FreshPoint

Produce 101: Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an ancient crop, thought to have originated in Central America centuries ago. While the tomato has become associated with Mediterranean cuisine, they were are relatively late arrive to the European pantry, not arriving until the 16th century.   Are Tomatoes a Fruit or a Vegetable? Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit, but the Supreme...

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What are the different types of eggplant?

If ever there was a cross-cultural vegetable (or technically speaking–a fruit–but I’m not here to upset you,) it would have to be eggplant. While most countries have a beloved recipe featuring eggplant, they also have a variation on the vegetable itself. The more common types of eggplant Let’s begin with the American eggplant, also known...

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Produce 101: Cucumbers

Today we are going to talk about Produce 101: Cucumbers Cucumbers are how old? Cucumbers are one of the most ubiquitous items in the produce world, but did you know there are a few main types of cucumbers?  Cucumbers originated in India and are believed to have been cultivated for over 3,000 years.  Appreciated for...

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Produce 101: Stone Fruit

Today we are going to talk about Produce 101: Stone Fruit Are you ordering or storing your stone fruit for maximum freshness and flavor? All stone fruit sold is picked ripe, but that doesn’t mean it is ready to eat. You have a little homework to do on your part. I love stone fruit, in...

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Produce 101: Peas, Beans, and Corn

Produce 101: Peas, Beans, and Corn and How They Are Connected This one is a little different. Today we are going to talk about three seemingly different items, but focus on how they are intertwined. A good place to start with with the growing method. The Three Sisters is an ancient, symbiotic growing method that...

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Produce 101: Melons

Dan talks to us today about Produce 101: Melons Throughout the season many varieties of melon are available—especially during the summer. Today we are going to just focus on the most popular: cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. Few things are as delicious as perfectly ripe melon, but the challenge is how do you pick the perfect...

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Produce 101: Tropical Fruit

Dan talks to us about Produce 101: Tropical Fruit Tropical fruits are an amazing family of produce items.  So, what designates a tropical fruit?  The short answer is that they are any fruit that grows in the regions between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, though many varieties have adapted to sub-tropical regions as well. ...

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Produce 101: Banana Guide

Produce 101: Banana Guide Bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world, and believe it or not, are actually a berry.  Bananas are grown in over 150 countries, but actually don’t grow on trees.  Fun fact: botanically, bananas are herbaceous plants, not trees. Trees have bark, these don’t. Most common variety...

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Produce 101: Peppers

Produce 101: Peppers — Let’s Start with Chile Peppers For this episode of Produce 101: Peppers, we are going to discuss both chile and bell peppers. Chile peppers have long been used as a flavoring agent in cuisines around the world.  Food anthropologists believe that the cultivation of peppers began in Central Mexico around 6,000...

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Produce 101: Potatoes

Dan talks about potatoes–a vast category. Here he goes over the basics to get it started in Produce 101: Potatoes. History The potato is one of the most important agricultural crops in the world, ranking 5th. Long revered by ancient cultures in South America, it is believed that potatoes have been cultivated as a food...

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Fresh Things Video: Using Sea Beans

Hi I’m Chef Dan with FreshPoint, and I often get asked how to use sea beans.   I like ’em raw, thrown in a salad, or even as a garnish. It adds a bright crunchy texture with a vibrant salty flavor. They get their name legitimately It does taste of  salt water and of the sea. More...

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Produce 101: Cruciferous Vegetables

Produce 101: Cruciferous Vegetables Here, Dan talks about cruciferous vegetables–a vast category, also known as Brassica. Here’s the basics you need to know to get started. History Cruciferous, or brassica, vegetables are an amazingly diverse group of vegetables, ranging from stalky and bud (undeveloped flower) items such as broccoli, to leafy greens such as arugula...

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Why Local Farmers Need You

When you look at a restaurant menu, one word jumps off the page repeatedly— local. The local movement is supported by every generation from Baby Boomers to Generation Z. Regardless of the size of your company, local is important to consumers and they want to see it on your menu. Nothing Beats the Taste of...

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Produce 101: Asparagus

Produce 101: Asparagus Dan spearheads a discussion on asparagus in this edition of our series, Produce 101. Asparagus History Asparagus is a true harbinger of spring, though these days, it is available year-round. Related to the onion, this member of the lily family has been grown for thousands of years, in fact, we have historical...

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The Art of Culinary Cocktails and Mixology

mixology noun mix·​ol·​o·​gy | \mik-ˈsä-lə-jē  \ Definition of mixology  : the art or skill of preparing mixed drinks Culinary Cocktails Mixology and craft cocktails are currently two of the hottest trends in the restaurant industry. The bar is being treated as an additional kitchen, and mixologists are viewing cocktails as culinary menu items. Focus is being placed on seasonal offerings and...

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The Significant Cost Benefits of Natural Brand

Several years ago, I was on a customer call with a sales associate. The customer asked us for our price on 24ct iceberg head lettuce. When the marketing associate quoted the current price, the customer said that our price was about 20% too high.

We both walked away from the call perplexed and wondering, “How could our competitors’ price be so much better than ours when we are the leader in the industry?”

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The Honeybell Orange: a sweet, but short season

When my mother was a little girl growing up in Ohio, the real treat in her Christmas stocking was not the peppermint candy canes, but rather, an orange.  Land-locked Ohio was so far, far away from the swampy Indian River of Florida where she would one day move, that this edible gift was exotic and...

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2019 Culinary Trends: What Our Experts are Talking About

Our experts are pretty passionate about produce. Here’s what they have to say on a few 2019 Culinary Trends they are reading about, eating, and seeing in the industry. Targeting Specific Diets Lisa Pettineo, Digital Marketing Manager The healthy eating trend has been around for years. Like Dan says below, the momentum of whole food,...

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Fresh Things Video: The Difference Between a Mandarin and an Orange

Hi, I’m Chef Dan, and one of the questions I get asked all the time is: “What is the difference between a Mandarin and an orange?” Well, there’s a few differences They’re both in the citrus family, and they both have that wonderful bright slightly acidic sweetness. Mandarins are smaller than regular oranges. Typically much...

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Root Vegetables and Tubers

Root Vegetables and Tubers: A Brief History Before the widespread domestication of plants, our earliest ancestors foraged for wild root crops, like carrot and beets. Later cultivated, these underground riches included nutrient-dense root vegetables and tubers with limitless culinary uses.  Now a common food staple, these nourishing veggies became fundamental ingredients of regional cuisine across...

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