The Greengrocer

Thursday, August 09, 2007

(from Bay Area Radio Museum)

Some of you may remember Joe Carcione, the Greengrocer. When I was little, watching his spot in the local news was a treat, precocious foodie that I was back then. He talked about produce that was in season, and what to look for, emphasizing using all your senses in determining fresh fruits and vegetables. He often introduced things that weren’t commonly known-- my parents were particularly tickled when there was an episode on daikon, back when it was only available in Asian food markets.

A couple years ago, I picked up The Greengrocer Cookbook (ISBN 0-89087-176-0, Millbrae, CA: Celestial Arts, 1975) at a used book store. I immediately loved the format-- the book lists fruits and vegetables in the season when they are at their peak, and gives recipes for them. For example, for the month of August, there are recipes for bell peppers, beets, carrots, celery, nectarines, and peaches. I haven’t yet tried any of the recipes, but most of them seem simple and highlight the natural flavor of the produce.

Moreover, in his Foreword, Carcione writes,

In addition to using the general guide this book will provide, take a few moments to look over what is available in the produce department when you are doing your shopping. You will quickly learn from the abundance and from the prices what is in-season and available locally in fresh fruits and vegetables. Then take advantage of that knowledge by serving your family those foods at their finest, when they are ripe and full of nutrition and at their least expensive, in-season price.

I think those are good words to live by, in any decade. As the Greengrocer would say, there’s your “tip for the day.”