VEGETABLES

ASPARAGUS

Select fresh, tender and firm with close compact tips. Wilted stalks with spreading tips indicate a long time has elapsed since cutting. .Angular stalks are likely to be woody.

BEETS

Should be smooth and free from blemish. Avoid shriveled beets. Beets which have been left too long in the field will have short necks covered with leaf scars.

BROCCOLI

Should be fresh, clean and not overmature. Select stalks that are tender and firm and heads compact with no evidence of flowering. Yellowing leaves may indicate woodiness. An occasional opened blossom does not indicate over maturity.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Select sprouts that are firm and compact and have a fresh green color. Puffy sprouts are of poor quality. Worm injury may cause considerable waste. Smudgy dirty appearance may indicate the presence of plant lice.

CABBAGE

Select reasonably solid heads with all but 3 or 4 wrapper leaves removed and stem cut close to head. Early cabbage will not be as firm as winter cabbage. Avoid worm injury, decay, yellowing of leaves, bursting heads. Cabbage only slightly affected can be trimmed and used to advantage. If base of some of outer leaves have separated from stem, cabbage may ne strong flavored and coarse.

CARROTS

Select firm, fresh and smooth well shaped carrots with good color. Avoid wilted, shriveled, cracked, excessively forked carrots. Excessive masses of leaf stems indicate large cores.

CAULIFLOWER

Choose white, clean, firm, compact heads. Avoid spreading flower clusters, spotted or bruised curd.

CELERY

Should be brittle enough to snap easily. Avoid pithy, stringy stalks; detect by pressure. Open head to detect rot, insect injury and seed stem formation.

CHARD

Leaves should be crisp, tender, and free from insect injury.

CHAYOTE

Varies greatly in size and shape. Select firm chayote.

CHICORY, ENDIVE, ESCAROLE

Should be crisp, fresh and tender. Tough coarse leaved plants may be bitter.

COLLARDS

Are similar to kale. Leaves should be large and curled at edges.

CORN

Field corn may be as tender as sweet corn but not as sweet. Sweet corn is usually smaller, husks are darker green, ribbonlike ends hang free. Dry, stew colored husks are an indication of age or damage. Immature corn lacks flavor. Worm injury confined to tips can be cut out with little waste.

CUCUMBERS

Should be firm, fresh, well shaped and a deep green color. Shriveled, withered cucumbers are rubbery and bitter. Overmaturity is shown by puffiness, yellowing, flesh will be rubbery and seeds hard. These are not suitable for slicing but excellent for some kinds of pickles.

DANDELIONS

Select large, tender, fresh green plants before the plant begins to flower.

DASHEENS

Tubers are small; scars are natural, not blemishes.

DRY ONIONS

Should be bright, clean, hard and well shaped with dry skins. Avoid developed seed stems or sprouts. Moisture at neck indicates decay.

EGGPLANT

Should be heavy, firm, free from blemish and a uniform dark color. Wilted, shriveled, soft or flabby eggplants are often bitter.

FENNEL

Select crisp bulbs and stalks.

GARLIC

Should be dry and not soft or spongy, outer covering unbroken. Avoid dirty bulbs.

GLOBE ARTICHOKES

Select compact, heavy, plump globes; large clinging, fleshy leaf scales; good green color. Age or injury produces a brown color. Overmature artichokes are open, centers may be fuzzy or purple, tips of scales hard and woody. Look for worm injury at base of bud.

GREEN ONIONS

Should have green fresh tips, well blanched 2 to 3 inches from the root. They should young, crisp and tender. Wilting and yellowing of top may indicate age or too long a period since pulling.

KALE

Should be dark or bluish green color, clean and fresh. Avoid wilted or yellow leaves.

KOHLRABI

Select small bulbs without woody tops.

LETTUCE

Head lettuce should be fresh, crisp, tender, firm, free from decay and should not have excess covering leaves. Seed stem indicates bitter flavor. Dead or discolored areas may indicate decay. Wilted outer leaves do not affect interior. Leaf lettuce should be crisp.

LIMA BEANS

Pods should be well filled, bright and dark green. Shelled beans should be plump, tender skinned, greenish white. Avoid dried, shriveled, spotted, yellow or flabby pods. Test shelled beans for tenderness.

MUSHROOMS

Select firm mushrooms with no mold or softness.

MUSTARD GREENS

Should be fresh, tender, crisp and a full green color. Wilted, dirty, spotted leaves show age. Do not select those with seed stems.

OKRA

Choose fresh, tender pods that ill snap easily. Dull dry appearance shows hard, woody, fibrous texture with hard seeds. If shriveled or discolored, okra will lack flavor.

PARSLEY

Select bright, green, fresh parsley free from yellowed leaves. Slightly wilted stock may be revived in ice water or in a covered container in the refrigerator.

PARSNIPS

Select smooth, firm parsnips of medium size. Soft, flabby roots are pithy and fibrous. Large roots will have woody cores. Softness may mean decay.

PEAS

Should be young, fresh, tender, and sweet. Pod should be bright green, slightly velvety, fresh picked. Flat, dark green pods indicate immature peas. Swollen pods of poor color flecked with grey specks indicate an advanced stage of maturity. Peas will be tough, flavor poor. Avoid wet and mildewed pods.

PEPPERS

Select firm, thick fleshed, well shaped peppers of fresh appearance. Immature peppers are soft, pliable, thin fleshed and pale. Avoid shriveled, limp or pliable peppers or those with surface blemishes.

POTATOES

Should be sound, smooth, shallow eyed and reasonably clean. Select size according to use intended. Avoid leathery, wilted, discolored potatoes. Green color is sunburn and gives a bitter taste. Hollow heart or blackheart can be found only by cutting. It is more likely to be found in very large potatoes. Frozen potatoes may be wet, have dark rings below surface and turn black on cooking. If a quantity is bought, sort into similar sizes to insure uniform cooking.

RUTABAGAS

Often coated with wax to preserve freshness. If not coated, select rutabagas that are firm and unwrinkled.

RADISHES

Select smooth, tender, crisp radishes, mild in flavor. Leaves are not indication of quality. Avoid pithy, spongy radish

SALSIFY

Choose smooth firm roots of medium size. Soft, flabby roots will be pithy and fibrous. Woody cores will be found in large roots.

SPINACH

Should be well developed stocky plants with fresh, crisp and clean leaves. Small, straggly or overgrown stalky plants are tough. Watch for seed stems and soft slimy rot.

SQUASH

Summer squash should be fresh, heavy for size, free from blemish, rind easily punctured. Winter squash should be heavy free from blemish, rind hard.

SWEET POTATOES

Should be smooth, well shaped and unblemished. Misshapen, cracked potatoes are undesirable only because of waste. Decay may be a soft wet or dry shriveled sunken discolored area. Small dark clay colored spots uniting to form large dark blotches are only skin deep. Damp potatoes may have been badly frozen.

TOMATOES

Should be mature, firm, plump, smooth, good color and free from blemishes. Cracked tomatoes must be used at once.

TURNIP TOPS

Be sure they are fresh, clean, crisp and tender. Examine for plant lice.

TURNIPS

Select smooth, firm turnips with only a few leaf scars around the crown. Tops should be fresh, green and young.

ZUCCHINI

Select small crisp zucchini. Wilted zucchini will have poor flavor.