Produce Guide - N

Nectarines

The nectarine, named for the legendary drink of the gods, is more than just a smooth-skinned peach. Contrary to popular belief, the nectarine is not a cross between a peach and a plum. Members of the peach family, nectarines have been known to grow on peach trees, and vice versa. Like the peach, cherry, and plum, the nectarine is a member of the rose family, and is classified as a "drupe," a fruit with a hard stone. And while there are several hundred varieties, there are only two types of nectarine, clingstone and freestone.

There are also two main seasons for nectarines, which overlap to supply us almost year-round. The South American season runs from November to March, with most of our imports coming from Chile. Then in late May, we start seeing North American nectarines, primarily from California, where they now grow more nectarines than freestone peaches. Ontario and British Columbia also have thriving nectarine orchards, and small seasonal crops are available in many areas across the country, usually tapering off by early September.

Nuts

Nuts are a difficult item to crack, so to speak. Most cooks and grocers define nuts as anything with an edible kernel and a hard shell. But botanists are a little fussier, properly classifying, for example, Brazil nuts as seeds and peanuts as legumes. I stick with popular usage, although as a greengrocer I'm obliged to remind you that coconuts and lychee nuts are, in fact, fruits.

Nuts used to be a staple in many European diets, with acorns and chestnuts topping the list, although these were primarily processed as flour. Peanuts are still one of the world's major foodstuffs, vital to the economies of some countries, and to the nutrition of certain cultures (including, of course, North American kids under the age of six). However, generally speaking, we think of nuts as secondary ingredients, which provide flavour and texture to other foods. Like dried fruits, nuts are an extremely concentrated food, being very low in moisture. They are also high in calories, the bulk of which come in the form of fat. Pecans, for example, contain 70 per cent fat, macadamias, 66 per cent, and walnuts, 60 per cent. This is reason enough for many of us to pass on that bowl of salted cashews. However, most of the fat in nuts is unsaturated, the "good" kind of fat that helps your bloodstream to get rid of cholesterol. Moreover, nuts are an excellent source of protein, vitamins A and E, and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, and iron. The only missing ingredient for most of us is self-control.

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