July 17, 2020

Vegetables

What are Shiitake Mushrooms? A shiitake mushroom is a small mushroom originating from Eastern Asia.  They have tan or brown caps, though some caps have crackled patterns.  The underside of the cap and the stem are typically lighter colored.  Shiitake mushrooms may come either fresh or dried.  High-quality fresh shiitake mushrooms feel somewhat dry and

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July 16, 2020

Fruits

What are Raisins? Raisins are dried seedless grapes.  During the drying process, grapes shrivel and shrink into raisins.  A raisin is typically small, oblong, and dark-colored with wrinkled skin and a chewy texture.  While most of the raisins we eat are made from green grapes, raisins are also made out of other grapes.  We usually

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July 16, 2020

Vegetables

What are Portobello Mushrooms? A portobello mushroom, also called a portobella or portabella mushroom, is a mature cremini mushroom.  When not picked, the small cremini mushroom continues to grow to the size of a portobello.  A portobello mushroom is tan or brown with visible dark-colored gills on the underside of the cap.  The cap of

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July 16, 2020

Vegetables

What is Endive? Endive is a leafy vegetable.  There are two common types of endive: the curly endive and the Belgian endive.  A curly endive has curly bright green leaves on the exterior of the vegetable.  A Belgian endive is oblong with long, wide leaves.  At the root, the leaves are white and turn into

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June 12, 2020

Spices

What is Paprika? Paprika is a spice originating from North America.  It is a ground spice made from different types of dried sweet capsicum plants, more commonly known as pepper plants.  The types of peppers used to make paprika include bell peppers, chili peppers, red peppers, cayenne peppers, and other kinds of peppers.  The spice

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