Not looking to start a war here, just thinking like a cook who has to
choose ingredients.

I've been lately buying bananas and dry-roasted almonds as both
"conventional" and "organic." I expect the organic foods to be smaller
although I couldn't tell you why and would appreciate an explanation,
e.g., are they a different species/sub-species that's more disease
resistant but produces a smaller fruit/nut?

The other issue is flavor - I have found, at least in the two above
example, the organic almonds seem less flavorful to me, and they also
seem to have less oils in them naturally because I find myself needing
to add more oil to my almond butter to get the same consistency.
Perhaps it's just the smaller sized nut and a larger surface-to-insides
ratio? For bananas, if I had to pick one or the other based on flavor,
I think I'd pick the organic, but I find the difference small compared
to the difference in the almonds.

Again, not trying to start a war about whether or not organic is good,
bad, or somewhere in between, just trying to become a little more
educated as to how to handle the differences when cooking and why those
differences exist in the first place.

Thanks.

-S-

some of the fertilizers used on regular crops enlarge the fruit/nut and also
allow the plant to suck up more from the grownd without working as hard,
good topic, Lee
"Steve Freides" > wrote in message
...
> Not looking to start a war here, just thinking like a cook who has to
> choose ingredients.
>
> I've been lately buying bananas and dry-roasted almonds as both
> "conventional" and "organic." I expect the organic foods to be smaller
> although I couldn't tell you why and would appreciate an explanation,
> e.g., are they a different species/sub-species that's more disease
> resistant but produces a smaller fruit/nut?
>
> The other issue is flavor - I have found, at least in the two above
> example, the organic almonds seem less flavorful to me, and they also seem
> to have less oils in them naturally because I find myself needing to add
> more oil to my almond butter to get the same consistency. Perhaps it's
> just the smaller sized nut and a larger surface-to-insides ratio? For
> bananas, if I had to pick one or the other based on flavor, I think I'd
> pick the organic, but I find the difference small compared to the
> difference in the almonds.
>
> Again, not trying to start a war about whether or not organic is good,
> bad, or somewhere in between, just trying to become a little more educated
> as to how to handle the differences when cooking and why those differences
> exist in the first place.
>
> Thanks.
>
> -S-
>

On Fri, 7 Oct 2011 07:38:56 -0700, "Pico Rico" >
wrote:

>
>"Steve Freides" > wrote in message
...
>> Not looking to start a war here,
>
>then you have come to the wrong place!
>

LOL

"Ranée at Arabian Knits" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Steve Freides" > wrote:
>
>> Again, not trying to start a war about whether or not organic is good,
>> bad, or somewhere in between, just trying to become a little more
>> educated as to how to handle the differences when cooking and why those
>> differences exist in the first place.
>
> Some things I have found to be remarkably different, and some seem to
> have no difference in flavor. I haven't found organic produce to be
> smaller than in-organic, however. I was surprised at how much better
> the organic sweet potatoes were compared to conventional. I bought some
> organic canned beans that were just awful once, though. Generally
> speaking, we put our dollars toward organics in this order: Meat,
> dairy, eggs, root vegetables, berries, other produce. We pay attention
> to the dirty dozen and clean list, too. Usually we buy locally, so we
> can ask/observe how the produce is grown as sometimes something is grown
> "organically" even though it isn't labeled, because of idiotic USDA
> requirements, fees and hoops. We favor local over organic, though try
> to get both if we can.

what are "the dirty dozen and clean list"?

On Fri, 7 Oct 2011 07:38:56 -0700, "Pico Rico" >
wrote:

>
> "Steve Freides" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Not looking to start a war here,
>
> then you have come to the wrong place!
>
<laughing> good one

--

You are what you eat, so avoid fruitcake and nuts.

Ranée at Arabian Knits wrote:
> In article >,
> "Pico Rico" > wrote:

>> what are "the dirty dozen and clean list"?
>
> There's a list put out each year, I can't remember by whom offhand,
> of the produce with the most pesticide/herbicide residue found in it
> after normal cleaning (wipe or wash in water, depending on what is
> "normal" for that particular produce). The items on it jockey for
> position a little, and recently they started putting out a clean list as
> well, the best as well as the worst.
>
and the list is easily found via Google.

On Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:27:00 -0400, Goomba >
wrote:

>Ranée at Arabian Knits wrote:
>> In article >,
>> "Pico Rico" > wrote:
>
>>> what are "the dirty dozen and clean list"?
>>
>> There's a list put out each year, I can't remember by whom offhand,
>> of the produce with the most pesticide/herbicide residue found in it
>> after normal cleaning (wipe or wash in water, depending on what is
>> "normal" for that particular produce). The items on it jockey for
>> position a little, and recently they started putting out a clean list as
>> well, the best as well as the worst.
>>
>and the list is easily found via Google.

Also there is an iPhone app called Harvest that includes the pesticide
levels of fruits and vegetables.

koko
--
Food is our common ground, a universal experience
James Beard

www.kokoscornerblog.com

Natural Watkins Spices
www.apinchofspices.com