Persimmon Rule Number 1: ALWAYS Examine the Shape

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Surprising, right? I mean, after all, most fruits pretty much hold the same shape they’re known for. Apples look like hearts. Pears look like, well…pears. But a persimmon? That’s an entirely different ballgame given that while it does resemble a tomato, not every persimmon is created equal. And it’s important to realize this:

The Shape of the Persimmon Directly Determines Its Sweetnesspersimmon-2

We want to eat fruit that’s sweet, obviously. And it just so happens that if you’re wondering about persimmons, you’re going to want to know that not every variation will be that tasty. Western countries, though, have it a bit easier, but if you just happen to be over in East Asia, know that there are a huge variety of shapes, and it’ll help to have a bit of a guideline about which shapes are ‘good’ (and which shapes are, well, ‘bitter’).

For starters, many sweet persimmons tend to have a flat base, very much like a tomato. Typically, indented lines will run from the stem to the base, but not always; some are smooth. What you have to keep in eye on is whether or not your persimmon has a longer, tapering to a blunt point, sort of like a mutant acorn. If that’s how your persimmon looks like, don’t bite into it. They’re even nastier than lemons, which thankfully makes those varieties of persimmon fantastic for all sorts of cooking.

Hence Why the Shape Matters, But Doesn’t Make the Persimmon Any Less Desirable!

When have you ever come across a fruit capable of so many different possibilities? It’s remarkable. For the more astringment persimmons, you can utilize in salads and dash with other savory items to go along with it. The sweeter kinds can be eaten raw right away. Of course, you won’t know that unless you’ve read this article straight through. So don’t make the mistake of following the guidelines — or else you just might be puckered for a while there.

The Nutritional Value of Organic Vegetables: Soil Matters

Posted by & filed under organic, Organic Lifestyle, organic produce, Uncategorized.

 

Nutritional Value Organic Vegetables Soil MattersWhen we blog about various veggies here at Golden Gate Organics, we do our fair share of research to provide accurate information about nutrient content in an effort to increase your attraction to these colorful, dietary wonders.

The truth is, if you’re purchasing veggies from local farmers, who use organic or biodynamic farming methods, and who focus on the quality of their soil – you shouldn’t ever need to spend another penny on vitamin or mineral supplements; you’ll get everything your body needs from the seasonal foods you eat.

But, here’s the thing: those “nutrient values” are a moving target of sorts. For example, in a recent post about the wonders of collard greens we stated a cooked cup of collards contains 250% of the RDA for Vitamin A. But whose cooked cup is that? Are the collards you get in your weekly veggie box equal to those found in the average grocery store? Or in the neighbor’s backyard garden?

Nutrient Values Vary Depending on How Your Veggies Are Grown

You see, who is growing your veggies – and how they grow those veggies, makes a tremendous difference in the nutritional values of the vegetables you eat. Case in point: The Tale of a Friendly Butternut Squash.

A recent post in Mother Earth News (a must-have subscription for those of you who love to garden, grow your own veggies and/or dream of creating a homestead), shares how different soil and growing conditions vastly altered the nutrients of butternut squash.

The “tester,” John Frank, works for International Ag Labs.  He made a point of gathering 29 different butternut squash from growers around the nation. The growers submitted information about their farming practices – from conventional to backyard organic.

The squash were each tested in a lab and compared with the current “nutrient values” for butternut squash as stated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Take a look below to see how vast the nutrient spread was between the lowest and highest scoring butternuts:

Nutrient                          Low Score                           USDA Level                        High Score

Protein (g)                           0.4                                         1.0                                           4.4

Calcium (mg)                       27                                           48                                           78

Phosphorous (mg)             23                                           33                                          166

Potassium (mg)                 282                                         352                                        1083

Magnesium (mg)                13                                            4                                             51

 

While the spread might not seem that extreme at first glance, keep in mind that the squash with the highest nutrient content had three-times higher values than the lowest-scoring squash, and that phosphorous (the second most important mineral when it comes to healthy bones and teeth) was found in seven-times higher concentration in the highest-scoring squash than the lowest-scoring squash.

Organic is good and biodynamic is even better

What Mr. Frank learned was that while organic farming is good, biodynamic farming is even better. It’s not surprising that all of the highest scoring butternuts were grown organically, so was the lowest scoring squash. That goes to show that while subtracting herbicides and pesticides is Step One in a health farming culture, concentrating on soil quality is absolutely crucial.

The highest scoring squash was grown by Doris and Calvin Bey, owners of Harmony Gardens in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Beys make it a priority to grow nutrient-rich veggies, and they do so by concentrating on healthy soil.

Your farmer’s soil is the food source for your food, so to speak. The nutrients and minerals in the soil are absorbed through plant roots and used to grow vibrant foliage and – hopefully – nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits. Nutrient-rich soil means minerals that are balanced correctly. It also means that the soil is alive with microbes, worms, and mycorrhizae (fungus)  – all of which work in the soil to keep it fertile and energized.

So, the next time you visit your farmer’s market, start asking questions about how they farm and – more specifically – inquire as to what they do to nurture nutrient-rich earth. What do they do to keep their soil alive and energized? Do they rotate crops? Do they let chickens and pigs naturally till and fertilize the soil? Are they composting? As the Beys see it, “Meeting minimum organic standards give no assurance that the produce will be nutrient-dense.”

Looking for organic veggies that are grown with an emphasis on nutrient rich products? Sign up for a weekly CSA box from Golden Gate Organics. Your veggies never tasted so good.

So Many Persimmon Varieties Out There: Assume They’re Not Sweet

Posted by & filed under fruit, organic, organic produce, produce report.

You basically need to follow that dogma to a tee minus a few exceptions. Tricky, yes. But that’s the case for persimmons as you can see here. As far as learning more and more about persimmon varieties, though, the one thing you have to keep in mind is this — not all “varieties” are alike! And we don’t mean necessarily by how they look.

Yes, Apples Can Have Varying “Tastes,” But THESE Persimmon Varieties Will SHOCK You

Lest we forget…. We’re not talking about apples. Obviously. The persimmon is one of those rare varieties of fruit that will perplex you like no other, but one thing’s for sure — you’ll love these. They’re very healthy for you, but hard to know what you’re getting when shopping. Here’s what you need to know about persimmon varieties:

Thankfully, here in the West, we have it pretty easy — there are only two varieties — Fuyu and Hachiya. Fuyu is the type of persimmon that’s generally always sweet and can be eaten when firm, very much like an apple. And this is a fruit resembling a tomato! Hachiya persimmons, though, generally are quite ‘tangy’, rough to the taste when firm. You’ve got to wait for those suckers to soften up a bit before you can bite into them.

Go to the orient, though, and you’re in trouble — there are at least a dozen persimmon varieties out there:

  • Jiropersimmon varieties
  • Izu
  • Hanagosho
  • Midia
  • Suruga
  • Shogatsu
  • Tanenashi
  • Eureka
  • Tamopan
  • Gailey

The first six are considered among the sweet kind. So pay attention.

Need more help and differentiation? Check it out: Triumph persimmons (also known as Sharons) tend to be quite sweet when sold in the market. However…. If you get those kind of persimmons straight from the tree, pucker up. If you really want to know which varieties will make you suck out of a straw, find the varieties out there that are seedless and more orange-yellowish in color. The good thing is if you wait enough, those tangy ones get seeded and darker…and taste tremendous. Some of those varieties are as follows:

  • Giombo
  • Hyakume
  • Nishimura Wase
  • Rama Forte
  • Luiz de Queiroz
  • Chocolate (yes, that’s the variety name)

It’s a Journey With the Persimmon Variety, so It’ll Be a Good One

The good thing is — astringent or sweet, it doesn’t matter. Persimmons are fantastic for you. If they’re a bit tangy, wait for them to ripen. If you can’t wait, slice them up and throw in a salad. Golden gate approves.

The Good Persimmons Need to Be PRISTINE Persimmons

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Good at checking the corn for rotten parts? Good. What about apples? They’re easy to spot the bad ones. But persimmons? It all depends on what you want in one. The good persimmons isn’t about whether or not they’re actually ‘good’ (as in ripe enough, or rotten). What’s funny is even the special shapes and ‘defects’ on a persimmon can lend a certain characteristic you may or may not want to have.

Here Are Four Things You Need to Know About Good Persimmonsgood persimmons

Let’s talk about the American kind — and if you want more information about persimmons, just check this out right here. The American kind, however, chances are you’ve seen quite often. They’re typically called “possum apples,” native to the eastern United States, growing on wild trees. They are indeed harvested often and are quite small — but don’t bite into those suckers. They ain’t sweet. But they’re great for salads and soups.

You might come across a persimmon that happens to have four sides. If that’s the case, don’t bite into that one either. They’re often astringent. Same goes for any persimmons possessing “concentric rings” around the leafy tops. However, if the persimmon has “cracks” around that leafy part, you might have some sweetness there. Strangely enough, the more rotten the fruit, the tastier it is!

Just Another Reason Why You HAVE to Get Yourself a Persimmon

Most haven’t even heard of the fruit. It’s not exactly the common one to get at the grocery store supermarket. Everyone loves the apple, the pear, the grapes, even the blackberries. But the real rare ones out there, like Ugli fruit, dragonfruit, and, of course, the persimmon — it’s all here. The great thing is now you know. And all the info’s right here. Want more information about more organic produce? Just check out the blog for more of our goodies!

 

How to Make a Great Soup With Celeriac (or Celery Root(?))

Posted by & filed under Food Philosophy, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

You read that correctly. Soup. It is possible. If you were to check this article out on celeriac, though, you’d be even more surprised given how the weird “veggie” looks like. It’s not exactly a vegetable, per se — it’s a root. So, naturally, when it comes to roots, you typically think they’re often used as seasonings when ground to a powder or shavings. Not so. Celeriac can be used, in fact, as much more —

And, in This Case, Celery Root Soup is a Real Winnercelery root soup

A winter soup, of course, featuring some hearty notes to it. The great thing about celery root is that it’s so hearty. It’ll fill you up. And in the winter, that’s crucial for us to get filled up while we hibernate like bears. Take note: this soup’s relatively easy to make as long as you have all the other necessities. And you’ll thank us later:

First off, what goes well with celeriac? Potatoes, of course! Hence why you can use both in a rich, hearty, warm, thick, and almost meal-like soup. Potatoes often go well with soup, so all you need to do is slice them up as well as some cubed celeriac, some leeks, a healthy amount of butter, and either chicken or veggie broth. Simmer it all until tender. But don’t stop there….

You have to puree the entire concoction. Or else you’ll just have a stew. And it really won’t have much body to it. A soup has to have a lot of body to it. Mix it up and throw in some cream for a little extra thickness. You want this soup to slowly drool off your spoon — not ‘spill’. Add a little lemon zest for that bit of a kick, some chopped fresh parsley, crispy croutons, and you’re good to go.

The Best Part? It’s a Pretty Decently Healthy Meal

Well, it could be. Add some protein in there, and you’ve got a meal. And you’ve also used up that celery root for good use. Because guess what: that soup can freeze and be stored! Mmmm…. For more goodies, just check out the Golden Gate blog. We promise — you won’t be disappointed.

 

The Secret Celeriac Trifecta — Soup, Salad, and Chips

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We’re all about creativity and invention, and nothing beats creative like the celeriac — also known as the “celery root.” Looking like something you basically do not eat, the celery root stands as the cornerstone for healthy eating and organic food since this is what literally comes from the ground. You can’t process this type of food. At all. As a result, when you eat this, you’re dealing with some major power-packs of vitamins, minerals and other goodies you never thought you could ingest in your wildest dreams.

But We Dare You to Look at the Image of a Celeriac. It’s Not Pretty.

Go ahead and try eating this thing. We dare you. Believe it or not, it is edible. It won’t hurt you. But the thought of chewing on this sort of ‘branch’ thing doesn’t exactly whet the appetite or make the tummy growl. Believe it or not, there are plenty of ways to use celeriac in your diet without grounding it up and simply using it as a seasoning (which would be easy!). This might shockceleriac-1 you — but we have the TRIFECTA of great dishes that can be primarily created with celeriac. Check it out:

Sound too good to be true? Why don’t you just click the links yourself and find out. Celeriac is versatile, and that’s what we celebrate.

Organic Versatility — Right Here at Golden Gate Organics

There’s a lot many people don’t know about the most obscure and rare foods offering the best possible sources of health known to man. You can learn more about it right here. Not just this trifecta. But so much more. Enjoy.

Celeriac Salad IS Possible If You Follow THIS Method to a Tee

Posted by & filed under Food Philosophy, organic, organic produce, organic produce delivery, tips & tricks.

Believe it or not…. But salad does not require lettuce. Not even romaine! And that’s a shocker, because we at Golden Gate love romaine. This is, however, about breaking the mold when it comes to organic food and getting inventive with your foods. So here’s a big challenge for you: celeriac. What can you possibly do with celeriac?? Well, you can find out right here.

One of the Things You Can Do Is Make a Celeriac SALADceleriac salad

But it requires a certain technique, so to speak. After all, you can’t just toss a giant celery ROOT into your salad and pour some ranch on it. Get the knife. Start sharpening it up. And get to work. This is what you do to make a great celeriac salad along with some sweet companions for a wickedly hearty wintery taste:

You’ll need endives, for starters. Slice up some along with some pears, throw in some toasted walnuts for that crunch and protein, and forget the ranch. Go with blue cheese dressing. And you’re good to go. But don’t forget the celeriac, please!

Want to know what you do with that gigantic celery root? Here’s the secret: you’re going to need to slice the celery root into ‘matchsticks’. The result is getting a coleslaw-style type of yumminess that adds to the crunch with those walnuts — and with that blue cheese dressing, you have something guaranteed to fill you up even without eating meat.

And you heard right: you don’t need to braise the celeriac. You don’t need to saute it. You don’t even need butter. Just slice them up into thin layers and add to the salad to your heart’s content. Simple as that. You can even grate a whole lot of that celery root as a topping if you want. We suggest do both.

We’re Not Kidding: This Might Make You Love Salads All Over Again

And chances are good there are plenty of other ways to make a celeriac salad. That crunch just nails it right on the head. Like eating an awesome bunch of hearty fries — and you didn’t even have to fry ’em.

Forget the Doritos or Lays: Do It Natural With Some Roasted Celery Root Chips

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If you haven’t read this article, yet, on the best ways to use celeriac (or “celery root”), please do so now, because with this particular novel entry on an innovative way to eat celeriac, you’re guaranteed to have a full-on full-course meal when you put all three together. Soup. Salad. And…. Chips??

Yep, You Got It — CELERY ROOT CHIPS, to Be Exactceleriac chips

And there is a way to get it done right, as celeriac can be difficult to work with if you’re thinking of slicing and dicing. Once you’ve got it done, though, you’re set for a plethora of possibilities, and this is one recipe for a snack or side that’ll blow your mind.

Take the celery root on your chopping table and start slicing into quarters. The key is to slice each quarter then as thinly as you can possible do it, as when you roast the chips with the olive oil, you want to brown it through as much as possible. It may take you a while, but it’s well worth it, as these kind of chips will keep for quite awhile.

Once you’ve got it all sliced up, toss all of them into enough olive oil to coat from front to back, top to bottom, and everything in between. Sprinkle with some good ol’ fashioned seasoned salt (or celery salt, or sea salt, whichever you prefer). Spread it all on a sheet pan to put in the oven at 350.

You’re going to have to watch the chips pretty carefully, because you want some white left with a deep golden brown around most of the celery root chips. Too dark, and they’ll be a little bitter for your taste. Get them right, and you can take them out of the oven for cooling, but it won’t take long….

Because You Can Very Soon Enjoy Some ACTUAL Celery Root Chips While Watching Your Favorite Movie

Or as we mentioned…. Have those chips with celery root soup and a celeriac salad. Talk about celeriac overload, right? But in this case…. The overload isn’t bad at all.

Working Out After The Flu

Posted by & filed under Organic Lifestyle, tips & tricks.

Just recently I had the flu for the first time and had to miss a couple workouts. This is my experience with getting back into working out after the flu. It started with a crackle-ish tickle in my throat on Friday. Always, I’ve learned, an indication of something not-so-good on the horizon. It got worst over the weekend with more coughing. Then hacking up dark green stuff from my lungs. It is impossible to be inconspicuous when you are coughing that hard. Monday was busy and I had some responsibilities at Golden Gate Organics to take care of. Namely, I needed to create the weekly produce menu for all of our customers. Once that was complete I sent the weekly email to all of our customers and went home to rest. I was still a little sore from lifting on Sunday.

Going To The Doctor

The next day I went to the doctor. I thought I might’ve had bronchitis since it was similar to symptoms I experienced before when diagnosed. But it was the flu. “It says you didn’t get a flu shot this year.” The nurse politely said to me with a smug look on her face. This was the first year in memory that I did not get a flu shot. I thought I didn’t need one since I never got the flu before. Boy am I an idiot. “I’ve just didn’t have an opportunity to get one this year.” It was a lie. I coughed. The rest of the day wasn’t so bad.

The next day was Wednesday and I really felt my energy begin to drop. I met Steven, the president of Golden Gate Organics, at his house to work on a couple projects. Concentrating was impossible and my energy levels fell to zero. I would’ve fallen asleep if it weren’t for my incessant coughing keeping me awake and miserable. I called it a day at lunch and went home to be sick on the couch. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were spent quarantined in my bedroom alone. I couldn’t even find joy watching basketball on TV. Or sleeping. Never in my life had I ever felt as sick and miserable as I did when I had the flu. I felt bad letting Kyle, my workout buddy, know that I was not going to be working out after the flu got worse. We lift weights together every Wednesday and Sunday. Our program is STRONGLIFTS and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to start getting much stronger.

Barbells pushed off to the side.

Kyle took my absence as an opportunity to rearrange some odd weights placed next to our squat station.

The Flu Is Up, My Energy Is Down

The Mercury News even reported that five people die of flu-related deaths this flu season. That, and flu season in California hadn’t even peaked yet. That’s me always an early adopter. I felt like I lost a few pounds after hardly eating for about five days. Fortunately, though, our organic grocery delivery came right on time Friday morning. I didn’t even know that it had been delivered. My wife, Jen, took care of it and took care of me. She is the best. I ended up taking Monday off after the weekend, then a half day of work on Tuesday. Wednesday night was workout night.

I still had my cough but it was under control. Coughing into my elbow became second nature and kept my hands clean for the next person. My energy levels were nowhere near normal. Still, I could’ve texted Kyle and said I couldn’t lift again. But I didn’t. I needed to get out of the house. I wanted to lift those weights. Starting over is the worst and I hoped I hadn’t regressed much. Sure I coughed during the workout. But so what? I know how to cough politely and people can see that.

My Advice On Getting Back Into Working Out After The Flu

So my answer to how to get back into working out after the flu is to just step back into your old routine. Definitely take it easy and don’t push yourself too hard. Working out after the flu doesn’t need to be hard and it shouldn’t be. This first workout or two back isn’t about staying in shape. It is more about getting back into the routine. The routine is the most important part of working out because without it you won’t steadily improve. You slowly lose the gains of working out when you don’t work out. But it won’t go away in a week. When you have the flu drink lots of water, stay away from caffeine and alcohol, and try to eat as many fruits and veggies as possible. You need to take care of yourself and get strong again. Then you can go party.

Corey Allan Tufts
Founder and CEO, Golden Gate Organics

@coreytufts

Golden Gate’s 3 Awesome Ways to Eat a Belgian Endive

Posted by & filed under Food Philosophy, organic, organic produce.

We’re willing to bet a lot of you don’t even know what an endive is, let alone a Belgian one. But did you know they’re surprisingly fun to eat (obviously really, really ridiculously good for you) and go by several other names as well?

  • Frisee
  • Chicory
  • Escarolebelgian endive-1
  • Radicchio

And wouldn’t you know it? They’re all endives. But the Belgian one is a bit of a hidden gem in the culinary halls of delight. It’s the endive making the traditional lettuce leaves look plain and simple, and for good reason. They’re crunchy. They keep their form well, which makes them surprisingly versatile when it comes to cooking and eating.

So Here’s Three Ways to Eat The Endive!

Read about them — and then try it out yourself. You’ll be surprised:

  1. Braising — Not a lot of veggies can be braised, but the endive can! Here’s how.
  2. Saute  — Sure, a lot of different veggies can be sauteed on a pan: mushrooms, asparagus, onions. But a leafy green vegetable? That would spell disaster. Not so for the endive.
  3. They’re Like SCOOPS — Yes, like those Frito chips. Check out why you can eat the ‘dive like this by clicking here.

The bonus is the versatile veggie has both sweet and hearty bitter properties to it, which change depending on the way you cook it (and, of course, the way you eat it). So experiment. You might find a more interesting way of working with the endive, possibly!

Which We Fully Support Here at Golden Gate Organics: It’s All About Invention and Discovery

And nothing else says discovery like the endive. Plenty of other organic foods and other foods out there offer great potential. We’re even wondering if it’s possible to pickle an endive. After all, it’s like braising! Might actually go well if you think about it. Who knows — maybe we’ll try it out ourselves and let you know (unless you beat us to it!).