Fresh Vegetables Fresh vegetables are more plentiful and less costly when they are in season in your region. You may be able to buy locally grown vegetables at a nearby farmers market. At other times, refrigerated planes, ships, trucks, and trains bring fresh vegetables from all over the world to your supermarket. Transporting vegetables from other areas increases the price of fresh vegetables. For vegetables that do not grow year-round in your region, transporting them provides variety all year long. Fresh vegetables need more preparation than other forms. They must be washed. You may want to peel, slice, and cook them. Some supermarkets sell prewashed salad greens, shredded cabbage, and pared carrots. These foods save time but often cost more than plain fresh vegetables. Selecting Fresh Vegetables The best quality fresh vegetables are crisp and not wilted or wrinkled. They are also brightly colored and firm, not soft. They are free of cuts, bruises, and decay, too. Vegetables that are limp, pale, or soft have been either stored too long or stored incorrectly. All damaged parts should be removed and thrown away. Focus on Food Herbs and Spices (Continued) Seasonings are a blend of two or more spices, herbs, or seeds. Salt may be added, too. Pumpkin pie spice, chili powder, curry powder, and poultry seasoning are examples. Vegetable spices are strongly fl avored vegetables, such as garlic, that add fl avor to recipes. For thousands of years, seasoners have been used in cooking. Years ago, they had other uses, too. Egyptians used spices to prepare the cloth in which mummies were wrapped. The Greeks used seasoners as medicines. Some used cinnamon as perfume. The Romans thought that a hat made of bay leaves protected the wearer from lightning. Today, some people use herbs as dietary supplements. Until recent times, spices were in short supply. They had to be carried by camels over long routes from China and India to Europe. Travel was very slow and dangerous. This made the small amount of spices that were available very costly. Spices were as valuable as gold. Spice traders made fortunes. They kept the source of spices a secret for years. It was Marco Polo who unlocked their secret. After spending 30 years traveling through Asia, he wrote a book about his adventures. In 1298, he told the world that spices were grown in India, China, and on islands in the Pacifi c Ocean. People who read Marco Polo’s book wanted to visit the lands he described. For many, the travel was too long and dangerous. Christopher Columbus and others tried to fi nd a safer, faster route. Today, it is easy to transport spices around the world. Planes, ships, trains, and trucks bring spices to your supermarket. The price is much lower than it was years ago. A pound of ginger no longer is worth as much as a sheep. It does not take seven fat oxen to buy a pound of nutmeg. Even though seasoners are much less costly today, you should still protect your investment. You can do this by • buying small amounts. Seasoners tend to lose their flavor quickly. You can tell if they are still tasty by sniffing them. Seasoners with a faint scent will have little flavor. • storing dried seasoners in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry place. Sunlight, heat, and air cause seasoners to quickly lose their flavor. • storing fresh herbs in a covered container in the refrigerator. Before storing, wrap fresh herbs in a paper towel and put them in a plastic bag. Adventures in Food and Nutrition Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 362