Note: On Mondays, one of our various Market Scene correspondents checks in with what's fresh at farmstands, what's coming up, and what you better get while the gettin's good. Today, Leah Greenstein (SpicySaltySweet) drops by from Los Angeles. Take us to market, Leah! Brooks cherries from Ken's Produce. When I was a kid, I was allergic to everything red (or at least that's what my mother told me, my fiancé thinks she made it up). Tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and Kool-Aid fruit punch were all off limits. Fortunately, after years of miserable pizza parties and strawberry shortcake headaches, I grew out my food allergies. And what I found on the other side of antihistamines were tangy-sweet, ruby-colored cherries that made... More

This week's Cook the Book feature highlights How to Pick a Peach by Russ Parsons. With the disconnect between consumer and producer that's developed in recent years, Parsons says that basic skills shoppers once had—knowing what's in season when and how to choose the best fruit or vegetable on offer—have atrophied. His book, with its detailed rundown on everything from apples to winter squash, will make you a produce-aisle expert in no time. As with all weekly Cook the Book features, we've got a number of copies to give away. Ten (10) winners will be chosen at random from among the commenters below. All you have to do is answer the following: What's your favorite fruit or vegetable for 1.)... More