Sources:
Enter the
Share Market®
Produce Briefs...
Ramps
The wild ramp, AKA wild leek, botanical name Allium tricoccum, is a flowering perennial plant that grows in clusters. It is a member of the Allium family along with onions and leeks
Calamondin Limes
The Calamondin lime is a cross between a sour, loose skinned mandarin and a kumquat, therefore technically making it an orangequat.
Salanova® Lettuces
Salanova® lettuce is a full-sized variety developed for the baby lettuce market. Botanically these varieties are scientifically known as Lactuca sativa.
Description/Taste
Edamame is a description used for immature soybeans still encased in their pods, sometimes attached to branches with broad and flat, dark green leaves. The pods are bright green, coated in a light fuzz, and are flexible, firmly attached to the bean creating a curved and lumpy shape. The pods are generally considered inedible as they have a tough and fibrous consistency. When the pods are removed, the large, oval beans are encased in a slippery coating and are dense with a chewy consistency. When cooked, Edamame has a soft but firm texture, and a green, nutty, slightly sweet, and grassy flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Edamame is available year-round.
Current Facts
Edamame, botanically classified as Glycine max, is a Japanese name for the clustering of whole, immature soybeans that are still in their pods and are members of the Fabaceae family. Translating from Japanese to mean “peas on a branch or stem,” Edamame is native to eastern Asia and was developed from vegetable soybeans as an alternative source of protein. The young pods used for Edamame are commonly hand-harvested by uprooting the entire plant and tying into bundles and are picked early before the beans can mature and develop a hard and tough texture. Used initially fresh as a snack item in Asia, Edamame has also grown in popularity in the United States for its high nutritional properties and is predominately found frozen in specialty grocers.
Nutritional Value
The soybeans in Edamame are considered to be a complete protein, which means it contains the essential amino acids needed to sustain the human body. The beans also contain calcium, vitamins C and E, fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.
Applications
Edamame is best suited for cooked applications such as boiling and steaming. The beans are traditionally cooked in their pods and are consumed as a snack item at home or at restaurants as an appetizer. Once cooked, the pods can be tossed in salt for added flavor or they can be mixed with flavorings such as vinegar and salt, sambal olek and lime, smoked salt and sugar, coconut oil and sumac, or garlic and parmesan. Beyond consuming as a snack, the beans can be removed from the pods and incorporated into salads, soups, noodles, and stir-fries. They can also be blended into hummus and other dips, mixed into desserts and sweets, or combined with black beans to make plant-based burgers. In Tohoku, Japan, Edamame beans are made into a paste and are served in zunda-mochi, which are rice cakes coated in the sweetened paste. Edamame should be used immediately when fresh for best flavor and will keep up to ten days when cooked and stored in the refrigerator. When blanched and frozen, the pods will keep for 6-8 months when stored in the freezer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Japan, boiled Edamame is popularly served as a snack item with beer at bars known as Izakaya. This snack and beverage pairing became widespread in Japan in the 1960s when refrigerators made it possible to freeze and store Edamame and beer at home. As home consumption increased, it became standard for bars to also serve the popular pairing. Like Japan, beer is commonly served with peanuts in the United States as a snack at bars. In the 1980s, a sushi “boom” occurred in the United States due to a popular TV miniseries known as Shogun that depicted Edamame being eaten with beer and sake. Due to this increased interest in Japanese food, American Japanese restaurants also began serving Edamame with drinks for free to encourage the consumption of the young soybean.
Geography/History
Soybeans are native to China, where they have been cultivated since ancient times. The plants were then introduced to Japan, where they became known as Edamame and were also introduced to the United States in 1902. The beans did not become popular in the United States until the 1970s-1980s, but they soon became a favored health food and meat alternative. Today Edamame can be found fresh, still attached to the branches, at local markets in Asia, especially in Japan, and can also be found in frozen form in Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Edamame. One
is
easiest, three is harder.| Costa Rica Dot Com |
|
Spicy Edamame and Yu Choy |
Recently Shared
People have shared Edamame using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Sharing allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
|
Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market
Roots Organic Farm
Near Santa Barbara, California, United StatesAbout 64 days ago, 9/25/21 Sharer's comments : Fresh Edamame from Roots Organic Farms 
LotteMart
Near Pulo, Jakarta, IndonesiaAbout 345 days ago, 12/17/20 Sharer's comments : edamame 
Super Indo Cinere
Near Ciputat, Banten, IndonesiaAbout 635 days ago, 3/02/20 Sharer's comments : edamame di superindo cinere depok |
