Latest news with #produce
Washington Post
4 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Strawberry shortcake is an ode to peak-season fruit and tender biscuits
While some people mark the start of spring once they spot the first asparagus of the season at the farmers market, for me that moment arrives when I spy strawberries. Plump and glistening, the berries have an aroma that's like a siren song: I'm powerless against it. I buy as many strawberries as I can carry, bringing containers to gently spread out the fruit in a single layer so as not to crush a single berry. I stack these containers in my market tote, then I haul them home, where they are devoured almost immediately.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Watermelon Cutting Mistake That Could Make You Sick
When watermelon season finally comes around it's always exciting to see these green-striped beauties waiting to be picked up from the grocery stores or farms. However, once you pick out the best watermelon, the last thing you want to do is slice into it before giving it a thorough wash. This rule applies to any type of produce whether we're eating the rind or not. The reason behind this is that produce, from the moment it starts growing to the time it reaches our homes, can be exposed to various bacteria beyond human handling. Cutting through the rind of an unwashed watermelon allows the germs on the outside to travel inside the flesh, which we then eat raw. While germs are inevitable, produce that grows close to the ground like watermelon is particularly susceptible to encountering bacterial pathogens that can lead to foodborne illnesses. In some cases, these can even be life-threatening. Harmful pathogens originate from various sources of contamination: animal feces, water runoff during precipitation events, and soil leaching into groundwater. Over the past decade, salmonella, E. coli, and listeria have been the most common bacterial pathogens linked to foodborne illnesses from fresh produce. These pathogens were also recently found in potato recalls that affected millions of people, and there was a significant recall of both pre-sliced and whole cantaloupe in 2023. Read more: 7 Costco Meats You Should Buy And 5 You Should Avoid Ingesting any of these foodborne illnesses could make anyone sick, but it is more dangerous for certain populations such as infants, young children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those with pre-existing illnesses or immunocompromising conditions. Different foodborne illnesses can cause varying symptoms, but flu-like symptoms are typically the most common. However, the risk of contracting foodborne illnesses, especially from melon, can be significantly reduced by thoroughly washing the fruit before cutting and eating. First, ensure your hands are washed after touching the melon. Next, fill a spray bottle with an antibacterial solution of water and distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a four-to-one ratio (four cups of water for every one cup of vinegar). Spray the entire outside surface of the melon and then scrub it with a very clean produce brush. Finally, rinse the melon thoroughly and dry it with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure any surface the watermelon touched has been thoroughly disinfected, especially if you intend to slice on it. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
Bloomberg
22-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Stew Leonard on Why Salmon and Egg Prices Are Falling
Grocery stores across the country are having to wrestle with the impact of President Trump's tariffs. Stew Leonard Jr, the CEO of Connecticut-based supermarket Stew Leonard's - says his local farmers are jumping with joy right now. He joined Bloomberg Open Interest with the latest from the produce aisle. (Source: Bloomberg)
CTV News
21-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘The prices are pretty high': Maritime shoppers, store owners cope with cost of food
Produce is pictured at Rinzler's on Mountain Road in Moncton, N.B., on May 21, 2025. (CTV Atlantic/Derek Haggett)
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
For a better smoothie, turn on the oven
I'm in a season of life where I no longer make health resolutions focused on subtraction. No more cutting carbs, no more vilifying sugar. Instead, I'm leaning toward abundance: more vegetables, more water, more sleep, more walking just to feel the air on my face. More of the things that make my body feel like it's on my side. But abundance, I've learned, requires planning. These days, my refrigerator resembles a kind of produce altar: deli tubs filled with chopped vegetables for dipping, and trays of roasted eggplant, red pepper and onion — silky with olive oil, oregano and salt — ready to be layered onto sandwiches or folded into scrambled eggs. Fruit, though, remained a blind spot. I'm not someone who eats an apple on the way out the door. Bananas are often left to languish in tote bags; berries go soft in their cartons. So I began roasting it. On Sunday afternoons, I scatter halved strawberries or blueberries across a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle them with honey or maple syrup, and roast them until their edges bubble and the whole kitchen smells like jam. Stored in small containers, they're ideal spooned over yogurt or swirled into oatmeal. And then, one morning, I added a scoop to a smoothie — and something shifted. It began with peaches. Early ones: still slightly firm, with just enough fragrance to hint at what they might become. I halved them, added a splash of vanilla, a drizzle of honey, a pinch of sea salt, and roasted them until their edges browned and the juices pooled in syrupy puddles. The next day, I blended a few roasted halves with frozen banana, coconut milk and more cinnamon than seemed strictly necessary. The result didn't taste like breakfast. It tasted like something you might find in a glass bottle at a café where the music is low, the lighting flattering, and the smoothie menu handwritten in cursive. But there I was—barefoot in the kitchen, drinking it from a plastic blender cup, my dog looking on with mild suspicion. I drank that peach-and-coconut milk smoothie nearly every day for two weeks, surprised each morning to find myself willing — eager, even — to dirty the blender again. That kind of enthusiasm is rare in weekday routines, and it made me curious. If roasted peaches could do this, what else might transform with a little heat? From there, I started experimenting: berries, stone fruit, apple slices blanketed in cinnamon and clove. I discovered, over time, that most fruits benefit from the same treatment I give my vegetables — roasted until their flavors concentrate and their textures soften into something spoonable, or blendable or snackable straight from the tray. Eventually, a loose formula emerged. On weekends, I set aside a little time for a fruit roast: a simple, satisfying act of care that requires little more than a sheet pan and a hot oven. I toss fruit with a neutral oil; coconut and avocado are my go-tos, though I've found that olive oil does lovely, surprising things to blackberries. I add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, a drizzle of sweetener (maple syrup, honey, agave, even brown sugar), and whatever warm spices I have on hand. Cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger — all are welcome here. There's no need to measure, really. This is more about instinct and scent, about creating a tray of fruit that looks like it could be the filling for a pie or the topping for a tart, but will instead be tucked away in deli containers and folded into the fabric of the week. For something that tastes like vacation in a glass, roast sliced peaches in melted coconut oil, a drizzle of honey, a generous dusting of cinnamon and a whisper of flaky sea salt. Store them in a container in the fridge. When you're ready to blend, combine a few roasted slices with canned coconut cream, a spoonful of whole-milk yogurt (or coconut yogurt, if you want to double down), frozen banana, and more cinnamon. It's creamy, fragrant, and just decadent enough to feel like you're getting away with something. Toss blueberries with a little avocado oil and maple syrup, then roast until they collapse into dark, jammy puddles. Once cool, store in the fridge until smoothie time. Blend with frozen banana, a handful of frozen blueberries, a chunk of fresh or frozen ginger (those little ginger cubes from Trader Joe's work beautifully), almond milk, and a tablespoon or two of tahini. The result is earthy, zingy, and unexpectedly luxurious. Slice apples and roast them with avocado oil, brown sugar, and enough baking spices to make your kitchen smell like fall—cinnamon, cardamom, clove and ginger are all fair game. When you're ready for breakfast, blend the roasted apples with a scoop of rolled oats, a spoonful of yogurt, a pour of almond milk, and more cinnamon. It's like apple pie in smoothie form, but with enough fiber to feel vaguely virtuous. I'm not saying roasted fruit will change your life. But it might get you to eat breakfast three days in a row. It might make your fridge smell like jam. And it might turn your Tuesday smoothie into something that feels just a little more worth waking up for.
