Ripe

Introduction

The first time I saw an iPhone was in the lobby of a New Orleans hotel when a food photographer I’d just met named Paulette Phlipot asked if I wanted to see her portfolio. I nodded, and in an instant, my professional world changed.

The screen showcased ripe cherries, purple eggplant, and tall blades of wheat. Weathered farmers, hearty entrées, and tables set for twelve. I wanted to blow up Paulette’s photos and tack them to the ceiling. I wanted to meet that farmer, to sit at that table. But most of all, I wanted to pluck those cherries from her screen and thrust them in my mouth, all at once, stems, pits, and all. I wanted to lick her touchpad.

Eventually I handed the phone back, but those photographs had left their mark. Paulette has the ability to make colors pop, to make textures dimensional, to tell a fully realized story through her skillful command of the lens. And her facility at showcasing the natural purity of food, particularly of fruits and vegetables, moved me deeply.

The genesis of this book happened there in that hotel lobby, though neither of us knew it at the time.

While I’m a classic omnivore and Paulette eats fish, we both prefer the freshness, flavor, and simplicity of produce. On any day of the week, at any time of the day, we’d just rather make out with a juicy watermelon than a floppy piece of chicken.

If you like meat, go ahead and eat it. I’m not here to judge, much as I hope you won’t judge me. But do embrace the vegetable; behold the fruit. Not because they’re good for you, though they are. Not because their footprint is lighter on the earth, though it is. Not because a pound of snap peas costs less than a pound of tenderloin, though it does. Gorge on green beans and favas, pomegranates and peaches, Swiss chard and honeydew because they’re beautiful, flavorful, versatile, and undeniably delicious. Canoodle them because you crave what they offer—freshness, color, snap, and taste. Kiss them, love them, hug them, squeeze them, and enjoy them morning, noon, and night.

Don’t eat your fruits and veggies because your mama told you to. Eat them because you want them in every sense of the word. Because seeing them in the market, at the produce stand, on an iPhone, or in the pages of a cookbook accelerates your pulse and makes you very, very hungry.

What This Book Isn’t, and What It Is

Many, if not most, produce-centered cookbooks are organized by season, and with good reason: seasonal eating makes sense from an environmental, fiscal, and culinary point of view. I eat seasonally, and I encourage you to as well. But this is not a seasonal eating book.

Many books also explain why you should eat more fruits and vegetables. They recount studies about how diets lower in animal products protect your heart, slash obesity, tread lighter on the earth, and are more ethically sound. And I don’t disagree. Not a bit. In fact, I’ve spent years as a food writer penning these stories myself and believe deeply in these messages. But this book is different. It’s not a health-focused prescription. It’s not an environmental screed.

So relax. Soften your shoulders. What you’ll find in these pages is sensory, pretty, practical, and fun. Why? Because those other, more serious books have already been written, and written quite well. Consumers and diners already know that they should be eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; that they should be consuming fewer overall calories; that they should be sourcing their food more consciously and responsibly. They don’t need to be told again and again and again.

So I’m glossing over the shoulds. I’m presuming you know them, and I respect your ability to make your own choices about what foods you’re willing to include in your diet and why. Instead, I want to excite you and show you a good time. By presenting stories, photographs, recipes, and practical, flavorful ingredient combinations, I’m hoping you’ll pick up that pomegranate because you genuinely want to eat it, not because it’s low in calories or rich in vitamin C or because studies show it blah blah blahs. I want you to crave that pomegranate, or that peach, or that head of ivory cauliflower. I want you to reach for the bok choy because you finally know how to prep it, and aren’t afraid it’s going to shrivel and die before you figure out how to cook it. I want to show you how to make an hors d’oeuvre with nothing more than a few radishes and some crusty bread, or a simple tart with a tangled mess of onions, some sun-dried tomatoes, and a shower of finely shredded cheese.

I want you to love produce because—well, simply because you love it.

Not because you should.

What are Simple Uses For?

In addition to photos and complete recipes, you will also see three Simple Uses For each featured produce item. These quick-hit ingredient combos are just that: ideas to jump-start your own creative process when considering each fruit and vegetable. They are not full-fledged recipes, but rather a fast, easy way to begin exploring compatible flavors and become inspired. Feel free to search your favorite culinary websites (there are so many!) for how to execute the suggested dishes to your liking. I’ll be right there, in spirit, cheering you on from the sidelines.

A note about lemons, salt, eggs, oil, puppies, chocolate, and coconut

As the proud owner of a Meyer lemon tree, I use these mild, low-acid citrus fruits in my recipes when they’re in season. Where I call for lemons, therefore, please always adjust the amount to suit your taste, especially if you’re using the more widely available Eureka variety. By the same token, salt is always kosher (unless coarse salt is specified), eggs are large, and olive oil is extra virgin. Also, puppies are cute, chocolate is delicious, and I really, really, really like coconut.