America wastes enough food each year to feed a hungry country: 63 million tons of it, from the field to processing plant to stores to homes.

Every year, American consumers, businesses and farms spends $218 billion a year on food that is thrown away. It’s food that is unharvested or unsold.

 
Throwing away food like this it’s a waste of money and environmentally unfriendly.

More depressing data:

 
(Source: ReFED)

Nonprofit and foundations have developed solutions to limit the waste. How long they will take to filter down through the supply change is another issue, since there is no federal mandate to do so.

One small thing we can do, as consumers, is to buy ugly produce wherever you find it.

That’s not likely to be in grocery stores, but sometimes in farmers markets and delivery services.

Three delivery services that sell slightly ugly (not grossly misshapen) organic produce are:

 
They operate like a CSA, sending you a box of assorted fruits and vegetables each month, based on seasonality.

The produce they select is only slightly imperfect, per the criteria below. You may not even notice that there’s something a bit off; but grocery store produce managers do.

For sure, after you slice and dice, no one will notice; and they taste just as delicious (maybe even better!).
 
 
UGLY PRODUCE

Ugly produce is that which goes into the landfill. It tastes just like other produce, but is misshapen, too small, or otherwise unappealing to grocers and consumers.

Grocery stores have a very high standard of aesthetic look for their produce.

It’s a sad fact that in the U.S., many fruits and vegetables are chosen for their beauty rather than their taste. But that’s what consumers want to buy.

Why throw away perfectly good produce just because it doesn’t meet arbitrary aesthetic criteria?

One in five fruits and vegetables go to waste for the most superficial reasons:

 
Perhaps it’s better to call them “imperfect produce.”

Discarded produce can also include some non-beauty issues like:

 
The ugly produce delivery services rescue this produce and deliver it to your door.

Every delivery helps to save at least 10 pounds of food from going to waste, along with all the resources (water, oil, GHGs) used to grow it (source).
 
 
TRY SOME

Try a box of ugly produce for yourself; send a subscription as a gift for your favorite cook.

“Imperfect” produce is also cheaper. Check out:

[1] A “blip” makes the tomato ugly, but just as delicious as a blipless one (photo © Imperfect Foods).

[2] A box of slightly imperfect produce from Hungry Harvest.

[3] The “real” ugly produce. Funny looks don’t impact the flavor (photo © UC Davis)

[4] This onion has three cores instead of one (photo © Imperfect Foods).

[5] Sometimes the flesh of a fruit or vegetable is “splotchy” (photo © Imperfect Foods).

Just put your name on the waiting list and you’ll be contacted as soon as the quarantine is over.

[1] Mix the tartare, spoon it into the center of a romaine leaf, roll and enjoy (photo © Ardor Restaurant | Los Angeles).

[2] Sashimi-grade tuna loin (photo © Sea Delight).

[3] Look for baby romaine. You want something smaller than the large romaine leaves (photo © Good Eggs).

[4] Quail eggs (photo © To Table, a great resource for premium, hard-to-find ingredients).

[5] Anchovies. Use a quality brand or they may taste fishy. These are Agostino Recca, available on Amazon and elsewhere (photo © Vital Choice).

[6] Dijon mustard has the best flavor for a vinaigrette or dressing (photo © Maille).

We have a happy day whenever we discover a new and creative food preparation.

This one (photo #1), from Chef John Fraser of Ardor restaurant in Los Angeles, is a winner.

Chef Fraser does a mash-up of Korean barbecue and tuna tartare.
 
 
WHAT IS KOREAN BARBECUE

If you haven’t had Korean barbecue (BBQ), try to find it in your area—or come to New York City: We have tons of it!

Korean barbecue consists of thin slices of charcoal-grilled meat, served with a variety of condiments like ssamjang, a spicy paste of doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) mixed with gochujang (hot sauce/paste).

Place some paste on a romaine leaf, add the grilled meat, and roll it up burrito-style.

There are also side dishes, which you can eat from the bowl. Or, wrap some in the lettuce leaf with the meat.

A good restaurant serves at least five side dishes, called banchan.

Banchan can be anything the chef wants to serve, but typically consist of scallion salad, kimchi and pickled vegetables: cucumbers, daikon radish, peppers and other delight, like bean sprouts tossed with a bit sesame oil and garnished with toasted sesame seeds.

Banchan

Korean barbecue is low in calories, high in flavor, and one of our favorite foods.
 
 
MAKING KOREAN-FUSION TARTARE

RECIPE #1: KOREAN FUSION TARTARE

Make the tartare as a first course. Serve with saké, beer, white wine, green tea (especially houjicha) or Korean barley tea (boricha)—which is what you’d get at the restaurant.

Ingredients

 
Preparation
 
1. MAKE the optional banchan: anchovies (if you don’t make the anchovy mustard) scallion salad, marinated cucumbers, radish, etc. Let the marinated vegetables sit overnight.

 
2. CHOP the fish finely, from sushi-grade tuna or salmon. You want very small pieces (see photo #1).

3. PLACE the tartare in a bowl and add a cracked quail egg in the center. Top the tartare with the capers, chives, olives. Serve the anchovy mustard† on the side.
 
 
RECIPE #2: ANCHOVY MUSTARD

In addition to mixing some into the tartare, you can also use this dressing with green salads, fish, pork chops, grilled romaine, add it to a pan sauce, etc.

If you don’t like anchovies, try this lime vinaigrette or simple a simple sesame vinaigrette with 2 parts olive oil, 1 part dark sesame oil, and 2 parts rice vinegar.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. USE a mortar and pestle to make a paste of the garlic. Add a pinch of salt. If you don and have a mortar and pestle, use the flat side of a knife.

2. WHISK together in a small bowl the garlic paste, anchovies, mustard and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the oil until combined. Less oil creates a paste as in the photo. More oil makes a pourable dressing.

3. TASTE and season with salt and pepper, and more lemon juice as desired (or use the zest).
 
 
________________

*Look for baby romaine, or use the smaller center leaves of a regular head. Smaller leaves are the right size for tartare.

†Mustard and anchovies are ingredients in a classic tartare.
 

Dalgona coffee is the newest coffee craze.

Named after a South Korean honeycomb candy with a spongy texture and a similar list of ingredients, it’s pillowy, like the candy.

It went viral in the U.S. last month when a TikTok user posted some how-to videos.

You can now find photos of it on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

You can read about it on CNET, MarketWatch, and other news sources.

So: What is Dalgona coffee?

The recipe is a mixture of equal parts instant coffee or instant espresso, sugar and hot water. The mixture is beaten until it reaches a creamy peanut butter-like consistency.

Finally, it’s spooned over a glass of milk on the rocks. You can also make a hot version.

Dalgona coffee is also called whipped coffee. Some people have called it a reverse latte: plain milk on the bottom and whipped coffee on top.
 
 
RECIPE: DALGONA COFFEE

This recipe is for a cold drink. To serve it hot, heat the milk (we do 2:30 – 2:45 minutes in the microwave) and omit the ice cubes.

You can order instant espresso powder online from DeLallo. The powder has numerous other uses, below.

Ingredients Per Glass

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the instant espresso, sugar and boiling water in a mixing bowl.

2. USING a hand or stand mixer, whip the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You can use a wire whisk, but it’s quite a workout.

3. POUR pour the milk over ice in a tall drinking glass. Add the whipped coffee to the glass. Garnish as desired.

4. SERVE. Some people like to eat the topping with a spoon; others like to mix the top with the milk into a frothy drink.
 
 
> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ESPRESSO
IN OUR ESPRESSO GLOSSARY <

[1] Dalgona coffee: frothy whipped coffee over plain milk (photo © DeLallo)

[2] Get the instant espresso powder here.

[3] Spoon straws combine a spoon and a straw, for frozen drinks, milkshake, smoothies and more. Get them on Amazon.

Instant espresso powder is brewed espresso that is then dried and processed into granules. It easily dissolves in liquids and mixes into baking and other recipes (see ideas below).

In baked goods and most other recipes, it adds flavor without leaving a coffee taste.

NOTE: Don’t substitute instant coffee for espresso powder. The espresso powder is a stronger, richer and more concentrated.

Recipes:

 
(Source)

[1] Here’s another recipe with pecans: a Pimento-Pecan Cheese Ball (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[2] Mini cheese balls in phyllo cups. Here’s the recipe from A Spicy Perspective (photo © A Spicy Perspective).

[3] Mini cheese balls with pretzel sticks. Here’s the recipe from Five Heart Home (photo © Five Heart Home).

April 17th is National Cheese Ball Day.

The holiday was entered into the record as cheeseball, even though cheese ball is the preferred spelling.
 
TWO FUN IDEAS

Cheese balls are typically served as party food, on a tray with crackers.

How about trying something different:

 
For Serving

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients together except half of the pecans. Mix well and shape into a ball.

2. COAT with the remaining pecans and serve with crackers or toasts.
 
 
CHECK OUT THE
HISTORY OF THE
CHEESE BALL

Why are our potatoes always sprouting? Whether we buy all-purpose white potatoes (photo #2) or a bag of creamer potatoes (photo #4), if we don’t use them in a week, they start to sprout.

We turned to the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) for advice.

Potatoes aren’t as perishable as lettuce, for example. But when it comes to perishable foods, specifically potatoes, notes the IPC, it can be a challenge trying to keep them fresh for weeks.

Like all produce, potatoes need to be stored properly in order to stay fresh. If stored well, they can be usable for weeks, even months.

Here are tips from the Idaho Potato Commission to ensure your potatoes remain fresh as long as possible.

It seems that we failed to observe two of them; hence our sprouting problem.
 
 
POTATO STORAGE TIPS

1. Potato Storage Starts At The Store

Look for potatoes that don’t have any cuts or bruises; they tend to spoil more quickly. A perfect Idaho® potato has smooth skin and few and shallow eyes.
 
2. Don’t Wash Yet

You may be tempted to wash your potatoes as soon as you get home. Don’t! The little bit of dirt you may see protects the potato and keeps it from prematurely spoiling.

3. Keep Potatoes Cool But Not Cold

Store your potatoes between 45° and 55°F and never put them in the refrigerator (the average refrigerator temperature is 35°F).

 
4. How They’re Stored is Key

It’s okay to store the potatoes in their retail bags; however, they’ll hold up a little better if you remove them from the bag and place in a well-ventilated basket or bowl (photo #3). This will allow the potatoes to ”breathe.”
 
5. Stay Away from the Light…

Potatoes are living organisms and can reproduce on their own. Too much light (sunlight or indoor light) will “wake them up” and cause the potato skins to turn a greenish color.

 
6. Stay Away From Onions

Onions release ethylene gas that accelerates potato ripening. So keep the onions far apart!
 
7. Uh Oh, My Potatoes Sprouted

Sometimes potatoes will begin to sprout from their little “eye” indentations. This is normal. Pick off the sprout and the potato is ready to be prepared.
 
8. Rotate

FIFO means First In, First Out. If you still have a few potatoes left from your last grocery shopping trip, use the older ones first.
 
9. Handle with Care

Potatoes are tough-looking, but they should be treated gently. Rough handling will cause bruising and cracking.
 
 
For more tips on preparing and storing potatoes, visit the IPC’s in-house expert, Dr. Potato.
 
 
CHECK OUT OUR ONION GLOSSARY:
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ONIONS

[1] Mixed potatoes: all-purpose white potatoes, fingerlings, red jackets and russets (photos #1, #2 and A#3 © Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] All-purpose white potatoes.

[3] A basket of russet potatoes, the most-grown potato in North America. Idaho® is the trademarked name for russets grown in Idaho. The russet’s flesh is white, dry and mealy. It is good for baking, mashing and French fries. The two major varieties are the Russet Norkotah and the Russet Burbank. These days, more Norkotah is grown because its shape is more reliably uniform.

[4] Creamer potatoes. Due to their petite size, some consumers call them baby potatoes (photo © Melissa’s).

Established in 1937, the Idaho Potato Commission is a state agency that is responsible for promoting and protecting the famous “Grown in Idaho®” seal, a federally registered trademark that assures consumers they are purchasing genuine, top-quality Idaho® potatoes.

Idaho’s growing season of warm days and cool nights, ample mountain-fed irrigation and rich volcanic soil, give Idaho® potatoes their unique texture, taste and dependable performance. These ideal growing conditions are what differentiate Idaho® potatoes from potatoes grown in other states.