Hot Shots - March 3, 2023
Hot Shots - March 3, 2023
Severin R-B Danieli
Hello all,
Happy March! We are coming to you live from a snow covered coast! Who knew all this snow was coming? I never trust the weather reports when it comes to snow, but oh my, did it snow! Second winter has arrived.
This past weekend, before the snow arrived, I went on a lovely dog walk with my mom, and every deciduous tree we passed had fully formed and open bright green buds on the end of each of their branches - signs of spring! However, fast forward 24 hours from that walk and the entirety of Metro Vancouver was covered in a fluffy blanket of snow.
We are going to switch gears completely from the snow, and get a little tropical. We've got a few fun items here this week, yellow dragon fruit, whole aloe vera leaves, papayas, kumquats (I wasn't quick enough to get a photo!), Hawaiian turmeric, cipollini onions - let's dive in!
Yellow dragonfruit.
Coming in 8/11ct boxes up from Mexico and GAT (Global Agricultural Trading), yellow dragon fruit has the taste of a sweet pear, with a bit of added tropical flavour. High in dietary fiber, loaded with omega 3's which lowers blood pressure, high concentration of iron and packed with antioxidants for a healthy immune system.
Best enjoyed in a smoothie, fresh fruit salad or dragon bowl, or simply cut up and eaten raw. Grown for culinary and medicinal use, dragon fruits made their debut in northern South America (modern day Ecuador and Colombia), and only since the early 2000s have they been available for export to North America and Europe.
The photos above are the yellow dragon fruits being grown in the field.
Papayas!
I've mentioned it before, but papayas and I have had a rocky relationship. Growing up, my sister, who travelled to Brazil a few times, would have papaya at home and simply cube it up and eat it. I could never understand it - why not just eat a mango?
It wasn't until I was in Mexico back in 2019, that I had a perfectly ripe papaya. It was slightly cold, cut into cubes and spritzed with lime juice. I was sold. Tangy, zesty, fresh, and a perfect complement to a breakfast or brunch fruit plate.
The papayas we have right now at Disco come to us from Mexico, in 9/11ct cases, from HLB Organics and are of the formosa variety. This variety can weigh up to 3 kilos per papaya, and is notable for its mild fragrance.
I found this photo while perusing HLB Group on Instagram (that is their handle), and these photos illustrated, with vibrant colours I might add, how to peal, slice, de-seed and cut up a formosa papaya.
Aloe Vera Leaves.
One of the most unique items we have at Disco right now, from Purvera, in 12ct cases from California.
While I was growing up, my mom had an aloe vera plant in our dining room window. Whenever I would get a sun burn or burn my hand on something, she would snap off one of the leaves, squeeze out all the juicy and jelly-like substance, and lather it on my skin.
Uses for aloe vera:
Skin irritations (rashes, bug bites, sunburns)
Apply to face, neck, hair and scalp for hydrating benefits
Reduce puffiness under the eyes
Add to smoothies
Turmeric.
But, not any ol' turmeric, Hawaiian turmeric! The best of the best!
I hope my photo above does this turmeric justice and shows how large and vibrant each piece is.
This turmeric is grown on the lush North Shore of Kauai, from the farm Kolo Kai Organic Farm. Ben and Colette Ferris, the founders, managers and primary operators, started this farm in 1980. By the mid-1990s, the farm had grown to supply local health food stores, restaurants and some farmer’s markets on Kauai. Grown alongside the turmeric and ginger were Hawaiian oranges, key limes, banana, papaya, sweet corn, green beans, soybeans, squash, zucchini, lettuce, sweet potato, basil, parsley, mint and cilantro. Wow - that is quite an extensive catalogue!
Then, in 1999, the switch was made to focus mainly on turmeric and ginger. By 2004, an acre of ginger and turmeric was being cultivated and sent to the mainland.
Cipollini Onions.
I love these little savoury flying saucers!
Coming to us from Washington in 10# boxes from Andersen Organics, cipollini onions have a mild aroma, are crisp in texture, and once cooked, they soften and sweeten and almost melt in your mouth.
An Italian heirloom variety, first cultivated in the 1400s, the onion is native to the town or Boretto, Italy, which is in the region of Emilia-Romagna. Funnily enough, our pup Roma's breed is from the Emilia-Romagna region and when she is being a scamp we call her 'romagna!'
This region in Italy is also know for prosciutto of parma ham and parmigiano reggiano. Talk about a hip-happening place!
Thanks for reading along, Hot Shot friends!
Slowly, slowly we are inching our way to spring, and it will be here before we know it. The buds are starting, the daffodils, crocuses and snow drops are peaking through the left over snow, and the sun, when shinning, is warming our chilly winter bones.
Have a wonderful and relaxing weekend, and I will talk to you all next week.
Big love,
Severin R-B Danieli