A few days ago, I witnessed a ‘sad’ scene at our local post office. A toddler, tired of waiting in line with his mom, threw a major tantrum because he was bored; he wanted his mom’s iPhone to pass the time. When she couldn’t take the screaming any longer, she acquiesced and pulled the iPhone [...]

Here are some easy tips for picking a flavorful, ripe cantaloupe. Smell : Use your nose – you should be able to smell the sweetness. Weight : Pick it up. A ripe cantaloupe should feel relatively heavy for its size. Stem “button”: Find the green “button” on the top of the melon.  Using your thumb, [...]

Celebrate! Stone fruits such as nectarines are abundant now in grocery stores and farmer’s markets here in Southern California. So what’s the secret to selecting the sweetest nectarines possible? Check out the photo above to remember these tips: 1) Buy nectarines with a deep rich, red color AND most importantly, 2) Buy nectarines that are [...]

Locally-grown fresh asparagus enjoys a short seasonality that starts in May and ends in mid-summer. Once asparagus is harvested and cut, its quality drops. To enjoy the peak flavor from asparagus, it’s best to buy it fresh and to eat it right away. If you do store it, do so for a short period of [...]

Fresh rosemary is a wonderful cooking herb that’s extremely versatile.  Use it to season poultry dishes,  breads and flatbreads, or even grains. Many thanks to Carol, an organic herb farmer, for sharing her tips for how to store fresh rosemary. 1) Bundle a bunch of fresh rosemary together. 2) Wrap the fresh rosemary inside a [...]

Warmer weather means that California’s avocado season has arrived, making March – September the perfect time to add this fruit to salads, entrees, or dips such as the authentic Mexican guacamole recipe found here. Here’s the secret for how to ripen avocados quickly.  Many thanks to Julie, the local California avocado farmer, who shared this [...]

It’s May, and fresh fava beans are making their appearance now in grocery stores and farmer’s markets. This wonderful bean (also known as a broad bean) is a nutrient powerhouse packed with protein, fiber, and many minerals. Cooking fava beans is fun (albeit a bit time-consuming). Tip: If you have kids who will lend a [...]

The pomegranate is an unusual fruit that’s brimming with goodness. A rich source of fiber, antioxidants and Vitamin C, pomegranates are a bit more time consuming to eat, but they’re worth the effort. Look for pomegranates that are deep red in color, heavy for their size, and have an outside skin that’s smooth without cracks [...]