San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-18
Pick Fresh
Foods by
Looks
Romance She's Always the Other Side the World NELL

GONE vegetables defy mans inge-
ID nuity to produce them out of sea-
son. These always appear at GER
tain time Of the year and are plentiful
for a few weeks only. Others are
less resistant to horticultural science
and will grow the year round, but
still continue to produce heaviest in
tho spring. Asparagus and Bermuda
onions belong to the seasonal group,
while lettuce is a prominent repre-
sentative of the year round class. All
three are plentiful during April, cs-
pecially the latter half of the month.
The heaviest commercial production
of asparagus is in California and New
Jersey, but it is grown almost every
where. Asparagus first appears on
the market early in March, but be
comes quite plentiful in a few weeks,
and the heaviest supplies of the sea
son are usually from the latter half
Of April to the end Of May.
MUST BE FRESH.
Freshness and tenderness are the
most important qualities of aspara-
gus. II asparagus is fresh the stalks
are generally straight and the leaves
or bracts at the tip cling tightly to
the head. Good tender grass" feels
elastic when pressed with the fingers,
but it is brittle and will snap readily
quite close to the cut end. When the
tips droop badly and the leaves or
bracts are open the asparagus is
probably badly wilted and also tough
and woody. Ribbed or angular stalks
and pithiness at the cut ends are
two good indications Of over-maturity
and inferior quality.
Bermuda onions are the f1attened
varieties grown in Texas and Cali
fornia for the early market. Texas
begins shipping to market about April
] and continues until the end of May,
while California begins month later
and finishes its season in June. Once
Texas shipments begin, the supply
soon becomes liberal all over the coun-
try and prices usually reach their
lowest levels from April Is to May
IS. Quality is always best during
this period, for early shipments arc
commonly immature, while toward the
end of the season heavy rains and ex-
cessive heat in producing sections Of
ten injure quality.
There are two distinct varieties,
white and yellow, and the one to Sc
lect is a matter Of personal prefer
ence. In either case be careful to
choose bright, clean onions with dry
outerskirts or shucks and small, well
dried necks. The onion should be
well formed, regular in shape and
fairly hard, this latter characteristic
being one of the most important.
Avoid all thick necked, soft or spongy
onions, splits and doubles, sprouted or
dirty onions, and those which show
evidences Of decay, for the Bermuda
varieties are highly perishable.
Four types Of lettuce or promi'
nent on the market today. The most
important of these Is the crisp, solid
headed Iceberg type, grown entirely
in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific
Coast states; next in importance is
the Big Boston type Of head lettuce,
easily distinguishable from the Ice
berg by its flatter, more loosely
formed heads with reddish tinged
outer leaves; then comes romano
with its long, upright heads; and last
there is leaf lettuce. The last three
types are grown and consumed mostly
IN the eastern half Of the United
States.
AIL-YEAR FOOD.
In many parts of the country Ice
berg lettuce is available the year
round. Generally it is we'll graded,
but it still pays TO examine pur'
chases. The principal thing is to Sc
lect hard or firm heads which are
heavy for their size, this being more
important than the mere bulk OF the
heads. 1t is also desirable that they
shall be fresh, crisp and reasonably
clean. The main defects to note are
severe willing which involves the
inner as well as the wrapper leaves,
heads with decayed spots, and soft,
puffy, loosely-formed, or cracked
heads. To be on the safe side reject
all noticeably light specimens.
Big Boston lettuce is obtainable
almost the year around in Eastern
and Middle Western markets, but is
most plentiful in early spring, then
again in midsummer, and often ID
early fall. The same factors should
be considered as in selecting Iceberg,
bearing in mind that big Boston is
naturally not so firm and solid. IL
is more subject to decay within the
head, something which is often re
yealed BY a similar condition in the
outer leaves, but in many instances
difficult to note from outward APP
pearances. More attention should be
given TO the cleanness Of Big Boston,
for it is frequently so dirty and
sandy that removing all the grit is
difficult matter.