7 Fruits to avoid now (March 2, 2010)

We asked chefs across the country to pick one fruit or veggie they just won't eat right now and why. Here are their answers:

• Tomatoes. "Tomatoes should be picked off the vine where they have grown at the natural pace in the summer -- outside in the sun. Those are the only ones worth eating. I'm convinced that people who think they don't like tomatoes have eaten them at the wrong time of year." Kevin Gillespie, executive chef, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta.

• Asparagus. "The peak of its season is in spring, but people are able to grow it during the winter further south in places like Mexico because of the weather. By the time this asparagus gets to us in Seattle during the winter, it's probably three weeks old and hardly at its best," Mark Fuller, chef/owner, Spring Hill, Seattle.

• Corn. "I grew up picking corn in the summer and know the flavor of perfectly ripe corn. You just can't beat it," David Myers, chef/owner, Sona, Los Angeles.

• Nightshades. "We stay away from about all fresh nightshades, meaning tomatoes, eggplant, peppers. They're not local, they're shipped across the globe, you can drop 'em out a third floor window and they remain intact, plus they taste lousy," Eric Tucker, executive chef, Millennium Restaurant, San Francisco

• Peaches. "Some people think of peaches the way that Gertrude Stein talked about a rose -- but a peach is not a peach is not a peach, especially if you consider when and where you're eating it. In August, there's no more beautiful or more delicious expression of the season. But in March, it's a disaster." Dan Barber, executive chef and co-owner, Blue Hill, New York City.

• Melons. "Down here in the south, there's no way you're going to find a good quality melon right now. The taste, smell, and texture are all bad in the wintertime. There's also the mental association to summer. You think of 90-degree days when you think of melons," James Boyce, chef/owner, Cotton Row, Huntsville, Alabama.

• Berries. "They're really expensive. They taste like cardboard. Most of them are coming from South America, and I'm afraid of some of the chemicals used in the growing process," Rob Endelman, founder, Cook With Class, New York City.

What are chefs most excited to start cooking with in the spring? English peas, asparagus, artichokes, morels, and fava beans.
Depending upon where you live, you'll see these vegetables pop up at farmers' markets anytime from late March through April. And late spring is also when we'll start to see ripe strawberries and rhubarb. Anyone who's eaten local strawberries knows they are definitely worth the wait! 
Here's a guide to peak times for popular produce. Or find out what's in season where you live right now. Search for local farmers markets or visit LocalHarvest.