I live in Southern California and grow a lot of very interesting fruit. The last two winters have been so mild,I'm seeing Papaya photos all over soucal. I've even managed to get Maridols to live outdoors in the bay area through the last two winters. The growth though has been slow. But- look good! I have seen papayas grown in the coastal area of San Diego.
I don't know the species though. The owner told they are easy to grow. I think its a myth they aren't tasty in soucal. I'm told they are MUCH better then store bought fruit from somebody who lives in inland San Diego- plenty of heat to grow them. I've also seen them in San Diego but did not have success trying to grow them in Westchester, but my soil does not drain well at all.
I did grow some in Venice and got fruit from them, however, but possums liked to eat the fruit on the tree. December - My Hawiian Papayas grow better if it is facing West probably back of your rear wall of the fence or house. Also, one thing I found out is that it will provide lots and lots of fruits if the soil is combined with sandy and clayish. The sandy portion makes draining over watered months and clayish for retaining moisture. My wife always drain her buckets of water house cleaning right beside the papaya during summer months.
During winter, I will still provide twice a week soaking to prevent dehydration cold nights could easily suck the moisture both from the soil and papaya trunks easily. Papayas grow well when it is positioned right below your roof gutters. Accidently, the purpose of planting papayas is cover our windows facing west. Such move gave us filtration of the sun's heat and rainy season less watering.
Southern California often gets this monsoon season and papaya roots dug down as deep as they can when needed. Big trunks means healthy papayas with lots of good results.
Not all papayas will provide good fruits for the first years but eventually will catch-up with mother nature. Be patient I took the picture November and they were super healthy, tall and full of fruit. I was amazed at how good they looked. Location helps, since the museum is located in Downtown Los Angeles, about 15 miles away from the coast and get plenty of heat.
Also, my neighbor two houses down has a very healthy and tall papaya tree with fruit and I'm on the coast in L. A on a cliff a block from the ocean. We have rocky clay soil with decent drainage. It had to have been over 20' with a massive multi trunk and a few Papaya near the top. I knew I should have bookmarked it. Take my word,it looked more like a Schefflera than the normal ' California Papaya.
They grow like weeds, and fruit like crazy. I've gotten Mexican to fruit. It took 4 years from seed. But before the fruit ripened it rotted in our last very rainy winter. I now have a Carib. Red and its 2 years old and 3' tall.
Its not getting all day sun.. I can tell people that growing Papaya in the bay area is more possible than it's ever been. Like I said,my last two tries have gone pretty good. Should add somebody in San Jose here in the bay area got them big and with ripe fruit. The story is they were from home depot and HD Papaya's are Solo types. Apricots are best harvested from May to July, and these tasty morsels are at their peak flavor during the early summer.
Cantaloupes should be harvested in the summer and eaten during the fall for best results. Strawberries are a perennial people pleaser that is best harvested from March through July. This fruit is in season in California throughout the summer. Cherries make a fantastic snack that can be harvested from May to July and taste great throughout the corresponding spring and summer months. Pomegranates dominate the frostier end of California seasonal produce , being harvested throughout the fall and reaching the peak of their taste in the early winter.
However, this fruit is considered in season in California throughout the majority of the year, barring the winter months. Grapefruit is a constant presence on the California seasonal produce chart , seeing as they can be grown and harvested throughout almost the entire year and are in season for just as long to boot.
Plums and Prunes can be picked from June through September and are at their tastiest in the summer and fall. But newly introduced apriums — crosses between apricots and plums — offer taste and texture that hearkens back to the good old days. Apricot recipes ». How to choose apricots and apriums? Look for golden background color and pay no attention to the red blush.
How to store apricots and apriums? Apricots can be stored at cool room temperature for a few days, particularly if they are underripe. After that, refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Extra tips In Southern California we are fortunate to have some orchards that still produce the lovely old-fashioned variety Blenheim.
These are troublesome to grow, but their flavor and texture is unrivaled. Most people eat artichokes only one way — the biggest ones, served whole with drawn butter or mayonnaise.
But smaller artichokes are terrific as ingredients in risottos, stews or pastas and they cost a lot less. Artichoke recipes ». How to store artichokes? Artichokes are hardy enough to last at cool room temperature for a couple of days. Any longer than that and you should refrigerate them in a tightly closed plastic bag. They have the same flavor as the heart and are just as tender if you peel the hard green skin. Asian pear varieties can differ quite remarkably. Shinseiki has a very crisp texture and a flavor like honey, walnuts and flowers; 20th Century is crisp with a flavor like a sparkling combination of apples and citrus; Kosui has a vanilla undertone; and Chojuro is buttery with a caramel sweetness.
Asian pear recipes ». How to choose asian pears? Asian pears feel hard as rocks, but they actually bruise quite easily. Russet varieties should be deep golden brown; smooth-skinned round fruit should be yellow, not green, and smooth-skinned pear-shaped fruit will be pale green. The most reliable harbinger of spring in the vegetable world, when asparagus peeks through the dirt, you can bet warmer weather is coming.
Asparagus recipes ». How to choose asparagus? The tips should be tightly furled and closed; the stems should be smooth and firm with no wrinkles; the bases should be moist. How to store asparagus? You can store asparagus tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for a day or so.
Any longer, store them in the refrigerator like cut flowers — with the bases in a bowl of water and the tops loosely covered with a plastic bag. Extra tips Use thin asparagus as an ingredient in pastas and risottos. Serve thick asparagus on its own, dressed as simply as you dare. Medium asparagus can be prepared however you like. There are many reasons to love living in California, but ranking high among them are the variety of avocados we can try; as wonderful as Hass avocados are, try a Reed or a Gwen.
Avocado recipes ». How to choose avocados? Really ripe avocados will give when they are squeezed gently use your palm, not your fingers. Not only are beets physically beautiful — they have a deep, rich saturated red color that shines like nothing else — but they are also a wonderful combination of sweet and earthy. So why do so many people hate them? Beets recipes ».
How to choose beets? Select beets that are heavy for their size and show no surface nicks or cuts. Extra tips Prepare beets by wrapping them in aluminum foil and baking at degrees until they are tender enough to pierce with a knife.
Cool them and the peels will slip right off. There is nothing at the farmers market that sums up the late summer-early fall season like the mounds of brightly colored peppers that seem to be everywhere. Their colors — red and yellow, even purple and brown — are so saturated they seem to have been designed for the painterly golden light at this time of year.
And they taste as good as they look. Bell pepper recipes ». How to choose bell peppers? Look for peppers that are firm, deeply colored and glossy. Peppers that have the straightest sides will be the easiest to peel. How to store bell peppers? Keep peppers in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in a plastic bag. Extra tips To peel peppers, place them whole on the grill, turning as the skin begins to blacken.
Transfer them to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, the peel will slip right off. Blood oranges get their color from the same anthocyanin pigment that gives raspberries theirs. And though the chemical compound itself has no flavor, there is a shared berry taste between blood oranges and raspberries.
Blood orange recipes ». How to choose blood oranges? Select oranges that are heaviest for their size. Color is not a reliable indicator of flavor.
How to store blood oranges? Because oranges have relatively thick peels, they can be stored at room temperature for up to a couple of weeks. Extra tips Blood oranges pair beautifully with many of the best cool-weather vegetables — fennel and beets in particular.
Cook it quickly and the flavor is bold and assertive. Push it a little longer and it becomes sweet and complex. Broccoli recipes ». How to choose broccoli? Choose broccoli with flower heads that are tightly closed and blue-green, rather than pale green or even yellow.
Feel the stock with your fingernail — overgrown broccoli will be too tough to dent and will be stringy when cooked. How to store broccoli? For a staple vegetable, broccoli spoils rather quickly. Treat it as you would a lettuce — tightly wrapped in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
And use it as soon as you can. These have more stem than flower head, so they lend themselves to different dishes. Like tiny little cabbages, Brussels sprouts depend on accurate cooking to be at their best — cook them long enough to bring out the sweetness, but not so long as to bring out the sulfur-y smell. Brussels sprouts recipes ». How to choose Brussels sprouts? Choose Brussels sprouts that are vivid green and are tightly closed.
As they sit, the leaves will begin to separate and the edges will yellow. Squeeze the head, it should be hard enough that there is very little give. How to store Brussels sprouts? Brussels sprouts should be refrigerated in a tightly sealed bag. Extra tips My favorite way to cook Brussels sprouts: steam them whole until just tender enough to pierce with a knife. Then cut them into lengthwise quarters and finish cooking as you wish to impart flavor. This helps keep them from overcooking.
Once carrots came in one model — fat and orange. Today you can find them in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Carrots recipes ». How to choose carrots? The best way to choose carrots is by the greens — they should be fresh and crisp looking. After that, make sure the roots are deeply colored whatever the color and vibrant and make sure there are no cracks or deep dings.
How to store carrots? Store carrots tightly wrapped in the crisper drawer. Be sure to remove the tops before storing as they will draw moisture from the roots, wilting them faster. Extra tips Want to look like a genius cook? For cooks, cauliflower has two distinctive personalities.
Blanch it briefly and it has an aggressive, grassy quality that pairs well with big flavors like olives and garlic. Cauliflower recipes ». How to choose cauliflower? Cauliflower heads should be firm and tightly closed. How to store cauliflower? Though it seems durable, cauliflower is extremely perishable. Keep it tightly wrapped in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Extra tips Unlike other vegetables, the color of cauliflower lasts through cooking, particularly if you add a little acidity, either vinegar or lemon juice.
All of them have fairly crisp, ridged stems and thick, fleshy leaves that are, frankly, unpleasant raw but become absolutely wonderful when cooked. Chard recipes ». How to choose chard? The stems should be firm and crisp. Examine the cut end — it should be somewhat moist and fresh-looking, with minimal darkening. How to store chard? Keep chard tightly wrapped in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Extra tips Chard often seems to be sandier than some other greens, so clean it thoroughly by covering it with water in the sink and then giving it a good shake. There is no surer, happier sign that summer is coming than the appearance of the first cherries at the market.
Cherries recipes ». How to choose cherries? Look for cherries with firm, shiny, smooth skins. Usually the darker the red, the better with the most common varieties, this is a sign of ripeness. Also check the stems, they should be green and flexible; they turn brown and woody in storage.
How to store cherries? Refrigerate cherries in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Extra tips Cherries are also closely related to almonds; if you want to beef up the flavor of cherries in a dish, add just a drop or two of almond extract.
Corn is frustrating. Old varieties had terrific flavor, but the sugar started converting to starch sometimes within hours. Still, is there anything sweeter than that first bite of corn on the cob? Corn recipes ». How to choose corn? Ears should be well filled out check the tips of the ears to make sure there are kernels , and make sure the silk is still soft, not dried out. Extra tips White corn is not necessarily sweeter than yellow; which color you prefer has more to do with where you were raised than the actual flavor of the corn.
Cool and crisp, incredibly refreshing in salads, cucumbers — along with tomatoes — are the stars of summer. And these days you can find so many different kinds. Cucumbers recipes ». How to choose cucumbers? Choose cucumbers that are firm, vibrantly colored and without any soft or shriveled spots. How to store cucumbers?
Keep cucumbers in a tightly sealed bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Also, take a bite — if the cucumber is excessively bitter, peel them because the compounds that cause bitterness are usually located right under the skin.
The sheer variety of eggplants in the market can be a bit overwhelming, but there is good news: For the most part, eggplant tastes like eggplant. Only the degree of bitterness varies somewhat. Other than that, the main difference among the varieties is texture. Eggplant can be firm, even slightly stringy, or it can be creamy.
This can be hard to predict, although generally the familiar black globe eggplants are among the most fibrous. Eggplant recipes ». How to choose eggplant? There are a lot of myths about eggplant and bitterness. So be sure to choose eggplant that is firm, even hard to the touch. There should be no shriveling or soft spots. Also check the calyx the green leaves at the stem end ; it should be fresh and green, not dried out and brown.
How to store eggplant? You can leave eggplants at room temperature for a day or two with no ill effects. After that, refrigerate them, but not for too long. Odd as it may seem, eggplant is a tropical fruit and suffers chill damage very quickly.
Extra tips Eggplant is one of the best vegetables on the grill — cut it into thick slices, brush with garlic-flavored olive oil and cook over a medium fire until soft. Then brush with more olive oil and sprinkle with vinegar and salt. There are few spring flavors that rival that of a really sweet English pea, but there are also few flavors more transitory. English peas recipes ».
How to choose English peas? Look for pods that are firm and crisp. The color in general should be a saturated pale green.
How to store English peas? Refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Extra tips Shucking peas is one of the most communal of cooking activities. If nothing else, you can talk about how boring it is.
One of the most popular of all farmers market vegetables, favas have ascended to culinary stardom contrary to all reason. And you have to buy a mountain to wind up with a molehill. It takes more than 3 pounds of pods to make enough for two respectable servings of beans.
And then you have to peel them a second time to remove that fine pale skin that surrounds each bean. But still, is there any taste that promises spring as much as that bright flash of green you get from a fava bean? Fava beans recipes ». How to choose Select pods that are firm and filled out along the entire length. How to store Store favas in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed plastic bag.
Extra tips The easiest way to peel that second skin from favas is to collect the shucked beans in a work bowl and pour over boiling water just to cover. Either way, its licorice flavor is a perfect fit. Fennel recipes ». A roasted turkey joint with stuffing and roast potatoes. Cauliflower comes into season, as does sweet pomegranate, while hardy veggies like parsnip, swedes, turnips and sprouts are easy to find.
No, not all foods are considered seasonal. Milk, cream, eggs and butter are an example of this, with British bred cows and chickens producing their products from January right through to December.
There are a number of advantages to eating seasonal foods — benefiting your wallet, tastebuds and the environment at large. As a rule, fruits and vegetables are fresher and tastier when in season as they will have been harvested recently and grown locally.
Products sourced outside of their season are often grown under managed conditions or other parts of the world, and it takes time and a lot of distance to transport them to local stores. This is because their shorter journey to store will have a better carbon footprint than foods that have been transported from thousands of miles away. Fun facts for kids Non-chocolate advent calendars Royal news.
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