Parsnips. Good only in winter and best when left in the ground until spring. Small, firm, smooth and shapely parsnips are the ones worth taking home. Overgrown ones are likely to be woody or pithy and hence useless. Peas. The younger the better. Like beans, they must have snap and juice in their pods and the peas tender but well developed. Bright "pea" green is the right color and, as with most vegetables, any sign of yellow indicates approaching old age and hardened arteries. To get the full flavor, peas should be steamed in French farmer style with little or no water and covered with lettuce leaves to hold the steam down. 150 MOST-FOR-YOUR-MONEY COOK BOOK Peas, Dried. The finest we know are Southern "lady peas," but try to get them in Northern markets! Peppers. The two commonest kinds are the large, bell-shaped sweet Spanish pepper or pimiento and the hotter, smaller cayenne and chili peppers. (The dictionary spells this "chile" but along the Mexican Border it's "chili" and we think this comes closer to the original.) All are picked mature but while still green in color, for shipping; they become red as they ripen. They must have smooth, bright skins and be plump and elastic to the touch. Discolored spots indicate approaching decay. Sometimes the whole plant of small peppers is pulled and that makes a fine interior decoration for the kitchen. We bought one off a pushcart for 15^ and it served both for seasoning and beauty for half a year. Poke Salad. This common weed when picked young is as tasty as asparagus, which it resembles in appearance. Potatoes. The only way to make sure that any lot of potatoes is good all the way through is to cut one in half, and any dealer should be willing to do this to prove there's no hollow or black ring under the skin, which last indicates freezing. The best buy is smooth and well-shaped with shallow eyes because deep eyes are wasteful; and the color should be even without any green showing, for such "sunburned" potatoes are bitter. Care should be taken in paring thin, for sometimes a quarter of the food is thrown away with the skin. In fact, sailors and other amateur potato-peelers sometimes waste even more than goes into the kettle, so the most economical way to cook potatoes is always with their jackets on, unless you're going to slice them for drying or scalloping. Sweet Potatoes. Should be bright, firm, smooth, shapely and dry. They rot easier than murphies, and should never get damp or wet. Radishes. Always press one of the biggest radishes in a bunch to make sure it isn't pithy. There's no need to stick to the white icicles or the little red kind, there's the long black Spanish and the big white German kind, especially for winter. Rhubarb. Stalks should be tender and snappy with juice and well colored, either light pink or dark red, for rich color usually indi- cates fine flavor. The younger the better, and never old and wilted. RABBIT FOOD I5I RoMAiNE. See lettuce. Rutabagas. See turnips. Salsify, or Oyster Plant. This is the same tan color as par- snip, but smaller around, and of a different flavor. Like parsnip, the smoother and more shapely, the less waste, and its flavor is also improved if it's left in the ground until freezing weather. Spinach. Must be bright and snappy. Beware of soft, wilted or yellowed leaves.

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Parsnips. Good only in winter and best when left in the ground until spring. Small, firm, smooth and shapely parsnips are the ones worth taking home. Overgrown ones are likely to be woody or pithy and hence useless. Peas. The younger the better. Like beans, they must have snap and juice in their pods and the peas tender but well developed. Bright "pea" green is the right color and, as with most vegetables, any sign of yellow indicates approaching old age and hardened arteries. To get the full flavor, peas should be steamed in French farmer style with little or no water and covered with lettuce leaves to hold the steam down. Peas, Dried. The finest we know are Southern "lady peas," but try to get them in Northern markets! Peppers. The two commonest kinds are the large, bell-shaped sweet Spanish pepper or pimiento and the hotter, smaller cayenne and chili peppers. (The dictionary spells this "chile" but along the Mexican Border it's "chili" and we think this comes closer to the original.) All are picked mature but while still green in color, for shipping; they become red as they ripen. They must have smooth, bright skins and be plump and elastic to the touch. Discolored spots indicate approaching decay. Sometimes the whole plant of small peppers is pulled and that makes a fine interior decoration for the kitchen. We bought one off a pushcart for 15^ and it served both for seasoning and beauty for half a year. Poke Salad. This common weed when picked young is as tasty as asparagus, which it resembles in appearance. Potatoes. The only way to make sure that any lot of potatoes is good all the way through is to cut one in half, and any dealer should be willing to do this to prove there's no hollow or black ring under the skin, which last indicates freezing. The best buy is smooth and well-shaped with shallow eyes because deep eyes are wasteful; and the color should be even without any green showing, for such "sunburned" potatoes are bitter. Care should be taken in paring thin, for sometimes a quarter of the food is thrown away with the skin. In fact, sailors and other amateur potato-peelers sometimes waste even more than goes into the kettle, so the most economical way to cook potatoes is always with their jackets on, unless you're going to slice them for drying or scalloping. Sweet Potatoes. Should be bright, firm, smooth, shapely and dry. They rot easier than murphies, and should never get damp or wet. Radishes. Always press one of the biggest radishes in a bunch to make sure it isn't pithy. There's no need to stick to the white icicles or the little red kind, there's the long black Spanish and the big white German kind, especially for winter. Rhubarb. Stalks should be tender and snappy with juice and well colored, either light pink or dark red, for rich color usually indicates fine flavor. The younger the better, and never old and wilted. Romaine. See lettuce. Rutabagas. See turnips. Salsify, or Oyster Plant. This is the same tan color as parsnip, but smaller around, and of a different flavor. Like parsnip, the smoother and more shapely, the less waste, and its flavor is also improved if it's left in the ground until freezing weather. Spinach. Must be bright and snappy. Beware of soft, wilted or yellowed leaves.

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