April 18, 2024 | Frieda's LLC - The Branded Produce Company

When I think about the essential flavorings and ingredients to have on hand in my kitchen at all times, I am at first tempted to think about dried herbs.

You know what I’m talking about. Those jars, gathering dust in the spice rack. Just last week, when I was preparing a recipe, I found that all I had was a jar of stale, flavorless herbs. Who knows how long they had been there! And then, I realized that I did NOT have the other spice that I was looking for. Because the spice rack is like the “rotting drawer” in my refrigerator, I put things there, and they go bad before I can use them or find them.

So, this year, I’ve decided to keep a few “essentials” in my kitchen–but not in the dried spice rack. Because I want to use fresh flavorings and ingredients with fresh flavors from now on, I plan to keep these either in my refrigerator or on my counter, so they can easily be added to my cooking

Fresh Ginger

I just love the pungent smell of fresh Ginger–whether I add it to the oil when making an Asian stir-fry or grate it into a pitcher of cold water with lemon slices for a refreshing drink. Check out this Heirloom Tomato Salad with Ginger, Lemon, and Chile.

For my next Ginger recipe, I am going to make my own Crystallized Ginger. Did you know that Crystallized Ginger is a natural treatment for nausea and motion sickness?

Unpeeled fresh Ginger can be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. It’s perfect to always have on hand.

Fresh Shallots

I use chopped onions in almost every recipe for cooked veggies, so I plan to take it up a notch by using fresh Shallots as an alternative. I buy three or four large Shallots every time I go to the store and keep them on the counter with my onions. The flavor is a bit more complex than a regular onion’s, plus using Shallots just makes me feel like a gourmet cook. Here’s a basic vinaigrette recipe from the New York Times, using finely chopped Shallots.

Shallots can be stored unrefrigerated in a cool, dry place up to one month, so they are definitely handy.

Jicama

I’ve been getting a little bored with my sliced cucumbers and celery, which I pack dutifully each day for my morning snack. Ever since I discovered that Jicama (hee-ka-ma) has natural probiotic fiber, I think it will be a good healthy boost to include a few times a week as my morning veggie snack.

One important thing to know is that whole, uncut Jicama should be stored like a potato–in a cool, dry, dark place. However, once you peel and cut Jicama, it will only last a day or so in the fridge and it has a tendency to slime. So only cut up enough to use in one day. Wrap the unpeeled half in plastic and that will stay fresh in the fridge for another week.

Heirloom Tomatoes

The reason I plan to keep Heirloom Tomatoes on hand in my kitchen is because they taste so much better than regular tomatoes. Plus with all the holiday entertaining, I created a recipe with them, which has become my “go-to recipe” anytime I need to make something yummy to take to a party or for a dinner party at home.

I purchase Heirloom Tomatoes at the store, making sure to pick up as many different colors and shapes as they have. Because they are kept at room temperature at the store, I also keep the tomatoes on my counter for at least one to two days, so the flavors develop. After washing them, I slice them horizontally into thick slices.

I slice Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (Bel Gioso brand is my personal favorite) into thick slices too. I wash and pat dry the basil, pulling the leaves from the stems (I discard the stems).

Then I layer the tomatoes and cheese with a large basil leaf between them. It’s very colorful! Sometimes, I fill a platter that serves 15 to 20 people or make individual salad plates–it depends on my mood.

I sprinkle the salt crystals and give a quick grind of pepper to taste. And then I drizzle the glaze over everything, making sure there will be enough for each bite.

I hope you’ll join me in keeping some fresh ingredients in your pantry. It really does make a difference!

Last week, I spent much of my time in New York City attending one of our industry’s premier trade shows: The New York Produce Show.

This show is different from most others I attend: the first day is a Global Trade Seminar; the second day is the trade show, complete with exhibit booths and a breakfast; and the third day is a Foodservice Forum, featuring famous chefs and thought leaders in the culinary world. Lots of industry and non-industry people were talking about trends, sandwiched around a day of looking at products and networking.

Industry consultant Dawn Gray, my longtime friend, talked about transparency in business. She was addressing an audience made up mostly of foreign Growers who want to do business in the U.S. and U.S. Growers who want to export around the world.

She talked about the reality of transparency: no more keeping the names of your sources of supply a secret because we now need to provide detailed information to food safety and traceability programs. It’s not hard to find anything or anyone, thanks to the Internet. She talked about the new reality of sharing all information. This is a shocker to most produce traders because way back before the fax machine, digital photographs and the Internet, sources of supply and customer names were proprietary.

Dawn also talked a bit about the role of social media in educating people, and there was some discussion about the Arab Spring and instant communication. New apps are developed every day and fuel the need for transparency.

What came first? Did social media come first and explode because people wanted transparency in their lives, knowing the how, the why, and the what? Or did the drive to transparency come first, and, because of that, social media started to grow? Those were the questions to ponder.

My second insight came on Wednesday morning when I was asked to speak at the media luncheon on the floor of the New York Produce Show. That insight was about personal connections.

First was chef and cookbook author Maricel Presilla, who is originally from Cuba. Maricel spoke about the most important and flavorful ingredients in Latin and Central American cooking. But before she spoke, we smiled at each other and embraced like old friends.

I reminded Maricel that we met back in 1992 when I took a class at the Smithsonian called “Lost Crops of the Incas,” where Maricel was a guest lecturer. More than 20 years later, she is still looking for some of her favorite ingredients like Arracacha, Epazote, and Oca. This past year, her cookbook “Gran Cocina Latina” won the 2013 James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year! We agreed that we need to work together to offer these amazing, and sometimes rare, ingredients.

Based on that “Lost Crops of the Incas” seminar, in 1996, our company launched a line of Native American foods called “Lost Crops of the Americas.” We were decades ahead of our time, offering commercially for the first time items such as Purple Potatoes, Oca, Quinoa, and a line of heirloom dried beans, amongst many other items.

I went to New York to talk with the food media about this “Lost Crops” line, and one of the people I met and had lunch with then has become one of my personal lifelong idols, Florence Fabricant, now the dining section critic for the New York Times.

So it was a surprise and an absolute delight that Florence was also a speaker at the New York Produce Show media luncheon.

When I came up to personally say hello to Florence after her presentation, we hugged. Then she whispered to me to send her regards to my mother. We talked about some of Frieda’s first introductions, including the Sunchoke®, one of the products we included in our “Lost Crops” line.

I could not believe the coincidence of seeing these two women, who had so influenced me and our company. And in one place. Twenty years later.

So, as I was finishing my remarks to the attendees at this luncheon, I mentioned to them the importance of personal connections. Before the age of email, Facetime® and YouTube, many of us were making connections, exchanging business cards, sending personal thank you notes, and sharing recipes and stories.

Last week, I spent three days visiting my youngest daughter, Sophia, who is a second-year student at The New School/Eugene Lang College in New York City. Because she could not come home for Thanksgiving/Hanukkah this year due to her work schedule, I thought I would go visit her.

After I arrived, we started to talk about food and where we would eat lunch. The first thing I said to her was: “I want to go to this Hu Kitchen that I keep seeing on your debit card statement!” I wrongly assumed it was a Chinese restaurant, and for the life of me, I could not figure out why she was going there so often.

Then she started telling me that with her gluten and soy food allergies she found Hu’s food suits her perfectly. And “Hu” is not a Chinese name–it is short for “Human.” Aah, now I’m getting the picture!

So, Hu Kitchen is really “Human Kitchen,” serving healthy–and tasty–foods for humans.

We walked up to the first refrigerated counter (which looks like a deli case in a Whole Foods), and a young man came up to help us. I could tell he was in management just by what he was wearing and his demeanor. He told me his name was Andrew.

As he was helping me fill up a plate with a variety of delicious and gluten-free fruit and vegetables, I asked him about his background. He got his bachelor’s degree from a college in Ohio, then got his master’s in management from the Cornell University School of Hospitality in Ithaca, New York. He told me that at Hu Kitchen he was “living the dream.” And you could tell that he loves his job by the way he interacted with all the customers and employees.

I asked him how many Hu Kitchens there were. He told me, “one for now,” but they are in discussions to add a few more around New York City.

If you’ve ever been to NYC, then you know that real estate is super expensive. So stores, restaurants, and shops are all very small and make efficient use of their space. Vertical displays up to the ceiling are normal. And it is not unusual for multiple locations of a popular eatery to be every few blocks, as “location, location, location” is everything in such a densely populated city.

But I foresee that the Hu Kitchen concept will be popping up in other places besides New York City. Eateries that focus on plant-based foods, gluten-free options, and freshly made take-out (or dine-in) will soon be the norm in EVERY city.

For example, right here in Southern California, a new chain is growing like wildfire: Veggie Grill. Having started only a few years ago, there are now 15 Southern California locations, plus a few more in Oregon, Washington, and Northern California.

And just look at the growth the Chipotle restaurant chain has experienced. What do they focus on? Local. Organic. Transparent.

Thinking back on my daughter’s debit card statement and my assumption about her food choices, I realized that many times our millennial children can teach us about making healthy choices. We just have to be ready–and willing–to listen.

I’m already wondering what I may learn from my daughter the next time we’re together.

When some people think about the upcoming holiday season (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas), their heart starts to beat a little faster and they break into a sweat. I have heard that it is actually quite a stressful period of time for some people.

So, when I was at my CEO Group’s couples retreat this past weekend, I found the speaker’s topic to be quite timely.

When Dr. Jerry Kornfeld walked into the room, he looked kind of familiar. After hearing his introduction, I realized where I had met him. Back in the 1980s, he was a regular commentator on KABC-TV’s news, as “Ask Dr. Jerry.” If you live in Southern California, you will probably recognize him as well.

Dr. Jerry’s talk to us was entitled “A Physician’s Game Plan for Wellness and Longevity,” but what resonated to me were his comments about the Mind/Body connection.

In other words, “Thoughts are things.” This is not a new concept. It was actually René Descartes, a 17th Century French Philosopher who said:

Especially, during the holidays, if we THINK this time will be stressful, or we allow ourselves to get uptight, our body only reacts in a stressful “fight or flight” manner because our thoughts make it react that way.

Dr. Jerry shared a relatively simple list of his Top 10 Steps for Coping. Check this out:

You will recall I shared a TED talk on “How stress can be good for you” a couple of months ago. Maybe it’s time to take 18 minutes to watch it again.

Take a deep breath, ask your friends and family for help, and enjoy the holidays!

It’s no secret that for the first and only time in our lifetime, the Jewish Holiday of Hanukkah will fall during the Thanksgiving festivities.

So, this year in our family, instead of having a Thanksgiving dinner celebration (with all the trimmings), and then a family Hanukkah party–we call it a Latke (potato pancake) party–a few weeks later, we are combining the celebrations into one giant dinner with about 25 people.

With the many different branches of our family, we have so many dining options. A few years ago, I decided we would always have OUR Thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That way, everyone is free to celebrate on Thursday with other parts of their family, and there is no rushing from place to place to fit in all the obligatory appearances.

So, my big decision each year is not which Thanksgiving event to attend, but which green vegetable to make.

Of course, we have roasted turkey. Our friends from France bring fresh lobster. We have mashed potatoes, and a big green salad. My niece brings a cranberry Jello mold and I make homemade gravy and cranberry relish. And that’s when the fun begins for me!

Two years ago, I noticed that no one was eating the stuffing. Too many carbs, I think. So I didn’t make any last year, and nobody missed it. Same goes with the rolls. I know this is probably heresy for some of you, but it never hurts to change things up a bit.

To go with the spirit of changing things up, each year I try a new green vegetable. As you can imagine, this is my favorite part.

One year, I made a Cold Asparagus Salad. The halved grape tomatoes and vinaigrette dressing gave it great eye appeal, and every bit was eaten. I’m happy to report that there were no leftovers.

Then, a friend gave me the recipe for Creamed Spinach which I dutifully served for a few years.

Then Brussels Sprouts came into vogue. For the past two years, I have made an old Gourmet Magazine recipe I found on Epicurious. Honestly, the first year I made this recipe (which I doubled), we ran out! So last year, I doubled the recipe again and we barely had enough. Roasted/steamed in the oven with pancetta (or bacon) makes Brussels Sprouts taste fantastic to even the pickiest of eaters.

This year, I am searching for a new recipe. I am positive that I will make something with Kale. After all, that is the “vegetable darling” of the year. If you have a favorite cooked Kale recipe, please share it with me in the comment section.

With all this talk about Thanksgiving, you’re probably wondering what we’ll be doing to commemorate Hanukkah during our dinner. Well, of course we will be making Fried Potato Latkes. It’s a family affair! My two daughters spend the morning grating potatoes and onions. Then my husband Garry’s job is to fry them. My favorite and most trusted recipe comes from my long time friend, Joan Nathan who is the quintessential authority on all Jewish cooking. You can also purchase Joan Nathan’s Jewish Holiday Cookbook.

Have you ever heard of the fashion designer BCBG or BCBGMaxazria? You probably have seen their clothing in magazines, in department stores or in their own showrooms and stores.

I first became acquainted with BCBG when I heard their Chief Creative Officer, Lubov Azria, speak at a luncheon last year. What most inspired me about Lubov’s story was that she combined her humble beginnings from the Ukraine with her passion for fashion to create a fashion-forward clothing line that is approachable and affordable for all women.

So, when a friend of mine invited me to a small dinner with Lubov and a few other women, I jumped at the chance. After all, ever since I heard her speak, I have looked for her BCBG line. In fact, I wore one of her dress designs to dinner!

As it turns out, our dinner was held at Scarpetta at the Montage Hotel, tucked away in the heart of Beverly Hills.

The 12 of us were seated in a private dining room, just off the kitchen. Executive Chef Freddy Vargas came out and explained each course before it was served. I was thrilled that he was able to accommodate my request for a vegan menu, and it was one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

At each place setting, there was a personally autographed copy of The Scarpetta Cookbook, authored by the founding chef, Scott Conant.

These days, in addition to recipes, most cookbooks contain stories and background on the chef. As I thumbed through this particular cookbook, I found some inspiration and a lesson, right there on page 119:

I think you can replace the word “restaurant” with the name of ANY business and you could define the secret to real success. I believe that is also Lubov’s secret to success—she cares about people and makes them feel like family, just like Chef Scott Conant does.

How many times have you gone to a restaurant, a hotel, or someone’s business, and wonder why you sometimes feel a closeness, a connection, when other times you do not?

I do believe it is “making guests feel sincerely welcome and relevant” that makes the difference.

It is quite interesting that I learned such a humbling lesson in a city like Beverly Hills where it is far better known for unrelatable decadence and conspicuous consumption.

Last week, our company was in New Orleans at our industry’s annual trade show and convention, the PMA (Produce Marketing Association) Fresh Summit. When we arrived at the Marriott Hotel, I noticed a chef in the lobby. Of course, we struck up a conversation. It turns out that Chef Chad Roldan is the Executive Chef of the New Orleans Marriott. Naturally, our conversation turned to produce.

Chef Chad asked us about our purple theme, and of course, I told him about the newest purple vegetable that we have introduced: the Stokes Purple® Sweet Potato.

In the fall of 2012, we started distributing these earthy, firm sweet potatoes that are like no other. We worked with Chef Alan Greeley of The Golden Truffle in Newport Beach, California. Alan immediately showed us that the flavor and texture are mouthwatering and unique by roasting these tubers longer than conventional sweet potatoes, wrapped in foil, and then holding them overnight in the fridge.

And now, as our second Stokes Purple® Sweet Potato season has started, we are thrilled that consumers across the country will be able to find them in virtually all supermarkets.

Besides liking the purple color, one of the reasons I was so excited about this new vegetable is that dark purple/blue/red color signifies a large amount of antioxidants. Unfortunately, when you cook most dark vegetables, the heat destroys these nutrients—but not in Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes! They continue to be a powerhouse of nutrition and do not lose their antioxidants.

So, as you are planning your Thanksgiving or Hanukkah menus, you might want to try one of these new, flavorful recipes like Stokes Purple® Sweet Potato Latkes or a mash.

I had forgotten the whole time we were chatting with Chef Chad that my daughter Alex was carrying this sign which was part of our show display. (Poor girl!) Since she was standing right next to the chef, I couldn’t resist the temptation to snap a photo of the two of them.

Last month, Huffington Post’s Rebecca Orchant wrote about her plight as a foodie who confuses and frustrates supermarket cashiers with her purchase of “weird produce.” As a consumer, I can understand how that feels. You’re in a rush and the cashier doesn’t know what you’re trying to buy and takes too long to ring it up.

Instead of getting frustrated with the cashier’s lack of familiarity with specialty produce, I have a different idea. I think we should appreciate the fact that we have such a wide variety of produce to choose from, even if it means a little confusion at the check-out.

When Frieda’s started over 50 years ago, there were only 65 items available in the produce department. 65. That’s it. Back then, the checkers didn’t have any problems identifying the products by sight. After all, there were only red apples, yellow bananas and brown russet potatoes. There were no 4-digit PLU (product look-up) code stickers or barcodes.

Fifty years later, the 65 items have grown to over 650. Even the most basic of items come in more than one variety now. It is not just apples and oranges—it’s Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, and Cara Caras, Navels, and Moro Blood Oranges. Peas and carrots? Try Sugar Snap Peas and multi-colored baby carrots. Tomatoes and potatoes? How about Cherokee Heirloom tomatoes and Russian Banana fingerling potatoes? On top of it all, there are also organic varieties of just about everything.

The perfect example is the kiwifruit. Frieda’s is credited with introducing and renaming the (green) Kiwifruit to the U.S. market in 1962. Kiwis were once a specialty produce item, and now you can find them in virtually any supermarket. Today, in addition to the green Kiwifruit, there are also grape-size Baby Kiwifruit, Gold Kiwifruit, and organic varieties of all three kinds.

Like most things, when a new technology is introduced, some old-school methods go away. Four digit PLU codes on small stickers help make checkout easier and more accurate. With these codes, cashiers are no longer required to recognize the produce by sight. As a matter of fact, because the organic items are visually indistinguishable from the non-organic counterparts, you really need the PLU code to identify which one is which.

So, instead of getting annoyed at the hard-working cashiers, let’s turn this awkward situation into a learning opportunity for everyone. Just start a conversation about the weird products you’re picking up.

“Oh, that is a horseradish root. I’m going to grate it finely and use it to spice up my mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving.”

“And this is a Horned Melon, also called a Kiwano®. I am using it to decorate my table for Halloween. Actually, instead of having a Pumpkin carving contest this year, my kids will all be carving and decorating Horned Melons!”

To all my adventurous, produce eating friends, aren’t we lucky to have all these delicious conversation starters to make our normal, boring trip to the grocery store a little more interesting?

As of late, I have been seeing more and more information about the popularity of plant-based, or vegan, diets. Recently, the headline, “This Year’s Oktoberfest Caters to Vegans” of a Specialty Food Association article caught my attention.

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16-day festival running from late September to the first weekend in October, with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year.

This NPR blog article entitled, “Meat-Drenched Oktoberfest Warms to Vegans” caught my attention because when I think of Oktoberfest, I think about beer and bratwurst.

According to this blog, more than 8-9% of the German population is vegetarian. That’s over 7 million people! In fact, vegetables have become so hip in Germany, the Green Party used them as part of their platform in national elections last month. The party campaigned for a weekly “veggie” day in corporate cafeterias, where most German employees eat a free lunch.

Can you imagine the impact here in the U.S.A., if state and county fairs offered baked potato wedges, fruit kabobs and veggie wieners, instead of fried Twinkies, corn dogs and ice cream? What kind of impact would that have on our food choices?

It is probably no coincidence that a friend of mine forwarded another NPR blog to me a few weeks ago entitled, “No bitter pill: Doctors prescribe fruits and veggies.” It’s a quick story on New York physicians who are now writing prescriptions for fruits and veggies. In the article, you can listen to the story about how the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program™ is the creation of Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit that connects the low-income population with local produce.

This week was an interesting one to be in Washington DC. I was there as part of the produce industry’s annual Public Policy Conference, and of course we had visits scheduled with our elected congresspersons. But many were cancelled as part of the government shutdown.

As it turns out, the highlight of the week was a special dinner at the Newseum, the official Museum of Journalism, and I have written about it here before.

On Monday evening, I was invited to a dinner prepared and narrated by Chef Walter Scheib, who was the White House Executive Chef from 1994 – 2005. He served both the Clinton and George W. Bush families and had more than a few funny stories to share. EDIT: Chef Walter passed away in June 2015 in a tragic hiking accident.

Since I am a part time (90%) vegan, it was fun to hear about the first course, Red Curried Sweet Potato Soup, which the chef created when Chelsea Clinton went vegan in high school. And to learn that Britain’s Tony Blair suggested that the chef add “a piece of halibut” to the Soup to make it a main course meal was so interesting.

The third course (the salad), was created when President George W. Bush told the chef that he didn’t like anything green (much to the chagrin of first lady, Laura Bush), so the “salad” was a Tamale Tart (aka a Quiche), on top of slices of avocado, orange and sweet onion.

The chef has an interesting personal story, starting with flunking out of college. He learned his love of cooking from his mother, and as a fluke, applied to the CIA (The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY), and was a last minute acceptance to his class. Not a surprise to me, he finished at the top of his class. And how did he end up as the White House Executive Chef? He sent in his resume, along with more than 2,000 other chefs, but it turns out it was his persistence and a follow up phone call to the office of the White House Usher that got him an audience with the First Lady and her “Kitchen Cabinet” who chose the Chef. If you want to find out more about Chef Walter Scheib, you can check out his website.

My daughter Alex and almost 200 other guests enjoyed the dinner and the fun anecdotal stories the chef shared about his experiences at the White House. He told a few stories before each course, shared his inspiration for each recipe, and then eight servers magically appeared from the kitchen and served each course in a synchronized fashion. When he stopped by our table, between one of the courses, I asked him about the synchronized serving.

He told me that was one of the techniques he perfected while at the White House (and I could tell he was pleased that I had noticed).

So, dinner with Chef Walter Scheib has once again inspired me to cook and entertain more, maybe not with the style and flourish of the former White House Executive Chef, but I will have to think up some fun stories to tell before my dinners.

After thinking about the way my mom handles stressful situations, I decided I wanted to be more like her and not let things stress me out.

Soon after, I happened to listen to a TED talk by Dr. Kelly McGonigal entitled “How to make stress your friend.” The title definitely got my attention.

Just in case you’re not familiar, TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, focusing on Technology, Entertainment, and Design. They offer TED Talks, TED Conferences, TED Events and more.

TED Talks are always less than 18 minutes. And, as of November 13, 2012, more than 1,500 TED Talk videos have been viewed over 1 billion times worldwide! These bite-size talks are regarded globally.

So, back to making stress your friend…I invite you to listen to this 14-minute talk about how your attitude about stress can make all the difference in the world.

The factual research Dr. McGonigal refers to in her talk has really changed my attitude about my daily stress. Whether it is about my kids, work, family, the world, or just life, my attitude can help me be calmer and maintain my healthy lifestyle.

What are you going to do to make stress your friend? Share with me or tweet at me: @karen_kiwi.

P.S. I wrote about TED Talks last year and have passed this particular one along to many friends with health issues. It’s about how a physician eliminated all the effects of her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) simply by changing her diet.

That is the quote on a “nice to meet you” postcard I received from Robert Egger.

I met Robert last week at a symposium held at the Milken Institute in Santa Monica. He was on a panel, entitled “Hungry and Obese: Food and America’s Well-Being,” with six other food pioneers, including my friend Nona Evans of the Whole Kids Foundation. Each panelist could have spoken for an hour about their passion for ending obesity and feeding the hungry, but it was Robert’s passion that I was particularly inspired by.

Robert is well-known in Washington, D.C. for the DC Central Kitchen. He has moved to Los Angeles to start L.A. Kitchen, which will collect the abundance of fruits and vegetables in Los Angeles and process them to create healthy meals, snacks and food products for those less fortunate. Simultaneously, he wants to train those who are unemployed, of all ages, in the culinary arts to provide powerful employment opportunities.

When I found out that L.A. Kitchen just received the first ever $1 million grant from AARP, I thought helping them was out of my league. Since I don’t have a million dollars to give them, I offered to do what I can: take them on an early-morning tour of the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market and introduce them to some of my produce friends, who could potentially donate to L.A. Kitchen. I also offered to introduce them to my food media friends, who might want to spread the word about their important work.

How many times do you find out about an organization whose cause you support, but don’t feel like you have enough to contribute or make a difference? Well, don’t let that stand in your way any longer!

Volunteer your time. Make a small contribution of whatever you can afford. Share your expertise. Every one of us has something to contribute.

Since ending hunger is high on my personal priority list, I was thrilled to meet Robert and know that I can make a difference in L.A. Kitchen’s success…and it didn’t have to be a million dollars.

It’s Pomegranate season! Last week, I wrote about the new fruits to enjoy in the Jewish New Year, but I wanted to save the best, and most special, fruit for its own feature.

I have a long, personal history with Pomegranates. When my parents moved into our home in 1958, they planted many fruit trees in our huge backyard, alternating between Pomegranates and Feijoas.

As young girls, Jackie and I found interesting ways to use Pomegranates. Our Pomegranates would ripen in mid-October, so we would bag them for door-to-door selling to our neighbors. Can you tell I started my selling career at a young age?

We’d have the most fun when Halloween came around. My mom and dad did not like the idea of giving out sugary candy to trick-or-treaters, so we handed out freshly harvested Pomegranates. The unintended consequence was red-stained sidewalks since ripe Pomegranates are very fun to throw at other kids!

Pomegranates are known as the “fruit with the crown,” and are actually a ritual food for the Jewish New Year. It is believed that Pomegranates grew in the Garden of Eden, and scholars purport that Pomegranates have 613 seeds, which is the number of commandments in the Old Testament.

Here is a photograph of a ceramic Pomegranate my daughter Alex brought back for me from her trip to Israel in 2006. Each time I look at it, I am reminded of her trip, Israel and of course, her smiling face!

Right now, you will see displays of fresh Pomegranates in your produce department, as well as Pomegranate juice and small tubs of Pomegranate arils in the refrigerated section. Pick up some Pomegranate this weekend and enjoy!

Next week, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, starts at sundown on September 4, the earliest it’s been since 1899. Read about why here.

When I was growing up, I always thought of Rosh Hashanah as a day I got to miss school and go to temple, as it is tradition to go to temple services both on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, and the following morning. But, as I grew older, I realized there is so much more to the holiday than going to temple.

As it turns out, one of the traditions of Rosh Hashanah is to try a “new fruit” for the New Year, meaning a fruit that has just come into season, or one you have never tried before.

Another tradition is to dip fresh apple slices in honey, to symbolize the sweetness of the New Year, which might explain why you see displays in the grocery store of honey and apples around this time of year. In biblical times, honey represented good living and wealth. The Land of Israel is often called the land of “milk and honey.”

Even if you aren’t Jewish, enjoy some of these seasonal fruits as a way to celebrate the New Year, or because fall is right around the corner.

Cherimoyas – At this time of year, they are coming from Chile. When ripe, they get soft like a peach, and have a white, grainy flesh. Mark Twain described them as “deliciousness itself.”

Passion Fruit – Shaped like a dark purple egg, they are ripe when wrinkled. Did you know they are the secret ingredient in Hawaiian Punch? The flesh inside is a yellow-green color, with a gooey texture, and has a sweet-tart flavor.

Papayas – They come in many varieties and sizes. The most popular are pink-fleshed and taste like a peach. Papayas are great for soothing stomach aches!

Dragon Fruit – Currently, they are coming to us from California and Vietnam! They are bright pink on the outside, and white with seeds, like a kiwi, on the inside. Unfortunately, they do not have a strong flavor and are quite mild and bland. But, they have some good health qualities.

Kiwifruit – I just had to include them since our company is credited with introducing them to America back in 1962. If you purchase them when they are hard, put them in a brown paper bag with a banana in a warm place and let them soften until they are soft like a peach. Kiwis are one of my favorites!

We have many more unusual “new” fruits, which you can find here on our website.

If you become too full from new fruits, don’t worry…the next Jewish Holiday, Yom Kippur, requires you to fast for a full day.

When I think of summer in the produce business, one of the fruits I think of is grapes. August is the time of year when grapes are at their peak of flavor.

Interestingly, there are two “new” grape varieties you may not be familiar with, that will be appearing in markets soon.

The first are Muscadines. Completely different from Muscat Grapes, Muscadines are native to the Southern United States. I tasted my first Muscadine a few weeks ago when growers from Georgia sent us samples.

As it turns out, Muscadines are a rare grape variety grown in the “hot, harsh and unyielding climate of the Southeastern U.S.” and are one of only four native North American grape varieties. In New York, they are referred to as “Swamp Grapes,” and most growers consider them berries, so you may find them on the berry table in your produce department. You can read more about them here.

Muscadines naturally develop an extra chromosome, which helps the grapes defend themselves from the difficult growing conditions they are put in. They proactively pass those fighting, defensive capabilities on to the person eating the grapes in the form of antioxidants. A serving of Muscadines has more fiber than a serving of oats, and their skins and seeds are often used in nutraceutical products. They are believed to have more antioxidants than other super fruits, like Açai, Mangosteen, Pomegranates and Goji Berries!

Oh, and they taste great, too! The grape-like flesh is flavorful, sweet and filled with grapey goodness. The skins are edible, and some of the fruits may contain small seeds.

Another interesting new grape variety is the conventionally bred Cotton Candy Grape. My longtime family friends, the Pandol Family of Delano, California, have a breeding program focused on developing high-flavor grape varieties. Two years ago, I had the opportunity to visit their test vineyard for Cotton Candy grapes.

And, to answer your question: Yes, these grapes really do taste like Cotton Candy. I did not believe it until I tasted them myself. I will admit they are super expensive. I saw one pound for sale at $7.99 recently, but they appear to be flying off the shelves! As more of the Cotton Candy variety is produced in the coming years, I imagine the price will come down.

Who knew you could find such diversity in new grape varieties in your supermarket? It’s just not the same old green, red and black grapes anymore. Be sure to go into your local supermarket and give them a try. Can’t find them? Ask your produce manager to order some from their produce supplier.

I want to be a duck, just like my mom, Frieda. Mind you, I am not calling my mom a long-necked bird. But, a few weeks ago, my sister Jackie and I were talking about my mom’s upcoming 90th birthday, and why she continues to live a long, healthy life.

We immediately discussed the fact that she does not let things stress her out. She never has. We’ve both watched my mom for more than 50 years, and the one thing we’ve always noticed is how she is so positive. The glass is always half-full for her.

We’ve even joked that if someone were to spit on her, she would say, “It’s raining!”

Admittedly, our mom has great genes. Her father lived well into his 90s. But we think the secret to her long life is her ability to not see obstacles, not let things stop her and the fact that she surrounds herself with people she likes.

Jackie and I call it “being a duck.” Think about it…When a duck is splashed with water, instead of the water being absorbed, and weighing the duck down, it gently rolls right off its feathers.

So whenever our mom faces an obstacle, hurdle or problem, she just lets it roll right off her shoulders…like a duck does with water.

I think that this avoidance, or management, of stress is her secret to long life. And I’m pretty sure that science will back this up: I’ve read many times how stress management can affect someone’s cardiac health. Yoga and meditation have grown in popularity in recent years because of stress management. My mom’s stress management techniques include frequent naps and listening to relaxing classical music throughout the day.

On August 10, Frieda celebrated her 90th birthday. We had a relaxing, garden party in her backyard.

As a surprise, my niece, Jennifer Caplan Herbig, wrote and read this poem in honor of Grandma Frieda’s birthday.

Last night, I watched over a dozen 13-18 year-old students from South Central, Los Angeles, and some from as far away as Uzbekistan and Turkey, present their own business plans to potential investors.

Yes, you read that correctly. These budding entrepreneurs have not even graduated from high school!

The program is the brainchild of my good friend, Anna Ouroumian, who came from extremely humble beginnings in Lebanon. She was dropped off at an orphanage in Beirut at the age of three, and was raised by nuns. She moved alone to the United States when she was 16, and vowed to give back and help as many young people achieve their dreams as she possibly could. Since then, Anna has revitalized the Academy of Business Leadership, a non-profit organization. You can read her inspiring story here.

A few months ago, Anna and I were having lunch and she asked me if I wanted to be a judge at her annual business plan competition in August. I was a judge about five years ago and loved the experience, so I immediately put it on my calendar.

The vision of the Academy of Business Leadership (ABL) is to “build a movement of fulfilled, prosperous, and transformational youth leaders NOW for long term sustainability of America, and the world.”

The mission of ABL is “to bring awareness, inspire, educate and expand the education and career goals for all youth, particularly high-potential, low-opportunity youth, through core values and practical and experiential education, with a focus on business, financial investments, entrepreneurial and social entrepreneurial training and transformational leadership development.”

The bottom line is, Anna’s program takes at risk kids, primarily from South Central in Los Angeles, and teaches them that capitalism can overcome almost any hardship. And she knows first hand, as she came to America with $160 in her pocket!

This year, the competition was held on the campus of USC in downtown Los Angeles. Amazingly, I have never toured the campus before and found it to be beautifully landscaped and regal. And, as I approached the “Town and Gown” building at 5:00pm, the buzz of energy was palpable.

I saw dozens of young people, dressed up in suits, ties, and high heels, with table top displays about their business idea.

At each table we walked up to, these teenagers would shake our hands, exchange business cards with us, and pitch their business idea. There were three finalist teams from the summer-long program, and we heard each of their pitches, with each team being comprised of three to four teenagers.

1. EMPWR, an online website platform for 15-25 year-old entrepreneurs to upload their business ideas to potential investors. Their focus: other young entrepreneurs.

2. EARphone, a “slave” phone that has the most popularly used apps (phone, music, contact list and timer) and wireless earphones, and is then linked to your regular smart phone. This is useful for when you go to the gym, or for a run, so you don’t have to take your smart phone with you.

3. ScholarApp, built on the concept of a “Common Application” that has been developed for colleges. However, this team created a business plan to launch an online system for a Common Scholarship Application, to help students apply for college scholarships.

After all of the presentations were given, there was confidential voting and a discussion amongst the judges in a room afterwards. I was joined by 21 other senior executives from venture capitalist companies, fashion designers, movie producers, universities and banks.

As my guests, I brought two of Frieda’s youngest, newest employees, who both work on our Innovation Team.

Their comments during our drive home summed up our experience: “I was blown away by the level of poise and business acumen those teenagers had. Their presentations were of the same, or better, quality as our business plan presentations that we made during our senior year of college!”

I wrote a blog post in March 2012 entitled “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet,” and there have been a lot of comments left on the post. So many comments, in fact, I feel it’s appropriate to respond.

As you can see in the blog post, several friends asked me whether or not it was a good idea to wash their strawberries in a water and vinegar solution in order to prevent mold. I had never heard of that method, so I contacted a respected colleague who has worked in the strawberry industry for decades. He had never heard of this method either.

What I did NOT do, and what I should have done, was some additional, online research about mold prevention on strawberries. So, now I have done my research.

This particular article was insightful. Along the lines of what I often write about fruits and vegetables, I have found that it is best to only purchase enough fruits and vegetables to consume within 3-4 days and to NOT wash them until I am ready to consume or cook them. Once you wash a produce item, you have introduced moisture, which will often times hasten the onset of mold.

And, by the way, I always wash my produce. Always. I even wash bananas before I peel them.

With regards to the original question about a vinegar wash for strawberries, one person who commented on my blog post shared an article from National Public Radio (NPR) about the best way to clean your produce. The article is an easy read and, most importantly, it emphasizes the importance of thoroughly washing your fresh produce before you eat or cook with it.

This reaction to my blog reminded me of the importance of thoroughly researching topics before sharing my opinion. I sincerely appreciate the several people who commented on my post.

But, to be clear, although washing with a vinegar solution helps clean your produce, I am not sure it will prevent mold. But, then again, I eat my produce so fast, I do not often see mold on my produce.

I grew up in a small town in Orange County called Los Alamitos. My parents purchased their first house there, 55 years ago, and my mom Frieda still lives in the same two-story home today.

Coincidentally, when our company outgrew our downtown Los Angeles warehouse, the best location we found was right here in my hometown! So, 19 years ago this week, we moved Frieda’s, Inc. to Los Alamitos, California.

Tomorrow, Los Alamitos will be hosting the first ever Orange County Sugar Beet Festival. As it turns out, Los Alamitos was formed after the sugar beet boom, as it was the epicenter of the sugar beet industry! One of my fellow high school alumni, Larry Strawthers, has been the impetus behind creating the Orange County Sugar Beet Festival.

You have probably never seen a real sugar beet. Well, in preparation for the festival, over two tons of fresh sugar beets arrived at our warehouse last week, along with cameras and the local press to capture the arrival! The beets were harvested in the Imperial Valley of California, and then transported to Los Alamitos. From these photos, you can see it was quite an experience to unload them into storage.

Frieda’s is very community and family oriented, so we decided to sponsor this historic, community event. A small team of Frieda’s employees volunteered to work the Frieda’s booth at the festival. And, I have to say it has been fun to watch the team from the sidelines and what they come up with!

As you may know, some of the exotic produce that we sell looks kind of unusual. So, the Frieda’s Sugar Beet Festival team came up with the idea of a “petting zoo.” No, there will not be any animals at our booth, but visitors will be able to pick up and touch our crazy looking produce. Isn’t that a fun idea?!

And here is the backdrop for our booth. As you can see, we have a rich history…and we have a lot of fun at Frieda’s!

What lesson did I learn from the planning process of the Sugar Beet Festival? I learned it is often times a good idea to take a chance and let non-managers in an organization have fun creating an idea or working on a project. I originally learned this idea from reading Daniel Pink’s book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.”

This past weekend, I invited a few of my long-time girlfriends over for dinner. One of my friends doesn’t eat fish, so instead of figuring out which protein to use, I decided to skip the protein and make a vegetarian dinner.

Everyone ended up loving it! Try these easy recipes for 4th of July, or any time you are entertaining this summer.

First, I made Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes. I thickly sliced the tomatoes and layered them between thick slices of BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. Then, I lightly drizzled Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze, thyme-infused olive oil, pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper over the salad. Serving the salad at room temperature is the secret!

The night before dinner, I cooked two medium-sized purple sweet potatoes (rubbed them with olive oil, wrapped in heavy foil and baked them at 350° for 90 minutes). They went into the refrigerator overnight, which makes them super sweet and moist. The next day, I peeled the potatoes and cubed them into ½ inch chunks.

For the salad, I put a whole bag of baby spinach in a large wooden salad bowl, along with the cubed potatoes, 2 oz. of crumbled feta cheese, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds and ¼ cup sliced almonds. Then, I poured homemade vinaigrette over the salad and added salt and pepper to taste. Finally, I tossed everything together and served. The purple sweet potatoes soaked up the dressing and the nuts added the perfect crunch.

Even though there were only four of us for dinner, I decided to make a huge bowl of chopped salad so I could eat leftovers for lunch for a few days. If you don’t want to make this much salad, here is a link to where I first shared this recipe last June. I recommend making the dressing before chopping the salad.

Fresh Lime Juice Vinaigrette:
1 cup fresh lime juice (5 large limes)
½ cup olive oil
2 tsp quality salt (I use Himalayan)
1-2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs cilantro, finely chopped
1 packet Stevia (I use Truvia), or 2 tsp of sugar

Mix dressing ingredients in a shaker jar. Let the dressing sit for at least 2 hours, at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Salad:
8 cups green cabbage, coarsely chopped (¾ of a large head of cabbage)
4 cups jicama, peeled and cubed (one medium sized jicama)
3 cups hothouse cucumbers with peel, cubed (1 whole cucumber)
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced, then quartered (10 red radishes)
4 celery stalks, diced
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (about ¾ of a large bunch)

Pour the dressing onto the salad (it’s your choice if you want to use it all). Toss and mix well. Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. Toss the salad one more time before serving. This really doesn’t take that long to make, and it’s a nice change of pace instead of regular coleslaw or green salad.

For our main course, I made vegetarian lasagna. Instead of using pasta, I thinly sliced zucchini, lengthwise, using my Mandolin Slicer.

I layered in some ricotta and Parmesan cheese, coarsely chopped fresh basil, a little cayenne pepper for some zing, sliced Roma tomatoes, pasta sauce, sautéed onions, garlic and sliced mushrooms. I baked it at 350° for about an hour. You can see how yummy it was!

Since we were also celebrating two birthdays, you can see we enjoyed some Sprinkles Cupcakes.

So, next time you are entertaining, don’t be afraid to go vegetarian. It gives you more options for flavors and textures. And try my Super Fresh Jicama Coleslaw for your July 4th barbecue. It’s a winner!

I first saw a Finger Lime more than 15 years ago. Two lovely female scientists who managed the Citrus Variety Collection at the University of California at Riverside visited our office and brought samples of some of the “new and unusual” citrus fruits that were not yet commercially grown. One of their samples was the Finger Lime.

These green and reddish finger-shaped fruits were intriguing, to say the least. I remember breaking them open and watching the “citrus caviar” ooze out! It was the coolest thing to look at.

And the flavor! They are extremely tart, but the tiny balls of lime goodness are intriguing. They kind of pop on your tongue like caviar.

Fast forward to about 10 years ago, when I was in Berlin, Germany, at a produce show. I ran in to an Australian grower who was showcasing his newest discovery: Finger Limes! He was growing a small commercial crop and was looking for new customers. Unfortunately, due to agricultural restrictions, we could not import Finger Limes into the United States (unless they were frozen, which kind of ruined the texture).

So, we are really excited to now have commercial quantities of these eye-catching Finger Limes grown in the United States. There are just a few growers, all in California.

When I visited my first Finger Lime orchard, I couldn’t help but notice all the thorns on the bushes. As it turns out, these thorns are one of the reasons the Finger Limes are so expensive. Harvesters must go to great efforts to not be “stabbed” by all the coarse thorns when picking the fruits – imagine combat gear and leather gloves! Also, the Finger Limes match the color of the bushes, so it’s a challenge to find the fruit.

Within the next few weeks, and continuing through December, you should be able to find Finger Limes in upscale supermarkets around the United States. Here’s a photo of our packaging, so you know what to look for:

Don’t be shocked at the price. You can expect to pay between $5 and $10 for a small package. But remember, there are quite a few Finger Limes in each package, and a little goes a long way.

We’ve also been shipping our Finger Limes to chefs all over the country, so you may see them when you dine out, too. Some of my favorite uses for Finger Limes include:

And of course, as I’ve written about before, my favorite part of the produce business is the people. I love all the different personalities and behind-the-scenes stories of the growers and their families.

Two weeks ago, one of California’s largest Finger Lime growers came to visit us. Below is a picture of Lisle and me at lunch – can you tell he’s a character?

By the way, did you know there is a name for this kind of photo? It’s called a “selfie,” which means I hold my phone/camera in front of me and take a photo of myself. So, here’s a selfie of me and Lisle.

This will be the fourth year that I am devoting a blog post to one of my absolute favorite fruits: Angelcots®.

Angelcots® are white-fleshed apricots grown exclusively by one farmer in a small micro-climate in Northern California. The season is short (usually 4 to 5 weeks), but unfortunately this year, due to high winds and strange weather, the complete harvest of the crop took place during 10 days. And due to wind damage, the crop size was reduced by 25 percent.

My recommendation is if you are looking for a wonderfully flavored fruit, visit our website for a list of supermarkets (nationwide) that have ordered Angelcots® from us, and go buy them this weekend. I will be going to my local Trader Joe’s and Ralphs to buy mine. I will probably purchase two or three packages, since supplies are so limited.

Many friends often ask me how to ripen stone fruit once you get it home from the supermarket. Ever find some wonderfully aromatic peaches or nectarines but they are hard as rocks? Well, here is my “secret.”

Get a brown paper bag — they are the perfect ripening mechanism. When I was in St. Louis a few weeks ago, I saw that Schnucks Market offered free brown bags adjacent to their stone fruit displays.

When you get home, do not wash the fruit. Put as much fruit as you will want to eat in a day or two, inside the brown bag and fold the top over. Leave the bag on the counter (out of the sun), in a cool, dry area.

Check the ripeness each day. It should take a day or two for the fruit to ripen perfectly. Do not refrigerate the fruit, but consume it right away. (Wash it after it has ripened.)

There is nothing like a perfectly ripened nectarine, sliced over the sink, as an afternoon snack. Actually, it is one of my favorite summertime treats.

Enjoy the fruits of summer. What a perfectly healthy, good tasting way to snack!

Almost every year for over 20 years, I have gone to Maui for a week’s vacation. Sometimes with my husband and our friends, sometimes with a group of girlfriends, or sometimes with a daughter or two.

1. At least once a year, everyone needs to take at least a one-week vacation. It takes at least two days to decompress and relax. And the last day is a waste, as you are packing and traveling back home. So a week’s vacation is really only 4 days.

2. Resist the temptation to check your work email. Every time I checked my email, I found my aggravation level went up. My “out of office” message said I was on vacation, so I would have been better off NOT checking my email.

3. Walking and swimming are forms of exercise, but they may not feel like it while vacationing. It feels more like meditation to me. You think about nothing and you enjoy the scenery, all while lowering your heart rate.

4. Making healthy eating choices makes you feel better, and makes your vacation more relaxing. We ate TONS of fresh fruits and veggies. Admittedly, we had dessert a few nights, but I never felt good afterwards. What made me feel good was eating fresh healthy food in moderate portions.

5. The quality of fresh produce on Maui has really improved over the last two years. The island now has a Whole Foods Market, in addition to Costco. Both do a great job on fresh produce. It was interesting to see what a nice job Safeway is doing as well. They have the best produce selection and quality in West Maui.

6. Napping is highly underrated. I made a point to nap everyday, even when I wasn’t “tired,” per se. And if I could not fall asleep, I’d turn on my Slack Key Music by Doug and Sandy McMaster, and fall asleep in 10 minutes. Thanks to my sister Jackie, who suggested I attend one of their concerts during my trip to Kauai last September. Their music is very relaxing music.

7. Vacations end too quickly. I wish I would remember how fantastic, stress free and calm I feel after a week’s vacation. I would schedule them more often. Most vacations seem too short, or become “honey-do vacations,” filled with errands and projects. Even if you cannot go away to Hawaii, I think a vacation filled with alone time, a little exercise, healthy eating and no email is good for everyone.

8. Alone time with your children is true quality time. Although hard to schedule, and admittedly there will be times when you get on each others’ “last nerve,” I think the bonding time between parent and child, or grandchild, is priceless.

Those words were printed on the back of every server’s t-shirt at the highly recommended restaurant, Mala Ocean Tavern, which I had dinner at this week while vacationing on the island of Maui in Hawaii.

I was so intrigued by “Practice Aloha,” that I Googled the saying on my iPhone after we sat down for dinner. You can imagine my surprise when the restaurant’s home page came up, featuring a book with the title “Practice Aloha.” The author’s name is what really caught my attention.

That seemed impossible, because 24 years ago, while I was pregnant with my oldest daughter Alex, my husband and I came to Maui and dined at an amazing restaurant called Avalon. The chef was a transplanted native of Los Angeles, who purchased our Chilean baby coconuts, called Coquitos, to make his signature dessert, Caramel Miranda. It was named after the famous actress, Carmen Miranda, who wore a hat covered in fake fruit. Meant to resemble the hat, his dessert was a platter of fresh Hawaiian fruits, a scoop of Hawaiian macadamia nut ice cream and chopped Coquito Nuts sprinkled on top.

Last I had heard of Mark was when he closed Avalon, and concentrated on another food venture: a chain of Hawaiian taco stands called Maui Tacos.

I quickly stopped our server, and asked her if Mark was the chef/owner and if he was at the restaurant. To my excitement, she said yes, and I quickly pulled out my business card and asked her to please give it to him – that I was a long time friend. She told me he was very busy, but she would pass it along.

I was stunned when Mark came by our table. We hugged and he joined us for most of our dinner. We caught up on 24 years. And he still makes Caramel Miranda with our Coquitos! I recognized many of his signature items from my dinner at Avalon over 20 years ago. He now offers gluten-free flatbread on his menu (my daughter Sophia was thrilled), cures his own olives and imports feta cheese from Greece. Everything on his menu, from the flatbreads, to the seared ahi tuna, to the flourless chocolate torte for dessert, was amazing.

We reminisced how he was a founding member of the Hawaiian Regional Cuisine movement back in the 1980s, and organized many fellow Maui chefs to encourage and support small, organic farmers on Maui. Mark told me that when he started in the business, he had to “import” 80 percent of his produce from the mainland. Now, more than 20 years later, he proudly gets more than 80 percent of his produce from local Maui farmers! It was so heartwarming to see how these young and creative chefs, with seemingly competitive restaurants, joined together to better Hawaiian agriculture for all and the economy.

And that’s when it dawned on me why all the restaurant staff shirts said “Practice Aloha.”

Aloha means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable. And did you know that Aloha is actually the law in Hawaii?

I truly felt the Aloha spirit while sitting with Mark and enjoying the sound of waves.

I hope when you are in Maui, that you’ll find your way to Mala and get a taste of that true Aloha Spirit!

At least once a year, I attend a seminar, class or conference, and I always go in with an open mind. Sometimes I find myself asking why I signed up, because I have so much work to do back at the office. But I have learned, over and over again, that there is always a lesson to be learned. And, these lessons tend to be shared by amazing teachers.

Two of my most memorable teachers were men who I met through Vistage, my CEO group. We meet monthly and we have a world-class speaker come in at least eight times a year.

Over a dozen years ago, I met Jack Daly. Jack is a successful entrepreneur and trainer of world-class sales people. I’ve had him come to Frieda’s to do training several times over the years and he always teaches us something amazing.

He is also a bit neurotic. Jack sent me his list of goals (a.k.a. his Bucket List) and it is six pages long, including:

But, the biggest lesson he taught me is his mantra for the No. 1 rule of selling:

Because of Jack, I resist the temptation to start any conversation with anything but a question. It might be, “What are your plans for this weekend?” Or, “What did you think of that speaker?” So, thanks to Jack, I learn something interesting about everyone I meet.

My other remarkable teacher is Boaz Rauchwerger, who spoke to my Vistage Group about 10 years ago. You can read about him here. He, too, talked about asking questions.

My favorite questions from him are: “Where are you from, originally?” and “Tell me about your family.” No matter whom I meet, and what the circumstances are, those two questions open doors.

Asking questions makes the other person feel important. It engages them in the conversation, and opens them up to whatever your eventual agenda might be.

This past month, I have met with clients, friends, strangers and family. I always think of Jack and Boaz and the lessons they taught me.

Next time you are at a meeting, an appointment, or making a presentation, start with a question. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

“Now it seems that purple-hued vegetables are hotter than ever. Frieda’s Specialty Produce has declared 2013 The Year of Purple. So why the sudden fame? Purple vegetables have a lot to boast about. The same compounds that put blueberries on the map as a superfood are what make purple vegetables potential disease fighters, too. The dark pigments responsible for the purplish tones are called anthocyanins, a type of phytonutrient that is gaining attention from scientists worldwide. Studies suggest that anthocyanins may help reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Some evidence indicates these purple pigments might also protect our brains as we age.”

Yesterday morning, I did a 30-minute interview over Skype™ with a reporter from Chile in South America. Believe it or not, he had heard about our “Let’s Move Salad Bars to California Schools” Campaign (I wrote about it back in October 2012). He was intrigued with our success in getting the produce industry to rally around such a unique cause.

A quick refresher: Last July, I joined three fellow produce industry leaders and we asked companies and individuals to invest in kids through our salad bar program. We asked anyone and everyone who would listen to invest $2,625.00 for each portable salad bar unit that could be installed in school cafeterias. This would allow schools to offer a “make your own salad” option for students.

Our campaign concluded last week with a press conference in San Diego at an annual produce industry convention. It was standing room only! Attendees included school foodservice directors from around California; the Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, Walter Robb (their Whole Kids Foundation donated more than 200 salad bars); the Superintendent of California Schools, Tom Torlakson; plus over 20 elementary and high school students who wanted to share the impact salad bars have made on their lives.

We revealed our final results to a breathless crowd: We collected more than $1.1 million in donations, funding 436 school salad bars!

Why were we so committed? Because we learned when school-aged kids are given the opportunity to choose their own foods for lunch, like fresh salad, we can create healthy eating habits which will impact them for the rest of their life!

Here is the video of the salad bar press conference. It starts at 0:29. Please use and share!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Have you noticed the quality of celery has not been up to par lately? During the last six weeks, no matter which store I buy my heads of celery at, whether they’re organic or conventional, the heads look puny, don’t have a bright green color, and go bad quickly.

So, lucky for me, at the recent produce industry Women’s Fresh Perspective’s Conference I attended in Scottsdale, AZ, I was seated next to a woman who sells celery for a living! Did you even know a job like that existed?

Her name is Susan, and she works for the leading grower of celery, and had a lot to say about celery quality! She told me at this time of year, most celery is “going to seed.” This means a vegetable knows its’ natural season is over and is going into hibernation. Because we are so spoiled here in the U.S., we try to have everything year-round when, in fact, not every fruit or vegetable is naturally available year-round.

So, when it’s the fruit or veggies’ off season, we can probably expect less than perfect quality. The company Susan works for, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, actually has an extensive celery breeding program, and over 1200 new celery lines each year. They want to yield the best product in every region they grow in. Each region needs its own special seed variety to work well with the particular soil, weather, moisture, etc.

Then I realized that I had, in fact, tried Duda’s Dandy Celery just the week before. I happened to go to Costco one evening, which I rarely do, so I took a quick tour of the produce department. I noticed this jumbo bag of celery sticks and purchased it, because the quality looked impressive.

Two weeks later, I am still munching through that bag and the quality is still great! Susan told me that because Duda puts so many resources into celery breeding, they can offer excellent quality all year!

After weeks of being frustrated with my weekly purchase of celery, I now know that it is possible to have good tasting celery year-round. I just have to find the right grower!

Do you have a friend who is a great connector/networker? You know, that person who always offers to introduce you to new people you might have something in common with?

That perfectly describes my friend, Betsy. Not only is Betsy a connector, but she happens to be a recruiter for Adecco USA, which is the world’s largest workforce solutions provider (the fancy name for what we used to call an employment agency or temporary services).

Earlier this week, Betsy introduced me to Adecco USA’s President, Joyce Collier Russell, who was in town. Turns out, Joyce’s family is a third generation farming family from the heart of Florida. So, the three of us sat at dinner in Santa Monica, California, talking about produce conventions, packing produce and merits of Indian River Grapefruit (the best tasting grapefruit ever).

Eventually, I asked Joyce why she was in town. Turns out Adecco has a global initiative called “Way to Work™.” On Tuesday, April 30, in Detroit, New York and Los Angeles, Adecco hosted simultaneous, day-long, Way to Work™ career-a-thons, where young professionals could get personal, hands-on job hunting and career advice. Joyce was in California to show her support for over 25 local Adecco team members, who gave up time to coach young professionals for free. With youth unemployment in California nearly double the national average, this is a fantastic program that serves an important need.

So, what was it like having dinner with the President of a MULTI-BILLION dollar corporation?

Well, first of all, it was personally inspiring to know that a woman is the President of this huge entity. And to find out she got her start in business by selling produce is a great story. I was struck by her personal drive, her commitment to her fellow Adecco team members and, of course, her diligence to serve their clients, the who’s who of business in America.

As we were leaving dinner, I let Joyce and Betsy know that, coincidentally, I was spending the rest of the week at a prominent California university (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) and was speaking to an Ag Marketing Class of third and fourth year students about career opportunities in our produce industry.

One of my personal missions is to mentor young people. It is always invigorating to go on campus, feel young again and hang out with a group of up and coming Millennials.

Have you ever mentored someone? It’s personally rewarding and gives new meaning to paying it forward.

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the California Science Center in downtown Los Angeles. I remember taking field trips in grade school to the (then named) California Museum of Science and History. Although my memory of the museum had changed, things were still very much the same.

When I recently visited, I was with a small group of prominent women, who were given a behind the scenes tour of Space Shuttle Endeavour, which ended its service in May 2011. You can read about how the Endeavour was named (and the proper English spelling) here.

What was most interesting to me was how it arrived at the California Science Center in 2012. Over 20 organizations submitted proposals to display the Endeavour, after it was decommissioned (including Space Center Houston). We were actually told the story from the man who wrote the proposal, and received the phone call from NASA, that the Endeavour would be permanently housed at the California Science Center. They had only weeks to come up with the multi-million dollar funding needed, and prepare the delivery plan for the shuttle!

On display was the actual “receipt” for the Space Shuttle. Yes, that’s right. For an almost $2 billion piece of equipment, there was a regular, paper “Transfer Order – Excess Personal Property” receipt, signed by a NASA Property Disposal Officer!

If you live in Los Angeles, you will never forget when the Endeavour, mounted on the back of a large aircraft, flew its last mission around major Southern California sites (like the Hollywood sign, Coliseum and Disneyland) on September 21, 2012. It then landed at Los Angeles International Airport and, over the course of three days (October 11-14), was towed through major neighborhoods in L.A. to reach its final destination at the California Science Center.

You can watch the short, time lapsed video of the Endeavour’s trip here. Believe me, it will give you chills!

If you have a trip to Southern California planned this summer, I encourage you to visit the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Here is a photo inside its temporary residence at the Samuel Oschin Pavilion. A permanent center is under construction nearby.

As I think back six months, when the Endeavour was making its way through Los Angeles, I only wish I could have witnessed it in person. It would have been awesome to see this sign up-close, instead of as part of the photo exhibit.

One of my favorite spring vegetables is the artichoke—which was recently dubbed the state vegetable of California! If I go to a restaurant that has freshly prepared artichokes as an appetizer, I cannot resist ordering one. I especially like the large green artichokes steamed. Dipping the leaves in a little butter or mayonnaise makes it extra delicious. Yum!

So, when I was walking by our test kitchen earlier this week, and overheard our marketing team buzzing about a BABY artichoke recipe, I had to try it.

Have you ever seen a baby artichoke? Here’s a photo of my new favorite, our Fiesole (fee-eh-so-lay) Baby Purple Artichokes. We have been selling them for years, but recently launched a campaign to introduce them to more consumers nationwide.

I was excited to taste the baby choke recipe the team was preparing, since I have never personally cooked with them. It turns out the recipe was a Raw Artichoke Salad, which includes thinly sliced, raw baby artichokes and arugula, my favorite peppery salad green.

Ingredients
• 4 baby artichokes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, smashed to a paste, optional
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 handfuls arugula
• Parmesan, for garnish

Preparation
1. Remove dark tough exterior leaves from artichokes. Trim stem end and cut off top of each artichoke. Slice artichokes as thinly as possible and place in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice and garlic, if using. Season well with salt and pepper, add olive oil and toss to coat.

2. Put arugula in a shallow bowl or on a platter. Spoon artichokes over greens. Garnish with a few shavings of Parmesan.

So, give this recipe a try next time you are looking for a delicious and easy salad to make, and want to try those cute Fiesole Baby Purple Artichokes. They are available almost year-round, but right now is their peak season.

We were on the front page of the Orange County Register business section! (Subscription only. Day pass and 7-day free trial available.)

The article profiles our company history and the three generations of women behind it: founder Frieda Caplan, president and CEO Karen Caplan, COO Jackie Wiggins, and Promotions Manager Alex Jackson, Karen’s daughter.

Earlier this week, I attended a produce trade show called the Northern California Fresh Produce and Floral Council Expo. There were over 150 booths, representing vendor companies from all over the world, and supermarket retailers, food service distributors and produce managers walking the show.

About 60% of the booths represented fresh fruits and vegetables, and 40% were filled with flowers, plants and floral accessories.

As I walked the show, I stopped at a booth for Mayflower Distributing, which was filled with balloons, a big business for floral departments of supermarkets. Just as I was ready to walk away, the owner Joe asked me, “Can I help you with anything?”

Well, actually, I did have a question. I wanted to know if there really was a worldwide helium shortage. A good friend, who started a balloon arrangement business, is paying double for helium what she was two years ago, and mentioned the shortage to me.

As it turns out, Joe had a lot to say on the subject. He told me that one of the biggest users of helium is MRI machines (only 7% of helium use is for balloons!). You can read more here about the helium shortage.

What I found most interesting was a product his company is using to reduce the helium shortage on his business.

As you can see from this photo, the contraption at the base of the balloon looks like a giant spring, which props up the balloon like a neck brace. Since this balloon is filled with regular air (not helium), the normal buoyancy caused by the helium is not there, and without this invention the balloon would droop. That would just kill the party balloon business!

I’ve always thought the produce industry was extremely resilient. In the face of near natural disaster, (a freeze) or business crisis (spinach recall), we always come through with a new invention, process, source of supply or a solution. We literally make lemonade out of lemons.

And I guess the floral and decorative accessory business is also resilient and inventive.

It’s good to know that a helium shortage will not hold back the balloon business!

Two years ago, our marketing team was brainstorming promotions, and we kept coming back to the story of how my mom introduced the Kiwifruit to America in 1962.

The way she tells it, is that a consumer went into a Salt Lake City supermarket, asking for a fruit she had while traveling in New Zealand. It was called the “Chinese Gooseberry,” and she wanted to buy some at her local store.

The produce manager didn’t know what it was, but he called the produce buyer of his company, who was located in Southern California. The buyer promised to ask about the fruit on his next trip to the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market.

That produce buyer found Frieda, and asked her about these Chinese Gooseberries. Well, a few weeks later, she was offered some from a local importer. Talk about good timing!

The “Chinese Gooseberry” was renamed Kiwifruit, and my mom imported the first Kiwifruit shipment into the United States. After developing marketing materials, both sales and supply exploded.

But it all happened because of that single produce manager, which my mom refers to as “The Power of One.”

So, in 2012, we decided to honor and bring attention to produce managers by creating a national holiday called Love Your Produce Manager™ Day (LYPM), which is on April 2. We chose April 2 because that is our company anniversary.

This year, Chase’s Calendar of Events, the authority on holidays, listed LYPM Day for the first time, making us official!

Even though this years’ official Love Your Produce Manager™ Day has already passed, it’s never too late to introduce yourself to your produce manager and get to know him/her. They can be a great source of information, and by acknowledging how important they are, I bet you’ll make their day.

As a matter of fact, if you go to your supermarket and take a photo with your produce manager, post it on our Facebook page and we’ll send you a special gift!

I know it may sound crazy, but there is a new cookbook out called Betty Goes Vegan.

Yes, it’s Betty Crocker, the fictitious character who was created by a major food company in the last century to make certain foods and recipes more relatable to the American female shopper.

Turns out that the authors Annie and Dan Shannon — longtime vegans living in New York — got the idea for the cookbook from the movie Julie and Julia about blogger Julie Powell’s compulsive year of cooking every recipe from Julia Child’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

As vegans eating only a plant-based diet (no eggs, no dairy, no animals products or refined sugar), the Shannons were always looking for new mainstream recipes. Read The Oregonian story about how the movie inspired them here.

Although I haven’t gotten the cookbook yet, I love that the authors are committed to their vegan lifestyle, yet know that most people don’t understand it. So, by creating popular everyday “Americana” recipes without meat and animal products, it makes adapting a healthier lifestyle more palatable.

When I went vegan in August 2012, I got a lot of crazy questions and comments from friends – and still get them. (Right now I am now only about 90 percent vegan, because I eat an occasional egg white and fish.)

I want to thank our friend Kellee and my mom for sharing this story with me. It really does seem that choosing a plant-based diet (going vegan) is becoming more of a mainstream phenomenon!

They are a knobby root vegetable that looks like fresh ginger root, but are crunchy with a nutty flavor, and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Jerusalem Artichokes were first discovered by my mom in 1965, as a man came walking down the Los Angeles produce market. He had this odd looking new vegetable, and no one on the produce market was interested…

My mom began selling them to her supermarket customers nationwide. Because they resemble ginger root, they were confusing to shoppers when displayed loose in produce departments, which lead to my mom’s first packaged product!

She put the Sunchokes® in a one-pound bag, stapled a recipe brochure on top, and they were an instant success. The sales of Jerusalem Artichokes increased six-fold once they were packaged! (I personally think they became easier to identify for both the consumer and the produce manager.)

But then we discovered the name was confusing. They were not from Jerusalem, and they were not related to the artichoke. We figured their French name “Girasole” was somehow converted to Jerusalem, and because their taste is reminiscent of artichoke hearts, they got their name.

Since they are actually the root of a sunflower-like plant, my mom coined the new name, Sunchoke®. She trademarked the name, and the rest is marketing history!

A few years ago, I was having dinner at Tom Colicchio’s Craft Los Angeles and noticed Sunchoke® purée on the menu. It made me nostalgic, as I have many memories of selling and eating Sunchokes®.

My most vivid memory is the hand written postcard we received from Julia Child…yes, THAT Julia Child!

The postcard read, “Dear Frieda – I just love those Jerusalem Artichokes. But is there anything you can do about the flatulence?”

Yes, the only problem with Sunchokes®…but, they are a nutritional powerhouse. Turns out Sunchokes® are a source of the carbohydrate Inulin, which is easily digested by diabetics, and is worth adding to a healthy diet.

Be on the look out! We have some exciting plans for Sunchokes® in 2013. Look for them in your local supermarket or on a restaurant menu!

Since the early 1900s, March 8th has been observed as International Women’s Day. When I woke up this morning at a hotel in Florida and logged onto my computer, this popped up on my Google home page.

I think it’s so great that the world has chosen a special day to honor women. Of course, women in the United States have a far better situation than women in many other parts of the world, but we should ALL be honored today.

For the men reading this, you probably have female coworkers, friends and family members. I suggest you take a moment to acknowledge them. Don’t send flowers or a card; acknowledge their work, leadership and contributions as human beings.

For the women, pat yourselves on the back. Thank your mothers, aunts, bosses and coworkers who have paved the way for you and what you have access to today.

I am personally reminded of the strides women have made on a daily basis through my mother, Frieda. I think about what she did as she pioneered her way through the produce industry more than 50 years ago, when it was “a man’s world.” A day does not go by without someone telling me how inspiring my mom has been for them.

I look at my sister, who is also my business partner, and marvel at her strength as a breast cancer survivor.

I watch my daughters, Alex, who I work with every day, and Sophia, who I receive daily texts from as she plods through her freshman year in college in New York City. They are so strong and driven.

And I watch all the women I work with at Frieda’s, who I know in the produce industry and hundreds of other women I call my friends and have met in my journey of life.

This week, I made my annual trek to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR). For 20 days, the community of Houston encourages and promotes the breeding, raising and marketing of better livestock and farm products through charitable, educational and scientific means. Much of the money raised by the HLSR goes to educational scholarships for children in Texas. This year, they awarded more than $12 million in scholarships!

On my flight out of Houston, I started reading the February 25th edition of TIME Magazine and one headline caught my eye: “Beyond Counting Sheep.” (I thought, maybe it was an article about the rodeo!)

It was actually an article about how math has become the new bedtime reading. It highlights the “invention” by an astrophysicist (and mother of three kids under 10), Laura Overdeck, who recently launched a website called Bedtime Math.

Her premise is while most parents know that readingto their young kids each night before bedtime builds strong reading and literacy skills for when, no one had thought of a simple and proven method to build math skills in a fun and engaging way.

Because we are all painfully aware that many young people lack strong math skills and aptitude, it makes perfect sense that if we introduce math at a young age, and in a fun and palatable way, our children will grow up enjoying it.

I very much related to the article (you can read it here if you’re a TIME subscriber). Even though I did well in math as a child, I have never thought of “numbers as my friend.” My two daughters both struggled with math, but realize the importance of it in their adult life. Balancing ones’ checkbook, understanding interest rates, filing your tax return, etc. are all math skills that young adults need.

I think it gives us great hope to see that one mom’s epiphany may help us build those math skills in our next generation, helping to keep our nation at the top.

And, thinking back to the Rodeo, I wonder how many kids would benefit from participating in a counting game while touring the Rodeo grounds? How many days until a baby cow is expected to be born? How many chicken eggs were hatched this week?

Hope y’all have a chance to attend a Rodeo sometime – they are held all over the country and you will learn very interesting things about the livestock industry.

Earlier this week, we had a group of produce and floral coordinators from one of our clients visit us. As I looked around the room, I noticed that two of the 15 people were wearing purple.
That happens quite a bit. Not always on purpose, but frequently when someone comes to visit us (or we go to visit them), they wear purple.

Which made me think…it seems like purple is everywhere this year! Fashion magazines, carpeting in buildings, company marketing materials…

And as we began marketing our newest produce item, the Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes, I noticed we are selling more purple produce. For examples:

The great thing about purple fruits and vegetables is they are high in antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins.

Plus, as you are trying to get your family to eat more of a variety of fruits and vegetables, adding an interesting color to the plate, like purple, might get them to try something new.

So, it is no surprise that we at Frieda’s decided to declare 2013 The Year of Purple!

So start looking around – purple is everywhere! What great timing for my company, as it has been our signature color for all our packaging and labels for 50 years!

In November, my sister Jackie and I received an email letting us know that our mother, Frieda, had been unanimously selected to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from our industry trade group, the United Fresh Produce Association, at the Produce Legends Dinner. It was only the third time this award had ever been given and mom was the first woman to receive it.

In the weeks leading up to the event on January 28, mom received hundreds of congratulatory phone calls, emails, letters and gifts. It was quite overwhelming, for mom and our family, to experience the outpouring of love and admiration from so many people in our industry.

The event took place in Tucson, Arizona at Loews Ventana Canyon. As a surprise, Jackie and I reached out to many of moms’ friends outside of the produce industry to put together a tribute video to show at the event.

At mom’s request, my eldest daughter, Alex, introduced her to the audience of 200 guests. At age 23, her comments were polished, yet sincere, touching and funny. There was not a dry eye in the room when she finished.

But what took my breath away that evening were all the people who flew in just for the night to honor my mother: The son of one of our employees from over 25 years ago; almost a dozen former employees who got their start at Frieda’s; customers and suppliers from all over the country…and they all came dressed in purple–our company color!

There were also strangers; men and women who said how mom’s bravery in starting a company 50 years ago inspired them to start their own business.

So, when she accepted the award, she thanked her industry friends and the complete strangers who, over the years, provided encouragement, information, and referrals, which helped grow our business.

All of this made me think…each of us can be a source of inspiration for others without even knowing it. With a smile, good deed, random act of kindness or a referral, you could help or inspire someone to be their own personal best.

That has probably been the biggest life lesson I have learned from my 89 year old mother: Be kind to everyone and treat them like they are the most important person in the world to you.

The advantage of being married to a non-Angelo (not native to Los Angeles) is that we are constantly looking for things to explore in Southern California.

Last year, I wrote about my Melting Pot Tour of The Original Farmers’ Market, which we very much enjoyed. So, when we received an email telling us a new Melting Pot Tour was launching in “Thai Town,” we immediately signed up. We made our way up to Hollywood Boulevard Sunday morning to a place that I did not even know existed.

Less than a half-mile east of the Pantages Theater and the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater, we walked inside Ruen Pair, an authentic Thai Restaurant, and were greeted by Iron Chef America challenger, Jet Tila, and his radio producer, Andy Harris.

For the next three hours, we sampled pork jerky (tender and delicious, not dried out version) and, what Jet called, “the BEST Thai Green Papaya Salad we would ever experience in our lives!” I have to admit that the papaya salad at Ruen Pair was refreshing and absolutely delicious.

That’s when Jet said he hoped we were only 20% full, as we had four more stops!

Our next stop was Sapp Coffee Shop, which, believe it or not, is a noodle shop, even though it clearly says “Coffee Shop”!

We tried two types of Thai noodles: one dry and one “wet” (meaning with broth). Jet explained the four flavor profiles one should expect in all authentic Thai dishes: hot, sour, sweet and salty.

As you can see below, the Jade Noodle Soup is a green spinach noodle dish with all four of the flavors represented: heat in the chile peppers, sweet in the sweet and sour pork, salty in the peanuts and the sour in the fresh lime juice. Delicious!

Next, we visited a local Thai Market called Bangluck Market, and Jet gave us a short culinary tour of the produce department. There I learned that Thai people have their own unique version of “mirepoix,” the classic combination of celery, carrots and onions, which is the base of many sauces, soups and stocks.

According to Jet, the Thai “trinity” of flavors in the mirepoix includes lemongrass, Thai lime leaves and galanga.

As you can see, the Thai lime (also known as Kaffir lime) leaf is unusual because two leaves appear to be connected to each other.

We ended our tour at an amazing and authentic bakery, Bhan Kanom Thai, and received a “sampler” of seven different desserts in this adorable box. Of course, I was too stuffed to eat anything at that moment, so waited and enjoyed a few tastes when I got home.

If you are coming to Los Angeles and are planning to visit the Hollywood sign or see your favorite movie star’s name on Hollywood Boulevard, be sure to check out the culinary gems in the City of Angels.

By the way, I learned the short version of the full name of the city Bangkok, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, translates to “City of Angels,” which must be why Los Angeles has the largest population of Thai people, outside the country of Thailand!

As you know, I decided to go vegan on August 1, 2012. I experienced many health benefits, including my cholesterol dropping from 221 to 196, my aches and pains (symptoms of being over 50) disappearing and continuing to have tons of energy.

I learned a lot by reading The China Study, Forks Over Knives and watching “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.” I came to the conclusion that it was better for the planet and my body to not eat dairy, processed sugar or any animal products.

I also found out that my body does not tolerate soy products well, so I stopped eating Edamame and other soy-based products (even though my company sells a lot of great tasting soy products).

I also continued to weigh myself and exercise regularly. I found an awesome website, myfitnesspal, which allows you to track your food intake, exercise and calories burned, at no charge.

Being vegan is not for everyone and I never tried to “convert” anyone to a whole foods, plant based diet. But the more research I did, the more I realized that this kind of eating regime was almost like a fountain of youth.

But, for me, even though I was not eating any wheat products (like pasta, bread, etc.), I found my weight creeping up a few pounds and I found myself not having enough energy for my hectic travel and work schedule.

So, after consulting with my personal health professionals (my Naturopath, Osteopath and Chiropractor), I decided to add more protein to my diet. No matter what vegetables and legumes I ate, I was not getting enough protein for MY body (everyone is different).

So, starting in mid-January, I added egg whites and occasional WILD fish (not farm raised) to my diet. I still feel great, my cholesterol is still lower and I continue to feel healthy.

Unlike others, I chose to have a little leniency with my veganism. Now, if there is an animal product (fish sauce, chicken broth, hard-boiled egg) in a dish, I have no problem eating around it. In other words, I am not making myself neurotic while being vegan.

So, I would say I am a 90% vegan. But, I think that is still a big improvement in my lifestyle and I feel fantastic!

If you have been hesitant to try a 100% whole food, plant-based diet, why not try it a few days a week and see how you feel. Taking steps in your healthy choices is better than not trying at all.

When I started my blog three years ago, you probably didn’t know what my inspiration was and thought I just wanted to jump on the social media/blogger bandwagon.

What inspired me was John Mackey, co-CEO of Whole Foods. He was in the news quite a bit at that time and his personal blog was causing a bit of a stir in the Wall Street community. But it made me think…

The CEO of a company should have their own voice, separate from the corporation. So, I went to my marketing team (who now edits, publishes and does the creative work for my blog) and they helped me launch this blog three years ago.

So, when my husband handed me The Orange County Register newspaper yesterday, he had highlighted an article on John Mackey’s new book, “Conscious Capitalism,” which I had seen in my local Whole Foods. What I found most interesting was this quote in the article: “We have to find our purpose again. Business needs to rediscover its purpose, or evolve to discover it.”

“Purpose” has been a big discussion at Frieda’s for several years. Instead of just having a mission statement like other companies, my sister Jackie and I decided we have a larger purpose. We call it our crusade.

Our company purpose (and tagline) is To Change the Way America Eats Fruits and Vegetables. We strive to create a healthy, joyful and sustainable world. We know that the food we eat is our fundamental source of health and joy, and that a key contributor to America’s declining health is poor food choices. America’s food choices greatly influence and impact others around the world, and if we want to create a healthy, joyful and sustainable world, we must first Change the Way America Eats Fruits and Vegetables!

Finding a larger purpose in your business makes you think a lot harder. It changes the way you recruit people and your approach when working with suppliers and customers. But it sure makes your work more satisfying when you live up to it.

My company’s larger purpose may explain the varied topics I discuss in this blog. Some might expect I would only write about Frieda’s produce. But there is so much more to a crusade that intends To Change the Way America Eats Fruits and Vegetables!

My youngest daughter Sophia is a freshman in college at Eugene Lang of The New School in New York City and is home for her 5-week winter break. I cannot believe how fast her time at home was going by, so I asked her if we could schedule a Mommy-Daughter Day with her choice on what we do. She chose a day at Disneyland!

Before we left in the morning, she said, “Mom, I want to go to Disneyland with my ‘mommy’ – not the CEO of Frieda’s!” (Did I mention how witty she is?) So, I took off my CEO hat and off we went to the happiest place on Earth.

I had not been to Disneyland for at least five years, so it was interesting to be there. There wasn’t much of a crowd since we had a cold snap here in Southern California. We had virtually no wait on any ride, so by 5 p.m. we were ready to leave. As we were on our way to the exit, a young man stopped me and asked if I would participate in a survey about my food experience at Disneyland. I was intrigued that the survey was completely about “healthy choices” for children, but there were other questions about adult choices as well.

I couldn’t help but notice as we walked around the park, how much the food choices had changed in the last 5 years. On Main Street, there were plentiful choices of bananas, apples and oranges, along with cut veggies, hummus, pretzels and baked chips. Bottled water was as prevalent as other beverages, and at the Mexican Restaurant where we ate, Rancho del Zocalo, there was chicken and beef fajitas, and an all-veggie platter.

When you are shopping at your local grocery store, you may notice that the Disney logo is on many healthy snack foods, particularly those that appeal to kids. As it turns out, food suppliers have found that when they put the images of popular Disney characters on their products, sales can increase by as much as 30%. And, from what an inside source has shared with me, Disney has adjusted its marketing priorities to focus on healthy offerings for kids, both at their destination parks and grocery stores. They actually are the first major media company to take a stand on setting healthy food standards on their programming and packaging.

So, I survived a day off work as Frieda’s CEO and enjoyed quality time with my youngest daughter. To my surprise, by not asking a lot of questions, she updated me on her life as a freshman in college. My mommy-daughter day was very enlightening and fulfilling! Can you tell that she loves Disneyland?

Several times a month I get the opportunity to entertain clients. For me, they are usually men, and I assume dinner means going to a steak house.

That was until one of my clients decided to go healthy and lost a significant amount of weight by changing his eating and exercise regime. We set up a dinner and when I asked him what kind of food he was in the mood for, he said “something healthy.” I have to admit – I was very excited!

Since I started my vegan journey, I have explored all kinds of new restaurants in Southern California that offer healthier options. One of my favorites is True Food Kitchen, located in Orange County. True Food Kitchen was the brainchild of the famous Dr. Andrew Weil. The menu choices are based on his anti-inflammatory diet. He recently sold the concept to Sam Fox, owner of Fox Restaurant Concepts, based in Scottsdale, Arizona. I wrote about Fox Restaurant Concepts last May here.

True Food Kitchen is now their fastest growing concept and in addition to restaurants in California and Arizona, they are opening three new locations in Texas. The restaurant chain was also featured in the November 2012 issue of Prevention Magazine and the December 2012 issue of OC METRO Magazine.

In October, when I told my client and his three work colleagues we were going somewhere “different” for dinner, I could tell that they were a bit apprehensive. However, everyone loved the food, loved the flavors, and especially loved that they did not feel overly stuffed or uncomfortable after dinner!

If you are coming to Southern California or the Scottsdale area this winter, I highly recommend a meal at True Food Kitchen.

Enjoy,

Karen

Last summer, I attended a two-day produce conference in Chicago, which I do quite a bit, so I wasn’t expecting anything extraordinary to happen.

Katie is a 14-year-old entrepreneur from South Carolina. In 2008, Katie planted some cabbage seeds as part of a school gardening project. She did such a good job of nurturing her cabbage that it ballooned to 40 pounds!

When her class project ended, she donated the cabbage to a local soup kitchen. Those 40 pounds of cabbage ended up feeding 275 people! Katie was so touched by feeding the hungry, she decided to start more gardens and donate the food she grew to feed more people in need. She now inspires other students to do the same. You can read more about Katie’s Krops here.

Katie now grants scholarships to other students around the country to help them start gardens, buy seeds and feed the hungry. She has developed an amazing program. Amazing not only because of the scope of her reach, but because Katie is only 14!

When you did a class project when you were 9, did you ever conceive of doing something that would truly change the world?

Did you ever dream that when you were 14, you would be accepting an award from President Bill Clinton at his Clinton Global Citizens Awards™ ceremony, sharing the podium with the richest man in the world and two freedom fighters from Uganda?

That’s exactly what Katie experienced last September. When my friend Don sent me the announcement of Katie’s award from President Clinton, I was beyond inspired. I thought back to being introduced to her a month earlier and how poised, yet humble, she was, up on the stage, presenting to about 200 produce people.

Her passion for feeding the hungry really did touch me. I thought to myself, if a 14-year-old student could be so passionate and committed to helping others, I could do the same. I could inspire others too.

So, last month, I chose to donate to my local food bank in lieu of giving holiday gifts to family and friends.

When you read Katie’s story, I think you will be inspired. Read here to learn how you can support Katie and her work.