FROM A to Z - Issuu

from Dishing Jackson Hole | Issue 19

KITCHEN VIEWS

When you’re perusing the produce section or meandering through local summer markets, keep this guide handy for identifying the plentiful fruits and veggies.

BY SAM SIMMA/ ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMBER DAY

A

Achocha: a small, teardrop-shaped fruit grown on a vine with either a prickled or smooth skin, depending on the variety. Alpine strawberries: Smaller and more cone-shaped than common strawberries, these woodland strawberries are fragrant and very sweet. Anaheim pepper: an elongated, medium-size pepper that is green in color and has a mild heat. Arrowroot: a tropical tuber that is commonly used to make a white, flavorless powder that may serve as a gluten-free thickening agent.

B

Bitter melon (karela): a tropical gourd that is related to cucumber and zucchini but has a very bumpy, textured skin. Black radish: a root vegetable with a sharp, spicy flavor delivered by a white flesh that is concealed by tough, black skin. Bok choy: a variety of Chinese cabbage that has dark green leaves connected by thick white stalks, both with mild bitterness. Broccoli raab: elongated broccoli florets with coniferous greens and stalks that are sharply bitter. Brusselberry sprouts: small, purple-tinged cabbages that are milder and sweeter than regular Brussels sprouts.

C E

Elephant garlic: While two to threetimes larger than common garlic, elephant garlic has a much milder flavor. Endive: tightly bunched, elongated heads of greens that have a bitter taste and a crisp texture. Escarole: broad-leafed greens with curled edges and a slightly bitter flavor.

F

Calabash: Also called a bottle gourd, this pale green and smooth-skinned vegetable is harvested young to be used similarly to zucchini in Asian cuisines. Candy cane beet (chioggia beet): When sliced, the flesh of this beet consists of white and red rings, but its flavor is similar to that of other beet varieties. Celeriac: the bulbous and earthy flavored root of celery plants. Chayote: a pear-shaped, bright green squash with a firm, crisp texture and mild taste. Cucamelons: A hybrid of melons and cucumbers, these fruits look like tiny watermelons but taste more like sour cucumbers. Fiddlehead fern: coiled fronds of young ferns that are very tender and taste almost a little nutty. Fennel: With a cherry-like texture and feathery greens like those of a carrot, this vegetable, when cooked, caramelizes and becomes sweeter and more tender.

G

Garlic scapes: slender, green flower stems that grow from the garlic bulb and maintain an assertive garlic flavor. Ground cherries: Papery husks protect round, orange berries with a uniquely sweet, tart and almost tropical taste.

Teton Full Circle Farm always brings a variety of produce at the peak of freshness to the summer markets, including bok choy and garlic scapes.

D

Daikon radish: a white root vegetable similar to a carrot in shape, but with a flavor like a radish, except milder and slightly sweet. Dragon tongue beans: white- and magenta-speckled shell beans that are a tad sweeter than green beans. Durian: a versatile, tropical fruit that has a spiky, green-brown skin and strong odor when ripe.

When you join and purchase a CSA (communitysupported agriculture) from Cosmic Apple Gardens, you just might get some unique produce like kohlrabi as part of your bounty.

H

Hominy: dried kernels of corn that have been treated with alkali, causing the grain to double in size; often found in pozole soup.

I

Ivy gourd: a small fruit that looks and tastes like a cucumber but is slightly sweet, tart and a bit juicy when eaten raw.

J

Jackfruit: With a meaty texture and neutral flavor, this fruit is often used as a meat alternative. Jicama: a root vegetable with a thick, brown skin and a nutrient-dense white flesh similar to that of a potato in texture but sweet like that of an apple in taste.

K

Kalettes: a small, leafy hybrid of kale and Brussels sprouts with a flavor that’s mildly earthy and nutty. Kiwano: Also called a horned melon, this African fruit has a gelatinous yellow-green center that is refreshingly sweet. Kohlrabi: Sometimes called a German turnip, this veggie has the sweet yet peppery flavor profile of the cabbage family. Kumquat: an orange-like citrus fruit that is small and oblong in shape, like an olive.

L

Lion’s mane mushrooms: shaggy white mushrooms with medicinal benefits for the brain and heart. Lychee: a tropical fruit with a bumpy red peel that is most often used in desserts and drinks.

M

Mashua: a medium-size tuber that has a lumpy exterior and conical shape, with a peppery flavor to its dense flesh. Mesclun: a mix of young greens that incorporates early sweet lettuces with tangy, tender leaves.

N

Nopales: cactus pads (or leaves) with the thorns removed that are then sliced or diced and usually cooked when incorporated into Mexican dishes.

Morning Dew Mushrooms cultivates many varieties of mushrooms, including lion’s mane and pioppinos.

O

Oca: colorful tubers grown in South America that have a tangy flavor. Okra: a plant that produces edible green seed pods, which can be eaten as a vegetable or used to thicken soups and stews. Okinawan sweet potato: Despite its light brown exterior, the flesh of this starchy tuber is bright purple and rich in antioxidants.

P

Pioppinos: firm, mildly nutty mushrooms with thin white stems and light brown caps.

Prickly pear: the edible, reddish fruits of cacti that produce a vibrantly sweet juice. Purple asparagus: more tender than green asparagus and sweeter, due to a 20% higher sugar content. Purple cauliflower: cauliflower graced with a purple hue due to the presence of the antioxidant anthocyanin, which is also found in red cabbage and wine.

Q

Quince: a bright yellow fall fruit that is extremely fragrant and often seen in the form of a paste used in pastries.

R

Radicchio: purple leaves with white stalks, grown as round or elongated heads. Ramps: wild onions that look like scallions but have a more pungent flavor. Rutabaga: a large root vegetable in the cabbage family that has a dense and slightly sweet yellow flesh. Romanesco broccoli: Similar to broccoli and cauliflower in appearance and flavor, this chartreuse edible flower bud has more cylindrical florets and a form that naturally approximates a fractal.

S

Snake gourds: long, slender gourds that are harvested for eating when young, before they become tough and very bitter tasting. Snap peas: a cross between snow peas and garden peas that results in a crunchy texture and crisply sweet flavor. Sunchoke: a thin-skinned root vegetable from sunflower plants that have the texture of a creamy potato once cooked.

T

Taro root: a tuberous vegetable that is toxic uncooked but is a nutty-flavored superfood when cooked. Tomatillo: Although it looks like a green tomato, a tomatillo has a papery husk and is far more tart (which lessens when cooked). Turban squash: With an appearance that combines pumpkin and acorn squash attributes, this bulbous, irregular-shaped gourd is also adorned with stripes.

Be on the lookout for multiple broccoli and cauliflower varieties from Canewater Farm at the summer farmers markets.

For a unique spin on potato chips, The Kitchen serves some of its raw offerings with yuca and plantain chips.

U

Ugli fruit: a hybrid citrus fruit grown in Jamaica that is a cross between an orange and a grapefruit.

Pickled or fresh, watermelon radish is great for adding crunch to dishes like Palate’s Casper Power Bowl.

V

Vanilla: the fruit produced by vanilla orchids and the seed pods from which vanilla bean is extracted. Vidalia onions: Grown only in Georgia, these yellow onions are highly sweet and slightly flatter than rounder varieties of yellow onions.

W

Watercress: nutrient-packed leafy greens grown in aquatic environments, with a peppery taste that diminishes when cooked. Watermelon radish: mildly sweet and with just a hint of peppery flavor, these crunchy heirloom radishes have a hot pink center.

X

Xigua: a fruit from China that resembles a watermelon but is slightly smaller and rounder and has fewer seeds.

Y

Yardlong beans: Appearing and tasting like green beans, these beans are grown in warm climates and to lengths of over 1 foot. Yuca: a starchy root vegetable with a fibrous brown skin and dense, white flesh that yellows and becomes slightly sweet when cooked.

Z

Zucchini flowers: yellow-orange edible blossoms from zucchini vines that are both fragile and delicately sweet.

CATEGORIES OF FRUIT

BERRIES: FLESHY, FRAGILE FRUIT WITH MANY TINY SEEDS. CITRUS: THESE FRUITS HAVE A THICKER SKIN THAT MUST BE REMOVED TO GET TO THE FLESH, WHICH IS SEGMENTED. DRUPES: FRUIT WHOSE FLESH SURROUNDS A SINGLE SEED, CALLED THE PIT. MELONS: FRUIT WITH HARD OUTER SKIN, OR RIND, AND JUICY FLESH. POMES: CHARACTERIZED BY DENSE FLESH THAT SURROUNDS A CENTRAL CORE WITH SEVERAL SEEDS. TROPICAL: EXOTIC FRUITS GROWN ONLY IN WARM CLIMATES.

CATEGORIES OF VEGETABLES

(although legumes are botanically fruits)

BULBS: GROWN BENEATH THE GROUND WITH LEAFY SHOOTS THAT GROW ABOVE THE SOIL, THESE VEGETABLES ARE GROWN IN CLUSTERED SEGMENTS OR HAVE MANY LAYERS SURROUNDED BY PAPERY SKIN. GOURDS: HARD-SHELLED AND GROWN ON VINES; ORNAMENTAL GOURDS ARE NOT EDIBLE. GREENS: THE EDIBLE LEAVES OF PLANTS, HARVESTED IN VARIOUS STAGES OF GROWTH DEPENDING ON VARIETY. LEGUMES: CROPS THAT ARE GENERALLY GROWN AS PODS WITH SEEDS INSIDE (CALLED BEANS). ROOT: GROWN UNDERGROUND; FOR THESE VEGETABLES THE FOCAL POINT OF THE CROP IS THEIR ROOTS. STEMS: VEGETABLES THAT WE HARVEST THE STALKS OF TO EAT.