Show 520, April 8, 2023: Melissa’s World Variety Produce’s “Prince of Produce,” with the freshest of the Spring Season Part Two

Robert Schueller of Melissa's World Variety Produce in the AM830 KLAA Studio

It’s Spring and time to revisit our resident produce authority, Robert Schueller, of Melissa’s World Variety Produce. When it comes to knowing the season’s best there is no better resource than Robert (also known as “The Prince of Produce.”) Robert will brief us on the newest produce items that are sure to be trendy this year. He’ll also discuss trends in fruits and veggies for 2023.

Yellow Dragon Fruit (now more readily available) is topping the charts for 2023. “Yellow Dragon Fruit, the sweetest of all three of the dragon fruit varieties (and Robert’s favorite,) has a bright yellow skin with smooth curved spines on the outside and a translucent white flesh on the inside with slightly larger but fewer edible seeds than the pink-skinned varieties. When biting into the flesh of Yellow Dragon Fruit, you will get a rush of sweetness mixed with a floral juice. The fruit can be added to smoothies and smoothie bowls, made into sorbet or granita, or used for sauces, but there is no need to do anything other than just eat the fruit as-is.”

Robert continues with us with a signature Pink Pineapple in hand.

Show 321, April 27, 2019: Stephane Treand, MOF, The Pastry School, Tustin, CA

Stephane Treand of the Pastry School and Andy HarrisChef Stéphane Tréand debuted, The Pastry School in 2012, in San Clemente. This year he moved his school to Tustin (“a piece of Paris in Tustin”) along with his new pâtisserie (pastry) shop, ST Pâtisserie Chocolat. He wanted people to come and buy pastries, chocolates, viennoiserie (baked goods such as croissants), and gelato / sorbet at his shop. But he also wanted to show others, “you can learn and create beautiful items such as these, right-next-door with me (Chef Stéphane Tréand) as your teacher!”

At The Big Island Chocolate Festival Chef Stephane is performing the culinary demonstration, “Creating an Artistic Chocolate Sculpture.”

Show 80, July 19, 2014: Executive Chef Eric Wadlund, Spencer’s Restaurant at The Mountain, Palm Springs

Eric WadlundSpencer’s Restaurant at The Mountain is consistently one of the most popular and favorably reviewed restaurants in the greater Palm Springs area. Since 2008 the secret has been the culinary talents of Executive Chef Eric Wadlund in the kitchen. Their relaxing Sunday Brunch is top of the mind with the locals. Their specialty is “Benedicts.”

“Featuring Four Star American Cuisine with a French – Pacific Rim Influence in a casually elegant atmosphere.” Chef Eric sources a lot of the produce he uses from two local Farmers Markets.

The restaurant’s outdoor patios and the striking indoor dining area create an extremely inviting visual experience.

Chef Eric was just four when he whipped up his first culinary delight: doughnuts. His father owned a bakery (Butterball Bakery) and taught him the tricks of the trade, and, most of all, to love food and cooking.

His banana cream pie is a locals’ favorite and all the ice creams and sorbets are house-made.

By the way, he’s cooked for the President, too, at Sunnylands (the former Walter Annenberg Estate.)