Produce Department

Fresh Produce

Culinaria means FRESH produce. From crisp, green lettuce to vibrant red strawberries, you will always find the highest-quality fresh produce each and every time you walk through our front door. The quality of produce at our stores is simply second to none. Our produce buyers maintain relationships with our growers both local and around the world to offer the highest quality fruits and vegetables year-round guaranteeing the best of the best.

Culineria offers your favorite fruits and vegetables with more than 400 items to choose from, including organics. We are sure you will find just what you are looking for.. And more!

Stop in today to see what a difference “fresh” makes.

An Apple A Day

The symbol of good health, now’s the perfect time to stock up on seasonal sweet and crisp, freshly-picked Washington apples. With so many varieties in season now, each possessing its own unique texture, color and flavor characteristics, you can enjoy a new Washington apple every day and never get bored.

For a great all-purpose apple, look no further than the snappy, aromatic Gala. Choose sweet-tart Granny Smith or mellow, crisp Golden Delicious when you’re looking for an apple that keeps its shape during baking, produces a perfect applesauce and freezes well. For an all-around great-eating apple, pick up the refreshing Honeycrisp™, super-sweet Fuji or heart-shaped Red Delicious.

Two exceptional varieties cultivated only within the past 50 years include the juicy blushed Jonagold apple and the spicy-sweet Braeburn, another apple that shines raw in salads or baked in desserts. Look for more varieties in stores soon including the versatile and mild Cameo®, Pink Lady® apples that resist browning after slicing and deep-red, Rome apples praised for their long shelf life and pleasantly-tangy flavor.

Washington State produces about three times as many apples as its nearest competitor, New York, and about half of all apples in the U.S. Why? Thanks to lush fertile valleys and plentiful sunshine, pioneers dating back to the early 19th century recognized the plateau near the foothills of central Washington’s Cascade Mountains would offer ideal growing conditions. Some commercial apple farms have existed over 120 years in this region thanks to innovative irrigation, breeding and growing techniques.

Apples keep well in the refrigerator, but it’s best to store them in their own plastic produce bag—they’ll keep up to a month. When you want to pre-slice, grate or peel your apples, to prevent browning, toss them with some fresh lemon juice or a solution prepared with one part fresh lemon juice to three parts water.

You say Potato...

All potatoes are not the same; each has its own qualities that make them better suited for various uses. Below is a list of several major varieties, all available at Schnucks. I encourage you to experiment with new varieties of this old staple.

HIGH STARCH

RUSSETT: Oval and uniform in shape with a brown skin, white flesh, and mealy texture. Most potatoes grown in Idaho are Russets. Highest starch and low water content make them perfect for mashing, baking, roasting, and frying. Best in gratins, purees, and pancakes.

MEDIUM STARCH

WHITE: These all-purpose potatoes are typically large and round or oval in shape with light-brown skin. They have a medium starch content and a creamy consistency when cooked. They suit any form of preparation with the possible exception of frying.

BLUE/PURPLE: Their color fades slightly after cooking, but they are still a stand-out on the plate. (Microwaving these potatoes is the best way to preserve their color.) Similar to Russets in texture, they are suitable for mashing, baking, and frying, but also boiling and steaming.

YUKON GOLD: Usually fat and round with a yellowish flesh, these rich, dense and buttery all-purpose potatoes are perfect in any situation (baked, boiled, and fried).

LOW STARCH/WAXY

RED: Boiling potato, low starch and firm, these are considered “waxy”. Use in potato salads, soups and casseroles. Baby red potatoes (often called “creamers”) and baby white potatoes are simply immature potatoes of that particular variety. Baby potatoes tend to be more sweet, tender, and costly.

FINGERLING: Typically 2 to 4 inches in length, these potatoes are wonderful boiled, roasted, and steamed. Their skin is thin and flesh buttery and firm. Very versatile, they are the darling of chefs.

SWEET POTATOES: These “potatoes” are very distant cousins to the above varieties. They are a root vegetable popular around the world and prized for their sweet flavor, tender texture, and high nutritional value, namely as a great source of beta-carotene. Red Garnet sweet potatoes are deeper orange in color; some claim they are more nutritious. Also very versatile, sweet potatoes are delicious roasted, boiled, baked, fried, and mashed.

MISCELLANEOUS STARCHY ROOT VEGETABLES: Yuca (cassava) and taro root are available in Schnucks markets and are popular with Hispanic, African, and Asian cultures. Thick-skinned and starchy, these are frequently peeled, boiled, and then seasoned, mashed, or added to stir-fries and stews.

Three Ways with Butternut Squash

Once you reach the sweet sunset-orange flesh of butternut squash, you’ll be rewarded for the time spent peeling this versatile gourd. My sharp vegetable peeler does the job, but you can also use a chef’s knife to slice just under the putty-brown skin. For easier handling, it helps to first cut the squash in half.

Roasted Butternut Squash
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons Schnucks brown sugar
2 tablespoons Schnucks extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 425°F. In large bowl, toss all ingredients together until well combined. Spread squash mixture in single layer in large rimmed baking pan. Roast 40 to 50 minutes or until squash is very tender and golden brown. Makes 4 cups.

Puréed Butternut Squash Soup
Prepare Roasted Butternut Squash as directed. In blender, with center part of lid removed to allow steam to escape, purée squash mixture with 1 carton (32 ounces) less-sodium chicken broth in batches until smooth. Transfer soup to saucepan; heat through. Makes 6½ cups.

Mashed Butternut Squash
Prepare Roasted Butternut Squash as directed. Transfer squash mixture to medium saucepan. Add ¾ cup milk and mash with potato masher or beat with hand mixer on low speed until squash is almost smooth. If desired, stir in chopped fresh or dried thyme or sage leaves; heat through if necessary. Makes 3 cups.