3. Something New?
Dearest Family and Friends, Here in California, food grows on trees. It’s amazing. Last month Marvin, who lives down our street, arrived with a shopping bag full of persimmons. “When they come in,” says Marvin, "it's best to harvest right away, before they start to ooze and the animals get ‘em.” I left Marvin’s persimmons on our countertop for two weeks until they were translucent and jelly-soft. Persimmons are climacteric fruits — a new adjective for most of my readers. Climacteric fruits continue to ripen after they are harvested. These fruits produce ethylene gas that speeds up cellular respiration, releases sugar, and develops flavor. Avocados, bananas and tomatoes also do this — leave them on the counter to ripen. Cherries, strawberries, and citrus don’t — they do fine in the refrigerator. Climacteric foods are still alive after they are picked — something vegetarians may want to consider when they bite into a ripe tomato. Ouch! As I walk around my neighborhood I see bush...