Ume Japanese plums are not for eating raw out of hand, as they are very astringent. Ume need to be processed before they can be eaten. How it tastes depends on how you prefer to enjoy it. Ume is commonly used to make salty and sour pickled plums called Umeboshi or plum alcohol called Umeshu.

Spring onions have crisp green leaves and firm white or red bulbs. This mild tasting onion is its own unique variety.  They can be grown year round but they are usually highlighted during the spring.  Now is a great time to try them when some of the storage onions are almost finished and we are waiting for the new fresh crop. 

The Alexander Lucas pear when ripe, has buttery soft flesh, and is smooth and extremely juicy with a sweet delicate flavor. Pears are harvested when they are mature, but not yet ripe. Pears ripen from the inside out and are ready to eat when they give to slight pressure at the neck.

Beautiful red stalks of rhubarb signal the beginning of spring. Often thought of as a fruit, rhubarb is actually a vegetable.

Look for bright red stalks which have a sweet rich flavor. The size of the stalk is not an indicator of tenderness! Read more for storage tips and recipe ideas. Enjoy the bounty of spring!

The Durondeau Pear has a golden exterior with streaks of red blush and is covered all over in a soft russet. They are a bit tart with a crisp bite and a floral flavor.

The Charleston Purple Sweet Potato is a close cousin to the orange-colored yam. It has an elongated shape and striking shade of dark purple. The variety not only holds color during the cooking process, it turns an even darker shade of purple!

The unique and pretty Sanguinelli Blood Orange is distinguished by its oblong egg shape and rind that has the brightest color of all the blood oranges, often a stunning cherry red. The flesh is tart and sweet and can have a berry-like undertone.

Blood orange flesh is super sweet and a deep red almost purple color with a floral fragrance and berry flavor,  They are packed with vitamin C, carotenoids and are high in potent antioxidant properties. Choose a blood orange the same as you would any citrus, look for the heaviest fruit which means more juice. Cut into segments and enjoy fresh, in salads, desserts, or juices and smoothies.

Moro Blood Oranges are now coming out of the Central San Joaquin Valley. The red flesh varies in intensity depending on the variety, location where the trees are grown and the degree of fruit maturity.