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Globe Artichokes |
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Select compact, heavy, plump
globe; large, clinging, fleshy leaf scales; good
green color. Age or injury produces brown color.
Over mature artichokes are open, centers may be
fuzzy or purple, tips of scales hard and woody.
Flavor will be strong, scales woody. |
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Asparagus |
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Select fresh, tender and firm
with close compact tips. Wilted stalks with
spreading tips indicate long time has elapsed
since cutting. Angular stalks are likely to be
woody. For temporary storage place stem ends
down in jar of water in refrigerator. |
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Lima Beans |
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Pods should be well filled,
bright and dark green, shelled beans should be
plump, tender skinned, greenish white. Avoid
dried, shriveled, spotted, yellow or flabby
pods. Test shelled beans for tenderness. |
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Beets |
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Should be smooth and free from
blemish. Avoid shriveled beets. Beets which have
been left too long in field will have short
necks covered with leaf scars. |
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Broccoli |
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Should be fresh, clean and not
over mature. Select stalks that are tender firm
and heads compact with no evidence of flowering.
Yellowish leaves may indicate woodiness. An
occasional opened blossom does not indicate over
maturity. |
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Brussels Sprouts |
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Select sprouts that are firm and
compact and have a fresh green color. Puffy
sprouts are of poor quality. Worn injury may
cause considerable waste. |
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Cabbage |
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Select reasonably solid head with
all but 3 or 4 wrapper leaves removed and stem
cut close to head. Early cabbage will not be as
firm as winter cabbage. Avoid worm injury,
decay, yellowish of leaves, bursting heads.
Cabbage only slightly affected can be trimmed
and used to advantage. If base of some of outer
leaves have separated from stem, cabbage may be
strong flavored and coarse. |
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Carrots |
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Select firm, fresh, smooth and
well-shaped carrots with good color. Avoid
wilted, shriveled, cracked, excessively forked
carrots. |
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Cauliflower |
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Choose white, clean, firm,
compact heads. Avoid spreading flower clusters. |
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Celery |
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Solid be brittle enough to snap
easily. Avoid pithy, stringy stalks; detect be
pressure. open head to detect rot, insect injury
and seed stem formation. |
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Chard |
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Leaves should be crisp, tender
and free from insect injury. |
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Chayote |
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Varies greatly in size and shape.
Select firm chayote. |
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Chicory, Endive, Escarole |
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Should be crisp, fresh and
tender. Tough coarse-leaved plants may be
bitter. |
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Collards |
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Are similar to kale. Leaves
should be large and curled at edges. |
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Corn |
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Field corn may be as tender as
sweet corn but not as sweet. Sweet corn is
usually smaller, hunks are darker green, ribbon
like ends hang free. Dry, straw-colored husks
are an indication of age or damage. immature
corn lacks flavor. Worm injury confined to tips
can be cut out with little waste |
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Cucumbers |
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Should be firm, fresh, well
shaped and a deep green color. Shriveled,
withered cucumbers are rubbery and bitter. Over
maturity is shown by puffiness, yellowing,
rubbery flesh and hard seeds. These are not
suitable for slicing but are excellent for some
kinds of pickles. |
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Dandelions |
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Select large, tender, fresh green
plants before the plant begins to flower. |
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Dasheens |
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Tubers are small; scars are
natural and are not blemishes. |
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Eggplant |
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Should be heavy, firm, free from
blemish and a uniform dark color. Wilted,
shriveled, soft or flabby eggplants are often
bitter. |
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Fennel |
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Select crisp bulbs and stalks |
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Garlic |
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Should be dry and not soft or
sponge, outer covering unbroken. |
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Kale |
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Should be dark or bluish-green
color, clean and fresh. Avoid wilted or yellow
leaves. |
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Kohlrabi |
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Select small bulbs without woody
tops. |
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Lettuce |
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Head lettuce should be fresh,
crisp, tender, firm, free from decay and should
not have excess covering leaves. Seed stem
(knob-like swelling beyond normal contours)
indicates bitter flavor. Dead or discolored
areas may indicate decay. Wilted outer leaves do
not affect interior. Leaf lettuce should be
crisp. |
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Mushrooms |
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Select firm mushrooms with no
mild or softness. |
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Okra |
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Choose fresh, tender pods that
will snap easily. Dull dry appearance shows
hard, woody, fibrous texture with hard seeds. |
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Dry Onions |
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Should have bright, clean, hard
and well shaped with dry skins. Avoid developed
seed stem or sprouts. Moisture at neck indicates
decay. |
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Green Onions |
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Should have green fresh tops,
well blacked 2 or 4 inches from root. They
should be young, crisp and tender. Wilting and
yellowing of top may indicate age or too long a
period since pulling. |
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Parsley |
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Select bright, green, fresh
parsley free from yellowed leaves. Slightly
willed stock may be revived in ice water or in a
covered container in the refrigerator. |
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Parsnips |
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Select smooth, firm parsnips of
medium size. Soft, flabby roots are pithy and
fibrous. Large roots will have woody cores.
Softness may mean decay. |
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Peas |
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Should be young, fresh, tender
and sweet. Pod should be bright green, slightly
velvety, freshly picked. Flat green pods
indicate immature peas. Swollen pods of poor
color flecked with grey specks indicates an
advanced stage of maturity. Peas will be tough,
flavor poor. Avoid wet and mildewed pods. |
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Peppers |
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Select firm, thick-fleshed,
well-shaped peppers of fresh appearance.
Immature peppers are soft, pliable, thin
fleshed, pale. Avoid shriveled, limp or pliable
peppers or those with surface blemishes. |
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Potatoes |
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Should be sound, smooth, shallow
eyed and reasonably clean. Select size according
to use intended. Avoid leathery, wilted,
discolored potatoes. Green color is sunburn and
gives bitter taste. Hollow heart of blackheart
can be found only by cutting. It is more likely
to be found in very large potatoes. Frozen
potatoes may be wet, have dark rings below
surface and turn black on cooking. If a quantity
is brought, sort into similar sizes to insure
uniform cooking. |
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Rutabagas |
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Often coated, crisp radishes,
mild in flavor. Leaves are not indication of
quality. Avoid pithy, spongy radishes. |
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Salsify (Oyster Plant) |
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Choose smooth firm roots of
medium size. Soft, flabby root will be pithy and
fibrous. Woody cored will be found in large
roots. |
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Spinach |
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Should be well developed stocky
plants with fresh, crisp and clean leaves.
Small, straggly or overgrown, stalk plants are
often tough. Also, avoid seed stems and yellowed
leaves. |
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Squash |
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Summer squash should be fresh,
heavy for size, free from blemish, rind easily
punctured. Winter squash should be heavy, free
from blemish, rind hard. |
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Sweet Potatoes |
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Should be smooth, well shaped and
unblemished. Misshapen, cracked potatoes are
undesirable only because of waste. Decay may be
a soft wet or a dry, shriveled, sunken,
discolored area. Small, dark clay-colored spots
uniting to form large dark blotches are only
skin deep. Damp potatoes may have been badly
frozen. |
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Tomatoes |
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Should be mature, firm, plump,
smooth, good color, and free from blemishes.
Cracked tomatoes must be used at once. |
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Turnips |
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Select smooth, firm turnips with
only a few leaf scars around crown. Tops should
be fresh, green and young. |
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Turnip Tops |
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Be sure they are fresh, clean,
crisp and tender. Examine for plant lice. |
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Zucchini |
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Select small crisp zucchini.
Wilted zucchini will have poor flavor. |
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BACK |
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