Explore Summer’s Specialty Veggies
You’ve probably heard of and most likely have cooked with those meaty, juicy plum tomatoes in a can imported from Italy. Well, Melissa’s has sourced a hot-house-grown baby version of this style Roma tomato endearingly named for a small town in Italy called San Marzano. Melissa’s Heavenly Villagio Marzano® Tomatoes are firm baby plum tomatoes loaded with great flavor! Our Chef’s Team loves them for snacking, salads, sides and mains because of their sweet, fleshy profile and ease of use. Kids will like them for their size. They’re great for summer BBQ skewers, roasted with chiles or other baby veggies, or quartered to top tacos, fill wraps, or char for campfire tomato soup with grilled cheese sammies!!! No matter how these little guys are included in a recipe, you will not be disappointed.
Packed in an easy open, reusable tote bag, Melissa’s Heavenly Villagio Marzano® Tomatoes should be stored in a cool, open area for up to one week. Rinse off and pat dry before use. Do not refrigerate unless cooked or in a prepared dish. Refrigeration tends to diminish the flavor of tomatoes. If you have too many left over, toss in just enough oil to lightly coat, season as you like, then roast in 375°F oven until skins pop. Cool to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and freeze. Use within one month. Add to sauces, soups, and sautéed veggies. Available year-round, based on Mother Nature.
This special garlic is of limited supply simply because no matter how much is harvested, it sells out! A member of the leek family of alliums (but not a garlic), Elephant garlic is mild in flavor and doesn’t yield the burp or heartburn factor for most consumers. Elephant garlic cloves are quite large, averaging one ounce per clove and generally half the size of one whole head of garlic! Use in place of garlic for flavor without the burn. Raw, uncooked garlic may be stored at room temperature, away from moisture or heat. To cook Elephant Garlic, it is best wrapped well in foil and roasted until very soft. Then add to dressings or spread on crostini or bagels with cream cheese and a few twists of Melissa’s Everything Spice Seasoning grinder. In a resealable glass jar, store roasted and peeled Elephant Garlic submerged in olive oil and use within two months. Discard if you see any signs of mold, off odor or color. As garlic is low in pH, cooked garlic should never be stored at room temperature. Available year-round, based on Mother Nature.
Traditionally, black-eyed peas are served during New Year festivities as a symbol of good luck for the following year. Beans and shells were once forms of money, and black-eyed peas represent coins and wealth for the New Year. Nutritionally, they are a source of fiber and protein, so why wait only for the New Year to have good health and good luck? Melissa’s Steamed line offers many plant-based items that are ready to use year-round; simply cut open the package, rinse if you like, and add to your favorite recipe.
Steamed Blackeyed peas are great for summer camping meals because the product- though located in the refrigerated produce section- is shelf stable. Legumes are a source of fiber, energy, protein, and creamy flavor. Add them to soup, stew, salsas, and wraps, or as a side dish with grilled entrées. Available year-round—product of France.
Did you know Chestnuts are lower in fat and calories than most tree nuts and highest in fiber? And, if you’ve ever had to peel a fresh chestnut, you know how time-consuming it can be! Enter Melissa’s Steamed and Peeled Organic Chestnuts. Ready to use, the chestnuts are roasted to enhance their flavor, and the shells and peel are removed. Then, they are vacuum-sealed to preserve their quality and be shelf-stable. Chestnuts are a toothsome and sweet snack, perfect for hiking or camping, or a healthy addition to fruited or green salads, chopped for baked goods, puréed with a bit of cream as a spread on crostini or bagels, skewered with a toothpick then dipped in chocolate, added to shakes, or the obvious fall/winter suggestions: as stuffing or one of Melissa’s Chef Tom’s comforting chestnut soups. Next time you are in the produce department’s salad fixings area, be certain to purchase a box of this tasty treat! Melissa’s organic chestnuts are grown without chemical pesticides or fungicides. They are third-party certified as organically grown in accordance with the guidelines mandated by the USDA's Organic Foods Production Act of 2002. Product of France.
Melissa’s has done it again! We have taken a vegetable that is customarily unliked and made it a darling in the ready-to-use produce section. Melissa’s Organic Red Baby Beets are steamed in a vacuum-sealed bag, keeping them fresh for several months. They save so much time because all the preparation has been done for you. Simply slice open the package, drain the residual juice, and use as your imagination sees fit, or recipe instructs. The absence of the metallic aftertaste (because they are steamed) means our beets can convert beet-haters into beet-lovers. In fact, many have said the beets have a sweeter, earthy flavor and tender, not rock-hard texture. Add them to your morning juice recipe, quick pickle them for sides, salads, or noshing, lightly oil and heat through at roasting temp for added flavor. Here’s a twist: purée and add them to chocolate cake! Product of France.
Melissa’s organic Steamed and Peeled Baby Red Beets are grown without chemical pesticides or fungicides. They are third-party certified as organically grown in accordance with the guidelines mandated by the USDA's Organic Foods Production Act of 2002.
July is the season for canning late spring or early summer produce to savor off season. Crown Dill is often an essential ingredient for many ‘putting up’ items such as pickling cucumbers, radishes, and bread baking. Crown dill is also an essential ingredient for many Scandinavian dishes, such as poaching fish, seasoning kartoffle (potatoes), and even for tea! This herb originated in Central Asia and is believed to have a calming effect, can reduce insomnia, ease the tummy, and reduce pain during labor. Crown Dill is different than the more common anise dill. Crown has long stems with a ‘crown’ of bright yellow/gold flowers with an intense ‘pickle’ aroma, whereas anise dill is a bulb with long shoots topped with frill and has an aroma similar to licorice. Select Crown dill with sturdy stocks, full crowns with no broken stems and a heady aroma. Avoid brown stocks or stems and wilted crowns. Refrigerate Crown dill in a plastic bag filled with air to protect the crown from being crushed then store in the vegetable crisper, if possible. Ice water will revive the tops. Discard crown dill with brown spots or wilting crowns. Available through July—grown in USA.
This mini citrus fruit is one of the oddest and most fun fruits to experience. This tree fruit is originally from Australia and is commonly named for its appearance and aroma. Abrading the thin exterior peel releases the lime’s essential oils. Though small in size, the peel can be added to marinades and baked goods. But the real prize is all the little beads brimming with bright lime flavor. To extract the beads, simply cut the finger in half at its equator and gently roll the fruit between your fingers to release the beads. For starters, garnish drinks and desserts, top sashimi, oysters, or ceviche, add to vinaigrettes, freeze in ice cubes, or fold into batters or doughs. Let your imagination drive your use. Make a different guacamole with finger lime beads instead of lime juice! Finger limes pair well with fresh or candied ginger, citrus, root vegetables (garnish a sweet potato with them and maple syrup), seafood and poultry.
Select finger limes that are firm and plump with no signs of shriveling. Depending on the season and growing region, the exterior will vary from lime green to almost black, with hints of red or pink. Mind you, this is no indication whether the beads inside will also be pink or red. Finger limes are best stored in their clamshell packaging and refrigerated for up to one week. Available now through December—grown in USA.
If you are a green bean eater, you must experience Melissa’s Romano Beans! Also known as Italian Pole Beans, they are about five to seven inches long, wide and flat, not round or broad. This bean is tender, nutty and a bit sweet. Late in the season, this same bean is still edible whole, but can be shelled for its matured peas inside. Romano beans may be prepared the same as Blue Lake, French, or standard string beans but take less time to cook because they are less dense. Once washed and patted dry, simply give them a quick sauté. No need to submerge them in a roaring boil. Season as you like with anything from simple pats of butter to vinaigrette, quick pickling vinegar, olive oil and chile pepper flakes, mustard dressing, or go Asian with a mix of sesame oil, a dash of tamari, and a shake of Melissa’s Everything Spice Grinder. Accompaniments range from nuts and seeds to colored bell pepper sticks or squares, mushrooms, or a light toss of miso butter. If you’d like an unconventional method of cooking the beans, wash, pat dry, leave them whole and place on a hot grill to slightly char, then dress with a little sea salt or serve on a grazing board. Oh, sooo tasty!
Refrigerate Melissa’s Romano Beans unwashed and left in their original tote until ready to cook, up to four days. Rinse the beans well and pat dry before cooking. Trim off the tiny bit of stem end and leave on the ‘tail.’ You may leave them whole, but cutting on a diagonal in half or in fourths makes them more manageable during cooking and eating. Available through November—grown in USA.
Common green or purple cabbage is a vegetable many do not care for because of its strong sulfur odor and ‘squeak’ when eaten raw. Why not try a different variety, Melissa’s Napa Cabbage? It, too, is loaded with vitamin C and fiber, and its large, rippling leaves make it easy to stuff or stack and cut into strips. Also known as barrel cabbage, depending on preparation, you’ll have less of the, let’s say, ‘repeating effects.’ It is milder in flavor and certainly not as squeaky during preparation, nor does it seem to have the same after-effects. Napa cabbage originated in China and was an important source of nutrients during their long, cold winters. The Chinese found it was a good, flavorful filler for soup, won tons and dumplings, served over tofu, and many other variations, not to mention essential in making kimchi, today’s trending probiotic. Culinary trends have shown Napa Cabbage can be incorporated into many various dishes, regardless of culture, so why not consider substituting green cabbage with Napa?
Select Napa heavy for its size, with tight heads and untorn or damaged leaves. Refrigerate, unwashed, in a plastic bag with a paper towel. Wash just before use. Easiest to prepare for cooking by cutting off the root end and separating leaves into a colander. If leaving whole to use as a wrap, rinse under cool water and spin dry. If stuffing, trim off some of the thick rib before rinsing and blanching so the wrap will roll tighter. If chopping, stack several leaves, chop, then rinse well in a colander and spin dry. Available year round—grown in USA and Mexico.
It's summer, and it's time to have some heat in dishes. Did you know spicy foods help to purge toxins from your body? Most equatorial cuisines contain heated spice of some degree. Perspiration helps to keep the body cool and removes toxins. Peppers are native to Mexico and were distributed to Asia and Europe by the 15th and 16th centuries through trade. It may take a few repeated tastings of the same pepper heat to acclimate, but start with a mild heat such as jalapeño, red Fresno, or yellow pepper. Remember, the vein of the pepper, not the seed, creates the heat. The essential oils providing the heat are in the vein, not in the seed, so carefully cut around the vein or only use the fleshy part of the pepper, where the flavor is, your first few times. Wear disposable gloves when handling peppers and DO NOT TOUCH YOUR SKIN OR EYES when handling the peppers. Wash hands and arms well after preparing peppers, even if you have worn gloves.
Jalapeño, red, and yellow peppers are all about the same heat range, providing a variety of color to your dish. Fun stuffed, sliced into rounds as a garnish, grilled with veggies, or sweet pickled; these three are the best to begin your hot pepper experience. Once you’ve acclimated, experience hotter peppers such as pasilla in rajas with cheese or Thai food with little Thai chiles. The smaller the pepper, chances are the hotter it will be. Before you know it, you’ll enjoy salsas, soups, marinated meats, and seafood containing habaneros! Lastly, many hot pepper sauces use, of course, extremely hot peppers including bhut jolokia, naga, and scorpion. PLEASE BE CERTAIN TO WEAR GLOVES WHEN HANDLING FRESH OR DRIED PEPPERS AND AVOID TOUCHING EYES OR SKIN. Do have a glass of milk or a few bananas on hand when tasting these dishes, as they will assist in quelling the heat. Mostly available year-round, hotter peppers are very seasonal—grown in Mexico, the Netherlands, and the USA.
