbets and ice creams. Kiwi is often one of the fruits used to garnish the classic crisp meringue and whipped cream dessert called, “Pavlova” in honor of the famous Russian ballerina.

Inspirational Ideas: Make Kiwi Fruit Pizza: Cut out and bake a 8-inch round circle from a sheet of puff pastry dough. Prick the surface many times with a fork and then bake until golden and crisp. Cool and spread the pastry round with mascarpone cheese and top with kiwi slices, and other sliced or chopped fresh fruits. Cut into wedges and enjoy.

Interesting Trivia:{Carambola) is a three to five inch long oval yellow fruit with five lengthwise ribs that when cut into crosswise slices produces delightful five-pointed star shapes. They are a subtropical fruit native to Indonesia and are botanically part of the wood-sorrel family. Carambola prefers to grow in hot humid climates and therefore in America they are cultivated primarily in Florida. They are in season from fall to spring and are at peak in the months of September and January.

Selection Tips:Look for fruits that are firm, juicy and free of brown spots and shriveled ribs. Fruits with narrow ribs will be tart and those with wider ribs are sweeter. If the fruit is green instead of yellow, it is not fully ripe. Simply leave them at room temperature for a few days until they turn yellow and become fragrant. Once they are ripe they can be refrigerated for up to a week. Unlike some other types of fruits, carambola will not oxidize (rust) after they are sliced and exposed to air. They don’t require peeling and they have little to no seeds (which are edible).

Classic Use Ideas: : Star fruit slices add visual interest to any dish they are added to such as skewered preparations, fruit salads, stir fry’s, open face sandwiches, and desserts. Their bright acidity with a hint of sweetness lends well to Indian, Oriental, and Southeast Asian cuisine and dishes.

Inspirational Ideas: Use star fruit to make a new spin on the classic Italian Caprese salad: Shingle slices of star fruit, picked beets, and fresh mozzarella on a platter. Drizzle with a good quality balsamic vinegar and some avocado oil. Sprinkle with chopped avocado, fresh cracked pepper, and sea salt

Interesting Trivia: Kumquats are a native fruit of China. They look like little date-sized (1-2-inch oval or round) oranges. In Chinese the word Kumquat translates as “gold orange”. Kumquats are eaten whole and raw (rind, seeds and all) or they are candied or pickled. They are juicy and sour inside and have a sweet, floral and slightly bitter skin on the outside. Kumquats are in season from fall to spring. Eaten like grapes, they are a fresh delight during the long winter months.
Kumquats should be rinsed and dried before eating whole. And if you slice, halve or quarter them, their pits can be easily removed with the tip of a sharp paring knife. To release their full aroma it is best to blanch kumquats first before using them to make sauces, jams, salads, side dishes or desserts. Blanching kumquats will plump them to their juiciest, and reduces any bitterness in the skin.
Last season’s Kumquat crop (2009/2010) was destroyed in January due to a hard 11 day freeze. This year, (2010/2011) the trees have recovered and despite another unusual hard freeze that occurred in mid-December the crops are doing well. So don’t hesitate to buy and enjoy some of those kumquats that you are now seeing now in your local grocery stores

Selection Tips: Look for fruits that are firm (as opposed to squishy). Kumquats tend to be more perishable then citrus (oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits) because their skin is much thinner. Therefore, it is best to store kumquats in the refrigerator (not in a plastic bag) to avoid their susceptibility to mold when left out at room temperature. They can last in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. But if you plan to use or eat them within a couple of days they will be fine left out at room temperature.
Classic Use Ideas: Kumquats are frequently used to embellish fruit and cheese platters, skewered food presentations and dishes that feature duck. They make excellent jams, jellies, marmalades and preserves. Their petit size makes them a perfect garnish for cocktails and they add a special touch to salads, crown roasts, breads and muffins, desserts and ice creams
Inspirational Ideas: Add blanched chopped kumquats to salsa and serve it over pan-sautéed fish. Add sliced kumquats to the top of pancakes before flipping them over to cook the other side. Serve them kumquat-side up and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup spiked with Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, or Cointreau.

Interesting Trivia: Man has cultivated Apples for at least 3,000 years. In addition, over 7,000 kinds that have been noted by horticulturalist throughout the world over the years. In Roman times, at least 20 distinct varieties are known to have been cultivated. Apples were among the first crops grown in The United States with seeds brought over by the first European colonists. At one time apples were virtually the only fresh fruit that was available during the long winters. They keep for many months when they are stored properly.
Apples grow in the northern hemisphere south of 65 ° N and in the southern hemisphere north of 65 ° F. In order to bear fruit, apple trees require a resting period (cold winter) followed by a spring where their flowers will not be killed by a late frost.
Many types of apples grown throughout America have come and gone out of style for various reasons but the apples that store best under today’s advanced commercial cold storage and shipping methods (such as nitrogen packing) have become the dominant top 12 to 16 varieties that we see most in our American supermarkets today. Among those are Braeburn, Cortland, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Jonathan, McIntosh, Newton Pippin, Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Rome Beauty, Stayman, Winesap, and York Imperial.

Classic Use Ideas: Everyone seems to connect apple pie among the top iconic American symbols. Rome, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Newton Pippin and Rhode Island Greening apples are all great candidates for making apple pie. Who does not enjoy a mug of mulled apple cider on a crisp fall day? Winesap apples are a variety most particularly suited for pressing into fresh apple cider. Try making Apple butter, a New England favorite on brown bread with McIntosh, Northern Spy, Newton Pippin, Jonathan and Cortland apples. And what kid doesn’t smile at the thought of a big juicy caramel or candied apple on a stick? Corland, Gold Delicious, and Cameo apples are all-good for making caramel and candied apples because they resist from browning while exposed to air (oxidation) during consumption. Apple crisp, baked apples and apple dumplings are other classic favorite apple dishes, and which seem to be prevalently prepared during the cooler weather months. Good type apples for these recipes include the Idared, Rome Beauties, Granny Smith, York Imperial, Pink Ladies, and Emipres. And finally just eating a delicious apple out of hand is something hard to resist – just ask Eve! Great snacking apples include Braeburn, Cameo, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Jonagolds, and Pink Lady.
Inspirational Ideas: Apples are adaptable to just about every meal time coarse. At breakfast mix in some chopped apple to your bulk sausage mix, pancake or waffle batter, or oatmeal. Slice them thinly and eat them on toast topped with peanut butter, maple syrup, ricotta cheese or apple butter. For lunch, try tossing some chopped apple with mixed greens, cooked chicken breast, walnuts, dates, celery, carrots and apple cider vinaigrette. For supper, chopped apples are great in chili – yes chili, especially chicken, turkey, or venison chili. Furthermore, apples can be thinly sliced and then slowly dried in the oven to make crispy fruit chips for serving along with a caramel dip or chutney sauce as a snack.