Blood Orange

Don’t be alarmed by this fruit’s blood red interior. The taste is excellent — think orange with a tart hint of berry. Blood Oranges are native to the Mediterranean.

Bosc Pear

The elegant Bosc pear is distinguished by its dark gold skin and cinnamon russeting. These pear's ancestors hail from Belgium and so speak Walloon. To check for ripeness, first greet your pear "Diè wåde, comint vos dalez?". Then gently press the stem end, a slight yield means it's ripe. Slice or eat in the hand and bid "Arvèy."

Granny Smith Apple

A firm and crisp green apple. When you think of the traditional tart apple, Granny Smith is it. Refreshing and a wonderful complement to cheese.

D’Anjou Pear

Wobbly but won't fall down. These lovely green (or poire verte) D'Anjou Pears have their roots in Angers, France. You can tell when it is ready by squeezing it delicately. Pears ripen from the inside out so if it gives to your touch, it is ready.

Cara Cara Orange

What looks like a regular orange on the outside may be a Cara Cara once peeled. This normal-looking Californian orange has a pink flesh inside and a refreshing taste that is orange, but with something more.

Hayward Kiwi

What fruit has the vitamin C of an orange, the potassium of half a banana, and the fiber of a half-cup of bran flakes? Hint: It's furry. Answer: Kiwi. Enjoy kiwis by peeling or simply cut latitudinally and scoop out green (or yellow) flesh with a spoon.

Braeburn Apple

Braeburn apples are cris-p! A sweet and tart apple with yellow flesh and an orange to red skin so thin it melts in your mouth.

Sweet White Onion

Sweet onions are sweet because their variety is grown in low sulphur soil. The sulphur is what makes your eyes sting. Sweet onion varieties are usually attached to the place where they are grown, like Vidalia Georgia, Maui, Walla Walla Washington and Yolo County California.

Radish

Radishes grow in all four seasons, in a rainbow of colors and an assortment of shapes. This root is almost always eaten raw, as in spicy radish roses garnishing crudités. Grated or diced, radishes add zip to anything. Or try them braised in butter and thyme - the green tops can be cooked too.

Buttercream Potato

The Buttercream is fluffy with golden skin, yellow flesh and a smooth, buttery flavor. This is a small new potato.

Storage: Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place, not the refrigerator. If they are organic, they have not been treated with any sprout retardants.

Preparation: Boil in skins, cool, and use in salads or glaze them in butter with a sprinkling of chopped parsley. Also excellent quartered and roasted with skins on with olive oil, garlic, a dash of salt, and herbs, such as rosemary.

Spinach

Does spinach make you super-duper-strong and your arm mus-kles go "Boing!" like Popeye's? Maybe not, but with 181% daily value of Vitamin K and 56% of daily value of Vitamin A, it is a super food that is sure to make the Sweet Peas in your life go "ga-ga."

Preparation: These tender leaves should ideally be steamed to retain the most nutrients possible. If you boil them, do so no longer than two minutes. To retain color, cook with the lid off. Fresh-cooked spinach reduces down to one-quarter of its volume. To wilt spinach, simply toss washed-and-still-wet leaves into a pan, and heat and shake for a moment ‘til done. Try a sauté by heating a tablespoon of olive oil and stock, adding a little chopped onion and garlic, then tossing in the spinach. Oh, Olive! Baby spinach is ideal for salads, but larger leaves may also be used in hearty salads with a complimentary protein such as eggs, bacon, or tuna.

Storage: Don’t wash spinach before storing as the exposure to water encourages spoilage. Place spinach in a plastic storage bag and gently wrap the bag around the spinach, squeezing out as much of the air as possible. Place in crisper drawer of fridge for up to 5 days.

Green Butter Lettuce

Lettuce likes it cool, and masterful farmers are able to grow successive crops in the shade in summer and in frost-free zones in winter. Butter and its brothers Boston and Bibb are sweet-tasting, loose-head varieties.

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