Produce & Pantry

Keeping fruit fresh can be difficult. Having fresh available is a nice thing in order to eat healthy. Unfortunately, fruit takes time to reach the grocery. By the time it reaches your home, it...

Sure Jell is fruit pectin that cooks use to make homemade fruit jams and jellies. Pectin is a natural thickening agent that you add to fruits during the jam-making process to thicken the fruit and...

A key ingredient in homemade jams and jellies, pectin can be made from many citrus fruits and berries. Grapefruit pectin, however, is more often used as a dietary supplement and like all citrus...

The avocado plant is native to tropical America. Cultivators believe the plants originate in southern Mexico and have spread around the world through trades, evidenced by its abundant growth even...

Certo is a brand name for liquid pectin. Pectin, a naturally occurring substance found mostly in the skins and cores of some fruits, is added to cooked fruit in order to make it jell for...

You can enjoy the flavor and nutrients of fresh fruit long after they have gone out of season by properly storing the fruit in your freezer. Freezing and storing fruit at home is a simple process...

Dragon fruit, also called cactus fruit, is a spiny, dark pink or yellow fruit indigenous to Asia, Central and South America, and the Middle East. The sea creature-like appearance of this colorful...

We all know that fresh fruit and vegetables are part of a healthy diet, but fear of foodborne illnesses and pesticide residue has made some of us hesitant to buy and consume them. Proper food...

This recipe is my favorite marmalade of all time. the combination of kumquats and prickly pear produce a flavor similar to candied cherries as well as the same red coloring. There is no need for...

Bitter melon is the edible fruit grown on the Momordica charantia plant. The bitter melon, which is considered to be the most bitter tasting of all vegetables we eat, grows in tropical and...

Making jams and jellies at home is much easier when you add pectin to your preserves. Pectin is a thickening agent derived from apples or other natural sources--it helps to gel your homemade fruit...

Learning how to preserve food the old-fashioned way will save money on your grocery bill and also may help you feel a bond with the generations before you who preserved their own food after...

Dehydrating blackberries is an economical way to store and preserve the fruit. Drying blackberries requires patience, but it is well worth the wait. You can store blackberries for up to one year....

Wild plum apple jelly is a golden treat that you can never buy at your local grocery store. Reminiscent of late summer, it will be a treat on all of your baked goods throughout the winter months....

Yogurt is a popular dairy snack. A number of different types of yogurt are sold in stores, but all of them contain the common ingredients of yogurt cultures and milk.

Apple picking season is a delight. Fragrant wafts of Macintosh, Granny Smith, Delicious and Honey Crisp apples fill the air. It’s tempting to pick every last globe on the tree – but then you have...

The cells of apples, and many other fruits and vegetables, act as balloons, holding enzymes inside. Portions of the cells contain phenolic compounds, and other parts house enzymes. These enzymes,...

People who enjoy superb food made from high-quality ingredients will enjoy receiving the gift of gourmet food. Whether in a basket with complementary food items (or wine) or beautifully presented...

All grapes are not created equal. In fact, knowing something about types of grapes can help you make better choices about the wine, jams and jellies that you buy, and may even help you make food...

Sometimes it's really hard to get your lunch packed for work. It can be somewhat time consuming and you might be in a hurry. With these tips you can have a lunch ready to go in no time!

The jujube is a little known fruit, but is gaining momentum in Western cultures for its high amount of vitamins and minerals. It has been used for thousands of years in Asian countries by medicine...

What is a pantry shelf without freshly home-canned fruits like peaches pears, apples, cherries or plums. These fruits are some of the most available and the easiest to can.

Have you ever opened up a produce bag only to find your bananas turned to mush? If you are constantly finding ones only good enough for making banana bread, follow these directions. They are...

When fruits and berries are in season, visit your local farmers' market and pick up a supply. In addition to enjoying these luscious treats now, you can also preserve them to eat during the long,...

Homemade jams and jellies made from fresh fruits are one of summer's tastiest delights. Jams typically have a thicker consistency and contain mashed fruit. Jellies contain only fruit juice and do...

If the 2-4 servings of fruit on the food pyramid seems impossible to consume on a daily basis, try incorporating some of the suggestions below into your daily routine.

Did you know that Cherries are great frozen? Did you realize that freezing them can make them last all year and that you can have that great cherry goodness whenever you want? Well now you know!...

With a little careful planning and creativity, it is possible to eat organic food daily and stick to your grocery budget. Make these tips part of your regular food shopping routine, and you will...

People have been drying fruit for thousands of years, such as grapes, plums and figs. Eventually all popular fruits native to the regions populated by humans were dried and stored. One of the...

Pomegranates are a seasonal fruit, available between September and January, and have a taste that's both sweet and tart. The arils, or seeds, of a pomegranate are edible, but the rest of the fruit...

Pomegranates are bright red fruits with a top knot, typically seen in the winter months. They have become increasingly available in recent years, but many people wonder how to cut the fruit and...

The tartness of grapefruit makes it a perfect accompaniment to any meal of the day. Many people prefer to have a grapefruit half with their breakfast, but unless you know how to properly eat a...

With bright pink on the outside and "scales" covering it, the dragon fruit really does resembles a dragon. This tropical cactus, also known as pitaya, has a pale interior studded with tiny, edible...

Lime is a citrus fruit native to southern Asia. Grown in tropical regions, the small fruit is nearly half the size of a lemon, with a yellowish-green, thin rind. Though not as popular as lemon,...

Red apples are popular. Annually, more than 22 lbs. are eaten by the average American. The fruit can be eaten raw, cooked, baked or juiced. Choose red apples that have firm, smooth skin; bruising...

Dried fruit has the same nutritional values as any other fruit, but is simply dried. This not only makes it easier for children's hands to manipulate, but it also makes it seem like a better snack...

Nectarines, a denuded relative of the peach, are summer-ripening stone fruits that are as sweet and delicious eaten in their natural state as they are in pastries, desserts, preserves and...

Pineapples are delicious additions to almost any dish. And while canned pineapple is abundant, using fresh pineapple is even better. But if you have ever been at the grocery store or produce stand...

Dragon fruit is a prickly, bright pink and green fruit that comes from several different types of cacti. This round fruit is grown in tropical climates and can be expensive in other parts of the...

A clementine is a juicy mandarin orange with a sweet taste. Clementines are known for their thin, smooth skin and seedless, orange fruit. Some people have come to call clementines "zipper oranges"...

Pectin is the component in fruit that "gels" fruit or juice into jam or jelly. Pectin is a polysaccharide, a form of carbohydrate structure. Most people who make jams and jellies at home probably...

The small brown kiwi fruit was originally known as a Chinese gooseberry. Kiwi fruit is green or gold and has small black seeds sprinkled liberally in the flesh of the fruit. Kiwis are somewhat...

Fresh cherries are a sweet summer treat that are not only tasty but beneficial to your health. Cherries are a low-fat, low-calorie food that are also rich in anti-oxidants. Because cherries are a...

Tamarind is a sticky, sweet-sour fruit that grows in long, bean-like pods.The fruit is mixed with sugar and dried in strips to make candy, or rendered into paste. Tamarind paste is a staple of...

Most readily available from August through December, pomegranates are intimidating to some cooks. The fruit's skin can be lightly green colored or bright pink, but it is the red seeds inside that...

Are you never sure what you're going to find when you cut into that cantaloupe you bought at the supermarket? Follow these steps to drastically increase your odds of picking a tender, sweet melon...

Pomegranates are a large fruit that grows on trees in hot climates. Around since ancient times, pomegranates were introduced to the United States by the Spanish. Before then they originated in...

The clementine is an orange-like fruit grown in various locations across the globe and is one of the best sources of vitamin C. Clementines come in a variety of sizes, though their appearance...

Temperature can affect how quickly fruit ripens, with cold air causing fruit to release ethylene gas and make fruit ripen more quickly. Keep fruit out of the refrigerator or use a disc that...

Most strawberry lovers share a common complaint about the sweet, delicious and highly perishable fruit. Once purchased, the berries always seem to rot within several days. That's because...