Category Archives: Fruit

Discover Misfits Market — And the Winner of the Food Gal Contest

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My Misfits Market order included butternut squash and sweet potatoes billed as "unconventional in size.''
My Misfits Market order included butternut squash and sweet potatoes billed as “unconventional in size.”

It may be named Misfits Market, but it has nothing to do with forlorn, forgotten toys.

Instead, get to know this online subscription marketplace that aims to deliver mostly organic and non-GMO produce and other foodstuffs to your door at affordable prices — and in the process reach a wider audience and cut down on food waste.

Unlike most CSAs, you can choose what’s in your delivery box, too. Shipping is a flat rate that varies by zip code but starts at $5.99.

The company was founded in Philadelphia in 2018 by Abhi Ramesh, a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, who was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021 by Ernst & Young.

A grocery delivery service whose goal is to cut down on food waste.
A grocery delivery service whose goal is to cut down on food waste.

The company sources from farmers and producers across the country, as well as some items such as citrus and avocados from outside the United States.

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Sponsored Post: Baked Frangipane Apples with Pazazz

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The holiday season was made for these beautiful baked apples with a center of nutty frangipane.
The holiday season was made for these beautiful baked apples with a center of nutty frangipane.

I’m the type of person who bakes when I’m happy.

Or sad.

Or stressed.

Or curious about a particular recipe.

Or simply want to spoil myself or others with something joyfully indulgent.

And at this time of year, when I bake with samples of fresh Pazazz apples, I get especially giddy because they are a natural mood booster.

Yes, apples are loaded with antioxidants that fuel neurotransmitters in the brain that trigger the release of dopamine that elevates the feelings of pleasure, contentment, and motivation.

This mighty fruit also helps lower cholesterol, decreases the risk of diabetes, aids in weight loss, promotes good digestion, and boasts anti-inflammatory properties.

Now's the time to get your hand on some Pazazz apples.
Now’s the time to get your hand on some Pazazz apples.

Of course, they are mighty delicious, too. Ruby red with yellow-green striations, Pazazz are super snappy and full of sweet, tangy, quenching juice.

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A Gold Star For Gold Ridge Organic Farms Apple Vinegars

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Gold Ridge Apple Cider Balsamic is so wonderful, you will even want to drink it -- in a shrub or cocktail.
Gold Ridge Apple Cider Balsamic is so wonderful, you will even want to drink it — in a shrub or cocktail.

Sebastopol’s Gold Ridge Organic Farms grows impeccable apples — more than 75 varieties, with many of them heirloom ones — available at its farm shop and area markets such as Whole Foods.

So, it’s no surprise that any products made from such primo apples are also stellar.

Recently, I had a chance to sample two new releases: Apple Cider Balsamic and Apple Cider Vinegar.

One taste of the Gold Ridge Apple Cider Balsamic will instantly make you go “Wow!”

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“Under the Tuscan Sun” Olive Oil

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Extra-virgin olive oil from trees growing on the estate made famous in the best-selling "Under the Tuscan Sun.''
Extra-virgin olive oil from trees growing on the estate made famous in the best-selling “Under the Tuscan Sun.”

If you fell under the romantic spell of the memoir, “Under the Tuscan Sun” you’re sure to appreciate a chance to enjoy your very own taste of sorts of that escape-to-Italy life that author Frances Mayes wrote so lovingly about.

The book chronicled Mayes’ fraught escapades in restoring a Tuscan countryside home known as Bramasole that had been abandoned for 30 years.

In addition to renovating the house to new glory, she and her husband Edward Mayes also brought back to health the property’s olive trees.

Each October, the olives from these centuries’ old trees are pressed for olio nuovo, new oil with the freshest taste that’s meant to be used immediately.

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The Delight of Cherry Spumoni

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Cherry spumoni -- a celebration of almonds, chocolate, and glace cherries.
Cherry spumoni — a celebration of almonds, chocolate, and glace cherries.

It’s been ages since I last dined at an old-school Italian restaurant, the kind that sets down a brimming relish platter almost before you’ve ordered, and ends the meal sweetly with a frosty goblet of spumoni.

Thought to have originated in Naples, this fanciful creamy dessert can’t help but feel festively nostalgic with its cherry, pistachio, and chocolate or vanilla ice creams all mingling together in one scoop, often with crunchy nuts, bits of dark chocolate, and chewy candied fruit. Talk about an entire party busting out in one spoonful.

So, when I received some samples recently of red candied cherries, otherwise known as glace cherries, from Paradise Fruit Co., I couldn’t help but grow wistful for that classic treat, especially as the holidays approach.

Paradise Fruit Co. candied red cherries.
Paradise Fruit Co. candied red cherries.

Rather than going to all the trouble of making three different flavors of ice cream, I zeroed in on this New York Times recipe for “Cherry Spumoni.”

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