For the Love of Produce and Food

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I was recently invited by Monsanto to be part of a food blogger tour to California to learn all about food and the farm to table concept. You all know my passion for food and produce. As well as how hungry I am to learn from where the food that I serve my family comes from. So for the love of produce and food I decided this invitation was a perfect fit for my content, interests, food philosophy and topics I write about.

One of the biggest aha moments during the experience was to learn that flavor scientists exist. And that now produce that tastes good is a trend. I remember when I came to this country and had to shop for food and produce I was shocked that there was little produce variety. And while the fruits and veggies looked pretty, they did not taste like home.

I am happy that now the taste in the veggies and fruits we eat is one of those attributes being looked at a scientific level, no only the looks and the size. Breeding plants helps to improve taste of the vegetables and the fruits we eat.

At the testing farm I had the chance to see and taste hot and sweet peppers and tomatoes. It was really interesting to see that tomatoes come in different sizes, colors, and taste profiles. And to know that mostly all of the tomatoes grown in the USA are either coming from a greenhouse or a farm in California.

A lot of the peppers tested in these grounds are products that end up in the supermarket shelf. Like Mezzetta who works with the breeders to create better peppers that fit the profile this brand needs in terms of size, color, taste and processing needs.

I am a big fan of melons, cantaloupes, honey dews and watermelons, so getting to see how the plant grows and how is harvested was very interesting. I grow my own garden at home so all the tips provided were certainly helpful.

Having the opportunity to taste the melon and the watermelons right off the vine was an out of this world opportunity. It is incredible how tasty they were and how a simple bite brought me back home. Many of these breeders tests fruits and vegetables for international markets, such as Mexico. And I can tell you, that cantaloupe indeed tasted like home.

Sometimes we don’t realize but biotech has a big role on the food chain, since science is pivotal for farming. Monsanto has been committed to sustainability for several years helping farmers achieve their goals. Planting crops that use less water and are more resistant to pests. As well as to provide seeds that grow good food that is not only good looking but tasty.

I invite you to get to know what you feed your family by visiting your local farms and asking your farmers how they grow their crops. At the end is your decision on what you bring to your table. I am just sharing my personal opinions and what I have learned in this last trip with my biotech expert friends who all work for the love of produce and good food.

This article “For the Love of Produce and Food” is brought to you by Monsanto.

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Chef Adriana Martin

Adriana Martin is a home chef and founder of adrianasbestrecipes.com. She is a Latina food writer specializing in recipe development influenced by Mexico's culinary culture and European cuisine. Her grandmother taught her how to cook, and now her mission is to inspire others to make homemade meals. Adriana teaches online cooking classes, is a trained food stylist and photographer, and has published thousands of recipes online. She is the author of "The Best of Mexican Cooking – 75 Authentic Home-Style Recipes for Beginners", "The Super Easy Taco Cookbook," and "Taco Obsession." LATISM has recognized Adriana as one of the Top 100 most influential Latina bloggers, and Telemundo awarded Adriana the TECLA Awards under the category of best food creator.

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