A taste of Texas
Our visit to Texas Hill Country has been quite the education. First, Texans have been extremely friendly. And they really have been saying, “How y'all doing?” at almost every encounter.
They've also liked to educate us out-of-staters.
“We don't waste syllables,” one local told me. “We say `y'all,' not `you all,'” he explained. And we don't say `oil'; it's `ool.'”
Another resident chimed in. “And when you talk to more than one person, the plural of `y'all' is `all y'all.'”
People in the Lone Star State are also proud of the agricultural products they produce. In fact, Texas leads the nation in number of farms and ranches, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.
While cattle are the state's top commodity, I was surprised to see that Texas is also one of the largest producers of fresh fruits and vegetables. Locally grown products, from apples to zucchini and everything in between, boast a “Go Texan” logo in the shape of the state.
The area we are visiting is known for pecans. When I asked a new acquaintance about the trees in her orchard, she said they were “puhKAHN” (pecan) trees.
However you pronounce it, pecans are rich in heart-healthful fats and other nutrients. Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University recently reported that a small handful of pecans daily helped reduce some of the risks for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in overweight adults.
Just remember “a handful, not a can full,” says registered dietitian Carolyn O'Neil.
Here are some other tips from the Texas Department of Agriculture:
• Store fruits and vegetables separately. Some fruits give off high levels of ethylene gas, which can prematurely ripen and spoil surrounding veggies.
• Small blemishes on citrus such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes are caused by gentle breezes and don't affect the fruit inside.
• Rinse berries right before you eat them. Water increases the likelihood they'll start to mold.
• Avocados, tomatoes, mangoes, melons, apples, pears and stone fruits like peaches and apricots will continue to ripen if you leave them out on a countertop. Bell peppers, grapes, citrus fruits and berries will deteriorate though; keep them refrigerated.
And I hope all y'all enjoy this highly nutritious no-cook recipe for Texas Citrus Salsa (from www. gotexan.org): Peel, section and chop 1 Texas red grapefruit and 1 large Texas orange. Mix with 1 cup diced green, red and/or yellow bell peppers, 3 tablespoons chopped red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Add 1 seeded and chopped tomato and mix gently. Drain juice before serving. Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist and syndicated columnist. She is the author of “QuinnEssential Nutrition: The Uncomplicated Science of Eating.” Email her at barbara@ quinnessentialnutrition. com.