Taste the Season: What’s Fresh This Month?
I like to think of March as my second ‘New Year,’ as March is generally the benchmark of springtime: sunny, cool days, regrowth of nature, and rebirth. The possibility of entertaining outside! This is the season we begin to see a wider range of color and varieties in produce from baby radishes and rainbow chard, to colors and varieties of fruits. Dishes and foods during this season generally become lighter in calories and fresher in appearance. Many consumers will find it easier to maintain a colorful and varied diet, leaning towards plant-based with the new season. We all love positive change, even though there may be a slight acceptance curve!
A member of the chicory family and a relative of radicchio, the dark purple and white lettuce often seen in grocery store lettuce mixes, this veggie is a standard ingredient in Western Europe, often served braised with a white sauce or with its own broth. Adding some depth of flavor to mixed green salads with their bitter bite can balance sweetness or rich or fatty textures in dishes. Its leaves are attractive as an appetizer vessel filled with roasted nuts, crumbled blue or other soft cheese and a drizzle of honey, or halve the head from top to bottom and grill/broil with a bit of oil and char, then complement with fresh fruits, caramelized onions or shallots, and a drizzle of vinaigrette or a fresh squeeze of citrus.
Have you wondered why some varieties of endive (ahn-deeve) are so light in color? Similar to white asparagus, the chlorophyll is suppressed by growing the vegetable under dirt or in the dark. The veggie may be absent of color but will still possess the nutrients as if the chlorophyll were visually present. A different seed produces the striking, deep purple endive, which has the same crunch and tangy bitterness as its monochrome cousin.
Select Belgian endive heads that are firm at the base, with no brown on the leaves or tips. Store unopened in its cellophane wrapper or a resealable bag with a damp-but-wrung paper towel. Use within one week of purchase. Freezing is not recommended. To clean Belgian endive, cut off the root end, leaving as much of the leaf length as possible. Gently pull off each leaf from the base to prevent leaves from tearing, and carefully rinse in a bowl of cold water. Dry on clean cloths or spin dry. Refrigerate for up to one week. Available Year Round. Product of USA.
A very popular gift among Melissa’s fans! Though available for year-round gift giving, Melissa’s Baby Veggies in a Basket is truly a symbol of Spring, and certainly a positive inspiration to consume fresh produce! This basket or carton is brimming with six pounds, yes, SIX POUNDS of baby-size veggies and may, depending on availability, include green baby patty pan and bright yellow summer squashes, tender potatoes, artichokes, carrots, zucchini, colorful radishes, beets, green beans, broccoli, Romanesco cauliflower, and others. Why not gift it to yourself “just because” or to a loving friend or relative to celebrate Spring, Lent, Easter, or any special occasion? Make the gift extra special by selecting the addition of a knife, as well. Available year-round.
Beans and pulses, in general, are symbols of fertility and fortune, which makes sense, especially during spring when so much nature is blooming. Soybeans, or “edamame” in Japanese, are a staple in many diets and cultures as they are a source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. Besides, they make a great healthy snack ‘as-is’ served shelled or in-shell, cold or heated. For added smokiness, put in-shell edamame in a searing hot pan or seasoned grill pan and char.
Their mild flavor allows them to be seasoned with any of Melissa’s Spice Grinders or amp up flavor and spice with hot chili oil. For a quick lunch or on-the-go snack with a kick, try Melissa’s Cooked Spicy Edamame, which is already seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and chiles. Just heat in the microwave, oven, or stove top. Melissa’s Cooked Shelled Edamame are also tasty added to avocado for “guacamame” or included with Ojai Pixie tangerines and napa cabbage garnished with almonds in an Asian salad, added to stuffed wontons or egg rolls, folded into cooked grains and mixed veggies as a side or pasta salad, or just reheat in a pan with a bit of butter or avocado oil and season to taste with a drizzle of chili oil or chili crisp. Scrumptious! Whether shelled or in-shell, conventional or certified organic, Melissa’s Edamame are non-GMO, fully cooked, and available year-round. Product of China.
An ancient form of processed edamame is tofu. The soybeans are soaked in water until soft, mashed, cooked, and strained to make ‘milk.’ Next, a coagulant is used to curdle the milk before pouring it into molds or blocks. Once set, the forms are chilled in ice, and the tofu is set and weighted to concentrate the texture from soft to extra firm. Many plant-based consumers now seek a dense form of tofu called ‘pressed,’ which is often used as faux chicken or meat, as well as pulled or sliced cutlet meat. Look for Melissa’s Organic Pressed Tofu in your grocer’s natural or produce refrigerated case. Pressed tofu is the most concentrated form available and is certainly a time saver, allowing for more impromptu cooking and less stressful meal planning. Melissa’s to the rescue!!!
Gone are the days of repeated layers of paper towels lining a tray of tofu, then weighted to remove any liquid, frozen, and thawed in repeated steps until the tofu was compact and dense. Simply cut open the vacuum-sealed bag, rinse off the tofu, and cut as needed to sauté in stir fry or fold into the veggie stew, marinate, and grill for sammies or grazing boards. Keep refrigerated. Available year-round. Product of USA.
If you’re from the Southern region of the U.S., you are most likely familiar with grits rather than oats. Grits are white or yellow corn ground medium size, cooked in liquid, and seasoned as morning hot cereal. They can also be cooked a bit thicker and topped with cheese as a side for lunch or dinner. In Italian cuisine, cooked cornmeal is also known as polenta. It is a rich, filling comfort food often used with veggies or fruit in place of animal meat and as a replacement for potatoes or pasta.
Melissa’s offers USDA Certified Organic Polenta in Original flavor or seasoned with Sun-Dried Tomato, Italian Herb, or Hatch Pepper. Shelf stable, Melissa’s Organic Polenta is a perfect pantry for last-minute dishes or potlucks. Simply cut off one end of the chub and slice into ½ in rounds, then grill or ‘toast’ in an oiled pan and use as an appetizer base and top with tomato pesto, a small bit of seasoned shredded meat or tofu, or cubed, roasted, and served with caramelized onions and mushrooms. Or chop up and hydrate with broth for reconstituted polenta. Fab with grated cheese and roasted sweet or spicy peppers or a nice mix of seasoned fresh vegetables. Available year-round. Product of USA.
Have you ever heard the food and nutrition term ‘complete protein’? In food, complete protein contains all the amino acids your body needs to build protein. Not all foodstuffs contain all twenty amino acids needed to build protein, so it is important you eat a varied diet that includes all of them. Quinoa, a grain grown on the west coast of South America, mainly Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, contains all the essential amino acids for building muscle and is very popular among vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based diets. To boot, it is naturally gluten free!!! Quinoa is a seed with a nutty flavor. It may be consumed raw, providing crunch in some snacks, or most often cooked or steamed as a morning cereal or side dish. Cooked quinoa may also be folded into quick batters for muffins, pancakes and cookies then baked. Once cooked, it also freezes well for a quick, last-minute side dish with mixed veggies or fruit or blended into other grains or starches for a bit more bulk.’ Melissa’s makes meal planning easier and in a healthy way, by offering Melissa’s Cooked Quinoa in a chub pack. Simply wipe off the package, cut the product into rounds, and add to your dish. As the product is already cooked and shelf stable, refrigeration is unnecessary unless opened or included in a recipe. Available year-round. Product of France.
Many countries have their version of a pickled vegetable. This was most likely because the cabbage and veggies were placed in a crock to ferment and provide sustenance in the cold winter months, and there was no option to waste food, especially vegetables and animal meats. These ‘olden’ methods also provided additional gut health by natural fermentation of the ingredients, usually cabbage and root vegetables, often the leafy tops, a little salt, and sugar to hasten the fermentation process. Pickled vegetables are known throughout Asia as tsukemono in Japan, Pao cai in China, achar in South Asia, and kimchi in Korea. In many cultures, the addition of spicy peppers isn't just for flavor but also for their potential health benefits. Certain compounds found in chiles, such as capsaicin, may help support a healthy gut and promote natural sweating, which may aid in the body's detoxification process.
Melissa’s is all about variety, and so we carry that through in our Kimchi varieties. Melissa’s Kimchi is made with traditional basic ingredients of napa cabbage, radishes, garlic, ginger, onion, a pinch of sugar, and spices. We offer our product with mild or hot heat and fish for added tang. Melissa’s vegan Kimchi, of course, does not contain fish, and our Organic Kimchi is USDA Certified Organic.
Go beyond the traditional use of Kimchi and use it to top hot dogs and tacos, chop and fold it into scrambled eggs or meatloaf mix, dehydrate and crush or pulverize it and use as a ‘dust’ or sprinkle over vegetables, salads, popcorn, and even ice cream!! Available year-round. Product of USA.
Many people like to add a sauce to their dishes. Sauces amplify a dish, making it richer and adding a dimension of texture and flavor. I think sauces also make a dish fancier for special celebrations. But sauces can also be challenging to make, often separating because the product wasn’t whipped long enough to emulsify when you made it. It's time to make life easier and celebrate occasions more often with ready-to-use Melissa’s Hollandaise and Four Cheese Sauces. They may be used chilled, at room temperature, or heated by microwave. If a microwave isn’t handy, a little cup of boiled water to hold the package until heated is the solution.
Hollandaise is a rich sauce classically served with Eggs Benedict over poached eggs on an English muffin stacked with ham and a sprinkle of freshly chopped chives. It’s also tasty with baby broccoli, asparagus, salmon benedict, or hot biscuits. If you’re into cheese, try Melissa’s Four Cheese Sauce, which can dress up those above or added to potatoes, folded into hot cooked rice and veggies, over Brussels sprouts, as a spread on wraps or sammies, or a dipper for chicken fingers. Add a drop or two of hot pepper sauce to either for a bit of punch! Both sauce pouches are shelf-stable, so be certain to keep a few on hand for emergencies when ketchup or tartar sauce just won’t do. Products of France.
One of Melissa’s best-known ready-to-use items is Melissa’s Steamed and Peeled Baby Red Beets. We have made many converts from those metallic canned beets Grandma would serve. Look for it in the refrigerated section of your produce department, most likely with the other salad ingredients. Carefully open the package, preventing any splashing as the juice will stain beet red. Leave them whole and juice them, slice or dice and add to salads, with sautéed or roasted mix veggies, lightly oil and heat through at 400-degree F to roast and caramelize their edges. Whirl with chickpeas and tahini for beet hummus, make quick-pickled beets or include them in your Passover Seder. Shelf stable up to the best date makes this a true life-saver pantry item! Available Year Round. Product of France.
Another item many people look for during spring is fresh horseradish. Yes, the classic condiment is paired with roasted beef and amps up cocktail sauce and Bloody Marys, but did you know it’s really tasty puréed with a squeeze of lemon and mayo slathered on a Sammie? Add some finely grated horseradish to softened butter and use to season grilled, baked, or steamed fish. And here’s your trivia for the day… fresh Japanese wasabi for sushi is an actual green radish, but the tube wasabi often found at the grocery store is primarily powdered horseradish and green food coloring!
Melissa’s makes life easier to put condiments on the table with our Creamed or Shredded horseradish in a jar. Shelf stable until opened, you’ll find them in your produce department. Just remember to refrigerate once opened. Hot and spicy, you’ll be ready for Bloody Marys any time this Spring!! Available Year Round. Product of USA.
As I've been told, opening the jar of this refrigerated product will immediately clear your sinuses. Simply put, this refrigerated item contains shards of horseradish, which saves you the trouble of peeling and grating the fresh root. It is the best quick option for your Seder plate. Available year-round. Product of Austria.
Various fresh seaweeds and succulents are becoming more popular as a garnish, umami flavor, color, and, most importantly, health. Salicornia, or sea asparagus, is a succulent family member and naturally grows in salt marshes, mangroves, and cliff crevices. They look like delicate, tiny green sprigs of asparagus and are quite salty unless blanched before use. Salicornia contains 18 essential amino acids, dietary fiber, iron, zinc, Vitamin A, and a plethora of other nutrients.
Amp up individual salad presentations with blanched salicornia—just a delicate sprig or two for added crunch and a pop of salt. Fold chopped pieces into grains or pasta, serve in a taco or with fresh oysters or other seafood. Consider blanching and adding to your pickled vegetable ingredients or kimchi. Available Year-Round. Product of Mexico or the USA.
