From Chard to Dragon Fruit – Organic Fruits and Vegetables Delivered

Apr 2, 2024 by Chef David

By Chef David

Finding high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables has become a challenge. Supermarkets have limited selection, local farms are becoming housing developments, and farmers’ markets are replacing roadside stands. Finding the perfect ingredients for a recipe is not easy. Instead of settling for a substitution or spending the day going from store to store we experimented with produce deliveries and discovered Melissa’s, a California-based provider of fresh fruits and vegetables delivered nationwide. They have a wide selection that includes exotic fruits and organic vegetables. We were pleased with their selection and customer service.

Melissa’s Delivers

Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, Inc. was founded in 1984 by Sharon and Joe Hernandez in a small, rented produce warehouse lunchroom with three telephones and four chairs. Now they provide conventional and organic fresh fruits and vegetables to a global market. Located in California, they provide free delivery in Southern California (between Santa Barbara and San Diego counties).

Orders are processed in one to two business days and are guaranteed to arrive fresh. At checkout, you may request a preferred delivery day, as well as an alternate delivery day by specifying when you would like the box delivered in the Message/Comments section. The delivery charges vary by state and may be high.

Of note: FedEx will not deliver to a residential address on Sunday or Monday, and Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and Hawaii prohibit shipping citrus into their state.

Outstanding Customer Support

Deliveries can be delayed for a myriad of reasons but if a perishable order is delayed or arrives damaged Melissa’s will reship, at no additional cost and with no questions asked.

We are on the East Coast and were concerned when our initial order was delayed in transit due to inclement weather. The ice packs had melted and some of the items arrived overripe. True to their service promise, Melissa’s immediately offered a new delivery which came without an issue. The experience exceeded our expectations.

Overall, we were impressed by their quality, and extensive selection of both organic, traditional, and exotic fruits and vegetables.  The produce was fresh and plentiful.

What We Sampled

Melissa’s website has so many items flipping through the catalog was an adventure. They ship high quality, produce in functional boxes for families, or packaged beautifully for gifting.

We selected the family-sized boxes of exotic fruits and organic vegetables, and some individual items, and tried a gift basket. The boxes were simply cardboard while the basket was beautifully presented. Across the board, everything was high quality, and flavorful. If we had shopped ourselves, we would have selected these items. Who could ask for anything more?

Overall, our experience with Melissa’s was positive. All the items arrived fresh and ripened quickly. Keep in mind, that fresh fruits and vegetables have a short shelf life, so order only what you need.

Just one word of caution, the contents of each box vary based on availability, they may vary from order to order. That said, if you want a specific item, order it.

Organic Family Vegetable Box

The boxes we ordered were packed to the brim with produce. We selected the Organic Family Box – which is a cardboard box that was stuffed to the brim with about 17 pounds of produce. It is family-friendly with enough produce to prepare several meals.

Our box contained kale, leaf lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, broccoli, chard, carrots, beets, celery, yams, onion, garlic, ginger, apples, lemons, pears, oranges, and avocados.  Our initial impression was ‘wow’ these were some of the freshest vegetables. They all looked wonderful and tasted amazing. As with any organic vegetables, they are farm-fresh and need to be carefully cleaned. It was worth the effort.

Everything we tried was Passover-friendly, clean, visually appealing, and crisp.

Exotic and Tropical Fruit Sampler Box

The Exotic and Tropical Fruit Sampler Box is filled with an assortment of fruits including baby pineapple, blood orange, cherimoya, feijoas, kumquats, mango, papaya, passion fruit, pomegranate, baby bananas, yellow dragon fruit. The box contains between 7 to 8 pounds of fruit.  It is perfect for your Shabbos table, with beautiful colors and, an array of exotic and traditional fruits.

When we opened the box, we immediately thought, this would be perfect for Rosh Hashanah, new fruits, and pomegranates. In fact, they have a listing for Rosh Hashanah essentials. There is no need to run from store to store in search of fresh and different new fruit!

We also sampled the Okinawa sweet potatoes, which have bright purple insides. They will be perfect for making delicious and different Pesach side dishes. We roasted them on a sheet pan for a simple dish.

For a special gift, we recommend The Deluxe Exotic And Tropical Fruit Basket. It is the Exotic and Tropical Fruit Sampler Box wrapped and presented on an attractive wicker basket. It makes the perfect, healthy gift, ideal for Pesach or any occasion. Our basket included some wild and wonderful new fruits along with a variety of oranges.

Melissa’s Fruits and Vegetables Delivered

Melissa’s makes discovering new fruits and vegetables simple, removing any concern about knowing how to select ‘the right’ item. Everything we sampled ripened perfectly. Maybe we were lucky, but we suspect it was because Melissa’s staff understands their products.

Providing fruit and vegetable bundles allows consumers an opportunity to step beyond their comfort zone, and experiment with new and harder-to-find items. It takes the guesswork out of shopping for produce and lets you focus on the cooking. Melissa’s makes delicious, healthier gifting ideas as well.

Pinkglow® Pineapple

Their best seller is Pinkglow® Pineapples, which look like a regular pineapple until you cut them open and discover that they are pink on the inside. They are grown to be less sour and juicier than traditional pineapples. Pinkglow® even comes with a certificate of authenticity. Different, yes, but still with the familiar pineapple flavor.

Pinkglow® Pineapples come expertly impressively packaged and make an attractive gift for the foodie who has tried everything.

Discover: Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit that’s low in calories and high in fiber and antioxidants. It appears like a colorful flower, tastes like a cross between a pear and a kiwi, and can be eaten like a melon.  Dragon fruit is named for its appearance a scale-like exterior covering a yellow or red bulb. The pulp inside is white pulp with tiny black seeds, almost flecks. We preferred the sweeter yellow variety.

It grows on the Hylocereus cactus, also known as the Honolulu queen. 3.5 ounces of fruit has 57 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and vitamin C and iron.

Once the fruit is soft, slice it in half and scoop the pulp out with a spoon.

Ever Had a Cherimoya (Custard Apple)?

Cherimoya has a sweet taste different from other tropical fruits, it has a floral scent and tastes like a combination of banana, peach, and pineapple. It is rich in fiber, vitamin C, and riboflavin (vitamin B2) and excellent source of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and potassium.

Cherimoyas are green heart-shaped fruits covered with bumps that are scaly in texture. The inside contains a white flesh with a soft custard-like texture.

It can be difficult to eat since it is filled with large black seeds that look like beans. (Neither the seeds nor skin are edible), but it was delicious.

Try Chard

Chard is technically a member of the beet family. It has dark green, crinkly leaves and celery-like stalks that come in a variety of colors The leaves and stalk can be cooked like kale or spinach.

It has a mild, bitter taste, that goes well with garlic.

To prepare, remove the leaves from the stalk. If you have questions or concerns on how to properly clean the leaves consult your local rabbi for instructions.

Cook the leaves and stalks separately, because the stalks are thicker they take longer to soften.

Chard is a good source of vitamins K, A, and C.

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Easy Sautéed Chard Side– adapted from Simply Recipes

Prep Time: 8 minutes   Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• • 1 large bunch fresh Swiss chard (7 or 8 large leaves)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (optional)

Note: You can use this recipe with beet leaves or any hearty green.

Instructions

1. 1. Rinse the chard leaves thoroughly. Either tear or cut away the thick stalks from the leaves. Cut the stalk pieces into 1-inch pieces. Chop the leaves into inch-wide strips. Keep the stalks and leaves separate.
   2. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add garlic slices, crushed red pepper, and coriander seeds, and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant.
   3. Add the chopped chard stalks. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
   4. Add the chopped chard leaves, and toss. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes.

Serve and enjoy