Rocky Ford Cantaloupes: As Sweet As Can Be July 30, 2009 • The small town of Rocky Ford, Colo., about 50 miles east of Pueblo, hails itself as the "Sweet Melon Capital of the World." That's because hot days, cool nights and a high elevation help farmers grow some of the sweetest cantaloupe on the planet.
Washington Cherries: For Dinner And Dessert July 10, 2009 • Chef Garrett Brown shows a crowd at a Seattle farmers market how to make savory and sweet dishes with cherries — which Washington state grows more than any other place in the U.S. On the menu: cold cherry soup and pork tenderloin with cherry sauce.
Nopalitos: Taming The Prickly Pear Cactus July 16, 2009 • Some summer foods beg to be eaten: fresh tomatoes, sweet corn on the cob. But one virtually screams, "Leave me alone!" Nopalitos are the pads of the prickly pear cactus. In Mexico and the American Southwest, they're a staple at farmers' markets.
Ripe Figs: The Real Fruit Of Eden? July 23, 2009 • Farmer Rick Knoll says it wasn't an apple that got Adam and Eve kicked out of the garden; it was figs. They're the sexiest thing there is, says Knoll, who grows seven fig varieties on his California farm. Knoll figs are fat and come to market oozing nectar.
A Peachy Rivalry Stews In Alabama July 3, 2009 • Like football, peaches down South are serious business; state bragging rights are on the line. So whose peaches are more delicious – Alabama's or Georgia's? One grower argues that the tree-ripened variety in Alabama's Chilton County is better.
Georgia Peaches: A Ripe Legacy July 3, 2009 • Some have tried to challenge Georgia as the "Peach State," to no avail. For Duke Lane Jr., who runs a 100-year-old peach orchard in Fort Valley, it's hard to beat the taste of a Georgia peach. People just know to look for Georgia peaches, Lane says.
Rhubarb: Reviving A Forgotten Crop June 26, 2009 • Years ago, Jim Crawford of New Morning Farm noticed that rhubarb had fallen out of favor. His Pennsylvania neighbors were letting the tart perennial languish in their gardens. But Crawford has seen a resurgence in demand for rhubarb, often fueled by nostalgia.
Zucchini Blossoms: Tastes Like Squash Perfume June 18, 2009 • The edible flower of a zucchini is a delicate and ephemeral treat. Blossom fans at a farmers market in Washington, D.C., recommend them stuffed with cheese and baked, fried in batter or eaten raw. But prepare them quickly — they won't last longer than a day!
New Hybrids Flavor Stone Fruit Grower's Stand June 12, 2009 • J. Fitzgerald Kelly grows 190 different kinds of stone fruit. At his Santa Monica fruit stand, you can find the Flavorella aprium and the Flavorosa pluot, both crosses of plums and apricots. He has also created a plum and white nectarine mix called Mr. McNulty.
N.C. Town Cooks Up Yellow Cabbage Collards June 5, 2009 • Benny and Vickie Cox run a roadside stand in Ayden, N.C., called The Collard Shack. You won't find the green collards here that are common throughout the South. Instead, the Coxes grow yellow cabbage collards, an heirloom variety that's rare outside eastern North Carolina.
Fiddlehead: This Fern Is For Eating May 29, 2009 • Just after the snow melts but long before the last frost, hardy New Englanders take to moist meadows and muddy riverbanks in search of the fiddlehead fern. It looks like the scrolled top of a violin and tastes a little like asparagus.
Martin Kaste/NPR Urban Blackberry Pickers Score Big In Seattle August 20, 2009 • This is the time of year when Seattleites go foraging for their food. You see them in parks and along roadsides picking blackberries off the bushes that run rampant throughout the city. The state considers the bushes a "Class C noxious weed."
Some of the many varieties of pistachios available at Pedrick Produce in Dixon, Calif. Larry Abramson/NPR hide caption toggle caption Larry Abramson/NPR Flavored Snacks From Pedrick's Keep A Family Happy August 12, 2009 • Fresh fruits and vegetables may lure us to roadside stands, but it's hard to leave without stocking up on the weird regional snacks you can also find there. And if you're headed up to California's Sierra mountains, the best place to get your fix is at Pedrick Produce.
