Selecting peaches and nectarines are the same. Ripe fruit are fragrant and give, slightly, to the touch. If they are a under-ripe, leave them at room temperature for 2–3 days to ripen in a brown paper bag. Look for fruit with smooth unblemished skin. Avoid extremely hard or dull colored fruits and soft fruit with soft, wrinkled, or punctured skin. They can be kept for about 5 days in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator.

Nectarines can be found year round. Majority of the supply comes from California or Chile. Peaches can also be found year round. Most of the peaches come from the southern states (mostly Georgia) or California, but during off season peaches are flown in from Chile or Mexico.

When using either fruit in a recipe (like the one below) there is no need to peel the skin off unless the recipe says otherwise. Nectarines never need to be peeled, but you will find some recipes that tell you to remove the skin on peaches to get rid of the fuzz.

Directions:

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup butter

• 2 eggs 
• 6 ounces crawfish tail meat
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning (plus extra for sprinkling)
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely-chopped
• 1/4 cup green onion, finely-chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk

Coconuts offer many different health benefits in addition to being delicious, but working with whole coconuts can be difficult and a bit intimidating if you don't know what you are doing. Once you get the hang of it though, the work is definitely worth it!

First you need to learn about the anatomy of the coconut: shell, skin, flesh, and water.

Shell: The tough brown shell has three "eyes" or dark spots, but should be free of cracks or mold. Make sure you avoid coconuts that are leaking water.

Skin: Under the shell is a thin layer of brown skin. It's edible, but can also be peeled away.

Flesh: Once a coconut is open, it will keep for only a few days in the refigerator. Unopened, a coconut could lose at room temperature up to six months.

Water: When selecting a coconut, shake it and listen for water inside. The liquid is what keeps the flesh moist and flavorful.

Next you need to know how to break down a coconut:

1. Make a hole in 2 of the 3 eyes with a metal skewer (or screw driver).

2. Drain the water. You will get about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid.

3. Using a meat mallet or hammer, firmly tap the coconut along the middle, turning as needed until the shell starts to split in half.

4. Once you have split the coconut open, carefully pry the flesh away from the shell using a butter knife. Try loosening the flesh by tapping the shell on the outside. Or place the coconut in the oven at 300F for about 10 minutes or until the flesh starts to pull away from the shell. Allow to cool and then the flesh should pop out easier.

5. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel away the thin brown layer of skin.


Fresh coconuts can be purchased at your local grocery store. Most stores also offer young coconuts. They are usually sold peeled and wrapped in plastic. The young coconuts usually contain more water (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups.)

To remove the water from a young coconut, slice off the pointed tip (this will take some force.) Stand the coconut cut side up and cut a square into the tough flesh on top. Pry out the square with the tip of the knife, then add a straw and drink or pour into a glass.



Coconut Chips
Remove the flesh from 1 brown coconut and shave the flesh into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Toss the strips with 1 to 2 teaspoons of confectioners' sugar. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toast at 300F for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Having trouble getting that perfect crust? Here are a few tips for preventing soggy crust.

1. Bake your pie on the lowest rack of the oven. You can either put it directly on the rack or a baking sheet (but make sure you preheat the baking sheet.)

2. Use a glass pie plate. Glass conducts heat more evenly and it gives you the chance to check the bottom of your crust to make sure it's actually done baking.

3. Blind-bake your crust. Most single crust pie recipes tell you to do this to avoid sogginess. Line the unfilled crust with aluminum foil and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until set then remove the beans and foil and continue baking until the crust is golden brown before you add the filling.

4. Brush a prebaked crust with a beaten egg during the last 5 minutes of baking before you add the filling. This forms a barrier between the filling and crust. You could also wait and let the pie cool and spread wth warm jam or melted chocolate to get the same effect and add some extra flavor.

Trying to cut fat?

Lighten up a recipe with buttermilk. Most commercial buttermilks only have 1 to 2 percent fat, which makes it a healthier alternative to whole milk or cream. Use it in sauces or mashed potatoes. Even though it is low fat, it has a very rich taste. It's fermented with cultures which makes it thick, creamy, and tangy! If you do decide to use buttermilk in a sauce, try adding chicken broth to reduce the sour taste.