Do Californians keep the best produce for themselves? (Salinas, Valley Ranch: food, health)

[Jude24]

Originally Posted by wasel

Don’t know about lettuce but they seem to keep all the tri-tip! It’s really hard to find here in the East.

It is a little different cut of a bottom sirloin. If you have a butcher that will do custom cuts, ask for a bottom sirloin California style, or a Triangle cut. For usually just a little more you can get a top sirloin, I sure like them better on my pellet grill. There is a lot of hype here in CA about tri tip, but it is really about the style of cooking. You can do that with any of the sirloin cuts.

[Jude24]

I drive past fields full of various lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, celery, etc. every day her in CA. If I stop at a supermarket, most of that same produce is from Mexico. The good news is that I also drive past some local produce stands where anything that is grown locally is available.

And in response to marcopolo666, when I lived out in Eastern AZ I was in an area where iceberg lettuce was a major seasonal crop. I serviced some of their packing equipment and was always given all I could handle.

[opossum1]

Yes, and the best of it goes to governor Newsom.
Anything not taken by Newsom, is bagged by Californians prowling the fields at night, to make sure Texans won't eat any of the best produce... all the juiciest cabbages and biggest apples are taken before they hit the highway. In fact, the trucks are stopped on the way out of CA, on the border, to make sure none of the nicest carrots make it out.

[evening sun]

Iceberg can be so yummy. I had some from farmers market, that tasted so fresh & wonderful. I love the small produce farm stands at the sides of the roads, best tasting produce, from small farmers, so it is not as bland as the large farming corporations.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by luv4horses

Red and purple are usually anthocyanins not carotenoids. But both are good in your diet.

Thanks, I was grasping for the correct term.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Ok. Good information here on lettuce ... its nature, soaking it, keeping it, etc. but I gotta say - I go through a couple heads of lettuce a week thereabouts. I buy one and eat it. All. In just a few days. Then buy another. One at a time. Never ‘spoil’ because they are around long enough. Am I a rabbit or something? How long do you folks expect lettuce to last? Leafy greens are meant for eatin. Right now.

U 'n me both, 'Mutt. One head of lettuce will last me roughly through 4 dinner salads, mixed with other ingredients. So I pretty much go through about 2 heads every 8 days, roughly. I'm into dandelion greens, lately, as a new thing (for me) And I discovered kale, through the salads my co-op offers in the deli section. I get a lot of enjoyment (along with the nutrition!) out of salads.

[saibot]

I like green salads, but not every single day. That's one reason growing your own is so great--you can pick just what you need, the leaves are always fresh, and the rest of the head keeps happily growing. Well, until it goes to seed, but that takes a while unless it is very hot.

We grow spinach, too, and also kale, but caterpillars and aphids are very fond of kale (and cabbage, broccoli) so that part is a struggle.

[MechAndy]

My stepdads side of the family owned a “select cattle ranch”.
They only sold to Japan.
One of my friends is a large Northern California “gardener”.
His produce only goes to the East Coast.
All producers will try to sell for as much as they can.

On the flip side if you can’t get something you might be inclined to over pay for it or really appreciate it if you get it for free.
When Abalone season was open in CA I would limit out and I thought it tasted OK at best.
Heck I just liked the dive.
Faces on the people that got free abalone meant a lot.

[Mike930]

Originally Posted by evening sun

Iceberg can be so yummy. I had some from farmers market, that tasted so fresh & wonderful. I love the small produce farm stands at the sides of the roads, best tasting produce, from small farmers, so it is not as bland as the large farming corporations.

It’s only good slathered in thousand island dressing.

[ikoolu]

after two summers here in central texas i can tell you both my wife and i think we get way better produce and out of the world fruit here. the melons and peaches are just way above anything we got in so calif and we were born and raiser there and lived there 65 years,

the romaine lettuce recall is about the only thing that we miss but thats pretty much all over.