Vegetables and Fruits

Mache

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Cucumber

A member of the gourd family, the cucumber plant is a creeping vine and grows on trellises or supporting frames. Because they develop from a flower and have an enclosed seed, cucumbers are categorized as fruits, though like tomatoes and squash, they are prepared and consumed as vegetables.

Squash

All squash are indigenous to the Americas and have been cultivated for more than 10,000 years/ It is typically grown alongside corn and bean crops (companion planting) because these crops benefit from growing together. Most varieties of squash are classified as either summer squash or winter squash. The summer varieties are picked from the vine when they are very young, whereas the winter varieties are picked only when they are fully ripe.

Cabbage- Choux

Brassica Olercea Var. Capitata it is a leafy mustard plant with each variety differing slightly. Once grown in the wild, cabbage was cultivated early in the history of human civilization and is considered to be one of the most ancient of cultivated vegetables.

White Cabbage

Creamy yellow to light green in color, white cabbage may be eaten both raw and cooked. Growers bury the head so that is is no longer exposed to sunlight, thus limiting the development of chlorophyll. This also serves to insulate the cabbage so it may be harvested year-round.

Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg or crisphead lettuce has a large round, tightly packed head of pale green leaves. It is crisp, juicy, and hardy with a netural taste. It is commonly used for salads and to garnish foods.

Tomato

It belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family and is closely related to potatoes, tobacco, eggplants and chill peppers. Tomatoes range in size from cherry tomatoes (1/2 to 1 inch) to beefsteak tomatoes (4 inches) and most produce red fruit, though heirloom varieties also produce yellow, orange, pink, purple, green, black and white fruit.

Butterhead

It is a small-headed lettuce with soft leaves. It is one of two main varieties of lettuce, the second being crisphead. There are several varieties of butterhead including bibb and Boston lettuce. Betterhead lettuce is known for its buttery texture and sweet flavor.

Acorn Squash

It is commonly classified as a winter squash; however, it is a summer squash like zucchini. It is ridged from the top to bottom and is shaped like an acorn. The flesh of this squash is sweet and yellow to orange in color and the skin is usually dark green.

Butternut Squash

It is considered a winter squash and can be stored form 30 to 180 days. They are ripe enough to enjoy when they are approximately 8 to 12 inches long and 4 to 5 inches in diameter and are orange in color. a slightly green skin is an indicator that the squash has not yet fully ripened.

Eggplant

It is known as a nightshade and closely related to the tomato and potato. The name eggplant was first used because the fruits of 18th century cultivars were yellow or white and looked like goose or hen's eggs. Though eggplant becomes tender when cooked, the raw fruit has a bitter taste. After it is cooked, eggplant develops a rich, complex flavor.

Curly Endive

It is native to Europe and is often called chicory in North America. It has curly, bitter-tasting leaves. The outer leaves are dark green and more bitter than the creamy yellow inner leaves. One variation of curly endive is escarole.

Pumpkin

It is pulpy, possessing a very thick skin, and is considered to be a winter squash. The flesh has a softened sweetness and its seeds are exquisitely nutty in flavor.

Garlic

It is the most pungent and spicy member of the bulb family. When cooked, its flavor sweetens and mellows. The leaves, stems, flowers and cloves of this plant are edible and are usually eaten before they have matured.

Cauliflower

It possesses a white flowered head with surrounding leaves and a large stalk. In English, "cauli" is taken from cole plus "flower" due the appearance of the cauliflower head. The head of the cauliflower is eaten and the leaves and stalk are discarded.

Leaf lettuce

Red and green leaf lettuce feature wide, curly leaves. These varieties are delicate tasting and possess a mildly crisp texture with firm leaves. Both red and green leaf lettuce contain small amounts of antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lutein as well as vitamins A and K.

Brussels Sprouts

Species name: Brassica Oleracea Gemmifera Leafy green buds that resemble small cabbages, Brussels sprouts have a bad reputation, mainly due to improper cooking. They posses a delicious nutty flavor when cooked properly.

Broccoli

Species name: Brassica Oleracea Italica it has dark or bright green florets with a compact head; the stem should be cleanly cut. Both the head and the stalk of this plant may be eaten. The most commonly known broccoli is green and known as Calabrese.

Onions

Spring onion- also referred to as green onion or scallion possesses an undeveloped, slender white bulb. Yellow onion is a more complex onion due to its higher sulfur content. this onion has a fully developed bulb that has yellow-white flesh and the outer layers are covered in white to yellowish brown papery skin. The pearl onion is one the sweetest varieties of onion and is available in red, yellow and white varieties.

Savoy Cabbage- Choux de Savoie

Tender and sweet with a mild flavor compared to white and red cabbage. Versatile, savoy cabbage is used in soups, stews, salads, and the leaves can also be stuffed and baked.

Bulbs

The edible portion and the most nutrient-enriched part of some vegetables grows underground in a bulhous shape. The blub is a flavorful and versatile vegetable that is an important aromatic element in the culinary world. Onions, leeks, garlic, and shallots all belong to the bulb family and are thought to have originated from Central Asia.

Leek

The leek is a member of the bulb family and produces a long cylinder of bundled leaves which are paled by the soil pushing around them. The edible portion of the leek is the white onion-like base and the light green middle stalk. The dark green leaves are too tough for consumption but are used for adding flavor, such as in a bouquet garni.

Vegetables

The term vegetable is culinary term that refers to parts of plants that are consumed, sometimes raw, and, when cooked, prepared as a savory dish or accompaniment. The plants themselves belong to different families and species and different parts are consumed, ranging from the roots to the stalk to the seeds.

Zucchini

The zucchini fruit is mild, sweet and takes on the flavors of whatever it is cooked with. The flavor and quality of zucchini will decline as the fruit matures. It has a thin, smooth skin with cream-colored flesh and a varying amount of seeds. The skin can be either yellow or green and will sometimes have grayish-green striations. It can be eaten raw, baked, grilled or sauteed.

Bell Peppers

They are indigenous to Central America, South America, and Mexico. They are as recognized for their bell shape as they are for their sweet flavor. As a pepper ripens, it will go through a series of color changes beginning first as green, then yellow, and eventually red.

Shallots

They look like a cross between garlic and onion. it has a coppery, reddish, or gray skin and when the outer skin is removed, will separate into large cloves like garlic. There are two shallot types: True or French Gray It possess a sweeter and milder taste than onions.

Fruits

Unlike the term vegetable, the term fruit is a botanical designation that refers to the reproductive part of the plant, the ovary. Fruits usually contain seeds, although there are exceptions.

Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetable fruits include tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, peppers, and chilies. The presence of seeds defines them as fruits, but culinarily speaking, they are prepared as a vegetable; that is they are traditionally used in savory preparations.

Brassicas

is a family of plants belonging to the mustard family. Native to the temperate regions of Asia, Western Europe. and the Mediterranean. The resulting crops are often referred to as cole crops and contain more agricultural and horticultural plants than any other genus.

Red Cabbage- Choux Rouge

it possesses a more potent flavor than the white variety. The color may be preserved during the cooking process by adding an acid, such as lemon or vinegar. It may be eaten raw or cooked, and may be prepared similar to white cabbage.