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How to Pick a Peach
Critics greeted Russ Parsons’ first book, How to Read a French Fry, with raves. The New York Times praised it for its “affable voice and intellectual clarity”; Julia Child lauded it for its “deep factual information.”
Now, in How to Pick a Peach, Parsons takes on one of the hottest food topics today. Good cooking starts with the right ingredients, and nowhere is that more true than with produce. Should we refrigerate that peach? How do we cook that artichoke? And what are those different varieties of pears? Most of us aren’t sure.
Parsons helps the cook sort through the produce in the market by illuminating the issues surrounding it, revealing intriguing facts about vegetables and fruits in individual profiles about them, and providing instructions on how to choose, store, and prepare these items.
Whether explaining why basil, citrus, tomatoes, and potatoes should never be refrigerated, describing how Dutch farmers revolutionized the tomato business in America, exploring organic farming and its effect on flavor, or giving tips on how to recognize a ripe melon, How to Pick a Peach is Parsons at his peak.
Now, in How to Pick a Peach, Parsons takes on one of the hottest food topics today. Good cooking starts with the right ingredients, and nowhere is that more true than with produce. Should we refrigerate that peach? How do we cook that artichoke? And what are those different varieties of pears? Most of us aren’t sure.
Parsons helps the cook sort through the produce in the market by illuminating the issues surrounding it, revealing intriguing facts about vegetables and fruits in individual profiles about them, and providing instructions on how to choose, store, and prepare these items.
Whether explaining why basil, citrus, tomatoes, and potatoes should never be refrigerated, describing how Dutch farmers revolutionized the tomato business in America, exploring organic farming and its effect on flavor, or giving tips on how to recognize a ripe melon, How to Pick a Peach is Parsons at his peak.
412 pages, Hardcover
First published May 9, 2007
43 people are currently reading
906 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
May 6, 2015
Brilliant book, just as good as Parsons' previous one, How to Read a French Fry. Just as that book improved my cooking after I'd read just a few pages (really it did), this one immediately changed how I picked fruit in the supermarket and stored them. For instance, I didn't know that a few small brown spots on cauliflowers were only sun spots, so this week I bought a couple of them that had been reduced because of this, and found, like the book said, they didn't affect eating quality at all. (Not a lot of brown spots, that is going bad!)
The book is mostly about why we eat the varieties of fruit we do which is generally because of the needs of farmers to make a living, not really anything to do with what the person who eats it might like. There is a way around this by going to farmers' markets where there is no middleman between the farmer and the retail outlet, where the farmer can get higher prices by growing what the public actually want - strawberries that are sweet and delicious rather than travel well and ripen slowly - and where the quantities grown can be small rather than what the distributor demands. By cutting out the middleman the farmer can make as much money selling directly as by growing quantity for the big brands and supermarkets.
I also learned quite a lot about the botany of fruits and got a mystery cleared up for me. I didn't know that there was no such thing as a wild orange, that an orange was originally a cross between a pomelo and a tangerine. In my garden in the winter I had a greenish citrus fruit that looked like an orange but tasted more like a tangerine. I have wild pomelo trees and probably tangerine somewhere in the bush (I live in a rain forest) so now I know what the fruit was. Its awfully ugly and knobbly but it tastes divine, like a tangerine with honey stirred in.
The book also includes tips on selecting, storing and cooking the fruits. It is very readable and enjoyable, full of ah-hah moments, and likely to improve your quality of life far more than the usual self-help books.
The book is mostly about why we eat the varieties of fruit we do which is generally because of the needs of farmers to make a living, not really anything to do with what the person who eats it might like. There is a way around this by going to farmers' markets where there is no middleman between the farmer and the retail outlet, where the farmer can get higher prices by growing what the public actually want - strawberries that are sweet and delicious rather than travel well and ripen slowly - and where the quantities grown can be small rather than what the distributor demands. By cutting out the middleman the farmer can make as much money selling directly as by growing quantity for the big brands and supermarkets.
I also learned quite a lot about the botany of fruits and got a mystery cleared up for me. I didn't know that there was no such thing as a wild orange, that an orange was originally a cross between a pomelo and a tangerine. In my garden in the winter I had a greenish citrus fruit that looked like an orange but tasted more like a tangerine. I have wild pomelo trees and probably tangerine somewhere in the bush (I live in a rain forest) so now I know what the fruit was. Its awfully ugly and knobbly but it tastes divine, like a tangerine with honey stirred in.
The book also includes tips on selecting, storing and cooking the fruits. It is very readable and enjoyable, full of ah-hah moments, and likely to improve your quality of life far more than the usual self-help books.
November 2, 2009
This is a great resource for people wanting to know more about the common (and some not as common) fruits and veggies they eat: how to select the fruit/vegetable at its best, the seasonally best time to buy them, some very simple preparations that highlight the produce itself, some more complex recipes that sound sooooo yummy. Mr. Parsons states in the introduction that he is all about the taste of food; if you want to learn about the political, social, economic, environmental impact of food, read other books. At the same time, he strongly advocates eating locally, getting to know your food and where it comes from. He is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about the subject.
The book is divided into sections by seasons - very useful in figuring out when local fruits and veggies are really ready. Each chapter highlights a different fruit or veggie, with information regarding its history, development, scientific background, and uses. This could have been a very dry read, but instead it's written in a very accessible voice, with plenty of colloquialisms and humor thrown in, making it fun and easy to read. The summaries at the end of each chapter are a quick at-a-glance recap of where the fruit or veggie is grown, and how to choose, store and prepare them.
I borrowed this from the library, but I may have to go find myself a copy to keep next to my Joy of Cooking in the kitchen.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
The book is divided into sections by seasons - very useful in figuring out when local fruits and veggies are really ready. Each chapter highlights a different fruit or veggie, with information regarding its history, development, scientific background, and uses. This could have been a very dry read, but instead it's written in a very accessible voice, with plenty of colloquialisms and humor thrown in, making it fun and easy to read. The summaries at the end of each chapter are a quick at-a-glance recap of where the fruit or veggie is grown, and how to choose, store and prepare them.
I borrowed this from the library, but I may have to go find myself a copy to keep next to my Joy of Cooking in the kitchen.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
January 6, 2011
If Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian was my encyclopedia of produce, what I would reference when bringing home produce, Parson's How to Pick a Peach would be the book that got me to seek out new produce. The background on how each variety of produce came into it's modern super-market form, the differences in varieties, and the farming methods employed are all insightful. I feel at least as informed as the local super-market produce manager...actually maybe a little better informed.
I liked the treatment of the included recipes in Parson's book. Again comparing it to Bittman where we're offered a comprehensive list of all the things we could cook, Parson has more of a feel of here's a few things you should cook to show off what this fruit/veggie can do.
Finally the seasonal organization of the book lent itself to a leisurely read over the better part of a year. As new seasonal produce started appearing at the grocery and farmer's market, I would pick the book up again and read through the corresponding seasonal section. This not only freshened my knowledge but gave me great inspiration to make seasonal dishes.
I liked the treatment of the included recipes in Parson's book. Again comparing it to Bittman where we're offered a comprehensive list of all the things we could cook, Parson has more of a feel of here's a few things you should cook to show off what this fruit/veggie can do.
Finally the seasonal organization of the book lent itself to a leisurely read over the better part of a year. As new seasonal produce started appearing at the grocery and farmer's market, I would pick the book up again and read through the corresponding seasonal section. This not only freshened my knowledge but gave me great inspiration to make seasonal dishes.
July 29, 2012
The second library book I've bought recently within minutes of picking up...
I do not possess the magic skill of knowing how to pick ripe fruit. Or vegetables.
I thump watermelons. Unsure of what I am really listening for but everyone else seems to pick up, thump, shake their head, and place in cart. I simply follow hoping no one stops me to ask me my watermelon-picking philosophy.
Over time, I have learned that a ripe pineapple can be chosen if one of the top leaves can be easily plunked out. Ripe avocados are soft to the touch and if the little stem thingy is removed and green can be seen...good pick. Red peppers are supposed to be thump-able, too soft means no bueno. Not scientific, not always accurate...
I stumbled upon this book and loved it immediately. Broken up by season, fruits and veggies are discussed: brief historical analysis, how to choose, how to store, how to prepare and finally recipes are provided for each.
Nothing earth shatteringly poignant, but definitely an enlightening read for me...hoping I can now venture out of my everyday fruit and veggie comfort zone and try some new things.
I do not possess the magic skill of knowing how to pick ripe fruit. Or vegetables.
I thump watermelons. Unsure of what I am really listening for but everyone else seems to pick up, thump, shake their head, and place in cart. I simply follow hoping no one stops me to ask me my watermelon-picking philosophy.
Over time, I have learned that a ripe pineapple can be chosen if one of the top leaves can be easily plunked out. Ripe avocados are soft to the touch and if the little stem thingy is removed and green can be seen...good pick. Red peppers are supposed to be thump-able, too soft means no bueno. Not scientific, not always accurate...
I stumbled upon this book and loved it immediately. Broken up by season, fruits and veggies are discussed: brief historical analysis, how to choose, how to store, how to prepare and finally recipes are provided for each.
Nothing earth shatteringly poignant, but definitely an enlightening read for me...hoping I can now venture out of my everyday fruit and veggie comfort zone and try some new things.
January 6, 2009
So easy to read yet full of factual data on history of agricultural economics and agriculture as a commodity. The best part was I learned so many small things about the produce I eat every day such as the fact that cucumbers should not be refrigerated. This is a wonderful read for any food lover who desires to know how we got to commercial and industrialized farming of the modern world but how some farmers are trying to get us back to the true flavor of our foods. Organized by season, each chapter gives a brief synopsis about the fruit or vegetable, talks about storage and preparation, and even gives a few recipe ideas. This is a book to read and then keep in the kitchen for reference. Better than a cookbook and better than a nonfiction account of modern farming. In the end, the only critcism I had is that I wanted more and some chapters seemed too brief.
February 3, 2009
Absolutely an essential for anyone who loves food and wants it to taste as good as possible. Not only does the book let you know when different fruits and vegetables are in season, but it gives a brief history of each fruit/veggie family, tells you how to pick a good specimen, and gives both basic and more advanced preparation techniques. In just the past couple weeks, I've been much more adventurous with the different vegetables I've chosen.
January 5, 2008
This book is an apolitical, fast, easy read. The author includes a lot of scientific and historical information about various fruits and vegetables (very interesting!), discusses how to choose and prepare food, and provides recipes. He's snooty, but not completely over the top. I learned a good amount, but it wasn't quite what I expected-- I think the author could have been a lot more revolutionary in advising "the consumer" (oh, how I despise that term!) to take action to reclaim good fruits and vegetables.
November 16, 2018
Reading this makes me want to get a copy of How to Read a French Fry. It was fun and incredibly instructive. Even want to know whether the "new" potatoes at the farmer's market were secretly bought at the grocery store? Even want to know which fruits need to be picked dead ripe and which are better ripened on the kitchen counter? Is the best tasting peach the one with a reddish blush?
quote:
Maturity is another matter entirely. Although peaches and nectarines do soften and become juicier and more aromatic after harvest, they don't get any sweeter. That requires picking the fruit at the highest possible maturity....The best hint is the color of the fruit. That doesn't mean picking the peach that is the reddest--remember that blush is a genetic variation that has nothing to do with either ripeness or maturity. Instead, it means paying attention to the quality of the background color of the fruit. ...Peaches and nectarines that have the most sugar and are the most mature have a background color (yellow) with a golden, almost orange cast. When you see a piece of fruit like this, pick it no matter what the variety is.
I'm assuming he did the research and really knew what he was talking about. But enough of his information gibes with what I already knew, from observation or research, that I trust it. I only wish he'd write a companion volume that deals with imported fruit, like the papaya or the Korean plum.
If you're thinking to buy this book, note that it includes a few recipes fro each fruit category. I haven't tried any of them, and oddly, I didn't feel the desire to try any of them. They were either too cheffy or they included meat or cheese that wouldn't have been easy to omit. I might try Garlicky Braised Cauliflower with Capers or Plum Cornbread Buckle.
Other than that, the real value of this book would be if the "how to choose" sections were pulled out into a quick-reference guide. If I ever do that, I'll post it here. Wonder if I'd need to get permission from the author? Yes, of course.
quote:
Maturity is another matter entirely. Although peaches and nectarines do soften and become juicier and more aromatic after harvest, they don't get any sweeter. That requires picking the fruit at the highest possible maturity....The best hint is the color of the fruit. That doesn't mean picking the peach that is the reddest--remember that blush is a genetic variation that has nothing to do with either ripeness or maturity. Instead, it means paying attention to the quality of the background color of the fruit. ...Peaches and nectarines that have the most sugar and are the most mature have a background color (yellow) with a golden, almost orange cast. When you see a piece of fruit like this, pick it no matter what the variety is.
I'm assuming he did the research and really knew what he was talking about. But enough of his information gibes with what I already knew, from observation or research, that I trust it. I only wish he'd write a companion volume that deals with imported fruit, like the papaya or the Korean plum.
If you're thinking to buy this book, note that it includes a few recipes fro each fruit category. I haven't tried any of them, and oddly, I didn't feel the desire to try any of them. They were either too cheffy or they included meat or cheese that wouldn't have been easy to omit. I might try Garlicky Braised Cauliflower with Capers or Plum Cornbread Buckle.
Other than that, the real value of this book would be if the "how to choose" sections were pulled out into a quick-reference guide. If I ever do that, I'll post it here. Wonder if I'd need to get permission from the author? Yes, of course.
September 23, 2019
4.5/5 stars
The geek in me really enjoyed this book. The lineage of produce, how commercial grade farming has changed the world of produce, and even chemical compositions of a tomato were interesting. This isn't really a recipe book (though there are 3 or 4 recipes for each of the sections to highlight some uses). I will be a more savvy produce shopper now.
The one negative is that since the book was published in 2007, some of the information is outdated.
The geek in me really enjoyed this book. The lineage of produce, how commercial grade farming has changed the world of produce, and even chemical compositions of a tomato were interesting. This isn't really a recipe book (though there are 3 or 4 recipes for each of the sections to highlight some uses). I will be a more savvy produce shopper now.
The one negative is that since the book was published in 2007, some of the information is outdated.
August 3, 2021
Interesting collection of facts and tips about selecting, handling and preparing fresh produce - with a dash of history thrown in. The chapters are short, each one covering a particular type of fruit or vegetable. They all follow the same format, and end with a recipe or two.
A few of the recipes looked interesting, but I’m not actually much of a foodie, and I couldn’t see myself making more than one or two of them.
Still, the book was interesting and informative, and easy to read.
A few of the recipes looked interesting, but I’m not actually much of a foodie, and I couldn’t see myself making more than one or two of them.
Still, the book was interesting and informative, and easy to read.
October 9, 2020
A really non-aggressive way to get people to start eating locally and in season. I really enjoyed this book and will look to buy it second-hand. I saved quite a bit of vegetables thanks to knowing how to properly store them! I really would like a book or reference to state/region local fruits/veggies
August 10, 2019
It’s a little dated now but the botany is still correct. The tips he gives on choosing produce at the store are very helpful, and sometimes might even help in the garden. I enjoyed it, and plan on making some of the recipes that followed each chapter.
October 13, 2019
Great for someone who enjoys cooking but doesn't know much about how to pick vegetables and fruits or how to store them. I loved the background on how consumers' taste for different fruits and veggies has changed over the years.
August 16, 2019
Interesting and informative read !
January 23, 2023
pretty boring.
June 2, 2017
Good information, entertaining to read if you are into food and how it's grown, and the best, easy, and novel recipes.
May 10, 2024
"Eat locally, eat seasonally." A simple slogan that is backed up by science and by taste. The farther away from the market something is grown, the longer it must spend getting to us, and what eventually arrives will be less than satisfying. Although we can enjoy a bounty of produce year-round -- apples in June, tomatoes in December, peaches in January -- most of it is lacking in flavor. In order to select wisely, we need to know more. Where and how was the head of lettuce grown? When was it picked and how was it stored? How do you tell if a melon is really ripe? Which corn is sweeter, white or yellow?
Russ Parsons provides the answers to these questions and many others in this indispensable guide to common fruits and vegetables, from asparagus to zucchini. He offers valuable tips on selecting, storing, and preparing produce, along with one hundred delicious recipes. Parsons delivers an entertaining and informative reading experience that is guaranteed to help put better food on the table.
This description may make the book sound clinical but Parsons infuses it with details and personality that make us relate to what he writes about. The argument about whether fat or skinny asparagus are better? Been there. Argued that. To reduce the heat of a pepper remove the ... no, not the seeds ... the ribs, which is where the capsicum is stored. Aha!
For each fruit and veg he provides a very basic preparation method that we might not have considered. Then he goes on to a few more interesting recipes for each. Not too many, but just enough to pique our curiosity and taste buds and make us want to come back for more.
I read this back in 2008 but picked it up again and have been thoroughly enjoying it. It's still as relevant as ever except for some of the comments about the state of modern produce. In some cases it isn't much different, but in others — like grapes — it is definitely better.
July 16, 2007
This book is part treatise on modern industrial agriculture and its discontents, part a reference manual on fresh fruits and vegetables, and part cookbook. Some of the information on farming will be old news to people who have read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and similar works, though there is some fascinating stuff about plant breeding and how new strains of strawberries and such are developed that was all new to me.
The discussions of how to pick good fruits and vegetables are good. I think I now have a fighting chance of being able to pick out a ripe melon. (Too bad I hate melon.) There are lots of handy little lists and tips scattered throughout the book - which fruits and vegetables ripen after picking, which fruits and vegetables should/shouldn't be refrigerated, and so on. I may tote this book with me the next time I go to the farmers' market.
I haven't had a chance to try any of the recipes yet, but they look quite tasty. Parsons includes a number of scrumptious looking recipes for ice creams and sorbets - I'm quite tempted to get an ice cream maker. I'm also looking forward to trying his recipes for eggplant, a vegetable that I love, but which I find difficult to get just right when I cook it.
The discussions of how to pick good fruits and vegetables are good. I think I now have a fighting chance of being able to pick out a ripe melon. (Too bad I hate melon.) There are lots of handy little lists and tips scattered throughout the book - which fruits and vegetables ripen after picking, which fruits and vegetables should/shouldn't be refrigerated, and so on. I may tote this book with me the next time I go to the farmers' market.
I haven't had a chance to try any of the recipes yet, but they look quite tasty. Parsons includes a number of scrumptious looking recipes for ice creams and sorbets - I'm quite tempted to get an ice cream maker. I'm also looking forward to trying his recipes for eggplant, a vegetable that I love, but which I find difficult to get just right when I cook it.
March 19, 2008
I enjoyed the author's sense of humor and writing style, as in this passage:
Choosing the right melon is one of the more confusing rites of summer--and you probably don't know the half of it. Some people say you should thump melons. Some say you should give them a sniff. Some claim the secret is all in the skin. Some tell you to play with their bellybuttons (the melons', not the people's). They're all right, and they're all wrong. It all depends on what kind of melon you're talking about (and, come to think about it, just exactly what you mean by "melon").
The recipes look attractive, but I haven't tried them.
This is the first book I've read on agriculture, so my learning curve had no place to go but up. The only thing that keeps this book being being really helpful in the market is the lack of color pictures, or any pictures. Parsons describes different varieties of fruits and vegetables and their ripeness indicators, but without color pictures, you might not know what to look for, or if you're even buying the variety you want for your recipe.
Choosing the right melon is one of the more confusing rites of summer--and you probably don't know the half of it. Some people say you should thump melons. Some say you should give them a sniff. Some claim the secret is all in the skin. Some tell you to play with their bellybuttons (the melons', not the people's). They're all right, and they're all wrong. It all depends on what kind of melon you're talking about (and, come to think about it, just exactly what you mean by "melon").
The recipes look attractive, but I haven't tried them.
This is the first book I've read on agriculture, so my learning curve had no place to go but up. The only thing that keeps this book being being really helpful in the market is the lack of color pictures, or any pictures. Parsons describes different varieties of fruits and vegetables and their ripeness indicators, but without color pictures, you might not know what to look for, or if you're even buying the variety you want for your recipe.
August 11, 2008
Russ Parsons instructs the world on how to pick and store good produce. Then he gives some recipes for how to prepare it.
I've heard a ton of buzz about How to Pick a Peach over the last few months. I've heard Russ Parsons on the radio, railing against such hypocrisies as (gasp!) refrigerating tomatoes and potatoes! There was a lot of interesting stuff in How to Pick a Peach (particularly the chapter on the two peach growers who pick ripe, rather than rock-hard peaches and have cult following in California farmers' markets). However, I was left with the feeling that having perfect produce is an unattainable goal for most Americans. I went grocery shopping yesterday. The tomatoes were cold, the the broccoli overwatered and browning, and the peaches rock-hard. I'd recommend this book to help you feel good about yourself if you live in California and can eat a plethora of great produce in season. Otherwise, skip it-- you might end up too depressed to eat anything but hot fudge sundaes (those are always in season) for a while.
I've heard a ton of buzz about How to Pick a Peach over the last few months. I've heard Russ Parsons on the radio, railing against such hypocrisies as (gasp!) refrigerating tomatoes and potatoes! There was a lot of interesting stuff in How to Pick a Peach (particularly the chapter on the two peach growers who pick ripe, rather than rock-hard peaches and have cult following in California farmers' markets). However, I was left with the feeling that having perfect produce is an unattainable goal for most Americans. I went grocery shopping yesterday. The tomatoes were cold, the the broccoli overwatered and browning, and the peaches rock-hard. I'd recommend this book to help you feel good about yourself if you live in California and can eat a plethora of great produce in season. Otherwise, skip it-- you might end up too depressed to eat anything but hot fudge sundaes (those are always in season) for a while.
June 19, 2016
3.5 stars. There was a lot of interesting information in here about how the fruits and vegetables that we buy have been cultivated and bred over time, but I struggled with the format of the book. This is probably a book that is best if you do NOT read it straight through cover to cover. There are sections organized by season, and then each chapter within the season is dedicated to a different fruit or vegetable (or family of fruit/veg). It was just a lot of similar information to take in all at once (most things are grown in California! You can pick good ones if they are heavy for their size!), and a lot of the more detailed fun facts probably didn't stick at all. I'd recommend reading this book over a year--read the fruits/vegetable chapters that are in season now.
Even though this book came out in 2008 (post-recession), it holds up pretty well. The only thing he didn't predict was the surge in popularity of Brussel sprouts, which I thought was interesting. He felt sprouts needed a lot more credit than they were getting--I hope he feels vindicated now!
Even though this book came out in 2008 (post-recession), it holds up pretty well. The only thing he didn't predict was the surge in popularity of Brussel sprouts, which I thought was interesting. He felt sprouts needed a lot more credit than they were getting--I hope he feels vindicated now!
February 5, 2008
The cover of this book caught my eye at the bookstore. I opened it to a random page and read for 15 glorious minutes. This book is a resource everyone should have. It contains everything you need to know about a large number of fruits and vegetables. Parsons organizes the foods according to the season in which they ripen. He explains how the foods are grown, how they make it to your grocery store or farmer's market, how they should be selected, stored and then prepared. He provides a handful of recipes for each of the foods he discusses. Dividing the seasons are essays on such topics as the compromises that big farmers and small farmers must make and the crazy evolution of the modern supermarket tomato. I love books about food, especially when it is clear that the authors of these books love food. Parsons is deeply, deeply in love with food.
September 24, 2008
Written much more with the produce consumer in mind, it's useful as advertised (will certainly teach you how to pick a peach). I was hoping for a little more on the agricultural side, but what did I expect from a food critic.
This book should be required reading in high school home ec. classes for lessons on how your food actually gets to your table, as well as produce selection and storage. Unfortunately, tends to read like said textbook for others who may already know much of its lessons.
Like your backyard garden, the book opens with a flourish and finds an eager reader, but by the end you'll find that you've stopped weeding and just want to make it through to winter.
I should mention the book contains several recipes at the end of each chapter, with the most interesting of these being the "quick prep" recipes that highlight the fruit or vegetable with simple handling.
This book should be required reading in high school home ec. classes for lessons on how your food actually gets to your table, as well as produce selection and storage. Unfortunately, tends to read like said textbook for others who may already know much of its lessons.
Like your backyard garden, the book opens with a flourish and finds an eager reader, but by the end you'll find that you've stopped weeding and just want to make it through to winter.
I should mention the book contains several recipes at the end of each chapter, with the most interesting of these being the "quick prep" recipes that highlight the fruit or vegetable with simple handling.
February 28, 2009
A fact filled skim of where and when our fruits and vegies are at their best, along with some classic recipes for showing off the flavors. As we become more aware of the high price of eating healthy (environmentally and economically), it only makes sense to try to get the most for your dollar and your carbon footprint. Unfortunately, Parsons just scratches the surface on all the types of food that fill the produce department and farmers markets in this country, perhaps because there's no getting around the fact that unless you live in Florida or California, you're going to have a very limited diet if you want to eat locally year round. If you are buying food that's travelled across the continent to get to your plate, Parsons tells you what to look for and how to keep it from turning to green mush in your refrigerator.
December 29, 2010
Anyone sufficiently interested in food will enjoy the snapshot of commercial and scientific information about a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. For instance, I'm a happier person knowing that the revoltingly, shockingly astringent persimmon I once tried to eat was probably only a couple days away from being ripe and sweet; that portabello mushrooms are just overgrown brown button mushrooms that were initially considered a mistake; and that fruit growers pretty much can't worry about lousy-tasting fruit due to the tantamount concern of durability in shipping. The inclusion of recipes seemed like a great idea; unfortunately, the author seems to be overly fond of heavy whipping cream and anchovies, which seem to appear on most of the ingredients lists. I love cooking, but these items pretty much won't find their way into anything at our house.
November 1, 2008
Parsons’s book caught my attention right off the bat - I don’t live in peach country, and I don’t buy them much at the store (the disappointment just isn’t worth it...they’re mealy and tasteless and hard little buggers every time I’ve tried). But the thought of searching for flavor...that was something I could get my hands around.
Oh yeah, and he used the word “farm.” Not just in the cutesy sense, either, but with a feeling of actually having been on a farm. (Different farms than the sort I’m familiar with, but farms all the same.)
And what followed was a literary delight for this non-foodie farm girl.
(Full review at my blog.)
Oh yeah, and he used the word “farm.” Not just in the cutesy sense, either, but with a feeling of actually having been on a farm. (Different farms than the sort I’m familiar with, but farms all the same.)
And what followed was a literary delight for this non-foodie farm girl.
(Full review at my blog.)
August 1, 2014
I can't tell how much I enjoyed this book. I never read culinary books - except for the odd one in Hungarian - but I love fruits and vegetables and this book gave me so much useful information. I know how to cook but never really understood how to, well... pick a peach, for example. Or how to store tomatoes. Or peppers. Or how to cook cauliflower. I could go on but I won't since this book is about this.
This is is a fantastic, useful and pretty clever book. No wonder since Mr. Parson clearly loves his subject and this shines through every word of his. This is a rare treat on the field of fiction but even rarer amongs non-fiction titles.
If you love vegetables and ever stood helplessly in the market among the stalls as to what to pick and how - this is your book. And mine.
This is is a fantastic, useful and pretty clever book. No wonder since Mr. Parson clearly loves his subject and this shines through every word of his. This is a rare treat on the field of fiction but even rarer amongs non-fiction titles.
If you love vegetables and ever stood helplessly in the market among the stalls as to what to pick and how - this is your book. And mine.
February 29, 2008
Never did finish the book, though I am contemplating buying a copy myself. The copy that I had to read was borrowed from a co-worker, and I gave it back because it was just taking too much time for me to read through it all. The book is divided into seasons, and then within the season, the type of fruits or vegetables that are available during that particular season. There are also simple recipes after each vegetation, and they're all simple and are to be made with farmer-fresh produce. Great book to have around, especially if you're looking into the seasonal, locavore (local-vore?) thing.
9/28: so far, so good...
9/28: so far, so good...
November 14, 2008
This book takes a look at what has happened to our commercially grown produce over the last 50 years and attempts to discover why so much produce at the grocery store is tasteless and unpleasant compared to home grown. Fascinating. Each chapter is about a different food and he does a good job of describing the breeding progression that got us to where we are today but I felt like he was a little biased toward California (where he lives). I also would have liked to see more about how to choose good varieties to grow yourself. I loved the way he gave a simple way to prepare each food to make it taste great!! Overall an intriguing book.
May 19, 2013
Part vegetable/fruit primer, part cookbook, Russ Parsons discusses (very briefly) the growing history of the most popular fruits and vegetables in the United States. The book is divided seasonally with recipes and food history for the vegetable or fruit that is harvested in that particular season. Parsons' focus in this book is flavor; he doesn't get preachy about organics, the environment or vegetarianism, so this might be the right book for someone who is interested in eating healthier but doesn't want to be preached at for not buying 100% organic.
You can read more of my book reviews on my blog: www.thesouthernbookworm.blogspot.com
You can read more of my book reviews on my blog: www.thesouthernbookworm.blogspot.com
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