FRESH FACTS

FOR THE WEEK OF July 21, 2008

When thermometer levels soar above 90 degrees, it’s time to get out your “license to chill” and reach for two new book releases that will help you keep your cool during hot, humid weather.

”POPS! Icy Treats for Everyone” by Krystina Castella is a new release from Quirk Books (www.quirkbooks.com) that will have you waxing nostalgic for those frozen double popsicles you had to slice down the middle to share with a friend.

Castella brings the art of popsicles to a whole new level, with suggestions for creating Healthy Energy Pops, Soda Fountain Pops, FRUIT juice pops and even Cocktail Pops for the over 21 audience.

Castella calls her “FRUIT Juice Pops” “the easiest and most popular frozen treats you can make” using pop molds or simple ice cube trays. Try a mixture of LEMON, TANGERINE and BLOOD ORANGE juices, combine POMEGRANTATE and APPLE juice; sliced KIWIFRUIT and fresh LIME juice; fresh GRAPE juice with halved SEEDLESS RED GRAPES; or COCONUT milk with mashed BANANAS and shredded COCONUT.

Among her healthy “Energy Pop” suggestions: NECTARINE Cream Pops; BANANA & DATE pops; BING CHERRY & Vanilla pops loaded with BING CHERRY pieces; STRAWBERRY Pops coated with SUNFLOWER seeds and GINGER LEMON-LIME Pops.

Sally Sampson’s newest book, “RECIPE OF THE WEEK: ICE CREAM” (www.wiley.com) features 52 creative suggestions for incorporating this all-time favorite treat into your menus.

Take advantage of plentiful summer FRUIT offerings to create Fresh PEACH & Marcona ALMOND Gelato; AVOCADO Gelato; APRICOT RASPBERRY Sorbet; ORANGE Granita; or a refreshing LEMON Vanilla Ice Cream with RASPBERRY Sauce. Among the more off-beat suggestions are Balsamic and Black Pepper Gelato; BASIL Gelato; Fresh FIG Gelato with ORANGE and Cinnamon; and Licorice FENNEL Ice Cream.

And don’t forget your faithful four-legged friends when the weather turns beastly. A new treat from The Honest Kitchen (www.thehonestkitchen.com) called “Ice Pups”allows you make doggie-friendly popsicles by mixing water with their nutritious blend of chicken, turkey, DANDELION, ASPARAGUS, WATERCRESS, honey and PARSLEY.

This Week in FRUITS

MANGOS are among the most economical FRUIT choices this week. To bring out their flavor, sprinkle prior to serving with a little sea salt and chili powder and garnish with fresh LIME.

BANANAS continue to be in steady supply at moderate prices. For a quick summer cooler, blend a ripe BANANA with half a PAPAYA, LIME juice, LEMON sorbet and low-fat milk.

With APRICOTS, NECTARINES, PLUMS and PEACHES in plentiful supply at very reasonable prices, combine them diced with LEMON juice, chopped GREEN ONIONS, CILANTRO, GARLIC, salt and pepper to create a versatile FRUIT salsa that’s delicious over grilled salmon or shrimp.

Hawaiian PINEAPPLE is in plentiful supply at moderate prices. Dice finely and blend with cooked white rice, whipped cream, diced CHERRIES and toasted COCONUT for a delicious tropical dessert served in a PAPAYA or MANGO half.

VALENCIA ORANGES, a favorite for juicing, are in peak supply at economical prices. Although LEMON prices remain firm, KEY LIMES are decreasing with volume plentiful. RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT are in plentiful supply at very reasonable prices.

Both red and green SEEDLESS GRAPES are holding steady at economical prices and quality is excellent. Freeze clusters for a quick snack or frost with beaten egg white and superfine sugar as plate garnish.

Small sizes of HASS AVOCADOS are the best value.

Good values continue on ROMA and HOT HOUSE TOMATOES. Arrange thick slices with buffalo mozzarella cheese, sprinkle with freshly chopped OREGANO, ROSMARY and THYME, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil for a refreshing summer salad.

NUTS are a great addition to summer salads. Try WALNUTS, PECANS, PISTACHIO NUTS or MACADEMIA NUTS

Time to pull that extra bag of CRANBERRIES you’ve been saving in the freezer, thaw and blend with cooked GALA APPLES, sugar and ORANGE peel for a zesty CRAN-APPLEsauce.

This Week in VEGETABLES

ICEBERG LETTUCE, a salad staple, is among this week’s most economical VEGETABLE values. Also great to using shredded in tacos.

Salad toppings in plentiful supply include RADISHES, GREEN ONIONS, JICAMA, CELERY, CARROTS, MUSHROOMS, SPROUTS and BELL PEPPERS.

CAULIFLOWER is among the most reasonably priced side dish choices this week. Simply steam and serve with browned butter or creamy cheese sauce.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS are a summer favorite. Try them paired with red and yellow BABY BEETS in LEMON vinaigrette dressing.

Good values continue on SWEET BROWN ONIONS, ITALIAN RED ONIONS, PEARL ONIONS, MAUI ONIONS and WHITE BOILER ONIONS. Dice your favorite variety into meat loaf mixture for added flavor.

Sweet CORN is in steady supply, although heavy demand is keeping prices stronger than previous summers. Combine cooked kernels with flour, cornmeal, butter, sour cream and APPLESAUCE and bake in a casserole as a side dish offering.

FENNEL makes a delicious side dish roasted with RED BELL PEPPERS, ONIONS, GARLIC, olive oil and SAGE.

Gilroy, California celebrates its annual GARLIC festival this month. Create a yogurt GARLIC DILL sauce seasoned with LEMON juice that’s perfect for grilled trout, salmon or tuna.

GREEN BEANS and ASPARAGUS are both in steady supply at moderate prices. Serve either Parmigiano style topped with ALMONDS, Parmesan cheese and LEMON juice.

This Week in FLORAL

Plenty of color and variety in cut blooms, including STARGAZER LILIES, CARNATIONS, ROSES, ALSTROMERIEA LILIES, DAISIES, MUMS and IRIS. In potted blooming plants, HIBISCUS, ANTHURIUM, BROMELIAD or fragrant PLUMERIA and GARDENIA are all excellent choices for outdoor living areas.

	Fresh Facts Newsletter Courtesy of the Fresh Produce and Floral Council www.fpfc.org
FRESH FACTS FRESH FACTS FOR THE WEEK OF July 21, 2008 When thermometer levels soar above 90 degrees, it’s time to get out your “license to chill” and reach for two new book releases that will help you keep your cool during hot, humid weather. ”POPS! Icy Treats for Everyone” by Krystina Castella is a new release from Quirk Books (www.quirkbooks.com) that will have you waxing nostalgic for those frozen double popsicles you had to slice down the middle to share with a friend. Castella brings the art of popsicles to a whole new level, with suggestions for creating Healthy Energy Pops, Soda Fountain Pops, FRUIT juice pops and even Cocktail Pops for the over 21 audience. Castella calls her “FRUIT Juice Pops” “the easiest and most popular frozen treats you can make” using pop molds or simple ice cube trays. Try a mixture of LEMON, TANGERINE and BLOOD ORANGE juices, combine POMEGRANTATE and APPLE juice; sliced KIWIFRUIT and fresh LIME juice; fresh GRAPE juice with halved SEEDLESS RED GRAPES; or COCONUT milk with mashed BANANAS and shredded COCONUT. Among her healthy “Energy Pop” suggestions: NECTARINE Cream Pops; BANANA & DATE pops; BING CHERRY & Vanilla pops loaded with BING CHERRY pieces; STRAWBERRY Pops coated with SUNFLOWER seeds and GINGER LEMON-LIME Pops. Sally Sampson’s newest book, “RECIPE OF THE WEEK: ICE CREAM” (www.wiley.com) features 52 creative suggestions for incorporating this all-time favorite treat into your menus. Take advantage of plentiful summer FRUIT offerings to create Fresh PEACH & Marcona ALMOND Gelato; AVOCADO Gelato; APRICOT RASPBERRY Sorbet; ORANGE Granita; or a refreshing LEMON Vanilla Ice Cream with RASPBERRY Sauce. Among the more off-beat suggestions are Balsamic and Black Pepper Gelato; BASIL Gelato; Fresh FIG Gelato with ORANGE and Cinnamon; and Licorice FENNEL Ice Cream. And don’t forget your faithful four-legged friends when the weather turns beastly. A new treat from The Honest Kitchen (www.thehonestkitchen.com) called “Ice Pups”allows you make doggie-friendly popsicles by mixing water with their nutritious blend of chicken, turkey, DANDELION, ASPARAGUS, WATERCRESS, honey and PARSLEY. This Week in FRUITS MANGOS are among the most economical FRUIT choices this week. To bring out their flavor, sprinkle prior to serving with a little sea salt and chili powder and garnish with fresh LIME. BANANAS continue to be in steady supply at moderate prices. For a quick summer cooler, blend a ripe BANANA with half a PAPAYA, LIME juice, LEMON sorbet and low-fat milk. With APRICOTS, NECTARINES, PLUMS and PEACHES in plentiful supply at very reasonable prices, combine them diced with LEMON juice, chopped GREEN ONIONS, CILANTRO, GARLIC, salt and pepper to create a versatile FRUIT salsa that’s delicious over grilled salmon or shrimp. Hawaiian PINEAPPLE is in plentiful supply at moderate prices. Dice finely and blend with cooked white rice, whipped cream, diced CHERRIES and toasted COCONUT for a delicious tropical dessert served in a PAPAYA or MANGO half. VALENCIA ORANGES, a favorite for juicing, are in peak supply at economical prices. Although LEMON prices remain firm, KEY LIMES are decreasing with volume plentiful. RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT are in plentiful supply at very reasonable prices. Both red and green SEEDLESS GRAPES are holding steady at economical prices and quality is excellent. Freeze clusters for a quick snack or frost with beaten egg white and superfine sugar as plate garnish. Small sizes of HASS AVOCADOS are the best value. Good values continue on ROMA and HOT HOUSE TOMATOES. Arrange thick slices with buffalo mozzarella cheese, sprinkle with freshly chopped OREGANO, ROSMARY and THYME, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil for a refreshing summer salad. NUTS are a great addition to summer salads. Try WALNUTS, PECANS, PISTACHIO NUTS or MACADEMIA NUTS Time to pull that extra bag of CRANBERRIES you’ve been saving in the freezer, thaw and blend with cooked GALA APPLES, sugar and ORANGE peel for a zesty CRAN-APPLEsauce. This Week in VEGETABLES ICEBERG LETTUCE, a salad staple, is among this week’s most economical VEGETABLE values. Also great to using shredded in tacos. Salad toppings in plentiful supply include RADISHES, GREEN ONIONS, JICAMA, CELERY, CARROTS, MUSHROOMS, SPROUTS and BELL PEPPERS. CAULIFLOWER is among the most reasonably priced side dish choices this week. Simply steam and serve with browned butter or creamy cheese sauce. SUGAR SNAP PEAS are a summer favorite. Try them paired with red and yellow BABY BEETS in LEMON vinaigrette dressing. Good values continue on SWEET BROWN ONIONS, ITALIAN RED ONIONS, PEARL ONIONS, MAUI ONIONS and WHITE BOILER ONIONS. Dice your favorite variety into meat loaf mixture for added flavor. Sweet CORN is in steady supply, although heavy demand is keeping prices stronger than previous summers. Combine cooked kernels with flour, cornmeal, butter, sour cream and APPLESAUCE and bake in a casserole as a side dish offering. FENNEL makes a delicious side dish roasted with RED BELL PEPPERS, ONIONS, GARLIC, olive oil and SAGE. Gilroy, California celebrates its annual GARLIC festival this month. Create a yogurt GARLIC DILL sauce seasoned with LEMON juice that’s perfect for grilled trout, salmon or tuna. GREEN BEANS and ASPARAGUS are both in steady supply at moderate prices. Serve either Parmigiano style topped with ALMONDS, Parmesan cheese and LEMON juice. This Week in FLORAL Plenty of color and variety in cut blooms, including STARGAZER LILIES, CARNATIONS, ROSES, ALSTROMERIEA LILIES, DAISIES, MUMS and IRIS. In potted blooming plants, HIBISCUS, ANTHURIUM, BROMELIAD or fragrant PLUMERIA and GARDENIA are all excellent choices for outdoor living areas.