Ask Professor Produce

Can you provide sort of a taste-taxonomy of all the little baby tomato varieties? Sometimes I get some that are far too fibrous for my taste but I've never kept track of which ones those are. --Vidhya, Internet

Gardeners can rattle off the names of hundreds of tomato varieties, and the differences between each will seem vast to the gardener who nurtures and babies them, as a good mother will. But once those little tomatoes start rolling into warehouses and retail stores, produce buyers and marketers facilitate the naming process, lumping similar types together, getting rid of the hard to pronounce names, and otherwise streamlining the complex tomato taxonomy. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the world of avocadoes, actually, where 600 varieties are available. But in the produce department, you'll only see four or five different avocado names on a regular basis. And maybe it's better that way.

That's my disclaimer for the short list that follows. You seed-savers and heirloomers out there will probably wonder why your favorite darling isn't mentioned, but please keep in mind, this is by no means an exhaustive tastetaxonomy.

Sweet 100's -To the Professor's taste, Sweet 100's are the bomb - the sugar bomb, that is. Sweet, tender skinned, and bright red - good grief, what's not to like?

Sugar Plum - These have been a "flavor of the moment" for a few years now - sweet, juicy and very flavorful. Despite their popularity, however, the Professor is nonetheless a bit disappointed in them because they aren't Sweet 100's.

Red Grapes - Same as above - very nice, just not the sugar-shock that the Professor loves.

Sun Golds - A yellow cherry tomato with a ruddy golden skin. These tend to be sweeter than full-sized yellow tomatoes (which the Professor finds too bland for his jaded palate). Sun Golds from Avalanche Farm and Riverbend are a real treat in the Minnesota summer time, and they look smashing on a bed of Red Bibb lettuce.

Trost Cherry Tomatoes -- These are really just trussed cherry tomatoes (not that there's anything wrong with that). Typically Trost Cherry Toms are sweet and tasty, but the real selling point is their appearance, with rows of fruit ranging up the arm of the tomato vine - a lovely presentation.

Zebra Stripes - These might be small, full-sized tomatoes or really big cherry tomatoes, but either way, the Prof approves. Sure, the skin is a bit thick, but Zebras usually "bring the zing" - a refreshingly tart departure from the super-sweet varieties. Plus, the dark green on light green skin is striking in appearance. Great with a bit of vinegar and oil and sliced in thick wedges.

Have you carried (or tried) the new low-carb potatoes yet? --Meredith, Delano

No, the Wedge hasn't carried lowcarb spuds yet. But to be forthright, it took me a few Google searches to even figure out what the heck you were talking about, Meredith.

This year marks the debut of Florida's "SunLite" potato, a hybrid (not genetically modified) first developed in the Netherlands and brought to the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UFIFAS). It apparently has about a third less carbohydrates than a typical Russet, according to Chad Hutchinson of UFIFAS, and therefore, costs about a third more, too.

And in Florida, anyway, the WinnDixies and Super Targets can't keep them on the shelves, which is a relief to the beleaguered potato market, I'm sure. When the Atkins low-carb diet started sweeping the country, U.S. potato sales dipped dramatically, and far mers in areas like Hastings, FL, the potato hub of the Sunshine State, had to do some serious soul-searching about their future. Indeed, it was a dark time for the potato world.

Along comes the SunLite, and suddenly, things look sunny again. Preparing for what they hope is a renaissance in sales, Florida potato farmers have even started a low-carb potato co-op called the SunFresh of Florida Marketing Cooperative. Take that, Dr. Atkins.

OK, Professor, I'll bite: What IS "monkey-picked tea?" It does sound interesting! --Karen, Internet

Last issue, I happened to mention "monkey-picked" tea and asked if anyone was interested in hearing about it. So, thanks, Karen. You saved my weird research from getting pitched in the dustbin. Now without further ado...

Ahem...glad you asked about monkey-picked tea, Karen! The tea in question is called Tieguanyin, whose name honors the Iron Goddess of Chinese legend.

The phrase "money picked" comes from a tradition claiming that monkeys were once trained to pick these tea leaves from tall trees, high cliff faces - and perhaps maybe from the Emperor's top shelf, since "monkey picked" now simply refers to the best of the best tea in China. The best Tieguanyin is cultivated, picked, and processed by masterful human hands using centuries old techniques. Some tea catalogs claim that monkeys still pick this tea, but the Professor is dubious.

Wedge Purchasing Manager and tea enthusiast Fern Weiss says Tieguanyin is exquisite. "It's a beautiful Oolong tea. Very floral. And it can take five or six steepings. It's just wonderful." Alas, it's not available to the Wedge at this time. All the monkeys are on strike, I guess.