Fresh Produce & Herb Primer

Selecting and properly storing fresh produce and herbs are key factors in getting the best flavor from just-picked ingredients. This primer provides tips on selecting, storing, preparing, and cooking a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Spring

Bananas

Select: Choose ripe bananas for immediate use and ones that are still slightly green for later use. Bananas should be without bruises, full and plump, and bright in color.

Store: Store bananas at room temperature until ripe; then refrigerate. The peel will turn black once refrigerated, but the meat will remain firm and white for several days.

Prepare: Bananas are usually eaten fresh, requiring no preparation.

Cook: Dry, bake, fry, boil, steam, and sauté to add sweet flavor to both savory and sweet dishes.

Pineapples

Select: A fresh pineapple should have firm green leaves on its top, and the body should be firm.

Store: Pineapple will not become sweeter once picked, but will soften if left at room temperature for a few days. It should be refrigerated and used as soon as possible. Cut pineapple will last a few more days if placed in a tightly covered container and refrigerated or frozen.

Prepare: To peel a pineapple, slice off the bottom and the green top. Stand the pineapple on one cut end, and slice off the skin, cutting just below the surface in wide vertical strips, leaving the small brown eyes. Remove the eyes by cutting diagonally around the fruit, following the pattern of the eyes and making shallow, narrow furrows, cutting away as little of the flesh as possible. Slice the pineapple into rings, and use a round cookie cutter or knife to remove the core.

Cook: Pineapple is used in desserts, salads, and as a marinade and garnish for meats and seafood.

Strawberries

Select: Choose brightly colored berries that still have their green caps attached.

Store: Store in a moisture-proof container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Prepare: Do not wash or remove the hulls until you’re ready to use the strawberries.

Cook: It’s best not to overwhelm the fresh flavor of strawberries. Try a mousse or a simple, sweet soup—or toss the berries with fresh salad greens.

Valencia Oranges

Select: Choose firm Valencias that have smooth skins. Don’t worry about brown patches on the skin; this does not indicate poor quality.

Store: Store Valencias at room temperature up to 1 week or refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

Prepare: Peel Valencias with a paring knife. Hold it over a bowl to catch the juices, slice between the membranes and one side of one segment, and lift the segment out.

To cook: For the best flavor, use Valencias raw. If they are cooked, cook them only briefly.

Artichokes

Select: Look for heavy, compact artichokes that have deep green, tight leaves.

Store: Store artichokes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Prepare: Hold artichokes by the stem, and plunge them up and down in cold water. Cut off stems, and trim about ½ inch from the top. Remove any loose bottom leaves, and trim approximately ¼ off the top of each outer leaf.

Cook: Artichokes can be grilled, steamed, roasted, fried, or sautéed. When cooking, use stainless steel cookware and add a little lemon juice to the water to keep the leaves from darkening.

Arugula

Select: Leaves should be bright green and crisp; stems shouldn’t be withered or slimy.

Store: Wrap a moist paper towel around the bunch, and store it up to 2 days. Dirt particles cling tightly to the leaves, so wash them well, and spin them dry just before using.

Prepare: Make sure to remove any wilted leaves.

Cook: Arugula is most commonly used as a salad green. It can also be wilted like spinach.

Asparagus

Select: Look for asparagus with smooth skin, uniform color, and a dry, compact tip.

Store: It’s okay to wrap them in damp paper towels for several days; to extend their life, refrigerate stalks, tips up, in a cup of shallow water. Don’t freeze fresh asparagus.

Prepare: Snap fibrous ends from asparagus spears. Cook asparagus as is, or peel the skin with a vegetable peeler to make the stalks more tender.

Cook: Broil, steam, grill, roast, or sautée for a few minutes until crisp-tender.

Baby Leeks

Select: Choose leeks with clean, white bulbs and firm, tightly-rolled dark green tops.

Store: Refrigerate leeks in a plastic bag up to 5 days.

Prepare: Because leeks grow partly underground, they are often very dirty. To clean, trim off the roots and the tough tops of the green leaves. Then cut the leek stalk in half, and rinse well.

Cook: Leeks can be cooked whole or chopped and sliced for salads, soups, or other dishes.

Dandelion Greens

Select: The most tender dandelion greens are found in early spring.

Store: Refrigerate dandelion greens in a plastic bag up to 5 days.

Prepare: Wash the leaves thoroughly before using.

Cook: The leaves can be cooked like spinach; the roots can be eaten as vegetables or roasted and ground to make a coffee-like beverage.

Fava Beans

Select: Look for long, plump, heavy pods that are bright green and unblemished.

Store: Keep the pods in a bag in the refrigerator up to a week; store peeled beans 1 to 2 days. You can freeze blanched, peeled beans for a couple of months.

Prepare: Open the pods and remove the beans. Boil briefly, then remove the tough outer skin.

Cook: Once blanched and peeled, they add crunch to any dish. If you prefer a softer texture, sauté or cook the blanched beans in boiling water until tender.

Green Onions

Select: Look for healthy dark green tops on the onions. Dry, wilted, or slimy tops are signs of age.

Store: Wrap green onions in plastic and refrigerate up to 3 weeks, depending on the variety.

Prepare: Cut off root ends and any limp or damaged parts of the green tops. Remove the outer layers of skin before you slice or chop.

Cook: Green onions can be eaten raw, sautéed, baked, blanched, grilled, or used as a garnish.

Green Peas

Select: Look for crisp, medium-sized bright green pods; avoid full, oversized pods, which tend to hold starchy paste.

Store: Shell and chill green peas as soon as possible. If you can’t cook and eat fresh peas within 2 or 3 days, blanch and freeze them up to 2 months.

Prepare: Green peas will open like a zipper when pressure is applied to the middle of the pod.

Cook: Boil, steam, or braise peas just until tender.

Lettuce

Select: Look for lettuce that’s unbruised, unwilted, and has robust color.

Store: Refrigerate clean lettuce in a plastic bag or an airtight container up to 5 days.

Prepare: Since leaves can be dirty as well as delicate, wash them gently in cool water, and then dry thoroughly. A salad spinner can be used to dry greens, or you can shake them free of excess moisture and blot dry with paper towels. Dressings cling better to dry leaves.

Rhubarb

Select: Choose firm, crisp, medium-sized stalks.

Store: Rhubarb is highly perishable, so it should be refrigerated in a plastic bag up to 3 days. It can also be blanched and frozen in freezer containers up to 6 months.

Prepare: Wash and trim the stems; remove and discard all leaves, as they are poisonous.

Cook: Rhubarb is usually cooked with a generous amount of sugar to balance its tartness. It makes delicious sauces, jams, and desserts.

Snap Beans

Select: Look for small, tender, crisp pod beans with bright color. If they’re fresh, you’ll hear the snap when you bend pod beans.

Store: Wash fresh beans before storing them in the refrigerator in plastic bags up to 3 or 4 days.

Prepare: Before you cook snap beans, wash them thoroughly, and cut off the tips.

Cook: When steamed, sautéed, or simmered, this vegetable makes a popular side dish.

Snow Peas

Select: Once picked, the sugar in snow peas quickly converts to starch, so cook them soon. You can refrigerate them in a plastic bag for a day or so before they begin to lose flavor.

Store: Keep the pods in a bag in the refrigerator up to a week; store peeled beans only a day or 2. You can freeze blanched, peeled beans for a couple of months.

Prepare: Snow peas are sweet and tender enough to be eaten raw or cooked whole, although it’s best to pinch off the tip ends and remove any strings just before using.

Cook: Snow peas are easy to cook. Drop them into boiling water and cook about 30 seconds or steam over boiling water less than a minute. They can also be stir-fried by themselves or tossed into a stir-fried recipe; add them at the last minute, and cook just until they turn bright green.

Spinach

Select: Select spinach bunches with crisp leaves; avoid limp bunches with yellowing leaves. Spinach is available year-round, but its peak local season is May to August.

Store: If unwashed, wash in cold water, and pat dry. Chill the leaves in a plastic bag lined with damp paper towels up to 3 days.

Prepare: Spinach is usually very gritty, so make sure that it’s thoroughly washed.

Cook: Spinach leaves can be served cooked, as in spanakopita, or served raw in salads.

Sugar Snap Peas

Select: Choose sugar snap peas that are firm, plump, and bright green with no yellowing in color. Sugar snaps are available during spring and fall months.

Store: Keep sugar snaps refrigerated in a plastic bag up to 3 or 4 days.

Prepare: Sugar snaps do not require shelling or stringing. You can remove the cap end, if desired.

Cook: Sugar snap peas can be served raw or briefly cooked. Whether you serve them warm or chilled, they are best blanched first.

Sweet Onions

Select: Look for sweet onions that are light golden brown in color with a shiny tissue-thin skin and firm, tight, dry necks.

Store: To extend the life of sweet onions, store them so that they aren’t touching each other; some cooks hang them in old pantyhose with knots tied between each onion.

Prepare: Cut through the stem end, peel back the papery skin, and cut the onion down the middle lengthwise. Place each half, cut side down, on a cutting board, make several parallel horizontal cuts almost to the root end. Then make several parallel vertical cuts through the onion layers, but again, not cutting through the root end. Finally, cut across the grain to make chopped pieces.

Cook: Sweet onions can be grilled, sautéed, caramelized, baked, cooked, broiled, or eaten raw.

Garlic Chives

Select: Fresh garlic chives should have dark green leaves and no signs of wilting.

Store: Store fresh garlic chives in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to a week.

Prepare: Fresh garlic chives can be snipped with kitchen shears to the desired length.

Cook: Garlic chives are often found in Chinese recipes for soups, stews, salads and marinades.

Lemon Grass

Select: Lemon grass can be purchased fresh or dried in Asian markets and in the gourmet produce section of many supermarkets. Look for fragrant stalks that are tightly formed with a lemony green color near the bulb and a truer green color at the end of the stalk.

Store: Store fresh lemon grass in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed plastic bag up to 3 weeks. You can also freeze it for about 6 months without any flavor loss.

Prepare: Peel away the outer layers of leaves until you see the softer, fleshier part of the lemon grass stalk. This is what you want to use cooking.

Cook: Use lemon grass in dishes such as soups and curries.

Summer

Blackberries

Select: Select plump, well-colored berries with hulls detached. If hulls are still intact, the berries were picked too early.

Store: Fresh blackberries are best stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Choose a wide, shallow bowl to store berries, and cover with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.

Prepare: Just before you use your blackberries, rinse them under cold water. For the best flavor, allow the berries to come to room temperature.

Cook: Blackberries can be eaten out of hand, in desserts, or topped with sweetened whipped cream. When pureeing blackberries, press them through a sieve to remove the seeds and pulp.

Blueberries

Select: Pick plump, juicy berries with blooms that have no trace of mold or discoloration. Look for firm, uniformly sized berries with deep color and no hulls or stems.

Store: If eating blueberries within 24 hours of picking, store them at room temperature; otherwise, keep them refrigerated in a moisture-proof container up to 3 days.

Prepare: Wash berries just before using them.

Cook: Blueberries can be eaten out of hand, in pies, pancakes, salads, jams, and jellies.

Cantaloupes

Select: Pick a cantaloupe with a soft stem end. Look for a light yellow ridged or smooth outer shell. Avoid cantaloupe with a green cast.

Store: Store unripe cantaloupes at room temperature and ripe cantaloupes in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.

Prepare: Wash cantaloupe in warm soapy water before cutting to get rid of any impurity on the rind that might be carried from the knife blade to the flesh. Remove all seeds and strings.

Cook: Cantaloupe can be served many ways, including chutneys, salads, and beverages.

Cherries

Select: Choose cherries with firm, smooth, unblemished skins with stems still attached.

Store: Fresh cherries should be eaten as soon as possible; they can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 days. After opening canned cherries, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to a week. Maraschino cherries last up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

Prepare: The quickest way to pit fresh cherries is with a cherry pitter. If you don’t have one, try this: push the cherry firmly down onto the pointed end of a pastry bag tip, or push a drinking straw through the bottom of the cherry, forcing the pit up and out through the stem end.

Cook: Sweet cherries can be eaten out of hand; sour cherries are great in desserts and sauces.

Honeydew Melons

Select: Fresh, ripe honeydews should have a soft, velvety texture and be heavy for their size.

Store: Ripe honeydews will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or in a cool, dark place. Seal in plastic wrap or an airtight container; they readily absorb odors and flavors of other foods.

Prepare: Wash honeydew before cutting. Cut the melon in half, and scoop out the seeds.

Cook: You can serve honeydew alone, or mix it up with other fresh fruits for a summer salad. Honeydew can be pureed and made into a cold soup or used in a smoothie.

Nectarines

Select: Nectarines should be plump, rich in color, and have a softening along the seam.

Store: Speed the nectarines ripening by placing them in a paper bag for several days at room temperature. Once ripened, store nectarines in the refrigerator, and use within 2 or 3 days.

Prepare: Nectarines can be eaten out of hand or used in a variety of salads and desserts.

Cook: Nectarines can be grilled or used in dishes including pork, chicken, and fish.

Peaches

Select: Look for peaches that are firm with a taut, unblemished skin and no signs of bruising or wrinkles. If you smell peaches when you walk up to the stand, you know they are ripe.

Store: Ripen peaches at room temperature. If ripe, put them in the refrigerator; they’ll keep for a few days.

Prepare: Wash, peel, if desired; and slice peaches before eating, or prepare according to recipe directions.

Cook: Peaches work with both sweet and savory dishes. Cook with sugar on the stove until thickened for a delicious jam. Sautée, grill, or roast them to serve with duck, chicken, or pork.

Plums

Select: Choose plums that have a little give when you squeeze them and a sweet-smelling aroma.

Store: Firm plums can be stored at room temperature until they become slightly soft. Refrigerate ripe plums in a plastic bag up to 4 or 5 days.

Prepare: Wash your plum before you eat it. Try slicing up a plum, and throw it in a salad or slaw.

Cook: Plums can be used for fruit compotes, desserts, jams, jellies, sauces, snacks, and tarts.

Raspberries

Select: Fresh, ripe raspberries should be plump and tender, but not mushy. Raspberries are sold in clear packaging, so make sure to check all sides for signs of poor quality.

Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Prepare: Rinse raspberries lightly under cold water just before using them.

Cook: Add raspberries to pancakes or waffles, or make them into jellies and jams.

Watermelons

Select: Choose a firm, symmetrical, unblemished watermelon with a dull rind, without cracks or soft spots, that barely yields to pressure.

Store: Store uncut at room temperature up to 1 week. Refrigerate 8 to 10 hours to serve chilled.

Prepare: Wash and dry the rind before cutting to prevent bacterial contamination. Once sliced, cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate up to 4 days.

Cook: Use watermelon to make glazes or sauces. It can also be grilled and stir-fried.

Carrots

Select: Choose carrots that are firm and brightly colored, avoiding ones that are cracked. If the leafy tops are attached, make sure they are not wilted.

Store: Remove tops if attached; place carrots in plastic bags, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Prepare: Wash and cut carrots into sticks for dipping and eating, or shred them to add to salads or slaw.

Cook: You can steam, braise, sauté, bake, or microwave your carrots. Add them to soups and stews, or serve them as a side dish.

Celery

Select: Choose celery that is bright in color, firm, and brittle. Avoid stalks with wilted leaves.

Store: Store celery in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, leaving the ribs attached to the stalk until ready to use. It will typically keep up to a couple of weeks.

Prepare: To restore crispness to fresh celery, trim ribs and soak them in ice water 15 minutes.

Cook: Celery is a popular ingredient in soups and stews. It is also commonly used in stuffing recipes, stir-fries, or salad dressings. Cut into strips for dipping.

Collards

Select: Young collards with small leaves are more tender and less bitter. Avoid collards with large leathery leaves that are withered or that have yellow spots.

Store: Wash collards, and pat dry. Place them in a plastic bag, and refrigerate up to 5 days.

Prepare: Make sure you wash collard green leaves by hand, once in warm water and three times in cold water, to get rid of all the grit. Like all greens, collards cook down considerably. A good rule of thumb is that 1 pound of raw greens yields 1½ cups cooked.

Cook: Collards are traditionally cooked in a pork-seasoned broth to tame bitter flavors.

Corn

Select: A fresh husk is the number one thing to look for. Deep brown silk tips or ends mean it’s ripe, but the whole silk shouldn’t be dried up. Open the tip of the husk to see if the kernels are all the way to the end of the ear; kernels should be plump and milky when pinched.

Store: The sugars in corn begin to turn to starch as soon as it’s harvested, so plan to eat it as soon as possible. You can store it in its husk in the refrigerator up to a day.

Prepare: Sweet summer corn requires minimal preparation and cooking.

Cook: Place husked ears in a pot of cold water; bring water to a boil. Once the water boils, remove from heat, and let stand 1 minute before serving. Serve it on the cob, or cut the kernels off to use in soups, salads, succotash, salsas, and other dishes.

Cucumbers

Select: Choose cucumbers with a deep green color. Avoid soft patches or shriveled ends.

Store: Refrigerate cucumbers up to 2 weeks. Use pickling cucumbers soon after picking.

Prepare: If you don’t peel your cucumbers, make sure you wash the waxy finish off before using.

Cook: Cucumbers are best eaten raw and are traditionally used as a basic salad ingredient or on vegetable trays. They can also be sliced, dipped in batter, and fried.

Green Beans

Select: Look for small, tender, crisp pod beans with bright color that snap when you bend them.

Store: Fresh beans should be washed before being stored in the refrigerator in plastic bags up to 3 or 4 days.

Prepare: Although they are generally cooked, green beans can be eaten raw. Just rinse them and snap them into bite-sized pieces.

Cook: To retain nutrients, cook green beans a minimal amount of time. They should keep their bright color when cooked. Steaming or stir-frying works best.

Lima Beans

Select: Fresh limas are available from June to September and are usually sold in their pods.

Store: Store dried beans at room temperature in tightly covered containers up to 1 year, or freeze up to 2 years.

Prepare: Shell fresh limas before eating them. Dried beans require soaking before cooking.

Cook: Limas can be used as a side dish, an ingredient in soups, or cooked and cooled for salads.

Okra

Select: Choose tender, bright green pods free of damage.

Store: Store okra in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Prepare: Make sure to rinse and pat dry your okra before using. Unless you want to use okra for its thickening effect, don’t cut the pods; just remove the tip of the stem.

Cook: Okra can be fried, steamed, or grilled.

Peas

Select: Fresh peas should have a good green color.

Store: Store fresh peas in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Prepare: The sugar in fresh peas quickly converts to starch, so it’s important that they be prepared and eaten as soon as possible after picking, usually within 2 to 3 days.

Cook: Peas do not require long cooking times because of their natural tenderness.

Summer Squash

Select: Choose small, firm squash with bright-colored, blemish-free skins.

Store: Refrigerate in plastic bags up to 5 days before cooking.

Prepare: Summer squash is great for blending with other ingredients or in simple preparations highlighting the taste of fresh herbs. Delicate yellow squash is perfect in chilled soups.

Cook: Because it has a high water content, summer squash doesn’t require much cooking.

Tomatoes

Select: Smell them—a good tomato should smell like a tomato, especially at the stem end.

Store: Place tomatoes at room temperature in a single layer, shoulder side up, and out of direct sunlight. To store ripe tomatoes for any extended period, keep them between 55º and 65º.

Prepare: If you want to seed a tomato, core it, and then cut it in half crosswise. Use your thumbs to push the seeds out of the tomato halves. Seed tomatoes when you don’t want much juice.

Cook: Tomatoes can be stewed or crushed for use in casseroles, chili, and many Italian dishes.

Basil

Select: Look for leaves that show no signs of wilting. Colors vary from shades of green to purple.

Store: Store basil in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Prepare: Slice basil by rolling up a small bunch of leaves and snipping it into shreds with kitchen shears. To chop it, snip the shreds crosswise.

Cook: Use basil in salads, pestos, pasta dishes, pizza, and meat and poultry dishes.

Cilantro

Select: When choosing cilantro, make sure you see no signs of wilting on the leaves.

Store: Store in the refrigerator in a plastic bag up to a week.

Cook: Cilantro is popular in Mexican, Asian, and Caribbean cuisines. Adding a tablespoon not only jazzes up a dish, it also offers a good bit of vitamin A.

Lavender

Select: When choosing fresh lavender, look for herbs that show no signs of wilting.

Store: Treat fresh herbs like a bouquet of flowers. Douse the leaves with cool water, and wrap the stems in a damp paper towel. Place the towel-wrapped herbs in a zip-top plastic bag, remove as much air as possible from the bag, and refrigerate up to a week.

Prepare: To chop fresh lavender, stuff the leaves into a glass measuring cup, and insert kitchen shears or scissors; snip in cup, rotating shears with each snip.

Cook: Use lavender flowers and their leaves in desserts, marinades, and sauces.

Lemon Balm

Select: When choosing fresh lemon balm, look for leaves that show no signs of wilting.

Store: Douse with cool water, and wrap the stems in a damp paper towel. Place herbs in a zip-top plastic bag, remove as much air as possible from the bag, and refrigerate up to a week.

Prepare: To chop fresh lemon balm, stuff the leaves into a glass measuring cup and insert kitchen shears or scissors; snip in cup, rotating shears with each snip.

Cook: Chop leaves to use in tea bread, scones, and salads, or use leaves whole in cold beverages.

Oregano

Select: Choose fresh oregano that is vibrant green in color with firm stems. They should be free from darks spots or yellowing.

Store: Keep fresh oregano in the refrigerator wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel. You can also freeze oregano, either whole or chopped, in airtight containers.

Prepare: Oregano should be added toward the end of the cooking process since heat can easily cause a loss of its delicate flavor.

Cook: Add to meat, fish, eggs, fresh and cooked tomatoes, vegetables, beans, and marinades.

Autumn

Figs

Select: Don’t judge by looks alone. A shrunken and wrinkled fig may actually be a better choice. Small cracks won’t affect the flavor. Ripe figs should be heavy for their size.

Store: Fresh figs are extremely perishable; handle them gently. Use them soon after purchasing, or store them in the refrigerator in a single layer no more than 2 or 3 days.

Prepare: Fresh figs are best when simply prepared to enhance their natural sweetness.

Cook: Fresh figs are most commonly used in desserts. Use figs in recipes including chutneys, sauces, and salads. They are also a flavorful companion for braised meats and poultry.

Grapes

Select: Look for grapes that are plump and securely attached to their stem. Avoid grapes that are withered, soft or bruised.

Store: Store grapes, unwashed, in plastic bags, in the refrigerator, up to a week.

Prepare: Always wash grapes thoroughly before eating.

Cook: Use grapes to make delicious jellies and jams, or add to salads, yogurt, or as a garnish.

Pears

Select: Apply light thumb pressure near the pear’s stem. If it is ripe, there will be a slight give.

Store: If pears aren’t quite ripe, place them on a kitchen counter in a brown paper bag. Once ripened, fresh pears will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Don’t store them in plastic bags.

Prepare: To core a pear, cut it in half lengthwise, and scoop out the core with a melon baller or grapefruit spoon. Toss cut pears with a little citrus or pineapple juice to prevent discoloring.

Cook: Use ripe pears in desserts, pancakes, and meat dishes. The best pears for cooking are varieties such as Bosc, Comice, Seckel, and red and green Anjous.

Persimmons

Select: Choose persimmons that are medium to large in size and uniform in color. Avoid fruit that has cracks or signs of decay.

Store: Always allow persimmons to ripen at room temperature; the Hachiya will be soft to the touch when ripe, but the Fuyu will be firm. Once ripened, refrigerate persimmons, and use as soon as possible, or place them in an airtight container whole and freeze up to 3 months.

Prepare: Fuyu persimmons can be eaten raw as a snack, but make sure that they are ripe, as unripe persimmons are sour.

Cook: Add persimmons to quick breads or desserts. They also make tasty jams and jellies.

Bell Peppers

Select: Bell peppers are at their best from July through September. Look for firm, nicely colored fruit that is fragrant at the stem end. Avoid peppers that are damp, because they can mold.

Store: Store peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to a week. They can also be sliced or chopped and frozen in a freezer bag up to 6 months.

Prepare: Be sure to wash peppers just before using.

Cook: Bell peppers can be roasted, stuffed, stir-fried, or used in casseroles and salads.

Broccoli

Select: Look for firm stalks with tightly bunched heads. If the heads show signs of buds beginning to turn yellow, it’s over the hill.

Store: Refrigerate fresh broccoli in a plastic bag up to 4 days. To revive broccoli, trim ½ inch from the base of the stalk and set the head in a glass of cold water in the refrigerator overnight.

Prepare: When serving broccoli raw, trim it down into florets.

Cook: Broccoli can be steamed, stir-fried, or cooked in the microwave. It is great on vegetable trays with dip or in green salads.

Cabbage

Select: Choose heads that are compact and heavy for their size. The outer leaves should be without defect and have good green or red color.

Store: Refrigerate cabbage, wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 1 week. Don’t cut or shred it until ready to use to maximize freshness, color, and nutrients.

Prepare: Always wash the cabbage head before use. To shred cabbage quickly, quarter it, cut away the core, and thinly slice the quarters into shreds.

Cook: Cabbage can be steamed, boiled, roasted, stir-fried, or used in casseroles, soups, and stews.

Cauliflower

Select: Cauliflower heads should be tightly packed. Avoid heads that have browning on them.

Store: Wrap fresh cauliflower in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 3 to 5 days. Once cooked, it can be refrigerated 1 to 3 days.

Prepare: Cauliflower should be washed and removed from the stem before using. Cut it into bite-sized florets, which are great for dipping or eating in salads.

Cook: Cauliflower can be boiled, baked, and sautéed; the whole cauliflower head may be cooked in one piece and topped with sauce.

Eggplant

Select: Choose a firm, smooth-skinned eggplant, avoiding soft or brown spots.

Store: Refrigerate fresh, uncut eggplant up to 2 days.

Prepare: The eggplant’s skin should be washed thoroughly before preparing. Because eggplant flesh discolors rapidly, cut it just before using. The cut flesh can be brushed with lemon juice or dipped in a mixture of lemon juice and water to prevent browning.

Cook: Eggplants can be baked, broiled, fried, and grilled.

Leeks

Select: Buy leeks with crisp leaves and blemish-free stalks.

Store: Keep leeks tightly wrapped in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Prepare: Cut the bulb in half lengthwise, and wash thoroughly, removing any soil or grit. Trim the root and leaf ends, discarding tough and withered leaves.

Cook: Use leeks in quiches, risottos, pillars, soups, and stews. When preparing leeks, be attentive; they overcook easily. They’re ready when the base can be pierced with a knife.

Mushrooms

Select: When buying fresh mushrooms, choose those that are smooth and have a dry top.

Store: Refrigerate fresh mushrooms, unwashed, for no more than 3 days; they’re best kept in a paper or cloth bag that allows them to breathe. Do not store mushrooms in plastic.

Prepare: Clean fresh mushrooms with a mushroom brush or damp paper towel just before using. Never clean fresh mushrooms by soaking them in water. You can give them a quick rinse and pat them dry when you’re about to use them.

Cook: Sauté, microwave, roast, grill, broil, or use mushrooms for pizza toppings.

Pumpkins

Select: Look for pumpkins that are small, about 5 to 8 pounds, with tough skin. They are prized for their concentrated flavor and sweetness.

Store: Store in the refrigerator up to 3 months, or in a cool, dry place up to 1 month. Once cut, wrap pumpkins tightly in plastic, refrigerate, and use within 3 or 4 days.

Prepare: If you’ve ever carved a jack-o’-lantern, you know how to tackle a fresh pumpkin. Use your hand or a spoon to remove the seeds and stringy flesh.

Cook: Go beyond traditional pumpkin dishes; quarter, steam, and mash the flesh, mixing it with black pepper or brown sugar to serve as a side dish. For a healthy snack, roast the seeds.

Red Potatoes

Select: When buying potatoes, choose those that are firm and blemish-free. Avoid potatoes with soft spots or those that have a green cast to the skin.

Store: Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated place up to 2 weeks. New potatoes should be used within 2 or 3 days of purchase.

Prepare: Make sure you thoroughly wash raw potatoes before cooking to remove any dirt.

Cook: Red potatoes are great for making potato salad or for pan roasting.

Shallots

Select: Choose shallots that are firm to the touch with a dry, papery, thin skin.

Store: Store shallots in a cool, dry place up to a month.

Prepare: Peel and slice or chop shallots before you use them in cooking.

Cook: Use shallots in place of onions.

Sweet Potatoes

Select: Look for small to medium-sized tubers with few bruises and smooth skin.

Store: Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, dark place. If the temperature is right (about 55º), you can keep them 3 to 4 weeks. Otherwise, use them within a week. Do not refrigerate.

Prepare: Sweet potatoes can be cooked with the skin on or peeled before cooking.

Cook: This versatile vegetable is best for mashing or tossing into soups and stews but can be boiled, baked, roasted, and sautéed.

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Select: Choose potatoes that are firm and blemish-free without any soft spots.

Store: Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated place up to 2 weeks.

Prepare: To prepare raw potatoes for cooking, wash them thoroughly to remove any dirt.

Cook: The Yukon can be baked, boiled, sautéed, or fried.

Bay Leaves

Select: You can use fresh or dry bay leaves in your dishes. Fresh bay leaves are less available.

Store: Store dry bay leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dark place up to a year.

Cook: Use fresh or dried bay leaves in soups and stews. Discard whole leaves before serving food.

Rosemary

Select: Buy rosemary dried or fresh at your local market. You could also buy a rosemary plant and keep it in your kitchen.

Store: Keep your fresh rosemary in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Store dry rosemary twigs in an airtight container, or freeze your rosemary in a freezer bag.

Prepare: To harvest rosemary (from your home plant), strip the leaves from the stem.

Cook: Use the strong-flavored leaves sparingly. Rosemary adds a wonderful accent to soups, meats, stews, breads, and vegetables.

Sage

Select: Sage is available either fresh or in three dried forms: ground, coarsely crumbled, or rubbed (finely chopped).

Store: Wrap your fresh sage leaves in paper towels, and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Use within 4 to 5 days. Freeze fresh sage leaves in a freezer bag for up to a year.

Cook: Sage is best known for use in holiday dressings. It also flavors sausage well, too. Sage leaves are soft and pliable, which makes them easy to tuck under poultry skin before roasting.

Tarragon

Select: In general, herbs should be fresh looking, crisp, and brightly colored.

Store: Keep tarragon in a plastic bag with damp paper towels, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.

Prepare: Tarragon’s leaves bruise easily, so be gentle when chopping them.

Cook: This leafy herb plays a classic role in Béarnaise sauce. It also adds flavor to soups, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and egg dishes. It’s often used to make herb butter or vinegar.

Winter

Grapefruit

Select: The heavier the grapefruit, the juicier it will be.

Store: Grapefruits have a long shelf life and can be kept in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks.

Prepare: Grapefruit is most often eaten raw. It can be peeled and sectioned like oranges and added to fruit salad. Or for breakfast, cut a grapefruit in half, and eat it with a spoon.

Kumquats

Select: Look for kumquats with bright orange skin. Avoid any citrus with signs of decay.

Store: Keep kumquats sitting out up to 1 week or refrigerated in a plastic bag for 3 to 4 weeks.

Prepare: Kumquats can be sliced and served in salads or used as a garnish.

Cook: Try candying or pickling whole kumquats for a delicious treat, or use them to make preserves or marmalades.

Navel Oranges

Select: Choose from navel oranges that have smooth skins and are not moldy. Don’t worry about brown patches on the skin; this does not indicate poor quality.

Store: Store navel oranges at room temperature up to a week or refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

Prepare: To section an orange, peel it with a paring knife. Be sure to remove the bitter white pith. Hold the orange over a bowl to catch the juices, slice between the membranes and one side of one segment of the orange. Lift the segment out with the knife blade.

Use: For the best flavor, use navel oranges raw. If they are cooked, cook them only briefly.

Beets

Select: Look for small to medium well-shaped beets with smooth skins. Very large beets may be tough. If leaves are attached, they should be crisp and bright green.

Store: A beet’s leafy green tops leach nutrients from the root, so immediately trim them to about an inch. Because the greens are highly perishable, you should use them within a day. Store beets in plastic bags in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks; gently wash before use.

Prepare: Because the juice can stain your hands and countertops, wear disposable latex gloves.

Cook: Beets hold up well when julienned raw, roasted, baked, or broiled and pair well with orange juice, vinegar, and wine. They are often used in salads, pickles, and the soup known as borscht.

Fennel

Select: Look for small, heavy white fennel bulbs that are firm and free of cracks, browning, or moist areas. The stalks should be crisp with feathery, bright green fronds.

Store: Store fresh fennel in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Fennel seeds should be stored in a cool, dark place up to 6 months.

Prepare: Before using fennel, trim the stalks about an inch above the bulb.

Cook: Fennel is often added to soups and stews, and its licorice flavor becomes milder when cooked. Fennel is a good complement to seafood and poultry recipes.

Parsnips

Select: Because parsnips are a root vegetable, some dirt may still be on the vegetable; they should be mostly clean. Look for firm, medium-sized vegetables with uniform beige skin.

Store: Keep parsnips refrigerated in a plastic bag up to a month.

Prepare: Wash your parsnips before cooking. You can peel them as you would a carrot.

Cook: Parsnips are suitable for baking, boiling, sautéing, roasting, or steaming and are often boiled and mashed like potatoes. They are also wonderful roasted; it brings out their sweetness.

Rutabagas

Select: Rutabagas should be heavy for their size; lightweight ones tend to have a woody flavor.

Store: Store rutabagas in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to a month.

Prepare: Rutabagas are coated with clear paraffin wax to hold in moisture, so make sure you wash and peel them before cooking.

Cook: Rutabagas are delicious peeled and cooked as a turnip, in a small amount of water, sometimes with a little added sugar, salt, or herbs.

Turnips

Select: If you prefer a sweeter tasting turnip, look for small- to medium-sized vegetables.

Store: Turnip roots can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for 1 to 2 weeks. Wash greens in cold water, and pat dry; store in a plastic bag lined with moist paper towels in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Prepare: Before cooking with them, wash and peel your turnip roots.

Cook: Turnip roots can be boiled and mashed, or roasted and pureed, cubed and tossed with butter, or used raw in salads. Turnip greens can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, and stir-fried.

Winter Squash

Select: The tastiest winter squash are solid and heavy with stems that are full, firm, and have a corky feel. The skin of the squash should be deep colored with a nonshiny finish.

Store: You don’t have to refrigerate winter squash; keep it in a paper bag in a cool, dark place (about 50º) for about a month. Don’t store winter squash in plastic bags for more than 3 days, because the plastic traps moisture and causes the squash to rot.

Prepare: Winter squash are almost impossible to overcook. They can be boiled, baked, roasted, simmered, steamed, microwaved, or sautéed.

Cook: To microwave a whole squash, pierce the rind in several places so it won’t explode.

Chives

Select: Chives should be fresh looking, crisp, and brightly-colored. Avoid herbs that have dry patches, are wilted, or look slimy.

Store: Store fresh chives in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to a week.

Prepare: Fresh chives can be snipped with kitchen sheers to the desired length.

Cook: Chives add a mild onion or garlic flavor and are used in cooked dishes and cold salads.

Parsley

Select: Fresh and dried parsley is widely available; fresh is sold in bunches in the produce department. Look for crisp, brightly colored parsley, avoiding any wilted or slimy leaves.

Store: Wash parsley and shake off excess moisture. Wrap in damp paper towels; chill in a plastic bag up to a week.

Prepare: If parsley begins to wilt, snip the lower stems and place the bunch in a glass of cold water; loosely cover leaves with a plastic bag, and chill. It will perk up in no time.

Cook: Italian flat-leaf parsley offers a fresh flavor to stews, bean dishes, and salads.

Thyme

Select: Thyme leaves should look fresh and crisp and be a vibrant green-gray in color.

Store: Keep fresh thyme in a plastic bag lined with a damp paper towel in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Prepare: Thyme leaves are small and often don’t require chopping. Strip the leaves from their stems just before using.

Cook: Thyme’s earthiness is welcome with pork, lamb, duck, or goose, and it’s much beloved in Cajun and Creole cooking. It’s also the primary component of Caribbean jerk seasonings.