Fresh Facts - Week of December 3, 2006

Cookbooks make wonderful stocking stuffers for the Christmas holidays. You can treat your gift recipient to a treasure house of recipes from their favorite cuisine or introduce them to an entirely new way of cooking. The cookbook you choose can be a bestseller, or a vintage classic. Why not pair a fresh PRODUCE ingredient that complements the cookbook itself?

Pair the "Dolly’s Dixie Fixin’s" cookbook with a bunch of BANANAS to make country singer Dolly Parton’s favorite BANANA pudding, one of many country-inspired recipes in Parton’s first cookbook offering (www.cookbook.dollywood.com/order.aspx)

KIWIFRUIT is an appropriate complement for "The Purple KIWI Cookbook" from specialty produce purveyor Frieda’s, Inc. (www.friedas.com) which first introduced the KIWIFRUIT to the PRODUCE section more than 40 years ago.

Fans of the Food Network will enjoy a copy of Ina Garten’s latest – "The Barefoot Contessa at Home" (www.barefootcontessa.com). Include packages of ALMONDS, grated COCONUT, dried CHERRIES and CRANBERRIES and your recipient will be inspired to make Garten’s Homemade Granola mixture.

SWEET POTATOES or COLLARD GREENS would be an appropriate ingredient offering with a copy of Paula Deen’s newest release "Paula Deen Celebrates" (www.ladyandsons.com).

Potted HERBS make a great companion for "Melissa’s Great Book of PRODUCE" (www.melissas.com), chock full of tips and recipes for an amazing array of specialty FRUITS and VEGETABLES.

Try your local book store, www.abebooks.com or www.amazon.com for any number of vintage cookbooks best loved by chefs and armchair cooks alike: The original Betty Crocker Cookbook; The Ford Times Cookbook; Graham Kerr’s Galloping Gourmet series; Cooking Bold & Fearless by Sunset Magazine; Trader Vic’s Pacific Island Cookbook; Commander’s Palace New Orleans Cookbook; Esquire Cook Book and the Prairie Farmer Cook Book.

MANGOS are plentiful and among this week’s most economical FRUIT value. Add diced pieces as filling for dessert crepes or blend ripe FRUIT with yogurt and milk for a nutritious breakfast smoothie.

D’ANJOU PEARS are in excellent supply, with large-sized FRUIT the best value.

LEMON prices are decreasing slightly from premium levels. Float slices onto holiday punch bowls. RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT is among this week’s best CITRUS FRUIT picks, great for juicing or pair segments with AVOCADO slices as a salad offering. New crop NAVEL ORANGES and CLEMENTINE TANGERINES make a great gift presentation for the holidays, with quality excellent and prices reasonable.

Volume is steady on HASS AVOCADOS, with prices very reasonable on small FRUIT.

BANANAS are in steady supply at moderate prices.

RASPBERRIES are in steady supply, although demand is keeping prices in the premium range. These make an elegant dessert served with a piece of dark chocolate.

ROMA TOMATOES are plentiful, with prices decreasing.

Last call for the best selection of in-shell NUTS, including BRAZIL NUTS, ALMONDS, WALNUTS, PECANS, CHESTNUTS and HAZELNUTS for holiday baking.

CRANBERRIES are also in the final few weeks of availability; grab an extra bag or two for freezing.

POMEGRANATES continue in good supply. Mix seeds with BELL PEPPERS, WALNUTS, MINT, black olives, GARLIC and breadcrumbs for a tasty dip.

SWEET POTATOES and GARNET YAMS are among this week’s best VEGETABLE values. Both are great baked, roasted or mashed and seasoned with butter, honey or maple syrup.

EGGPLANT, the key ingredient for the tasty "baba ghanoush" dip, is plentiful at reasonable prices.

ONIONS are an excellent value, with ITALIAN RED and SWEET YELLOW varieties among the best values.

Good variety exists on HARDSHELL SQUASH at economical prices, including KOBOCHA, GREEN ACORN, BUTTERNUT and SPAGHETTI.

GREEN CABBAGE, ICEBERG LETTUCE, ROMAINE LETTUCE and SPINACH are the best buys for salads. Salad toppings in plentiful supply include CUCUMBERS, CELERY, CARROTS, JICAMA, SPROUTS, GREEN ONIONS and RADISHES.

RUSSET POTATOES are decreasing to economical price levels and quality is excellent.

WHITE BUTTON MUSHROOMS and giant PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS are both an excellent value. Great for sautéing with ONIONS and GARLIC as a topping for grilled steak or chicken.

ZUCCHINI SQUASH is holding steady at economical prices. Hollow out, mixing the flesh with HERBS, breadcrumbs, TOMATO sauce and GARLIC, restuff and bake.

Sweet WHITE CORN is plentiful at affordable prices, great for adding to crab chowder.

Evergreen Christmas WREATHS, POINSETTIA PLANTS and full-sized TREES are among the many Holiday decorating choices in the FLORAL department. In cut arrangements, ROSES, CARNATIONS, DAISIES, MUMS and ALSTROMERIA LILIES are plentiful and moderately priced.

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