By Dr. Henry Richter MD
This book is a real find. Encyclopedia-like, this 96 page, 8 1/2" X 11", glossy full-color book contains photos of and information about nearly 300 varieties of fruits and vegetables from around the world.
Here is the information it gives next to the color photo of Mustard Greens:General Information: Mustard greens are sharply pungent, the strongest of the bitter greens. Mustard greens are abundant from December through early March.
Selection and Storage: Look for bright-green mustard greens with no sign of yellowing. Avoid those with tough, thick stems. For salad, choose small leaves. For cooking, medium and large leaves are acceptable. Use as soon as possible after purchase. They will last 2 days wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated.
Preparation and cooking tips: Clean mustard greens in a sink full of lukewarm water. Swirl leaves around. Gently lift out and drain the sink. Repeat the process. Dry and remove the stems. Strip the stems by folding the leaves in half, like a paper heart, and pull the stem away from the leaf. For salads, combine mustard greens with Swiss chard and Bibb lettuce and top with a….sweet dressing. Do not cook mustard greens in aluminum or iron pans. Mustard greens can also be sauteed like spinach.
Nutrition Facts: United States
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
Calories: 20
Protein: 2g
Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 20 mg
Nutriton Facts: Canada
Serving Size: 90g, 375 ml, 1 1/2 cups
Energy : 23 cal…100kJ
Protein: 2.4g
Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 4.4g
Dietary Fibre: 1.8g
Sodium: 23 mg
Potassium: 319 mg
Now, that is a lot of information! Multiply this by the nearly 300 photos and descriptions and you have got a terrific informative resouce. Some of the foods featured in this informative book include: Kiwi, Carambola (star fruit), guava, dates, beans, peas, eggplant, endive, fiddlehead fern, kale, 11 types of mushrooms, 14 types of peppers, bitter melon, tamarillo, okra, rutabaga, basil, fennel, chervil, chives, boniato, breadfruit, galangal, gail lon, gai choy, cardoon, cherimoyga, malanga, jicama, sapote, mamey.
I like this book so much because you will be able to easily recognize various "exotic" fruits and veggies and know how to choose, store and use them (There are cooked food suggestions too but not enough to interfere with all the great information in this book.) As the introduction from the author of Fresh Produce Guide says, "The produce pictures in this book help the adventurous shopper identify unfamiliar varieties with anticipation of trying something new."
Fresh Produce Guide price 19.95
