Overcoming Bad Childhood Taste Bud Memories

Okay, let's be honest...okra, lima beans, eggplant, (let alone orange eggplant) are seriously misunderstood vegetables! But that is because most people haven't had these wonderful vegetables FRESH OFF THE VINE! Rather, your well-intentioned grandmother or even your dear ol' Mom served you the frozen variety, over-cooked them leaving them mushy and well - disgusting! So, here is to trying new things or giving them a second chance.  

These beautiful vegetables above are OKRA.  While at the stand one of our southern customers were grabbing handfuls of these interesting vegetables! Two Virginians were commenting on how delicious they are and offering a number of great suggestions on how to cook them leaving any bi-stander eavesdropping with the impression that Northerners must have missed out on something special if they weren't raised on these delicious little morsels.  Okra is used as thickener for gumbo, and can be fried in a pan, grilled, pickled or even dried out as chips.  The Mrs. present said that she eats them raw!  Click here if you want to give okra another try and need some help with recipes!


 

To the left is one our regular customers favorites:  

Dr. Martin's Lima Beans

Pretty cool looking aren't they!  So, here are a few recipes you can try with these great beans...

Who knew that eggplants came in different colors other than purple?  Well, I guess if you are a regular at the stand you did, but aren't they beautiful?

If you know how to cook the purple kind, but don't know what to do with the orange ones try some of these recipes (in reality you can cook them both the same way but there are recipes just for the orange variety too).

Hope this helps you be a little more adventuresome with some of these fantastic vegetables that you might have given up on because of some bad taste bud memory from your youth!  If you have any suggestions for any of these beautiful vegetables, please post below. And, by all means spread the word to anyone you think might need a little help regaining confidence in these delicious and beautiful vegetables.

And on our CSA list for this week there is a unique FRUIT that you and your kids will absolutely love...

HUSK CHERRIES! They are so delicious and very unusual - in the best sense of the word.  Hard to even give an accurate description:  Mango? married to Cherry joined to a plum?  Hmmm, maybe you can give a better description. We'd love to hear your description of this delicious fruit so please post below.  Kids love unwrapping things - why not their fruit!  Send some in their lunch boxes!  FUN FRUIT IS ALWAYS GOOD!

If you give any of these great items a try, we'd love to hear what you think. All fruits and vegetables and better when you BUY LOCAL!