647550 Tue Aug 25 21:07:59 -0700 2009 53 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4978239 Until today, I was the only one I know who likes figs. I'm mad about figs. Specifically, Adriatic figs. Today I shared one with a fig hater and instantly converted them. It made me wonder what varieties of a food are the acme of its type, or at least, the most powerful to nonbelievers. This is not a thread about you haven't had pizza until you've been to Di Fara - I'd like to keep it outside the restaurants. I'd rather it be you haven't had salmon until you've had fresh chinook, but I'm fine with shelved and branded products that involve more production work as well - you haven't had goat cheese until you have ash-rolled goat cheese, you haven't had a TV dinner until you have Stouffers, whatever. Anyways, I'm interested to hear what you consider the creme de la creme of your favorite foods that everyone else is missing out on. I'll start with Adriatic figs, Hendrick's gin, Dark Prince tomatoes, Marcona almonds. Tue Aug 25 21:07:59 -0700 2009 255595 blkery 1 4980099 I was pretty indifferent to both cherries and raspberries until I moved to the NW. My first Bing 3 hours from a tree in Eastern Washington was an epiphany. Wed Aug 26 12:33:29 -0700 2009 4978239 15250 sebetti 2 4980270 Oh, how I miss WA cherries and berries! Commercial raspberries aren't even worth my money; CA strawberries are passable but never as good. I hope you live in an area with U-pick options. Wed Aug 26 13:19:09 -0700 2009 4980099 46956 maestra 1 4980170 Mango : Alphonso Blueberry : wild (Michigan or Vermont) Smoked Whole Chicken : Mine Pear : Yali Apple : Honeycrisp Wed Aug 26 12:50:12 -0700 2009 4978239 111530 gordeaux 1 4980522 Yukon Gold potoates. My whole life my family never tried to serve me anything but russets, or the occasional red new potato. I hated them. Yukon golds have a much nicer texture and sweeter, more delicate flavor. I'll happily eat them. Wed Aug 26 14:32:46 -0700 2009 4978239 116495 Avalondaughter 1 4980958 I wish everyone could try the concord grapes that grow in my aunt's backyard. And the italian plums that grow there too. But alas, I'll have to eat them for you. Wed Aug 26 17:09:17 -0700 2009 4978239 56183 soypower 2 4981107 I never cared for grapes until the day I tasted some purple ones from the vine in a friend's backyard. OMG-- it was another fruit altogether! Night and day! I don't think I've ever tasted anything so delicious! Wed Aug 26 18:07:20 -0700 2009 4980958 1099762 CookieWeasel 3 4985088 Same here, when I was younger we rented a house that had grape vines growing all over it and there was so much grapes that we ran out of ideas and would just pick and eat them all day long. They were big and green (not round though) and seedless, yumm! They were perfect but I don't know the name, it was in the middle east. Fri Aug 28 05:50:19 -0700 2009 4981107 224081 BamiaWruz 1 4981263 Rice pudding until you've tasted my grandma's! She got the recipe off of a Minute Rice box over 55 years ago. She gave my aunt the recipe, but it doesn't come out quite right. My aunt gave me the recipe, but I still can't get it the right consistency. Maybe one day... ...on the other hand you haven't had a cannoli like my Aunt's cannoli. Wed Aug 26 19:16:03 -0700 2009 4978239 11701 MrsT 1 4985831 Peach until you've had a Red Haven from southwestern Ontario. Fri Aug 28 09:42:50 -0700 2009 4978239 13709 buttertart 2 4986794 I was going to say: Until you had a Sierra Lady from the Medford, OR Fri Aug 28 14:15:51 -0700 2009 4985831 218554 BeefeaterRocks 3 5009490 And I was going to say until you've had an Elberta from Fresno, CA and environs. Sun Sep 06 14:17:53 -0700 2009 4986794 10586 jmnewel 4 5010765 They grow those in Ontario too. Also in NY state - I have a bunch of them in the kitchen right now, have to hang your head over the sink to eat them. Oh peaches. Mon Sep 07 08:29:19 -0700 2009 5009490 13709 buttertart 1 4985928 Beef tamales in Tucson at Christmastime (and they have to have an olive)! Fri Aug 28 10:07:16 -0700 2009 4978239 140140 mrbigshotno.1 2 5011111 Or two or three olives, green, of course. :-) Whole fresh beets wrapped in foil and thrown on the grill, slipped out of their skins and diced and buttered. I served these to some friends, and he went on and on. A while later my friend said "He's been talking about those damn beets for a week now!" They do have to be 'in season' or they might be woody or flavorless. A really ripe fig right off the tree A turnip right out of the ground, peeled with a pocketknife and eaten. So sweet... Mon Sep 07 10:50:39 -0700 2009 4985928 105625 EWSflash 1 4986897 For me, I didn't like olives until my Sister brought home a bottle of kalamatas. I still don't eat green olives, though. Fri Aug 28 14:51:44 -0700 2009 4978239 237929 tracylee 1 4986992 ...a strawberry until you've had a wild strawberry. Back in the mid 80's, I was camping somewhere in New Mexico. I went off for a short hike by myself and crested a hill and went down into a small pasture/valley. I didn't notice them at first, but once I realized what ALL of the small plants were that covered literally the whole valley, I thought I was in a Beatles song. I plopped my butt down and started eating. They were small, about the size of your thumbnail and I have never tasted anything like it before or since. I didn't even know they grew in NM. I sure wish I knew where that valley was... AzD Fri Aug 28 15:35:30 -0700 2009 4978239 180790 ArizonaDave 2 4988584 They sound like alpine strawberries--we grew some for the first time this summer. Did they almost have a floral taste to them and look like fat little Christmas tree lights? :) And to continue the list of you haven't had a !... GRAPEFRUIT until you've had a RUBY RED GRAPEFRUI!! Ruby reds are so sweet and yummy, unlike regular grapefruit that I just don't like whatsoever. I still remember being offered a glass of grapefruit juice when I was a little kid. I hadn't had it before, but knew grape juice, so thought grapefruit juice would be just as tasty. Imagine anticipating the sweetness of grapes and getting regular grapefruit! ACK! Sat Aug 29 11:35:38 -0700 2009 4986992 249664 kattyeyes 3 4989103 Concur on the ruby reds. My mother the grapefruit fanatic (whose morning addiction has been sadly sidelined by taking a statin) always insisted Texas ruby reds were the best. And speaking of her, you haven't had applesauce until you've had my mother's home-canned, unsweetened Gravenstein applesauce, with its buttery-rich flavor. I know buttery and rich are odd descriptors for applesauce, but I can't think of a better way to describe it. The flavor is consistently deeper than any other I've had. Hmm, it's Gravenstein season now; I might have to see about poaching a few jars... Sat Aug 29 15:54:27 -0700 2009 4988584 10074 Caitlin McGrath 4 4990036 You've sold me. I wish I could try some! Sun Aug 30 07:39:14 -0700 2009 4989103 249664 kattyeyes 4 4995060 Have to disagree...you haven't had a Ruby Red until you've had one from FL's Indian River area. Tue Sep 01 04:05:50 -0700 2009 4989103 15712 cavandre 5 5010421 Second that - those are my favorites! Mon Sep 07 03:31:21 -0700 2009 4995060 253735 bayoucook 3 4991054 I never liked grapefruit until I moved to Texas and discovered Ruby Reds. I thought maybe it was just that I finally learned to like grapefruit, until I tried a regular grapefruit again. I second kattyeyes' ACK! Sun Aug 30 16:32:21 -0700 2009 4988584 253542 cycloneillini 3 5010124 I'm not sure I've had anything BUT Ruby Red sin decades. I wonder if they come from CA? Sun Sep 06 20:20:58 -0700 2009 4988584 131001 c oliver 2 4990001 Wild strawberries are heaven indeed. Sun Aug 30 07:15:37 -0700 2009 4986992 13709 buttertart 1 4987676 You haven't had a date until you've had a Black Sphinx date. As far as I know, they only exist here in Phoenix. I buy them from a lady that lives in the last orchard of Black Sphinx trees. They have a very thin, black skin that is almost crispy in texture and when you bite into one, it's like a little explosion of honey in your mouth. They are exquisite. Fri Aug 28 20:50:52 -0700 2009 4978239 173425 Jen76 2 4989362 i'm a big date fan and my parents live in Surprise. Next time i am down there, i'll definitely look for them. are they seasonal? Sat Aug 29 18:36:37 -0700 2009 4987676 1095041 majordanby 3 4989403 Very. I believe it was late fall when I bought the last batch. As far as I know, you can only buy them direct from a woman that lives in the date orchard in Arcadia, although I think I saw a few pounds at the citrus shop I go to in Phoenix (around 32nd St. / Baseline Rd - Summer's Fruit Barn or something like that). I believe the woman sells them at the downtown Phx farmer's market on Saturdays. And I was NEVER a date fan. All I had experienced as a child in Wisconsin were those hard, dried date chunks that my grandmother would buy to make Christmas cookies. Yuk. These completely converted me, and now I enjoy Medjools and honey dates as well. Black Sphinx will always be my favorite though. Sat Aug 29 19:06:30 -0700 2009 4989362 173425 Jen76 2 4990880 Oo. Time to travel. More generally -- you haven't had a date until you've had a spiced date. I like to combine the juice of one lemon with a tablespoon of dark brown sugar, ground grains of paradise, cardamom, cumin, & cloves in a pan over medium-low heat. Once the sugar's dissolved and the mixture's steaming, toss in maybe a dozen-plus halved & pitted dried Medjool dates (the best I've found out east) cut-side down over low heat. They turn tender pretty quickly; once they're hot and tender transfer everything to a shallow bowl to continue to stew off heat. Great fresh off the stove and almost as good as drained & chilled leftovers. (Also tasty: let them stew overlong until mushy then puree, chill, and add as a swirl in homemade ice cream.) Sun Aug 30 15:23:34 -0700 2009 4987676 175906 Scriever 3 4991342 I have a recipe in a Mediterranean cookbook for orange-date salad. As soon as the oranges come in later in the year (tangelos are my favorite), I plan to make this for lunches. By the way, I keep my dates in the freezer. They don't really freeze hard. They are great cold, sweet snacks in the hot desert summers! Sun Aug 30 18:27:02 -0700 2009 4990880 173425 Jen76 3 5012157 Medjools, plain, are what I was going to say. You haven't had limoncello until you've had it homemade in Sicily. Does that count? Mon Sep 07 18:53:20 -0700 2009 4990880 11106 tatamagouche 1 4990260 Cara Cara navels took the boredom out of oranges, for me. They're a low-acidity winter variety with pink flesh and a surprisingly floral, sweet taste that makes them incredibly addictive. I'd never heard of them until a small batch turned up at a market in Southern Maryland last winter. When I asked about them the greengrocer just smiled, pulled out a pocketknife and sliced one open for me. I tasted one wedge and was hooked. They were hard to find for resupply, but I bought them up whenever I could. Can't wait for the cold months this year. Sun Aug 30 09:33:32 -0700 2009 4978239 175906 Scriever 1 4990271 virtually any fruit or vegetable fresh off the vine, tree, bush, or out of the ground. Just like fish, the fewer minutes between harvest and consumption the more amazing the difference. as good as farmer's market produce may be, it is still not the same as something that came out of your own back yard 10 minutes ago. Sun Aug 30 09:39:11 -0700 2009 4978239 57890 KaimukiMan 2 4992062 True indeed - case in point: a potato straight out of the ground, into the house, washed, and boiled in salted water is a treat fit for a king. This is one of my fondest childhood memories (had a cousin who had the most beautiful veg and fruit garden, with raspberries the size of the tip of your tongue. All of her produce fell into the you haven't had a... category). Mon Aug 31 05:51:10 -0700 2009 4990271 13709 buttertart 2 4995072 Apple season is starting here in NH and I'm looking forward to the Ginger Golds etc. It's been a long, cold and wet summer here so blueberries are incredible but tomatoes are blighted and my peppers haven't colored up yet. I can hardly wait for them to get red. I'm growing some heirloom varieties and THIS year I will take better notes as to which ones we liked best. I get plants from a grower who will sell them as individual plants. And some day I might learn to make good pie crust like my MIL's. Tue Sep 01 04:19:10 -0700 2009 4990271 13546 dfrostnh 1 4991070 You haven't had a lobster, until you have had a hard shelled lobster from Maine. And luckily for me, it's only an hour's drive away. Sun Aug 30 16:36:45 -0700 2009 4978239 15691 mcel215 2 4992311 Wild Boar bacon Mon Aug 31 07:34:40 -0700 2009 4991070 243273 pacheeseguy 2 5010220 2nd the first part of that Sun Sep 06 21:24:20 -0700 2009 4991070 40486 Cinnamon 1 4995062 You haven't had shrimp until you've tried some of FL's rock shrimp. When properly broiled, they have an almost lobster like taste & texture. Tue Sep 01 04:07:38 -0700 2009 4978239 15712 cavandre 2 5010422 Or Alabama's Royal Reds! Same taste and texture. Deep-water shrimp. Mon Sep 07 03:32:47 -0700 2009 4995062 253735 bayoucook 2 5011115 you got THAT right. I fell in love with broiled rock shrimp in FL. Mon Sep 07 10:53:36 -0700 2009 4995062 105625 EWSflash 1 4996028 A bit more complicated, but coffee, until you've had a cup brewed with beans less than six months old from a direct trade project by one of the big three (Stumptown, Intelligentsia, Counter Culture or other up-and-comers following their lead) and roasted only to medium light. It's a shame more people don't think of coffee as a perishable crop. A great coffee has more complexity than the best wines, and you wouldn't even consider drinking it super heated or adding milk to be able to enjoy it. Tue Sep 01 10:21:19 -0700 2009 4978239 24421 Panini Guy 2 4996610 Totally agree on this...My friend started a micro-roastery and had me over for a coffee-tasting. I've never been able to drink coffee black, but after I tasted the stuff he was roasting, I'm completely hooked. Tue Sep 01 12:57:46 -0700 2009 4996028 56183 soypower 1 4996776 Bacon ... Benton's Mango... champagne Tamale... homemade one from the anonymous lady who sells them in Johnny's Cash Store in Santa Fe, NM Tue Sep 01 13:40:53 -0700 2009 4978239 21169 DC in DC 1 5009432 Well, this is going to sound truly ignorant but I remember the first time I had fresh pineapple - compared to only having canned previously - wow! I had to stop and pause! I'll keep canned in the house for the odd what not recipe but I actively search out fresh when I can. Sun Sep 06 13:48:03 -0700 2009 4978239 247986 JerryMe 2 5010086 Fresh pineapple is fantastic. Now, have you ever had it tempura-battered and deep-fried? Check out this photo. Yummmmm! http://www.chow.com/photos/353270 Sun Sep 06 19:59:00 -0700 2009 5009432 249664 kattyeyes 1 5009638 A macoun apple picked right off the tree...to enjoy with a jar of TJ's peanut butter tucked in the glove compartment for the journey home. Macoun season is now! Sun Sep 06 15:45:32 -0700 2009 4978239 36312 HillJ 1 5010224 Avocados till you've had California ones instead of Florida. Peaches till you've had an in-season ripe white peach. Grapefruit till you've had a Ruby Red. Broccoli until you've tried broccoli rabe! Good small watermelon till you've had a Dulcinea Peanuts till you've had fresh ones (like from Virginia) roasted Sun Sep 06 21:27:16 -0700 2009 4978239 40486 Cinnamon 2 5010246 I don't love white peaches. Too me, they taste like lots of sugar, and much less peach flavor than many other varieties. Sun Sep 06 21:52:09 -0700 2009 5010224 10074 Caitlin McGrath 3 5010249 Same here. Sun Sep 06 21:54:49 -0700 2009 5010246 224081 BamiaWruz 4 5010424 Same here. My friend raved about them and gave me one. Much prefer the regular, drip down your chin southern peaches. And sweet Vadalia onions. Hass avocadoes. Mon Sep 07 03:35:16 -0700 2009 5010249 253735 bayoucook 5 5011121 Ditto that with the peaches. The goldener the better. Also Vidalias and Hass avocados. Oh- Mexican avocados. The best guacamole I've ever had (or made) was made with fresh limes and little Mexican avocados from a Puerto Penasco market. The four of us agreed that it couldn't get any better than that, and so far it hasn't. EDIT- also limes, little Mexican limes that turn yellow and you pick just as they fall off the tree. There's nothing better than those! Mon Sep 07 10:56:23 -0700 2009 5010424 105625 EWSflash 3 5011016 I love good Southern peaches, and I would've said I didn't really like white peaches till the batch I tasted this year. It doesn't need to be the only peach one eats, but it's a wonderful variation when you get them in season and a good one (in my opinion). Mon Sep 07 10:15:26 -0700 2009 5010246 40486 Cinnamon 4 5011450 I grew up in Atlanta, the Peach State, but when I moved to CA 30 years ago, I discovered that I preferred CA peaches. They were bigger, sweeter and much juicier - IMO :) Mon Sep 07 13:37:45 -0700 2009 5011016 131001 c oliver