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SUMMER (WARM SEASON) VEGETABLES. Summer or warm season vegetables need: sunshine (long hot days) warm soil warm air In order to: grow and mature develop sugar develop flavor. For warm season vegetables, cold temperatures mean: no germination no flowers
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Summer or warm season vegetables need: sunshine (long hot days) warm soil warm air In order to: grow and mature develop sugar develop flavor
For warm season vegetables, cold temperatures mean: no germination no flowers slow growth no fruit no flavor
What is in season? • Lima Beans • Okra • Peppers • Summer Squash • Tomatoes • Corn • Cucumbers • Eggplant • Green beans • Jimaca
CORN • Varieties Yellow Black White Red Blue Baby Multi-colored • New varieties are extra sweet. • Sugar converts to starch after harvesting.
BLACK CORN-PERU RED CORN ANCIENT CORN MULTI-COLORED BLUE CORN WHITE CORN
CORN • Cooking • Boiling – 3 to 5 minutes • Roasting • Grilling • Baking • Commonly eaten on the cob in US.
CORN • CULTURE • Mexico – 7,000 YEARS OLD • Thai – corn ice cream • Hispanic – masa, tamales, arepas, tortillas • US southern – corn meal, corn bread, corn fritters • New England – corn chowder, corn pudding • Italy (north) - Polenta • Animal fodder
MAYAN CORN MASK INDIAN CORN
ARMENIAN CUCUMBER JAPANESE CUCMBER
WHITE CUCUMBERS ENGLISH (BURPLESS) CUCUMBERS PICKLING CUCUMBERS
CUCUMBERS • Native to India • Commonly eaten raw – can be cooked • Peeled or unpeeled • 3 Basic Types • Slicing or Salad • Pickling • Gherkins
CUCUMBERS • Commercial – wax coating • Shriveled ends = old • Bitter taste – growing conditions • Larger cukes = more seeds • Remove seeds & gel • More digestible for some • Prevents watering down dish
SNAP/GREEN BEANS • Varieties • Edible pod beans • Snap • Green • Purple • turn green when cooked
SNAP BEANS • Golden • Wax • Look waxy • Don’ taste it
SNAP BEANS • Romano • Italian • Thicker,flatter • Haricot Vert • Filet beans • Pencil-thin
Varities Sweet Bell Pimiento Banana Italian Hot Chile Jalapeno Serrano Tabasco Cayenne Hungarian Wax PEPPERS
Capsaicin Heat Veins and seeds Not the walls Scoville Heat Units Measure of heat Jalapeno 2,500 to 4,000 Tabasco 60,000 to 80,000 Color not a factor
OKRA • Varieties • Green • Red • White
OKRA OKRA FLOWER HIBISCUS FLOWER
OKRA • Large pods are tough • Does not store well • Toughens • Loses color • Came from Africa on slave ships. • Called “Lady Fingers”
OKRA • Usually served hot • Sticky juice – cooked • Acts as thickener • Described as • Slimy • Ropy
OKRA • Popular in: • India • Africa • Caribbean • Southern US • Cajun • Creole Sti
OKRA • Cooking • Boil • Braise • Steam • Saute • Microwave • Fry • Southern US – dipped in cornmeal
TOMATOES • Varieties • Over 500 • Wide range of shapes, sizes, colors • 3 Categories • Cherry Tomatoes • Round/Slicing Tomatoes • Plum/Paste Tomatoes
TOMATOES • Heirloom • Old, non hybrid varieties • Hybrid • A cross between 2 genetically different plants • Specialty • Different or unusual – might be a heirloom or a hybrid
TOMATOES • Never refrigerate tomatoes – flavor loss • Exceptions: extreme heat, over ripe • Ripen in a brown bag out of sunlight • Vitamin A content determined by color • Orange – most • Red and yellow • White – the least • Nutrients in the gel around the seeds
TOMATOES • Native to South America • Believed poisonous until 1700’s • In the top 5 favorite vegetables in US • Each American eats 20 lbs. of fresh tomatoes annually, plus 70 lbs. of processed-ketchup, salsa, BBQ sauce • Not a vegetable – a fruit • Lycopene & beta carotene give red tomatoes their color
TOMATOES • Southern US favorite • Fried Green Tomatoes
EGGPLANT • Varieties • Color • Purple-black • Green • Pink • White • Yellow • Orange
EGGPLANT • Shapes • Oval • Oblong • Round
TURKISH EGGPLANT CHINESE EGGPLANT VIETNAMESE EGGPLANT
AFRICAN EGGPLANT ROSA BIANCA – ITALIAN EGGPLANT AMERICAN EGGPLANT INDIAN EGGPLANT
EGGPLANT • Name • Early fruit small, white, round • Culture • India or maybe China • Eggplant Parmigiana – Italy • Caponata – Italy • Ratatouille – France • Moussaka – Greece • Baba Ghanoush – Middle East
EGGPLANT • Cooking • Never eaten raw • Cook thoroughly • Spongy texture • Soaks up oil • Cook quickly-hot pan • Salt and press prior to cooking • May remove bitterness