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Specialty Produce
Beans
Dragon Tongue Bean
• A purple and white flecked bean, 3-6 inches in length, wider and flatter than a
traditional green bean. The entire pod is edible and need not be shelled. Some color
will be lost in cooking.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Fava Bean
• Originating from Egypt, this is a soft, green bean that is 6-10 inches in length. Most
favas should be shelled prior to eating. Raw or cooked, the Fava bean is a good source
of Vitamins A and C, as well as Potassium.
• Seasonality: January - October
• Source: United States and Mexico
French Bean
• As known as Haricot Verts, these beans are deep green in color and range from 3-5
inches long. Straight, round, slender and smaller than the common green bean, they
also have a soft velvety pod. Good source of Vitamin A and Potassium.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Central America, Europe, Mexico and United States
Beans
Romano Bean
• Also known as Italian or Runner bean, this bean is 4-7 inches in length.
The entire pod is edible. Available in both green and gold, it is excellent
in soups, stew or simply steamed.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Sea Bean
• Also known as Pousse-Pierre and Salicornia, not only does this bean carry
an appropriate name, as it looks like sea coral, but its flavor is also very
salty. Can be eaten raw, stir-fried, boiled or steamed.
• Seasonality: June through September
• Source: United States
Beans
Wax Bean
• A type of Snap Bean, yellow or purple in color, this bean is picked at an early or
immature stage of development when it is tender, sweet and crisp. This bean,
eaten with the pod on, can be eaten raw, steamed or in soups and stews. The
purple bean will lose most of its color when cooked, the yellow will not.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Vanilla Bean
• The bean should be moist and plump. Fresh vanilla pods are odorless and
tasteless. They develop characteristically sweet flavor and darken as they age.
They are approximately 6-9 inches long and when properly stored, they can
stay fresh up to 1 year. These aromatic beans can be used to flavor coffee, ice
cream, and many other desserts.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Mexico, Madagascar and Puerto Rico
Peppers
Bell Pepper
• These peppers are known for their thick walls and extremely sweet
flavor. Use as you would any bell pepper; grill, bake, roast, sauté, or
enjoy them raw. Available in many colors, their near perfect sizing and
shape make them ideal for filling with tuna, chicken and fruit salads.
Rich in Vitamin C.
• Seasonality: March through November
• Source: Europe
Ancho
• This is a dried Poblano chile. Ancho, meaning wide, is the sweetest of
the dried chiles. It embodies a mild fruit flavor resembling raisins,
plums, licorice, or coffee with a hint of tobacco. The Ancho is a medium
on the heat scale.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Peppers
Cascabel
• This chile is medium hot and a bit acidic. It adds a nutty, somewhat
earthy or smoky flavor to sauces, salsas, soups, stews, and meats.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Mexico
Chipotle
• Brown-colored, smoked Jalapeno chiles, 2 to 4 inches long and 1 inch
wide. Heat 5-6. Use in Tex-Mex dishes and southwestern dishes to add a
smoky flavor to sauces and salsas.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Peppers
De Arbol
• Long, slender, bright red pods 2 to 3 inches long; De Arbol means treelike in Spanish. Heat 6-7. Grind, crush or use whole to add flavor and
heat to sauces, soups, or stews.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Guajillo
• Deep orange-red to brown, tapered, 4 to 6 inches long and 1 to 1 1/2
inches wide. Heat 2-4. Grind or crush into soups, salsas and chile
sauces.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Mexico
Peppers
Dried Habanero
• This is the dried form of one of the World’s hottest chiles. Behind its intense heat is a
tropical fruity flavor that makes these chiles a wonderful way to spark up a dish. The
habanero has orange, reddish tones to its skin. It is a round, oblong chile about ¾”
wide.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Mexico, Caribbean and United States
New Mexico
• Having a mild, earthy flavor, this pepper is approximately 6 inches in length. Mild in
heat and green in color it embodies the flavor of the Southwest. When dried, it turns
a dark burgundy and is widely used in the decorative Chile Ristas.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Pasilla Negro
• Dark colored, wrinkled, Chilaca chile, 5 to 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Heat
3-5. Traditionally used to make mole sauces.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Peppers
Pequin Chile
• This small, orange-red chile’s heat is clear and crisp. One of the smallest
and hottest chile peppers has flavors resembling that of corn, citrus and
nut. The pequin is very small and has an elongated shape. It can beaten
fresh or dried.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Cherry Hot
• Most often found in red, these peppers are known to have a bite.
Usually pickked, but frequently served fresh with salads and sandwiches.
Also called the Hungarian Cherry, it is very small in size.
• Seasonality: March – November
• Source: United States, Mexico and Europe
Peppers
Fresno
• This chile is about the same size as a Jalapeno or Serrano only with
broader shoulders. The immature green colored pepper is mild to
medium in heat, unlike the red which has a deeper fiery flavor exceeding
the Jalapeno in intensity. When harvested, this waxy-skinned pepper
has a thick flesh and typically 2-3 inches long with a pod width of an inch
or less.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Habanero
• The World’s hottest chile whose heat intensity will vary greatly from one
region to another. 10 to 50 times hotter than a Jalapeno, the Habanero
can be found in green, gold, orange, and red. Used extensively in
condiment sauces, relishes, and salsas.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Mexico and Caribbean
Peppers
Yellow Hot (Hungarian Wax)
• Yellow, tapered pods, 3 1/2 - 5 inches long. Easily confused with milder
banana peppers. Sample before using. Heat 4-6. Good substitute for
jalapenos. Used for stuffing, pickling, sauces or salads.
• Seasonality: March – November
• Source: United States and Europe
Thai
• Very hot with a fast, clear and lasting explosion of heat. Often used is
Asian dishes.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Mexico and Asia
Edible Flowers
Mixed Flowers
• A group of flowering plants that are most often used to garnish or enhance
the appearance and flavor of various foods. Calendula flower petals have a
slightly bitter or peppery flavor while offering very pleasing colors.
Scented geraniums and Johnny jump-ups are very similar to pansies in
appearance, use and taste, providing a mint-like flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Edible Orchids
• Offer a beautiful substitution for traditional garnishes.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States / Greenhouse Grown
Fruits
Asian Pear
• The oldest cultivated pear known, dating back to 100BC, the skin can be
smooth and shiny with colors ranging from reddish to pale yellow to tan,
some having a brown russet overtone. This is a fruit developed from the
crossbreeding of pears with apples to produce a crisp, mildly flavored
pear.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Japan
Atemoya
• About the size of an apple, this fruit is often knobby and goes from green
to slightly yellow at maturity. Atemoya’s have a sweet, white custard-like
pulp with seeds. They are also high in Vitamin C.
• Seasonality: All year – sporadic
• Source: United States and South America
Fruits
Banana, Burro
• 3-5 inches in length, it has a creamy texture with a sweet, slightly lemony
flavor. The flesh can be a velvet white to yellow. Eat when ripened to a
golden yellow. Rich in potassium, fiber and Vitamin C.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Central America and Mexico
Banana Leaves
• Leaves which have been cut lengthwise along the center rib, folded, up to
3 feet long. Use leaves as a wrap like corn husks to steam rice,
vegetables, chicken or fish.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Central America and Mexico
Fruits
Bananas, Manzano
• 3-5 inches long, it is usually shipped yellow and ripens to a complete
black. A bit dryer than most bananas with hints of apple, papaya and
strawberry, it is also known as the Apple Banana.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Asia, Africa, Caribbean, Mexico and South America
Red Banana
• This banana is 4-6 inches in length and 2 inches round. With a reddishpurple skin, it is shorter than the traditional banana. The meat is white,
but at times may have a slight tinge of pink. This banana can be sweet
and sticky. Combined in fruit salads or cooked for desserts, the Red
Banana is rich in Potassium.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Asia, South America and Mexico
Fruits
Blood Orange
• A type of orange is slightly smaller than a typical orange, with an orangered skin and deep red inner flesh. It is sweeter than other varieties,
providing a stronger citrus flavor and less acidic. Blood oranges are
known as Pigmented oranges, Moro oranges, Sanguina or Sanguinella.
• Seasonality: December - June
• Source: United States and Europe
Breadfruit
• The off-white, bland tasting inner flesh has a texture similar to bread and
is very starchy. It is usually eaten raw like other fruits after it ripens. If
picked prior to ripening, it is very sweet and is then baked, boiled, fried
or grilled, similar to a potato, to be served as a vegetable. High in
Vitamin c and Potassium.
• Seasonality: May – November
• Source: Caribbean
Fruits
Budda’s Hand
• Grown primarily as a novelty, this large yellow citron is considered as a
symbol of happiness, longevity and good fortune. It is closely related to
the lemon. The rind is very thick and extremely aromatic and can be
grated for use in recipes that call for lemon zest.
• Seasonality: Sporadic
• Source: Central America
Champagne Grapes
• The reddish-purple grape is very small in diameter and sweet and juicy.
Originally, Champagne grapes were developed to make raisins and wine
but are now more commonly eaten out of hand. Used as garnishes on
cheese trays and fruit baskets, when dried they are known as currants.
• Seasonality: August - November
• Source: United States and Mexico
Fruits
Tuna
• This a pear-shaped fruit, also known as Prickly Pears, due to their tiny
thorns, it is actually a berry that ranges in color from medium green, red
and dark magenta. The interior, ranging in color from ruby-garnet to
pale green, is filled with a multitude of small, hard edible seeds. It is rich
in Vitamin C and Potassium.
• Seasonality: June – March
• Source: United States and Mexico
Cara Cara Orange
• These reddish-pink fleshed naval oranges have a deep orange flavor with
sweet-cherry and raspberry flavored undertones. It is medium in size
and round, with a yellow-orange rind and usually seedless.
• Seasonality: Late January – Sporadic
• Source: United States
Fruits
Cherimoya
• This South American sub-tropical fruit is heart-shaped with gray-green
skin. Often mistaken for the Atemoya, it has a soft white pulp with large
black, inedible seeds. They are also known as Custard Apple and Sherbet
fruit.
• Seasonality: November – December; February – June
• Source: California, Central and South America
Clementine
• A variety of tangerine, grown in Spain and parts of North Africa, that has
a loose, thin skin. Having little or no seeds, Clementines are the crown
jewel of the Mandarin Citrus Family.
• Seasonality: November – January
• Source: Morocco and Spain
Fruits
Cocktail Avocado
• A seedless fruit, the Cocktail Avocado resembles a thin pickle. It has
smooth green skin and pale green flesh with a creamy consistency.
• Seasonality: Extremely Sporadic
• Source: California
Crab Apple
• Usually no larger than 1 to 2 inches in diameter, this small, tart apple is
used in making jellies, tarts and chutneys.
• Seasonality: August – April
• Source: United States
Currant
• Currant is tart to eat of the hand and are most often used to make syrups,
preserves and liqueurs.
• Seasonality: Spring and Summer – Sporadic
• Source: Mexico, South America and United States
Fruit
Fresh Dates
• Fresh dates are hard, crunchy, and a touch chalky. Let fresh dates cure
and use them in bread, puddings and enjoy raw. High in Potassium, Iron,
and Niacin.
• Seasonality: July-August
• Source: United States
Dragon Fruit
• Also known as Pitaya, Dragon Fruit is a part of the Cactus family, with a
somewhat grainy, magenta, pink or white flesh with many small edible
seeds.
• Seasonality: All Year - Sporadic
• Source: South West United States and Mexico
Exotic Fruit Medley
• The exotic Fruit Medley is made up of several different exotic fruits that
are in season at the time of purchase.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: California, Europe, Mexico and New Zealand
Fruit
Calimyrna Fig
• Large, pale yellow-skinned fig with a nutty, sweet flavor.
• Seasonality: April – December
• Source: United States
Black Mission Fig
• Purple-black skin, strawberry colored flesh, rich in flavor.
• Seasonality: April – December
• Source: United States
Brown Turkey Fig
• Large, brown skin, pink flesh fig that is sweet, rich in flavor and used fresh
• Seasonality: April –December
• Source: United States
Fruits
Guava
• Also known as the Guayaba, this round to oval fruit is actually classified
as a berry. Both skin and the pink to deep salmon colored flesh are edible
and are high in Vitamin C and A
• Seasonality: August – November; Sporadic
• Source: Australia, Caribbean, Mexico and United States
Fresh Huckleberries
• This berry is juicy, deep in color and rich in flavor. Used to make syrups,
liquors, jams, jellies and tarts.
• Seasonality: July, August – Sporadic
• Source: United States
Fruits
Feijoa
• This small, egg-shaped fruit is a lime green to olive color, slightly bumpy
skin with a yellow meat.
• Seasonality: June, July, September - January
• Source: United States and New Zealand
Gooseberries
• Available in many sizes, colors and flavors, it is also known as Physalis or
Goldenberries. The actual berry is enclosed in a papery thin husk. When
fully ripe they are light green or orange-red in color.
• Seasonality: February, March – April, and June
• Source: United States and New Zealand
Fruits
Jujube
• This fruit, resembling a dried date, is not as sweet in flavor and has the
flavor of a prune. More often enjoyed as a candied fruit, the Jujube has
been used since ancient times as a nutrient tonic, blood cleanser, and as
an important adjunctive herb to other tonics, especially in combination
with Ginseng.
• Seasonality: June - November
• Source: United States
Juniper Berries
• Most often dried, Juniper berries have been used since the 16th century
in herbal medicines. Crush before using to release their essential oils,
flavors and other nutrients. They are bluish-black in color and used to
flavor meat dishes, soups, sauces, pickled foods and used in the
production of Gin.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Fruits
Key Lime
• This small rounder, seed laden lime is very astringent with an intense
lime flavor. It is much smaller than the regular “Persian” limes. Its juice
is used in sauces, marinades, pies and other fruit desserts.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Kiwano Melon
• This fascinating looking horned melon houses a light green, translucent,
jelly-like meat that has a cucumber lime flavor. It can be served halved or
the meat can be combined with other fruits for use in desserts or drinks.
• Seasonality: February – December
• Source: United States and New Zealand
Fruits
Baby Kiwi
• Berries with smooth skin and delicate seeds, similar in size to a grape. They
have a green skin that lacks the fuzz found on the larger, more well known,
Kiwi Fruit.
• Seasonality: June – September; Sporadic
• Source: United States and New Zealand
Gold Kiwi
• The skin from the Gold Kiwi is smooth and completely edible.
• Seasonality: June – August
• Source: United States and New Zealand
Kumquat
• An entirely edible citrus fruit, the skin is often sweet and the meat tangy and
tart. They are small and egg-shaped and can be candied or kabobed with
other fruits or meats.
• Seasonality: November – August
• Source: United States
Fruits
Lady Apple
• The lady apple is light green with red blushing. The flavor is tart to sweet
and juicy, making it perfect to eat out of hand or for roasting with a pork
or foul.
• Seasonality: All Year; Sporadic through the summer months
• Source: United States
Limequat
• Virtually identical to the kumquat in appearance, the limequat has a very
sharp lime flavor. The limequat is a cross between a kumquat and a West
Indian lime. The skin may be a light green or yellow with green hazing
• Seasonality: November – July; Sporadic
• Source: United States
Fruits
Loquat
• Also known as the Japanese Plum or May Apple, the loquat is about the
size of an apricot, slightly pear shaped with a yellow-orange skin. The
contain one or more large seeds. The flavor is sweet to acidic.
• Seasonality: Spring – Sporadic
• Source: United States, Japan, Brazil and Southern Europe
Lychee Nut
• This Chinese fruit is about the size of a walnut, with a bumpy brown or
red outer skin. The skin is not edible and must be removed to reveal the
milky white translucent flesh underneath. The meat is like that of a
peeled grape with a single dark seed in the middle that is not for eating.
They can be enjoyed fresh, or gently cooked to produce wonderful
sauces, High in Vitamin C.
• Seasonality: May – July
• Source: United States and Mexico
Fruits
Mamey Sapote
• The size of a large sweet potato, the flesh is salmon colored with delicate
blends of sweet potato, avocado, persimmon and honey flavors. This
oval shaped, tropical berry has a thick, coarse brown skin.
• Seasonality: July – December – Very Sporadic
• Source: Mexico, South America and the West Indies
Mango
• Mangos are available in many varieties and depending upon the time of
year, you may receive large oval mangos or smaller kidney shaped ones.
Their colors range from green to yellow-orange with a deep red blush.
Most varieties have a sweet tropical taste. There is a large seed covered
with a tough flesh in the center.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Central/South America, Mexico and the Caribbean
Fruits
Meyer Lemon
• Meyer lemons are typically considered to be sweeter in both flavor and
aroma than the standard lemon, providing a taste mildly similar to a
tangerine.
• Seasonality: November – May
• Source: California
Papaya
• The two most common varieties today are Hawaiian and Mexican
Papayas. The Hawaiian Papaya, also known as Solo, has a bright yelloworange flesh with a tender green-yellow skin. The Mexican Papaya tastes
muskier, less sweet and have a more green tinted skin. The Hawaiian
Papaya usually weighs about one pound, while the Mexican Papaya can
weight up to ten pounds.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Brazil, Costa Rico, Mexico and Hawaii
Fruits
Passion Fruit
• Native to Brazil, Purple Granadilla is the best known type of passion fruit.
Considered to be the largest berry of all plants, Its leathery, purplebrown skin becomes brittle and wrinkled when ripe. Inside it has a
aromatic jell-like, yellowish pulp with a lemony tart flavor, along with an
abundance of small black edible seeds.
• Seasonality: February – November
• Source: United States and New Zealand
Pepino Melon
• It is also known as Mellowfruit, Bush melon or Tree melon. This exotic
melon is the shape of a teardrop with a smooth golden skin that has
distinctive purple and greenish-yellow stripes. The flesh is quite fragrant
and has flavors of cucumbers along with cantaloupe and honeydew.
• Seasonality: Late Fall to Mid Spring
• Source: United States and New Zealand
Fruits
Persimmon
• The two most commonly found types of persimmons are the Fuyu and
Hachiya. The Fuyu is round with a flat top and bottom. The Hachiya is
also round, but the tip points upwards into a cone shape. Their flavors
are much like a plum and a pumpkin combined. Eat the Fuyu persimmon
firm, like you would an apple, and enjoy the Hachiya variety only when it
is soft. They are also known as Kaki fruit or Sharon fruit.
• Seasonality: September – Mid December
• Source: United States and Israel
Baby Pineapple
• These miniature beauties are most commonly used for decoration, they
can also be modified to hold exotic tropical drinks. South Africa is noted
for these baby pineapples, also known as Queen Victoria Pineapples.
The average size fruit is about 4.5 inches high and about 3.5 inches in
diameter.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: South Africa, Central/South America and United States
Fruits
Pluot
• This is a thin-skinned and vibrant pinkish colored pluot with maroon
freckles. They are also known as the dinosaur egg plum. The rich red
meat tastes like a combination of plum and apricot. This variety is
exceptionally sweet.
• Seasonality: August - September
• Source: California
Plantain
• The taste of a plantain is different at every state of ripeness. It has a
creamy yellowish flesh with a slight shade of pink. It is usually shipped
green and will age to dark black if desired. When the skin is green, the
fruit is hard and the texture is excellent for frying. As the fruit ripens it
will start to turn yellow, the brown and is now a nice addition to the grill.
When it is brown-black, it is wonderful just peeled as a fruit dessert.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Central and South America
Fruits
Pomegranate
• A native of the Middle East, it is actually a berry and has been used by
herbalists for its medicinal properties. There are a few varieties
differentiating in skin color and sugar content. It usually ranges in size
from an orange to a large grapefruit. The pomegranate has a thick,
leathery, crimson red skin. It has dozens of edible small seeds that are
clustered in compartments between a bitter, inedible cream-colored
membrane. They have a very sweet , tangy berry flavor.
• Seasonality: August – January
• Source: United States
Pomegranate Arils
• Pomegranate seeds are sweet and tender and have a slight crunch.
They are red to maroon in color.
• Seasonality: August – January
• Source: United States
Fruits
Pummelos
• They are the largest of the citrus fruits ranging in size from a small
cantaloupe up to nearly the size of a basketball. They are greenish to
yellow-pink in color, slightly pear-shaped, and have a thick skin. The
flesh color ranges from white to pink to rose red and has both a sweet
and tart taste. Also known as the Chinese grapefruit.
• Seasonality: November - March
• Source: United States, California and Caribbean
Quince
• They are the size of a large apple or even a grapefruit and fairly round or
pear-shaped. The skin will turn from green to yellow when ripe. It’s firm
textured flesh turns from light pink to purple, becoming softer and
sweeter after cooking. It is a baking alternative to apples.
• Seasonality: October – March
• Source: United States
Fruits
Rambutan
• This is an oval fruit, native to Malaysia, related to the lychee nut and is
often referred to as a hairy lychee. It ranges from 3 to 4 inches in length,
ripening into a crimson red colored skin with soft hairy spines. The flavor
is similar to that of a grape.
• Seasonality: Sporadic
• Source: Hawaii
White Sapote
• A tropical fruit native to Central America, it is about the same size as an
orange and resembles an apple. Also known as Matasano, once ripe,
their bright green skin turns light yellow. The skin is fully edible with a
creamy, buttery-textured white flesh containing a few flat black seeds.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Fruits
Red Raspberry
• A small, deep colored berry which has a tender texture, a sweet delicate
taste and a pleasant aroma. The red raspberry is the most common and
most cultivated.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Golden Raspberry
• Of all the varieties, the golden raspberry is the rarest.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Blackcap Raspberry
• The berries turn from red to black and can be confused with blackberries.
The hollow, purple, black faceted berries, which are 1/2 inch across,
appear in early summer.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Fruits
Saturn White Peach
• This peach has a white flesh and uniquely flat shape with velvety skin. It
has a small pit in the center. It is also referred to as a donut peach,
Chinese flat or Saucer peach.
• Seasonality: Late Spring to Early Summer
• Source: California
Seville Orange
• Also known as Zhi Shi, Chongcao, and English Orange, they are primarily
used for marmalades. It has a thick skin with deep orange aromatic rind,
irregularly shaped. It is very juicy and very tangy with seeds.
• Seasonality: All Year – Sporadic
• Source: United States
Fruits
Star Fruit
• This uniquely shaped fruit resembles a star when sliced cross-wise. It is
also known as Carambola. When ripe, the skin turns a thin, glossy yellow
color with some brown spots along the ridges indicating sugar
development. It has tastes that range from tangy sweetness to lemon
tartness. It can be eaten in its entirety.
• Seasonality: All year – Sporadic
• Source: United States, Caribbean, Taiwan
Tamarillo
• Tamarillos are found in gold and red colors. They are egg-shaped with
glossy skin and sold with stem intact. Their tiny, edible seeds are
surrounded by an apricot-like flesh, which has a bitter/tart tomato flavor.
• Seasonality: May – November
• Source: California and New Zealand
Fruits
Ugli Fruit
• This fruit’s parentage combines the best characteristics of the tangerine,
grapefruit and Seville orange. It has an uneven, green to orange, bumpy,
loose rind that is not attractive. It has a yellow-orange flesh with a
sweet flavor and few seeds.
• Seasonality: December – June – Sporadic
• Source: Florida and Jamaica
Herbs
Arugula
• This is a Mediterranean plant with green, multiple-lobed leaves,
belonging to the mustard family. Most commonly used in a salad, it has a
peppery, hot, sharp taste. It is also known as Italian cress, rugula, rocket
or roquette.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States, Mexico and Europe
Basil
• This is a leafy green herb belonging to the mint family. It has an intense
flavor. The color of the leaves may vary from green to purple and the
flavor may have a hint of lemon, cinnamon, jasmine, thyme or camphor
in it. Use fresh for peak flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Herbs
Bay Leaves
• These are aromatic leaves from the evergreen bay laurel tree, used for
seasoning, or can be ornamental. The are pale green and mild tasting.
For maximum flavor, shred before using.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Chives
• This herb, characterized by it’s long green shoots that are used as a
seasoning, provides a flavor very similar to an onion. This chive produces
a flavorful flower or bloom that is edible and attractive when added to a
salad.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Herbs
Dill
• An herb belonging to the parsley family with fine feathery leaves. Like
most herbs, Dill has the best flavor when used fresh. It can also be used
as an attractive garnish.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Epazote
• This is a jagged leaf herb that is considered to be a weed in many areas.
It provides a pungent pine-like odor and a similarly strong, unique flavor,
similar to licorice or mint. Because of it’s unique flavor, no other herb
can be used as a substitution. It is also known as Mexican Tea,
Wormwood, Goosefoot and Jerusalem Oak.
• Seasonality: All Year – Sporadic
• Source: United States and Mexico
Herbs
Lemon Grass
• This unique member of the grass family has a fragrant lemon scent and
delicate flavor. The tender heart, or bulb, of the lemon grass is often
thinly sliced and added to dishes, lending a pungent flavor. The more
fibrous and coarse green end of the lemon grass is often used for its
flavoring and best removed from a dish before serving.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Garlic Chives
• This herb is similar in appearance to chives, however garlic chives have a
wider, flatter stem and distinct garlic flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Herbs
Marjoram
• This is a strong aromatic herb. Although it is closely related to oregano,
the flavor is much more subtle and sweet. To obtain the best flavor, the
Marjoram is best when picked before the flower buds open.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Mint
• This cool refreshing herb is available in over 600 varieties. The two most
commonly used types are peppermint and spearmint. Peppermint has s
distinctively sharp flavor while spearmint is milder and less pronounced
flavor.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Herbs
Oregano
• Also called wild marjoram, it has an earthy and intense flavor with hints
of clove and balsam.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Rosemary
• The herb is an evergreen plant that is native to the Mediterranean region
but is cultivated throughout Europe and America. It has narrow,
leathery, smooth edged leaves that are green on top and whitish gray on
the under side, resembling pine needles. It has a distinct smell of pine.
The stem can also be used as a skewer for barbecuing.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Herbs
Savory
• This delicate herb has velvety soft leaves that are dark green on top and
somewhat iridescent on the underside. This herb provides a strong
aroma and a spicy, peppery flavor similar to oregano or thyme.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Sorrel
• A salad herb that is a small, low growing, leafy plant has a high content of
oxalic acid and should be used sparingly. Too much oxalic acid can lead
to kidney damage. It is very lemony with a taste similar to rhubarb.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Herbs
Tarragon
• This is a perennial aromatic herb that has thin, pointed green leaves. It
has a distinct licorice-like flavor. It is best when used fresh.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Thyme
• This is a small leafed herb that is very popular in French cuisine. It has a
strong, somewhat minty flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States.
Lettuce and Greens
Belgian Endive
• Red or White: Belgian endive has narrow, spear shaped leaves that are
creamy white with very pale yellow tips. They are grown in the dark to
prevent the leaves from turning green. It has a mild taste and is more
expensive than the Curly Endive. Also known as Chicory and Witloof, you
can use radicchio, arugula or watercress as substitutes.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Europe
Butterhead Lettuce
• Also known as Bibb and Boston Lettuce, it’s characteristics include loose
leafed heads with soft textured leaves. Butter or Boston lettuce is
delicate and sweet, while Bibb is a touch pungent, with light green
leaves.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Lettuce and Greens
Dandelion Leaves
• Young leaves can be enjoyed fresh in salads, while larger, mature leaves
have a bitter taste. Dandelion greens refer to the leaves of a dandelion
plant, which are considered a weed in the United States, but are actually
one of the most vitamin rich foods available.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Frisse
• This is a leafy vegetable with curly leaves that have spiked edges,
forming a loose-headed green. Frisse is basically the smaller version of
curly endive and may be commonly referred to as baby curly endive.
The rippled edged leaves are green on the outer section and creamcolored closer to the center. The lacy outer leaves provide a prickly
texture and bitter taste.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Lettuce and Greens
Lollo Rossa
• A leaf lettuce variety that has long leaves with very ruffled edges that are
green toward the interior of the head and are red on the outer portion of
the head. The leaves are tender and mildly flavored.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Mache
• A salad green that has small, teardrop shaped, dark green, velvety leaves
with a rich, sweet flavor similar to hazelnut. This green can also be
steamed and served as a vegetable. It is also known as Corn Salad,
Lamb’s Lettuce or Lamb’s Tongue.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Lettuce and Greens
Mizuna
• This is a thin, wispy salad green that boasts a bold appearance with
jagged edges and cool green color. This Japanese Mustard green is
tender, mild and has a smooth texture with a somewhat feathery shape.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Radicchio
• A vegetable from the chicory family which has a tight head of scarlet
leaves with creamy colored ribs. It has a pungent flavor with the head
size ranging from baseball to softball size. Heads are tightly packed
layers of tender, thin leaves.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Italy and Chile
Lettuce and Greens
Tat Soi
• Firm, spoon-shaped, dark green leaves with a white stalk, that form into
a shiny rosette-like shapes as it grows closer to the ground. Spicy, like
cabbage, tat soi is often referred to as Spoon Cabbage or Flat Cabbage.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Mushrooms
Chanterelle
• This is funnel shaped mushroom that is tapered at the base. The cap of
the mushroom usually measures up to 6 inches across, has a depressed
center and a curly edge. It has a bright yellow color, which fades to a
paler yellow after it starts to age. It has a mild, somewhat fruity flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Canada and Europe
Yellow foot Chanterelle
• This member of the chanterelle family is a small and very thin variety of
mushroom. Brightly colored with a golden yellow stem, Yellowfoot
mushrooms have the appearance of a vase that begins as a narrow stem
broading upward as it expands into a wrinkled flower-like petal that is
the mushroom cap. It is also referred to as the Funnel Chanterelle.
• Seasonality: December – March
• Source: United States and Canada
Mushrooms
Crimini
• The forerunner of the now common white or button mushroom. The
crimini has a light to dark tan color with a rounder, very smooth, firm
cap. They are a bit more flavorful that the common white mushroom.
This mushroom is a young Portobello that is harvested before it matures.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Enoki
• Usually served raw, their flavor is fruity with hints of rice. A substitute
would be oyster or white mushrooms.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Japan
Mushrooms
Lobster
• Orange in color, the name for this variety of mushroom is derived from
its coloring that is similar to a lobster with the burnt orange outside and
white inner meat.
• Seasonality: June – October
• Source: United States and Canada
Matsutake
• A wild mushroom with a broad stem and umbrella cap. It is commonly
harvested when it is 3 to 8 inches in width. This mushroom is creamy
white to yellow with brown or cinnamon stains. It is also known as the
Pine mushroom.
• Seasonality: August - December
• Source: United States and Canada
Mushrooms
Morel
• A wild mushroom with a cone-shape cap that forms into a honeycombed
and deeply indented outer skin. The cap and stem grow from 2 to 4
inches tall. These mushrooms are highly prized for their rich, earthy
flavor, and also because they are completely hollow, which allows them
to be stuffed.
• Seasonality: April - June
• Source: United States and Canada
Oyster
• This is an Asian fan-shaped mushroom that is white, light gray with a
bluish tinge, pale yellow or pinkish in color. It has a slight odor similar to
anise or licorice. It has a tender texture with a mild oyster or shellfishlike flavor containing a hint of pepper. Also known as Tree Oyster and
Pleurotus.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Mushroom
King Oyster
• A variety of mushroom that grows in clusters, developing a trumpet-like
shape and appearance as a wild or cultivated mushroom. With a blunt
cap above and a stout stem beneath, the King Oyster mushroom
develops a thick, white flesh that is firm-textured and meaty from the
base to the cap. Also referred to as the King Eryngii, Eryngii or Royal
Trumpet.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Porcini
• Also known as King Bolete, Cepe and Polish Mushroom. The Porcini
mushrooms are well appreciated in Europe for their meaty texture and
interesting nutty flavor. Just wipe clean before using, washing them will
cause them to soak the water up like a sponge.
• Seasonality: April – June
• Source: United States, Canada and Europe
Mushrooms
Portobello
• A rich flavored, meaty textured mushroom. It has a large, flat, dark
brown cap that grows up to 5 inches in diameter when mature. Beneath
the cap, dark gills give this mushroom a distinctive appearance for
identification. Becoming one of the most popular, commercially grown
mushrooms, it’s flavor and texture have been compared to filet mignon.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Shitake
• An Asian mushroom with a pale brown to dark reddish brown cap. It is
generally 2 to 4 inches wide. The young mushrooms have an edge rolled
inward, which nearly flattens out with age. The stems are tough and
fibrous and are generally detached and discarded. The cap has creamy
white gills on its underside and its flesh is firm and white. The flesh is
meaty textured with a rich, smoky flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Mushrooms
Wood Ear
• A type of mushroom that resembles a large ear when it is fresh and
grows as large as half a foot. The surface of the mushroom is purplishgray in color. The flesh is a dark purplish-gray to almost black in color. It
has very little flavor, but is used mainly for its firm, gelatinous texture
and for the color. It is also known as Judas’ Ear, Cloud Ear and Tree Ear
mushroom.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Onions
Cippolini Onion
• These found, flat Italian onions are about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Its
flavor is rather mild and sweet.
• Seasonality: September – May
• Source: United States and Europe
Maui Onion
• A dry onion grown in Hawaii, that has brown skins and a sweet tasting
flesh that is best when eaten raw.
• Seasonality: March – October
• Source: United States
Pearl Onion
• These underground bulbs are widely used. They are mild flavored and
range in a number of colors, purple, dark red, white, gold, or yellow
skinned. They are about the size of a large marble.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States, Mexico and Europe
Oriental Specialties
Arrow Root
• A fresh arrow root tuber looks like a small onion, only without the layers.
The flesh is off-white, moist, crunchy and rather bland. This tuber should
be peeled before eating. It can be substituted with water chestnuts or
jicama.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Asia
Baby Bok Choy
• It is a Chinese vegetable of the mustard family. Baby or Shanghai bok
choy is harvested as a baby plant. The leaves are spoon-shaped with
flatter stems compared to regular bok choy. The stems may be white or
green. They have a slightly peppery flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Asia
Oriental Specialties
Bok Choy
• Bok Choy has very bright white stalks that are crunchy and sweet,
crowned by ruffled, emerald colored leaves that look similar to spinach.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Asia
Bitter Melon
• This melon, as it’s name implies, is a touch bitter. It has the shape that is
similar to a cucumber with ribbed and bumpy skin.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Asia
Oriental Specialties
Chinese Broccoli
• This is a vegetable consisting of green clusters or flowering buds, known
as florets, which grow on a thick leafy stalk. It is a variety of broccoli that
is similar to regular broccoli, but milder in taste and grown on a longer
stalk. It is also known as Gai Lan
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Asia
Chinese Eggplant
• A variety of the Asian eggplant characterized by their long, thin shape
and neon purple coloring. They have the most delicate flavor of all
varieties, providing a deliciously sweet meaty flesh that is seedless,
surrounded by a tender skin, which highly desirable. Their color will be
lost in cooking.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Oriental Specialties
Daikon Radish
• An Asian root vegetable that is a long, white carrot-shaped radish that is
crisp and juicy with a milder taste than the red radish.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Daikon Sprout
• They have thin, round, linen white stalks and deep green heart-shaped
leaves. They have pungent, peppery flavor that works wonders for
otherwise bland salads. Also known as Kaiware, it is too delicate to cook.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Japan
Oriental Specialties
Ginger Root
• A subtropical plant that is grown for it’s knobby root to be used as
seasoning. The root, which is actually a rhizome, has a tan skin and
a flesh that may range in color from ivory to light green. Also known
as Khing, Shoga, and Geung.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, South America and Asia
Gobo Root
• Also known as Burdock, the root can extend into the soil 2 to 3 feet.
It has large green wavy leaves with purple flowers sprouting from
the stalks. This root is similar in size, shape and preparation
methods to a carrot.
• Seasonality: All Year Round
• Source: United States
Oriental Specialties
Japanese Cucumber
• These are just like the English cucumber, very long and thin, only
with bumps. Like English cucumbers, they don’t have to be peeled
or seeded. They have a mild flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Japanese Eggplant
• Like other Asian eggplants, Japanese eggplants have thin skins and a
sweet, delicate flavor with a dark purple color. They are similar to a
Chinese eggplant except they are not quiet as long or as light
colored. They become increasingly bitter as they age.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Oriental Specialties
Japanese Pumpkin
• Also called Kabocha, it is a member of the pumpkin family. It is a thickskinned pumpkin-shaped squash. It ranges in diameter from 8 to 12
inches with an average weight on 3 to 4 pounds. Inside the hard deep
green or reddish-orange spotted outer skin, there is a semi-firm, dense
golden flesh that has a rich, sweet flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year - Sporadic
• Source: United States
Lilly Root
• Also known as Lotus Root, this underwater Asian root vegetable is
shaped similar to a long squash which may grow up to 4 feet in length.
The reddish-brown covered root should be peeled before using,
uncovering a white, lacy looking interior with hollow areas running the
length of the root. It has a sweet taste and crunchy texture, which is
maintained when cooked.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Asia
Oriental Specialties
Long Bean
• Also known as the Chinese long bean, Asparagus bean or Dow Gok. This
is a thin long Asian bean that can measure from 1 to 3 feet in length, but
are best eaten when they are 12 to 20 inches long. It has a mild taste.
This bean is difficult to ship, it is very susceptible to “rusting”.
• Seasonality: All Year - Sporadic
• Source: United States
Moqua
• This sweet and mild squash has a very thin layer of tiny white erect hairs,
giving it a fuzzy feeling. Having a sweet cucumber like flavor, the fuzz is
easily removed.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Asia
Oriental Speacialties
Opo Squash
• A long narrow variety of squash, very similar to zucchini in flavor, as well
as the cucumber. It has white meat with small, clear seeds that are
virtually undetectable. Grown most often in warmer climates, this
squash grows from 6 to 36 inches long and 3 to 12 inches in diameter.
The outer skin can range in color from yellow to green.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Snow Pea Shoots
• The tender uppermost leaf and tendril of the snow pea sprout is edible.
They grow during the early stages of development of the snow pea plant.
The tendril is the leafless part of this climbing plant. Often labeled pea
shoots, this combination of tendril vine and leaf can be eaten raw.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States
Oriental Specialties
Taro Root
• This is a starchy root with combinations of potato, yam, water chestnut
and artichoke flavors. In it’s raw state, it can be toxic and harsh on the
skin, so wear gloves or oil your hands before handling.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America
Water Chestnuts
• Beneath the papery outer skin is a flesh very similar to jicama or sun
chokes. They are delightfully sweet and crisp.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America
Oriental Specialties
Yu Choy Sum
• Yu Choy means “oil vegetable” as oil is produced from its seed. It is more
tender and delicately flavored than other Asian cabbages. It has a
smooth, shiny, light green stalk, rounded leaves and small yellow or
purple flowers. Also known as Green Choy Sum.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Peas
English Peas
• The outer shell is rather hard and is not for consumption. This pea is
grown to be removed from the pod. Once opened a string of round,
tender, sweet peas roll out. The younger the pea pod, the sweeter the
peas. They are also known as fresh green peas or garden peas.
• Seasonality: January – October
• Source: United States
Snow Peas
• This flat, edible pea pod contains tiny peas, it is entirely edible. Not as
sweet as the sugar snap pea, but rather a very grassy, fresh taste.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Central America and Mexico
Peas
Sugar Snap Peas
• This flavorful vegetable is a cross between the snow pea and garden
pea, however, the sugar snap has a rounded pod with larger peas
within. It is entirely edible. The sugar snap is, in fact, sweeter than the
snow pea or any other fresh pea with the exception of very young
English peas. As this pea matures, the pod increases in size creating an
irregular or lumpy appearance to the pod. They have a crispy texture
and a sweet flavor. It is also known as a snap pea or sugar pea.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Central America and Mexico
Potatoes
Boniato
• Boniatos are not as sweet and moist as other sweet potatoes, but many
people prefer their fluffier consistency and more delicate flavor. They
are also known as tropical sweet potato or Batiste.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States, Asia, Central America and Mexico
Fingerling Potato
• This small, narrow potato is actually a very young tuber. It is generally 2
to 4 inches long. They are white, purple and red fingerlings. The
fingerlings get their name from their oblong finger shape. They are low
in starch. Their flavor profile ranges from mildly sweet to rich and nutty.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and South America
Potatoes
Purple Potato
• A potato with a purplish black outer skin and vivid purple, dense inner
meat. The odd colored meat adds a distinctive look to any dish. Due to
high sugar levels, they cannot be cooked.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States and South America
Purple Yam
• Also known as the Japanese sweet potato, Okinawa yam, it has a vivid
purple flesh with a tan skin.
• Seasonality: All Year – Sporadic
• Source: United States
Baby Squash
Zucchini
• Similar in shape and color to their mature counterpart, these baby-sized
squash have a mild, delicate flavor. They are completely edible.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Central America and Mexico
Green Patty Pan
• They may vary in color from a very light, pale green to a medium shade
of green. It is a round, flat summer squash that has scalloped edges. It is
harvested when it is 3 days to 1 week old so the skin, white flesh and
seeds remain tender and edible.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Central America
Baby Squash
Sunburst
• Very similar to the green patty pan, both are often referred to as
summer squash or patty pan. The are round and flat with scalloped
edges. Also known as yellow patty pan or yellow squash, it is harvested
when it is 3 days to 1 week old, keeping the skin, flesh and seeds fresh
and completely edible.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Central America
Squash Blossoms
• The blossoms from any squash plant, which range from pale yellow to
orange in color. They are picked in the early morning just before they are
ready to open. They are very perishable and are entirely edible.
• Seasonality: All Year – very sporadic in winter months
• Source: United States and Mexico
Tomatoes
Currant Tomato
• A very small, round, red or yellow tomato that is approximately half the
size of a cherry tomato. The yellow variety is lower in acid that then red.
It is also known as the cranberry tomato.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Grape Tomato
• A variety of tomato that is small and oval. It is generally available as
either red or yellow in color and slightly smaller than a pear, teardrop, or
cherry, ranging in size from ½ inch to almost 1 inch in diameter.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: California, Florida and Mexico
Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
• A variety of tomato grown from open-pollinated seeds that produce a
fruit that is very flavorful and well textured. The Heirloom tomato is
produced in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. As a general rule,
the darker the color, the more acidic the flavor. The red varieties will be
much sweeter than those being green in color, which are typically more
tart. The purple and black varieties provide fruit that is rich in flavor
and very acidic.
• Seasonality: Plentiful in spring and summer; sporadic during the winter
months.
• Source: United States and Mexico
Tomatoes
Sun Dried Tomatoes
• A tomato that has been sliced or cut in half and then dried in the sun or
in an oven. Drying the tomato gives it an intense, sweet flavor, that may
also be somewhat tart. It has a chewy texture in completely dried and
marinated in oil. They fully dried variety, prior to being eaten, can be
soaked in water to re-hydrate the tomato.
• Seasonality: All Year; Yellow – very sporadic
• Source: United States., Mexico, Central and South America and Italy
Teardrop Tomatoes
• It is similar in color and texture to the cherry tomato, but milder in flavor
and smaller in size, with a shape like a pear or teardrop. It is available in
several colors which include red, yellow and orange. It is also known as
the pear tomato.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Tomatoes
Vine Tomato
• More commonly known as the cluster tomato, the beautiful vine
tomatoes are grown in green houses. They come in a variety colors and
sizes.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe
Baby Vegetables
Baby Artichoke
• Usually small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, they are tiny in size
and large in flavor. They are bright green in color and entirely edible.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Baby Beets
• The three most popular baby beets are candy stripe, red and gold. A
root vegetable, the red is the most common and has a deep red stalk
and meaty root. The golden beets have the same texture, taste and
shape as the red, but are lighter in color and appearance. The candy
stripe beets have a dark red outer skin covering a distinctive flesh of
pink and white striped rings. This beet is an Italian favorite and sought
for its sweet flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Baby Vegetables
Baby Carrots
• Baby carrots are available in several styles and several colors: orange,
yellow, white and maroon. They are tender in texture and mildly sweet
in flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Baby Cauliflower
• As the head forms, the cauliflower crown is shaded from the sun in order
to protect its milky white color, preventing chlorophyll from developing
and turning it green. Besides the common white variety, baby
cauliflower is now also found in green, purple and orange.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Baby Vegetables
Baby Corn
• These are immature ears of corn, generally less than 3 inches in length.
Typically they are harvested after 40 to 45 days of growth. The entire ear
is edible.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Baby Eggplant
• Eggplants are spongy, mild-tasting vegetables that are meaty. The best
eggplants are firm and shiny with unbroken skin.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Baby Vegetables
Baby Leeks
• A vegetable, which is a member of the onion family, is a sweet and
somewhat earthy flavor that is milder than the onion. They have an
appearance similar to a scallion. Long and round in shape, the stem of
the leek is white at the root end and becomes increasingly darker green
toward the top which is surrounded by stiff green or blue-green leaves.
Unlike the onion, the bulb that develops on the root end forms only a
very slight rounded appearance rather than a wider ball-shaped bulb
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Baby Turnip
• These are only available when freshly harvested. They are very
perishable, not keeping very long. Most baby turnips can be eaten
whole, including their leaves. They are white fleshed with a mild flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Baby Vegetables
Baby Radish
• Baby radishes are spicy, crisp and have a sweetness not found in some of
the larger radishes. They are available in a wide variety of shapes and
colors.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States
Baby Vegetable Medley
• The baby vegetable medley is made up of several different exotic and
baby vegetables that are in season at the time of purchase.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Europe, Mexico and New Zealand
Other Specialties
Black Radish
• This radish is a root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family. It has a sooty
dull black exterior that covers a white, crisp inner flesh providing a
peppery hot flavor. The intensity of this radish can vary from mildly hot
to very pungent and somewhat bitter, depending on the age and size.
The black radish can either be round or elongated in shape. It can grow
from 2 to 6 inches in diameter.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Europe
Cardoni
• This vegetable’s large, grayish-green stalks are somewhat bitter, but they
remain popular In Italy and North Africa. The flavor is that of the
artichoke, salsify and celery. Also known as Cardoon or Cardi.
• Seasonality: October - March
• Source: United States
Other Specialties
Swiss Chard
• The Swiss chard is a rippled leaf vegetable with a white or red stalks with
green leaves that have veins running throughout the stalk, generally the
veins are the color of the stalk. The Swiss Chard is used much like
spinach, except that it has an appealing beet-like flavor and a heavier
texture, which requires longer cooking.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
White and Purple Asparagus
• Growers make white asparagus by shielding it from the sun, thus stifling
the production of chlorophyll. The result is daintier looking and a bit
more tender than the green version. The purple is very rare and hard to
find. It is sweeter than the green and white versions. With its extra
sweetness, it is often eaten in its raw state.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Europe, Central and South America
Other Specialties
Celery Root
• There’s no vegetable quite as daunting as the celery root, or celeriac.
Gnarly and knobby are just some of the words used to describe this
turnip-like tuber. The outside jacket consists of a rather grimy, brown,
rough exterior, contrasting with its light, cream-colored interior.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Seedless Cucumbers
• Long, thin and narrow, this variety of vegetable is a common type of
cucumber grown for the digestive qualities it contains. Also referred to
as a “burpless” cucumber due to its lack of seeds as well as smaller
seeds. This cucumber can grow to lengths of 2 feet, providing a cream
to bright white colored flesh. Also referred to ass English, Hothouse, or
European Cucumbers.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Canada, Europe and Mexico
Other Specialties
Fennel
• A crisp vegetable, also classified as an herb, that grows as a greenishwhite bulb containing tubular stalks topped with feathery leaves. The
large white bulb can be sliced and steamed. The feathery leaves can be
used as an herb or garnish.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Fiddlehead Fern
• A small fern plant which sprouts a shoot at the end of the plant,
referred to as a “frond” or a “crosier” that is harvested to be served as a
vegetable. As they begin to grow, the outer tip that is part of the plant
shoot is coiled into a round form that becomes a leafy green part of the
fern if allowed to mature fully. The frond is picked when the plant is
young, before its coil has been unrolled, providing a small tender
vegetable that is jade green in color, a little larger than an inch in
diameter and should be fairly tight coiled with a short tail of 1 to 2
inches in length.
• Seasonality: April – mid-June
• Source: United States
Other Specialties
Horseradish Root
• A fleshy white root vegetable harvested from a plant that is a member of
the mustard family. It is the pungent oil contained in the root that gives
horseradish its spicy, hot flavor. The root can be grated, sliced or ground.
The strong flavor and aroma are quickly lost when exposed to air.
Horseradish root is very potent and should be handled with rubber
gloves.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Kohlrabi
• A light green or purple vegetable that is a member of the cabbage family.
As it grows, it develops a bulblike stem that expands into a round bulb
shape just below the leaves. It resembles a turnip in appearance and
taste. It is eaten raw and cooked. When cooked, it has the texture
similar to broccoli.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Mexico
Other Specialties
Malanga
• A tuber vegetable, similar to a taro root, that has a white crispy texture.
Used much in the same manner as a potato, this vegetable is not eaten
raw. Also known as Cocoyam or Yautia. It has beige, yellow or pinkish
flesh depending on the variety
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Central America and Caribbean
Olives
• The fruit from the olive tree that is small and round with a pit or stone
surrounded by flesh. Olives vary in color from bright green to black,
depending on the ripeness when the fruit was picked. When olives are
first picked from the tree they are inedible because of the glycoside in
their flesh. The glycoside is leached from the olive, making it edible.
• Seasonality: December and January – Sporadic
• Source: United States and Mexico
Other Specialties
Parsnip
• A creamy yellow, long root vegetable that resembles a carrot. It has a
rich nut-like flavor. Unlike carrots, this root vegetable is never served raw.
• Seasonality: All year
• Source: United States
Ramps
• A vegetable often referred to as a wild leek or wild onion that has broad,
dark leaves that can beaten along with the bulb. The ramp has a garlickyonion flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Other Specialties
Rapini
• Also known as broccoli raab, this vegetable has green leaves with a strong
flavor that is slightly bitter. Grown in stalks, they have small buds with
tiny yellow flowers growing at the end.
• Seasonality: November – March
• Source: United States
Shallot
• One of the smallest varieties of the onion family, the shallot has a pearshaped bulb that separates into 2 or 3 bulb lets / cloves. It has a
purplish-white flesh that provides a mild flavor.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States and Europe
Other Specialties
Salsify
• A root vegetable that consists of two varieties, white salsify and black
salsify. The white salsify is a white skinned root plant with tiny hair-like
rootlets and looks like an odd shaped parsnip. The black salsify is a darkskinned root plant that is longer, smoother and more regular shaped
than the white.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: Europe
Sun Chok
• A tuber used as a vegetable and is a member of the thistle family. It is
tan in color with a lumpy and bulbous shape. The flesh in ivory colored
with a very crisp texture and a sweet flavor. Also known as Jerusalem
artichoke.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Other Specialties
Watermelon Radish
• A large round root vegetable related to the turnip and horseradish
family, with a crisp texture and a mild to sweet peppery flavor. Unlike
many other radishes, the intensity of this radish decreases as the radish
matures. Generally the flesh of this radish is hotter toward the outside
and sweeter toward the center. It displays a whiter outer skin with a
touch of green on top. It has a bright red to magenta inner flesh. It is
approximately 3 inches in diameter.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Yucca Root
• A tropical root vegetable, grown as a shrub, this root ranges from 6 to
12 inches in length and 2 to 3 inches in diameter. It has a tough brown
skin and a crisp white flesh. The root is very dense in texture and very
starchy.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States, Africa, Asia, Central and South America
Other Specialties
Black Garlic
• This is a fermented version of normal garlic. It is much less pungent,
described as slightly sweet with a licorice twist and a chewy texture. The
garlic flavor and aroma are present but diminished.
• Seasonality: All Year
• Source: United States
Rhubarb
• This is a celery-like vegetable, although generally eaten as a fruit. The
field grown rhubarb are more pronounced in their tart flavor and
generally have a cherry-red stalk and green leaves. The hot house
variety has a pink to pale pink stalk with light green leaves. The stalks
are the only edible portion of the vegetable. Because of their intense
tart flavor, it is generally cooked with sugar and used in pie.
• Seasonality: October – April – sporadic
• Source: United States and Europe