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tough like a lot of citrus fruit, to just pop the whole thing into my mouth. I did just that and tasted the mix of sweet and tart.
I asked why he wouldn’t suggest it for a fruit salad, and he said lots of people do, but he didn’t like that idea because of its skin and too many textures didn’t make for a great combination in fruit salads.
Another fruit caught my eye, and the friendly employee told me it was a pepino. These were on display loose. He picked one up and showed me how hard its exterior was. Simultaneously, he also noticed some pepinos were turning bad, which he sepa- rated out then tossed away.
He did admit, however, he had never tried a pepino. “You haven’t tried everything here?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “But I’ve had a lot of it.”
When it came to veggies for a soup, he had less expertise, or perhaps less interest, but he did recommend green onions and scallions for homemade ramen soup. When I said I was looking for something colorful, he suggested purple potatoes for soup, adding they’re tasty, healthy and have lots of visual appeal.
His last suggestion for soup was turnip and leeks, which he said make a nice combination. He added while it isn’t partic- ularly unique, it’s less common than potato soups.
A ROCKY START, A STRONGER FINISH
Walking into this store, I was greeted with well-organized and perfect-looking examples of some of the most popular fruits around. A display of berries featured blue- berries, raspberries, strawberries and black- berries showcased in a rainbow of colors. Nearby were displays of perfect-looking oranges and enticing lettuces, potatoes, onions and more.
But I was on the lookout for something different, vegetables that would bring new and exciting flavors to soup and fruits that would revolutionize a fruit salad. Although my quest got off to a rocky start, I was warmly welcomed by staffers who patiently listened to my questions and eventually gave me helpful information.
To the left was an employee who was stocking shelves along the walls with fresh lettuce. I approached her and told her I was looking to host a dinner party and wanted to wow my guests with a different and colorful
kind of soup.
Her first suggestion was, well, unin-
spiring. She directed me to a pre-packaged mix, featuring a carrot, onion, turnip, dill and parsley.
Actually, I told her, I was looking for something a little different. She told me that escarole makes for a nice soup and also made the suggestion of including white beans. She further suggested adding mush- rooms, and after going over a few varieties, I settled on a mix of shiitake and cremini.
Next, I asked about a fruit salad, and she wasn’t ready with answers. Luckily, a manager was nearby and he instructed her to, “Cut open a Sumo for him.”
Although the employee I approached didn’t seem to possess a lot of expertise about produce, she was more than happy to help me, even though she had a large cart of produce that needed to get on shelves.
She headed to a back room and came back with a small knife. Then she directed me to the citrus section, where she took a Sumo orange from the display. It certainly looked like an orange, but it was shaped a
bit differently and featured a pronounced end where the navel was.
Most important of all, it was delicious — full of strong, sweet flavor and not the least bit bitter. “Wow,” I said. The manager had followed me and said the Sumo was a good option for fruit salad because its pieces are fairly small (but more signifi- cant than a Clementine) and also dry on the outside, but juicy on the inside. I asked him what fruits would go with these, and he suggested pineapples, kiwi, bananas, blue- berries and strawberries.
This manager also noticed the mush- rooms I was holding and said he had another suggestion for me. He showed me a display of dried mushrooms in clam- shell cases and said these were excellent options for soups because of their bold flavors. However, he didn’t seem sure as to which mushrooms were in each package but by reading the packages closely, I could see what was inside. A package labeled “forest blend” for example, featured Porcinis and Morels.
Overall, it was a fruitful visit. pb
32ND ANNUAL
MYSTERY SHOPPER REPORT
PRODUCE BUSINESS / MARCH 2019 / 33