Spinach How to choose fennel?Look for fennel with fresh-looking greens on long branches. And remember, passion fruit will continue to ripen if left at room temperature. How to choose lima beans?Though shucking beans takes some time, the pods are really the best indicator of freshness. Artichokes Iowa Department of … Connoisseurs may argue that the peach flavor is a little more musky, while nectarines are slightly more lemony.Peaches recipes »Nectarines recipes », When are peaches and nectarines in season?July — September. Figs Broccoli. Onion, Green Turnips. How to store apples?Apples should be stored as cold as possible. Still, is there anything sweeter than that first bite of corn on the cob?Corn recipes ». Beets Valencia Peak Season: April to June Characteristics: First grown in California, the world’s most common orange variety is juicy and richly hued. Passion Fruit How to store eggplant?You can leave eggplants at room temperature for a day or two with no ill effects. Before refrigeration, these squash with their hard shells were among the few vegetables that could be stored through the cold months.Squash recipes », When is winter squash in season?September — December. Dates, Medjool Even better: Freeze them in a tightly sealed bag and they’ll last for up to a year. Even the best varieties from the best farmers can be off if the plant is putting its energy into producing foliage rather than fruit. Grapes Watch out for fruit with soft spots or fruit that’s been harvested haphazardly -- no holes where the stem was plucked. Raspberries Guava, Pineapple Peppers How to choose cauliflower?Cauliflower heads should be firm and tightly closed. Extra tipsTo prepare tomatillos for serving, remove the husk and rinse off any sticky residue. If the grapes are moist when you buy them, slip a paper towel into the bag to absorb the extra moisture. Sapote Avocados And a little bit of ham or bacon will never hurt. Extra tipsUnlike other vegetables, the color of cauliflower lasts through cooking, particularly if you add a little acidity, either vinegar or lemon juice. Citrus: Oranges Broccoli SNAP-Ed. Kids love "orange smiles"; simply cut the orange in half crosswise, then cut three or four wedges from each half. Extra tipsUse thin asparagus as an ingredient in pastas and risottos. But usually, you’re better off buying avocados that are quite firm, even hard, and ripening them at home. A perforated plastic bag works best, as it allows some of the moisture to escape while keeping the apples crisp. Carrots Valencias are summer season oranges that are typically available from March thru September and are the perfect orange for juicing because of their full, balanced and bursting sweet-tart flavor, succulent flesh and bright-colored pulps and juice. How to store winter squash?Keep winter squash in a cool, dark place. How to store artichokes?Artichokes are hardy enough to last at cool room temperature for a couple of days. Corn Citrus: Tangelos/Tangerines  Peaches How to store root vegetables?Refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Pearson Ranch grows, packs and ships the very best California Navel Oranges and California Valencia Oranges, and Specialty Citrus, in the world. Extra tipsOne of the easiest things to do with soft herbs is make a pureed sauce, like pesto. and those whose rinds are baby-smooth (such as honeydew). Keep in mind that every year is different, and individual varieties have different harvest times. Chilling kills tomato flavor and it won’t come back. Acorn-shaped Hachiya-type persimmons need to be softened before eating; Fuyus, shaped like slightly flattened apples, can be eaten crisp.Persimmons recipes », When are persimmons in season?September — November. Kale Only about 10% are exported to other countries and 90% used domestically. Lemonade, Key lime pie, Mandarin salad all sound fresh after a long winter of dried mutton and mushy barley. >SFMA They have a sweet, subtle flavor that’s somewhere between the earthy complexity of dried and the green, vegetal taste of fresh. Broccoli Artichokes Beets (As the fennel sits, the greens wilt and grocery managers trim them.) There are more than 100 varieties of zucchini grown today, ranging in color from gray-green to almost black and in shape from long and thin as a hot dog to bulbous (and that’s not including the round zucchinis, which are technically summer pumpkins).Zucchini recipes », When is zucchini in season?July — September. Then they can be refrigerated for as long as a couple of weeks. But you can find grapes with real flavor at farmers markets.Grapes recipes ». Truly new potatoes are those that have been freshly dug and brought to market without curing. Kohlrabi Cucumber Whether they’re the pale gold varieties or the dark orange ones that are mistakenly called yams, sweet potatoes are one of the most traditional highlights of the table at this time of year. Childhood trauma from eating canned lima beans? SNAP-Ed. Extra tipsGreen garlic is simply immature garlic. Asian pear varieties can differ quite remarkably. Also check the stems, they should be green and flexible; they turn brown and woody in storage. Lettuce Eggplant It’s one big family, and to be more specific, a great company in California by the name Sun Pacific. How do you know winter is finally closing out and spring is coming? Cauliflower Don’t worry too much about the color of the rind: that can vary from completely red to reddish-brown without it affecting the quality. Sun Pacific began back in 1969 with the purchase of 72 acres of oranges in Exeter, California. Raspberries They should be firm and free of nicks and cuts. Satsuma mandarins for example, ripen early in the mandarin season and Clementine mandarins ripen late in the season. Extra tipsBesides the familiar “tree” broccoli, also look for broccolini (sometimes called “baby broccoli”), broccoli rabe and Chinese broccoli (gai lan). However, it was not until the turn of the 20th century, when superior cultivars were introduced, that the California industry was born. Teach About Oranges. Extra tipsMost cucumbers don’t need to be peeled, but if the skin feels particularly thick, or if they’ve been waxed, then you should. How to choose mixed berries?Look for berries that are vibrantly colored, taut and shiny. Citrus: Kumquats, Asparagus Turnips. Cabbage How to choose kale?Kale is remarkably durable, which is why it has become such a popular wintertime garnish. Strawberries Sapote And they’re more than just ornamental: well-grown carrots are among the sweetest of the root vegetables.Carrots recipes », When are carrots in season?February — June. They shouldn’t bend at all but should snap. It’s unbelievably tedious, so it’s always a good idea to enlist a friend to help. Squash, Winter Celery Okra When the fruit ripens on the tree, it turns a bright orange color, as usual. How to store tomatillos?You can keep tomatillos with their husks wrapped in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Parsley is a little hardier, but you still don’t want to push it too far. Broccoli Nectarines, Tomatoes Spinach Chard Raspberries are purchasing quality produce from certified local growers Plums Other orange varieties such as blood oranges and Cara Cara usually start popping up sometime around Christmas. Give them a squeeze to make sure there’s no hollow or soft center. Kohlrabi How to choose figs?Figs are quite fragile, and because they don’t continue ripening after harvest, choosing them is a balancing act. There shouldn’t be any whiff of fermentation. Kale You may need to double-bag in order to cover the fronds. Peaches Dull or wrinkled skin can be a sign that berries are over the hill. How to store English peas?Refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. It’s one big family, and to be more specific, a great company in California by the name Sun Pacific. Once the province of gardeners only, even modest supermarkets now stock rosemary, thyme and oregano. When you purchase fruits and vegetables, several factors affect their taste and price, among the more important ones is the peak season for the particular produce you choose. Extra tipsToast nuts before cooking them. There is nothing at the farmers market that sums up the late summer-early fall season like the mounds of brightly colored peppers that seem to be everywhere. Spinach Harvest of the Month: Oranges (PDF, 2.4MB). Extra tipsSplit a plum along the cleft that runs from stem to flower end and the seed will pop right out. Corn How to choose pomegranates?Select pomegranates that are heavy for their size — they’ll be the juiciest. of Values, >SFMA Mustard Other than that, the main difference among the varieties is texture. Broccoli Valencias can regreen during the hot weather of summer, so don’t be fooled by bad looks. Extra tipsTo peel peppers, place them whole on the grill, turning as the skin begins to blacken. The largest and latest of the citrus fruits, grapefruit need some heat to sweeten up. How to choose mushrooms?Mushrooms — whether wild or domestic — should be moist but not wet. And though the chemical compound itself has no flavor, there is a shared berry taste between blood oranges and raspberries.Blood orange recipes », When are blood oranges in season?February — March. Plums Peppers Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more from critics Bill Addison and Patricia Escárcega. Squash, Summer The Valencia orange is a late-season fruit, and therefore a popular variety when navel oranges are out of season. How to choose radishes?Check the tops first; they should be bright green and not at all wilted. They’re the bridge between winter’s citrus and summer’s stone fruit.Strawberries recipes », When are strawberries in season?March — May. Potatoes How to choose English peas?Look for pods that are firm and crisp. It’s definitely an ingredient that deserves a wider audience.Tomatillos recipes », When are tomatillos in season?February — April and August — October. Mustard Extra tipsMelons are extremely sweet, so try pairing them with salty ingredients, such as thinly sliced prosciutto or country ham, or with blue cheese. Asparagus How to choose specialty lettuce?Crisp is everything when it comes to choosing types of lettuce, which begin wilting as soon as they’re picked and this is especially critical with some of the softer varieties. Cara Cara oranges offer the most vitamin C of the Sunkist citrus varieties, with 100% of the recommended daily intake in just one orange. Carrots Much longer than that and they can start to develop soft spots and pitting. How to store cherries?Refrigerate cherries in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Cabbage Spinach Passion Fruit Worldwide, Valencia oranges are prized as the only variety of orange in season during summer. Onion, dry Savings Weekly Ad; Digital Coupons ... A single California Navel orange provides more than 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, and is also an excellent source of … Beans, Green Beets How to choose shelling beans?Look for pods that have begun to shrivel and dry, with full-sized beans inside. Bake sweet potatoes, then peel and puree in a food processor with butter and a little orange juice. Cabbage Avoid roots that have lots of hairy secondary roots. While the quality of supermarket tomatoes has improved, the farmers market is still the only place you can hope to find fruit with anything approaching true backyard flavor.Tomatoes recipes », When are tomatoes in season?July — October. Cooks tend to regard nuts as staples, like flour or butter. Every market does not carry every kind of produce in season, but may Not only are beets physically beautiful — they have a deep, rich saturated red color that shines like nothing else — but they are also a wonderful combination of sweet and earthy. Get California Oranges Delivered Every Month! The best clue is color — it should be rich and creamy. Extra tipsRender some bacon or prosciutto, soften shallots, add the lima beans and cream just to cover. Raspberries Then go for the sugar snap pea. This looks like a lot, but don’t panic. This can be hard to predict, although generally the familiar black globe eggplants are among the most fibrous.Eggplant recipes », When is eggplant in season?July — October. May. Kohlrabi It’s purple and wrinkled. The first mandarins in season after summer, just in time for the winter holidays! Chili Pepper Strawberries Dates, Medjool But refrigerating does them no harm. Lettuce Figs Lettuce Chili Pepper Basil Either way, its licorice flavor is a perfect fit.Fennel recipes ». Pears, Asian Strawberries Squash, Winter Celery Strawberries With Hachiyas, don’t worry about black streaking and softness — that goes hand in hand with ripeness. Avocados or 35 lbs. If you’re going to store them for a little longer, shuck them first. Passion Fruit We can get strawberries any time of year now, but I still think of them as a springtime treat. Basil Tomatoes How to choose avocados?Remember that avocados will only ripen after they’ve been picked, and that that process can take as long as a week. If you’re making a puree, for example, think about whether you want the finished texture to be dense and buttery (in which case, choose the orange sweet potatoes) or light and creamy (the golden ones). Do look for deep color though. Extra tipsFor cooking, choose firm, elongated tomatoes. Passion Fruit Did you know that California produces 1/3 of the vegetables, 2/3 of the fruits and nuts, and over 80% of the wine in the nation? The background should be golden, with the best fruits having almost an orange tint. October to January is early season for orange harvest . Kale Did you know that California produces 1/3 of the vegetables, 2/3 of the fruits and nuts, and over 80% of the wine in the nation?   Lemons, Navel Oranges, Peaches With shelled nuts, look for meat that’s plump and pale and avoid any that are shrunken and shriveled. Network for a Healthy California. Citrus: Valencia Oranges       Satsuma mandarins for example, ripen early in the mandarin season and Clementine mandarins ripen late in the season. Kale How to store sweet potatoes?Sweet potatoes can be stored at cool room temperature. Peas, Green Mustard Just before serving, wash gently in cool running water, pat dry and then hull them, removing the green top (removing it before washing will cause the berries to absorb more water). Apricots Cabbage Beets If you find a melon that has freckles, buy it — those are sugar spots. They’ll last at least a week. There are many reasons to love living in California, but ranking high among them are the variety of avocados we can try; as wonderful as Hass avocados are, try a Reed or a Gwen.Avocado recipes », When are avocados in season?February — July. How to choose asparagus?The tips should be tightly furled and closed; the stems should be smooth and firm with no wrinkles; the bases should be moist.