Raisins

Raisins are dried grapes, but not just any grapes. Sultana or Thompson Seedless make up some of the best California sun dried raisins.

Meyer Lemon

Meyers are the darlings of the citrus world, and are highly prized among chefs and bakers. This lemon-mandarin cross has thin skin and heavenly lemon essence.

Gala Apple

Sweet and mild. Somewhat thin skinned. Striped. Originated in New Zealand from momma Golden Delicious and poppa Orange Delicious.

Navel Orange

An orange with an Innie. Navels are aptly named. Native to Brazil they've been cultivated in Riverside CA since the dawn of the citrus boom in the 1870s. Easy to peel and breaks into sections superbly, this orange is practically seedless.

Orlando Tangelo

Tangelos are mandarin/grapefruit hybrids. Orlandos are like a short trip to Disney World - as thrilling as Space Mountain and as sweet as Cinderella.

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".

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.

Ruby Grapefruit

Bright with wake-up colors and taste, red grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, lycopene, potassium, and fiber.  Read your medication labels, though - grapefruit can interfere with the enzymes that break down various drugs in the digestive system - including certain calcium channel blockers and cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Jazz Apple

B.B. King says, “Jazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guy’s playing blues like we play, he’s in high school. When he starts playing jazz it’s like going on to college, to a school of higher learning.” And the Jazz Apple is a highly-educated apple. Hybridized with great prospects, from Braeburn and Gala parentage, this apple of New Zealand origin gets straight A-s for sweetness and texture.

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.

Fuji Apple

Bred in Japan in the 1930s, the Fuji was grafted from Virginian apple royalty Rawls Jennet and Iowa’s Red Delicious. Extremely popular in Japan and the USA. About the size of a baseball (yakyuu no booru), this apple is sweet and delicious.

Chicory Head

Native to Italy, Radicchio is part of the strong and spicy chicory family. Varieties vary from a flourish of freckled loose leaves to compact deep maroon bundles. Bitter when raw, it is transformed when cooked.

Artichoke

A flower in what Pablo Neruda describes as “battle-dress”. Steam till leaves loosen and dip the petals in butter with a spritz of lemon. Exquisita!

Shallot

Handy when you don't need a whole large onion. When sautéed, the sugars in shallots caramelize making them sweeter than onions. They also contain more flavonoids and phenols. In Persian cuisine, shallots are crushed and mixed with yoghurt for a kebab sauce.

Delicata Squash

In small boxes only this week. Falling in between the seasons, it has both the soft characteristics of summer and the sweet taste of winter breeds. Delicata (delicate in Italian) is an heirloom variety also known as Bohemian squash.

Parsley

Parsley is the herb that refreshes. It is abundant in chlorophyll, which provides its well-known breath freshening power. Parsley is chocked full of essential vitamins - just 2 tablespoons provide 10 mg of Vitamin C. Flat (aka Italian) and curly leaf are parsley varieties.

Rapini

Rapini is also known as Broccoletti and Broccoli Rabe. This cabbage relative is pungent and full of complex flavor. A staple in Southern Italian and Chinese cuisine, it makes a quick nutritious meal atop some penne, gemelli, or lo mein pasta.

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