Local equals Fresh
Ever walk into the grocery store, see a big, beautiful, plump, bright red tomato and just HAVE to have it? So you get home, unpack your sacks, except for that tomato...sit down with a knife, a plate, and the salt shaker, cut out a little slice, dash it with salt, and chow into something that doesn't really taste like anything? Well worry not for long! Minnesota Grown Tomatoes are right around the corner!
Locally grown fresh produce is a real treat. Especially for us northern most residents, the season is short. Or let me rephrase that...it doesn't last long, but packs a wallop while it is here. Back when we were all growing up, you couldn't just go to the store and find a tomato year round...along with several other items we have gotten used to and EXPECT to find at our local grocer. Root cellars and canning was more of a necessity than a creepy task when grandma asked to go down into the root cellar to grab a jar of tomatoes. Nowadays we can get about anything anytime, and we here at J&J know more than most the struggles those demands can create.
A few things currently coming out of the dirt are cukes, zukes, green beans, cabbages, radishes, peppers, and everyone's favorite local veggie - sweet corn!!! Yeah...and raspberries from our very own Ed Rabideaux remind you of being a kid again, and sitting on grandma's porch. Seriously folks, try this stuff. Fresh produce tastes better when it is, well, you know, FRESH. Produce picked in Minnesota is picked to eat, as opposed to being picked to pack, sit,ship, sit and then ship to the grocery store. Surely there is nothing wrong with the product we take in from California, or Chile, or Mexico, or Florida. But the stuff from Minnesota or anywhere closer is just BETTER.
Coming right up locally are watermelons, tomatoes, for the more popular items, and once fall comes we are looking forward to apples, potatoes, and squash to name a few.
Take advantage of this relatively short season and get out and try a taste of Minnesota. Buying locally raised fresh fruits and vegetables are certainly catching the attention of nationwide media, as well as huge in the "foodie" crowds. All of these people drive sales in our business, and it's no coincidence that seemingly everyone is talking about it on TV, and in the newspapers. Hit up a farmer's market if you get a chance. Stop down at the Produce Exchange where the crew supports one of the most impressive local selections in town. Visit a co-op where the people have been supporting these concepts for many years. Give it a try and you'll remember it year in and year out.
- Apples
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The Honeycrisp is a cross between the Honeygold and Macoun apple varieties, and is considered one of the more flavorful apples available today - crisp texture, high juice content, and a good sweet/tart mix.
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- Beans
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A staple of Latin American cuisine, the black bean is a very versatile bean with many culinary applications including enchiladas, soups, with rice, salsa, and salads.
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- Blueberries
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Blueberries go back a long way, and a relative of the blueberry plant is the oldest living thing on earth - more than 13,000 years old!
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- Corn - Sweet
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In the late 1400's, corn was discovered in Cuba, and corn pollen grain was identified 200 feet below Mexico City and identified as 80,000 years old.
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- August 3, 2010
- Local equals Fresh
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Locally grown fresh produce is a real treat. Especially for us northern most residents, the season is short. Or let me rephrase that...it doesn't last long, but packs a wallop while it is here.
Read More- By Ethan Kalenze
- Melons
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Melon Fact: A cantaloupe is not really a cantaloupe. Muskmelons have been masquerading as cantaloupes in the US for a long time. True cantaloupes are not netted, have deep grooves, a hard warty rind, and green or orange flesh.
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- Mustard Greens
Brassica juncea or mustard greens are, as the name implies, the leaves of the plant which produces mustard seeds.
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- Rhubarb - Crimson
Rhubarb has a very exciting history, and dates back to 2700 B.C. in China where rhubarb was cultivated for medicinal purposes.
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- Squash
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There are numerous varieties of hard squash available in today's marketplace - very old heirlooms and the standard fare we are all familiar with.
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- Strawberries
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Strawberries seem to be strewn among the leaves of the plant - they were first called Strewberries. Thought to be first cultivated in ancient Rome, the berries we know were originally grown in Northern Europe, and are grown around the world today.
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- Tomatoes - Grape
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They are delicious, they are relatively new to the tomato world, and they are becoming a favorite to many consumers!
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- Tomatoes - Heirloom
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Tomatoes are technically a fruit. When the US passed the Tariff Act of 1883 - imposing a 10% tax on imported vegetables - a tomato importer challenged the Act maintaining that tomatoes should be exempt from the tax.
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