The first step to becoming a good cook is learning how to buy good ingredients. And then learning how to take care of them once you’ve brought them home. These videos will fill you in on all the little tips that will help you do that – and they will also connect you with hundreds of kitchen-tested recipes from the Los Angeles Times’ California Cookbook.
Food Editor Russ Parsons on the ancient pear. Recipes: In praise of ancient fruit -- our historic pears with 12 recipes
Russ Parsons, Food Editor on picking apples. Recipes: Are you ready for crunch time? Fall's best apples with 12 recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons on the beauty of the colorful bell peppers. Recipes: How to pick a peck of peppers, with a dozen recipes (none pickled)
Food Editor Russ Parsons on picking grapes Recipes: Great grapes are more than a simple snack, with 12 recipes
How to pick melons with Food Editor Russ Parsons. Recipes: Finding the best of summer's melons, and 12 recipes for using them
Russ Parsons, Food Editor talks about the beauty of the eggplant. Recipes: The silken beauty of summer eggplant, with 12 recipes
Food editor Russ Parsons talks tomatoes. Recipes: How to choose the ripest, sweetest summer tomatoes, with 12 recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons tell you the difference of round beans versus flat beans. Recipes: Green beans, the ultimate role player, 12 ways
Food Editor Russ Parsons on what to look for when picking figs. Recipes: Fresh figs - one of summer's most fleeting pleasures, with 12 recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons discusses picking the perfect plums for summer. Recipes: Sweet, tart plums are the perfect fruit for summer, with 8 recipes
Food editor Russ Parsons shares on the beauty of the zucchini. Recipes: Choose the best zucchini for the job, and 12 recipes for using them
Russ Parsons explains the difference between nectarines and peaches. Recipes: A fruit geek's guide to great peaches and nectarines, with 12 recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons talks about corn at the farmers market. Recipes: Forget what you've heard, choosing corn is easy, and here are 12 ways to cook it
Food Editor Russ Parsons teaches you how to pick apricots or apriums. Recipes: For real apricot flavor, look beyond the apricot, with a half-dozen recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons talks about cherry and grape tomatoes at the farmers market. Recipes: Tiny tomatoes, terrific taste: Great recipes for grape and cherry tomatoes
Food Editor Russ Parsons on what to look for when buying cherries. Recipes: Let's hear it for old-time cherries, with a dozen recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons shares the beauty of carrots at the farmers market. Recipes: Consider the carrot, with 11 recipes you'll find appealing
Food Editor Russ Parsons discusses green garlic at the farmets market. Recipes: Spring's kinder, gentler garlic, with 7 recipes to get you started
Food Editor Russ Parsons at the farmers market talks about the beauty of radishes. Recipes: Peppery, crisp radishes are one of spring's stars, with 8 recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons shares the delights of rhubarb at the farmers market. Recipes: Falling in love, again, with rhubarb, and five recipes to show you how
Food Editor Russ Parsons shares the deliciousness of new potatoes. Recipes: What's new? Freshly dug potatoes, and 8 recipes for using them
Food Editor Russ Parsons on picking the perfect strawberry at the farmers market. Recipes: Here's how to find strawberries with the taste you remember, and 13 recipes for using them
Food Editor, Russ Parsons on how to pick and what to do with fava beans. Recipes: Our love-hate affair with favas, and 6 recipes you'll adore
Food Editor Russ Parsons gives cauliflower its moment at the farmers market. Recipes: Exploring the different sides of cauliflower, with 13 recipes
Sugar snap peas and the English peas look similar, but don't mistake them. Recipes: Spring's many forms of peas -- with 14 recipes
The grapefruit, it's not just for breakfast anymore. Recipes: 11 great recipes to make the most of grapefruit
The artichoke has a heart of gold but you have to dig through some sticky armor to get to it. Recipes: There's an artichoke glut, and here's 12 recipes to help you take advantage
Russ Parsons talks selecting beets at the Farmer's Market. Recipes: Behold the beet -- a dozen recipes (and two latkes)
Food Editor Russ Parsons discusses picking navel oranges from the farmers market. Recipes: It's time for navel oranges: 10 recipes highlighting their exceptionally rich flavor
Food Editor Russ Parsons talks about Swiss chard at the farmers market. Recipes: Chard was cool way before kale. Here are 10 recipes that show you why
Talking blood oranges at the farmer's market with Food Editor Russ Parsons. Recipes: Oranges of a different color: 7 recipes for making the most of bloods and Cara Caras
Food Editor Russ Parsons shares insights on Meyer lemons at the farmers market. Recipes: Making the most of Meyer's magic, with 10 recipes
Talking broccoli at the farmer's market with Food Editor Russ Parsons. Recipes: Yes, it's broccoli and yes, you will eat it — especially with these 9 recipes
Food Editor Russ Parsons gives the low down on what to do with winter squash. Recipes: Winter squash to the rescue, with 8 great recipes
How to pick mandarins with Food Editor Russ Parsons.Recipes: Mad for mandarins: Six great recipes for winter's sweetest fruit
Talking Brussels sprouts at the Farmers Market with Food Editor Russ Parsons. Recipes: Six recipes for making the most of winter's hardy greens
Talking persimmons at the farmers market with Food Editor Russ Parsons. Recipes: Persimmons at the farmers market, plus 5 cool-weather recipes