SOPHIA MARKOULAKIS
In Season: Figs Figs are sexy. Actually figs are sex. Well, that is, according to Bunny Crumpacker's The Sex Life of Food: When Body and Soul Meet to Eat, who cites... |
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FOODIE PAM
Everyday Japanese with Harumi Japanese food has always seemed a bit out of reach to me; out of reach in my kitchen that is. I enjoy eating it out, but making my own... |
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HEATHER JONES Most Kids have been back in school for a good month or two (depending what part of the country you live in), and I’m sure they are already moaning... |
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HEATHER JONES
The Frugal Foodie: Cooking From the Freezer September is one of my favorite months, for me it marks the beginning of a new year more so than the month of January. I would imagine it has... |
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HEATHER JONES
Chefs' Holidays: David Kinch California has become known as home to some of the best chefs and food visionaries in the world, including Thomas Keller, Alice Waters, and now Chef David Kinch. Chef... |
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About Sophia Markoulakis Sophia Markoulakis is a Sacramento girl who grew up diving after just-picked fruit on hot summer days. She met her husband at UC Berkeley, where she graduated in English Lit and Classical Civilizations, and moved across the Bay to raise a family. Along the way she graduated from the California Culinary Academy, developed two neighborhood grocery stores with her husband, and has freelanced for many years at Sunset Publishing and the San Francisco Chronicle. She also is the creator of the lemons4all blog.
Sophia's Articles
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Written by Sophia Markoulakis
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Sunday, 11 October 2009 |
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Figs are sexy. Actually figs are sex. Well, that is, according to Bunny Crumpacker's The Sex Life of Food: When Body and Soul Meet to Eat, who cites several fig euphemisms from different cultures. From the infamous fig leaf to Hindu and Arabic slang for the word, the fig is enveloped in sexual connotations. Cut a fig open and you'll see what I mean. Better yet, peel away the skin, from its stem end down to its base, take a big bite of its candy-sweet flesh and you get an instant rush of syrupy goodness.
But this sexual reference doesn't end with the fruit. It actually starts with the tree, which is capable of being bisexual, producing both male and female flowers. Unlike traditional fruit tree blossoms, the fig blossom develops from the outside in, enticing the tiny fig wasp to enter an opening at the base of each developing flower where either the male or female wasp wait for a mate to "pollinate" it and the flower. That's right, the inside of a developing fig is a love den for the fig wasp. These tiny, ant-size wasps are so important to the survival of the fig tree that one cannot co-exist with the other. In fact, each of the 900 or more species of fig wasp is perfectly paired with a unique species of fig tree.
But all of this business is long over by the time a fig has reached full maturity and is ready for harvest. If you happen to own a fig tree, then you know it's a mad competition between you and the birds. Even shopping for figs can be more a matter of strategy and luck since fig season is now and ending soon. In California, the Black Mission fig rules, but the yellowish green Kadota is also a favorite for its more delicate, floral flavor. Don't be surprised if you spy an unknown variety of fig in your area since there are hundreds of species, although most are not viable for commercial trade.
Since figs are highly perishable, they should be enjoyed immediately. All varieties should be treated the same from the time the come home to the recipes that you select. For storage and safe keeping:
- *Examine figs as soon as you bring them home. Separate over-ripe specimens and use immediately or discard.
- *Remove from basket and place, single layer, in a storage container, seal, and refrigerate for up to one week.
One of the first things you can do after inspecting your fig stash is to make a quick batch of fig jam with the ripe, bruised, or soft ones that need to be used immediately. September's issue of Food and Wine Magazine has a very simple refrigerator jam recipe that takes about 30 minutes and can simmer away while you prepare your other figs for storage. | | |  | Fig Jam | | My Rating: | View: | | More Actions: | | edit notes cancel edit notes | show tags hide tags | share hide share | | My Notes: - Private info just for you! | | |
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Fresh figs can be frozen, but their texture will change and become softer regardless of whether they are frozen whole or in half. To freeze, wash and dry completely. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid. Remove from sheet and store in a freezer bag and use within 6 months. Don't stress about freezing them if you don't have enough; dried figs make a great substitution for fresh figs in most slow-cooked recipes.
Even though fresh figs taste decadently sweet, they actually fall mid-range on the glycemic index and are full of fiber and moderate amounts of vitamin K and potassium. Try incorporating fresh figs into salad recipes, swapping out other fruit such as strawberries or plums for an autumn-like side dish. Figs also pair great with full-fat foods such as a double or triple cream cheese or veined cheese like Gorgonzola. Topping vanilla ice cream with sliced fresh figs and a shot of port or other fortified wine or liqueur is a simple and delicious ending to a fall meal.
Incorporating figs into recipes
This month's round of recipes really allows the fig to shine. Any heat applied to this luscious fruit just makes it all the more sweet and delicious.
Appetizers and SaladsFigs, Almonds, Greens and Cabrales Cheese from Joyce Goldstein's Mediterranean Fresh is a simple and beautiful salad that would be delicious and palate-cleansing, served after a rich, stewed dish. | | |  | Figs, Almonds, Greens and Cabrales Cheese | | |
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Provence-Style Pearl Couscous with Figs from Vegetarian Times pairs this popular Israeli couscous with figs. Serve as part of a light lunch. | | |  | Provence-Style Pearl Couscous With Figs | | |
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Warm Salad of Grilled Figs, Grapes, and Bitter Greens from Cooking Light shows great contrast between sweet figs and bitter endive and radicchio. This salad would be another great ending to a fall meal. | | |  | Warm Salad of Grilled Figs, Grapes, and Bitter Greens | | |
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Figs and Prosciutto with Mint and Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano from Cooking Light is a classic sweet and salty first course that stimulates the taste buds for the remaining meal. | | |  | Figs and Prosciutto with Mint and Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano | | |
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Main DishesBraised Chicken Thighs with Figs and Bay Leaves from Cooking Light has herbaceous notes from the bay leaves, which tempers the sweetness of the figs. | | |  | Braised Chicken Thighs with Figs and Bay Leaves | | |
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Egg Fettuccine with Figs, Rosemary, and Pancetta from Gourmet takes pasta and figs, two ingredients that you wouldn't think would go together, and creates a delicious and quick weeknight dish. | | |  | Egg Fettuccine With Figs, Rosemary, And Pancetta | | |
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Lamb Chops with Fresh Herbs and Roasted Figs from Bon Appetit takes two full-flavored foods and blends them beautifully in a special dish. | | |  | Lamb Chops With Fresh Herbs And Roasted Figs | | |
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Pork Cutlets with Figs and Balsamic Vinegar from Bon Appetit would be a great dish for guests who aren't familiar with fruit being incorporated into a main dish. | | |  | Pork Cutlets With Figs And Balsamic Vinegar | | |
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DessertsPanna Cotta with Figs from Martha Stewart is a great make-ahead dessert that will impress guests with simple components that come together beautifully. | | |  | Panna Cotta With Figs | | |
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Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Peppered Honey from Bon Appetit demonstrates how an amazing recipe can be made with only four ingredients. | | |  | Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Peppered Honey | | |
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Soy Milk-Arborio Rice Pudding with Poached Figs from Food and Wine could actually be enjoyed as dessert or breakfast. | | |  | Soy Milk–arborio Rice Pudding With Poached Figs | | |
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Hazelnut-Brown Butter Cakes with Figs from Sunset make great use of the often under-utilized muffin pan. Serve with a favorite vanilla ice cream. | | |  | Hazelnut-Brown Butter Cakes with Figs | | |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 October 2009 )
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In Season: Eggplant recipes that span the globe |
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Written by Sophia Markoulakis
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Sunday, 13 September 2009 |
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We've all been guilty of discriminating against a certain food based on our perception of how it tastes or the folklore associated with it. Take the eggplant, for instance. It's been misunderstood for centuries, instigated by slight shifts in articulation or mispronunciation, resulting in spoken phrases that turned this lovely vegetable into a frightful edible. The Arab world feared that the eggplant would cause everything from insanity to cancer. When botanists properly identified the eggplant being part of the nightshade family, fear perpetuated until it was revealed that this commonly found poisonous plant species (tobacco) also produced edibles including the eggplant, potato, and tomato.
America didn't discover eggplant until the last hundred years or so. By then, the rest of the world was already enjoying it in dishes such as imam bayildi, eggplant parmesan, moussaka, ratatouille, and baba ganoush. Our interest in global foods has finally elevated the eggplant to a place in the kitchen alongside so many other vegetables that compliment its texture and flavor.
With such a colorful history, it's no wonder that many eggplant misnomers still exist. Some to clear up are:
- *There are no male or female eggplants.
- *The seeds of an eggplant do not make it bitter. Rather, large excessive seeds are the result of an overripe eggplant, which can make an old tired eggplant taste bitter.
- *Salting eggplant before cooking with it will not make it less bitter, but draws out moisture and thereby changing its texture, which can disguise an overripe eggplant's bitterness.
- *Size does not determine an eggplant's bitterness, but variety will. Some tiny Asian varieties are bred for their bitterness. Virtually all in-season eggplant varieties are not bitter.
To my eye, eggplants are some of the most beautiful vegetables. Their colors, ranging from the inkiest purple to the softest lavender and creamiest white could rival the most beautiful designer paint colors. And their shapes, from the tiniest gooseberry-size to the largest globe with every twisted slender length in between create the ultimate still life when gathered together. Why, then does the eggplant have such a bad reputation for being bitter, tough, and spongy? Probably because those who claim to dislike it have never eaten it in season when it is at its most sweet, flavorful, and firm.

Eggplant is bountiful in the late summer and September is the best time to find all varieties. Both the Italian varieties, usually globe-shaped with varying color, and the Asian varieties, usually slender and long or tiny, are accessible and fairly inexpensive to obtain. How you cook with the different varieties is more a matter of shape since they all have a similar taste and texture. Globe-sized eggplants are wonderful pierced and roasted or grilled whole with the flesh scooped out and whipped up in a dip or spread. Slender Asian varieties are best sliced lengthwise and grilled or baked and added to casseroles, sandwiches, or composed salads. Asian varieties also don't contain extra moisture so there's no worry of them making a dish soggy. If this is a concern and a recipe calls for the globe variety, go ahead and salt to remove excess moisture, but understand that selecting smaller sized specimens would eliminate this step. Some feel that salting reduces the sponge factor in eggplant when working with olive oil. A better approach would be to simply use a pastry brush and coat eggplant slices with oil instead of adding oil to a pan before cooking.
Select eggplants that feel firm but still give a bit when pressed, have a fresh stem end, and have uniform shiny skin. Avoid any that appear stored or have any soft or brown spots. Store in a cool part of the kitchen or in the refrigerator, preferably in the warmest part near the door since eggplant stays at its best at around 50°F. Use as quickly as possible.
If you have excess eggplant or can't seem to stop yourself at the farmers market, eggplant can be frozen a couple of ways:
- *Grill slices, cool, and pack in airtight Ziploc bags with a layer of wax paper in between. Use the grilled eggplant within a month or two.
- *You can also cube and blanch eggplant in water and a 1/4 cup of lemon juice for about 1 minute, drain and cool, and store in a suitable freezer container or bag. Use the blanched cubes within six months.
Incorporating Eggplant into Recipes
This month's selections of eggplant recipes range not only in variety and preparation, but also demonstrate how eggplant does span the globe. These are only a sampling of the hundreds of eggplant recipes accessible through Project Foodie recipe search - use the many filters to find the recipe that's right for you.
Dips, Sauces, and Soups
Roasted Eggplant Dip from Every Day Food is simple without excess ingredients and really lets eggplant shine. |
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| | |  | Roasted Eggplant Dip | | |
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Sesame Eggplant Salsa from Bon Appetit uses Asian flavors like fresh ginger and sesame oil, which bring out the smoky complexity of eggplant. |
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| | |  | Sesame-Eggplant Salsa | | |
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Eggplant and Fig Caponata from Cooking Light uses sweet figs in a savory relish, highlighting the sweetness of fresh eggplant. |
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| | |  | Eggplant and Fig Caponata | | |
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Indian Roasted Eggplant Soup from Vegetarian Times combines curry flavors in a vegetable-laden soup and is a perfect recipe for frozen blanched eggplant. |
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| | |  | Indian Roasted Eggplant Soup | | |
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Main Dishes
Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant Pizza with Tapenade and Fontina from Bon Appetit pairs two of summer's favorite vegetables in a flavorful pizza. |
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| | |  | Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant Pizza with Tapenade and Fontina | | |
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Artichoke and Eggplant Panini from Bon Appetit uses the small globe variety and is packed with Mediterranean flavors. This would make a great vegetarian main course.  |
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| | |  | Artichoke And Eggplant Panini | | |
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Baked Eggplant and Lamb from Sunset also uses the globe variety and calls for brushing the slices with oil and baking first, creating a caramelized flavor, which balances the full-flavored lamb. |
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| | |  | Baked Eggplant and Lamb | | |
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Baked Eggplant Rolls from Mario Batali combines an egg frittata with fried eggplant strips. The recipe can also be served as an appetizer by swapping the round globe eggplant slices for smaller slender strips of eggplant, creating bite-size pieces. |
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| | |  | Baked Eggplant Rolls: Involtini Di Melanzane | | |
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Sides and Salads
Eggplant Antipasto Salad from Vegetarian Times calls for globe eggplant, but smaller Asian varieties can easily be swapped. Just watch cooking time and remove a bit earlier. |
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| | |  | Eggplant Antipasto Salad | | |
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Eggplant Caprese with Grilled Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette from Bon Appetit also calls for globe eggplant, but any variety will work great on the grill. |
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| | |  | Eggplant Caprese With Grilled Tomato And Basil Vinaigrette | | |
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Eggplant Pasta from Good Eats calls for salting the eggplant first and is a necessary step for this recipe, which creates pasta-like strips of eggplant. |
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| | |  | Eggplant Pasta | | |
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Eggplant Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing from Bon Appetit is quick, light, and refreshing. Serve with grilled teriyaki chicken or grilled fish. |
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| | |  | Eggplant Salad With Miso Ginger Dressing | | |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 11 September 2009 )
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Written by Sophia Markoulakis
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Wednesday, 05 August 2009 |
When my husband and I owned our first grocery store, we always had a trained produce journeyman prep and maintain the produce section and always tried to hire people who were proud of their craft. Over the years we learned much from them, like the art of selecting the perfect melon. To this day my husband is the go-to person in the family for picking out the best melon and wears his badge proudly. He's entitled - he spent more time with the produce guys than I.
Melons, like cucumbers, belong to the Cucumis group. Within this large botanical group are several families, including netted melons. Netted Melons, or Muskmelons, have a net-like web pattern on their rind like a cantaloupe and are fragrant. (Though cantaloupes belong to another melon family, they are commonly grouped within the muskmelon family.) Besides cantaloupes, Charentais, and Persian melons fall into this category. Other than their obvious fragrance, muskmelons also "slip" from the vine at the stem end when ripe. Ideally, this is how they should be harvested and sold.
Non-fragrant melons, or Inodorus melons, are also referred to as Winter Melons and include casabas, crenshaws, and honeydews. These melons don't have the fragrance advantage to signal when ripe so it is up to the grower to determine ripeness. This also makes it more challenging for the shopper to select.
Some selection tricks that I've learned over the years include:
- - Avoid any melon with cracks or soft spots.
- - Select fragrant muskmelons that gently give when pressed at the stem end.
- - Choose melons that feel heavy for their size, but don't "slush" when shaken, which can often be a sign of over ripeness.
- - Muskmelons should give off a slight fruity, perfume-like scent. If the scent is too strong or off smelling, it is probably over ripe.
- - Since inodorus melons don't offer a scent, select ones with dull, not shiny skin. This dullness is a sign of sugar content. Also, look for a slight yellowing on green varieties such as honeydew.
- - Some winter melon varieties often have an unripened spot on them where they rested on the ground. Choose a melon with a spot that is yellow or at least appears to be in the ripening stage. If the spot is white, the melon was most likely harvested too soon and won't be as sweet.
When out and about, look beyond the common cantaloupe or honeydew. At farmers' markets, you'll often discover unknown varieties, typically only found in seed catalogs. Inquire about them and their origins. Many are hybrids of a muskmelon and winter melon, taking the best aspects from each. Some specialty melons that you'll likely run across in stores include:
- - Sharlyn melons have a spicy-sweet note that enhances its fragrance and is very perishable. When ripe, its greenish netting has orange undertones.
- - Galia melons are a cross between a honeydew and cantaloupe. Very sweet and juicy and a lovely light green when ripe. The stem end should give to pressure like a cantaloupe.
- - Ananas is an heirloom from France and can be found at farmers' markets and grower stands. This muskmelon has a reputation as being one of the best tasting melons available today and is said to taste like its namesake, pineapple in French.
- - Israel or Ogen is a green-fleshed muskmelon and was developed on a kibbutz. It resembles a cantaloupe with flesh more akin to a honeydew. Very sweet and fragrant.
Though not as romantic as unusual heirloom melons found at fruit stands along picturesque farm trails, hybrid melons specifically bred for the mass commercial market such as the "Tuscan-Style" by Dulcinea Farms are a no-fail option. I've never purchased one that wasn't perfect in texture, fragrance, and flavor. During melon season, these are often on sale at chain supermarkets.
Once harvested, melons won't get sweeter, but they will continue to ripen and develop, becoming more juicy and soft. The best way to store a melon once you bring it home is to keep it at room temperature for a day or two. If it is still quite firm, continue to keep it out for up to a week. Winter melons do have the reputation of being the better storage melon so keep that in mind when shopping.
Since melons are best enjoyed in season still warm from the sun, they should be enjoyed as soon as possible. This month's challenge is to enjoy this amazing fruit beyond the usual preparation. Since melons contain so much sugar, they pair extremely well with savory and salty foods. You have two opposite flavor components working harmoniously like other classic sweet-salty food items. Next, add a third component like texture to the mix and you've got an amazing blend of ingredients in the works. One thing to consider when experimenting with melon in recipes is to be aware of a melon's water content. Winter melons, especially ripe ones, have a high amount of water so keep that in mind when pureeing or freezing. Flavors of the melon in its whole state will be diluted when the melon's texture is altered.
Incorporating Melons into Recipes
This month's "in season" recipes include some great summertime ideas not always associated with melon. They include some sweet-salty pairings, refreshing drinks and desserts. They are perfect warm-weather dishes that take little time, but provide big rewards.
Drinks
Berry-Melon Agua Fresca from Sunset is a refreshing cooler for a hot summer day. For an alcoholic version, add a shot of vodka to each glass and serve over ice.  |
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| | |  | Berry-Melon Agua Fresca | | |
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Honeydew Mojitos with Melon Balls and Mint from Martha Stewart Living stars pureed honeydew and a mint-flavored simple syrup. This pitcher-size recipe can be made before guests arrive, alleviating the stress of mixing individual cocktails.  |
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| | |  | Honeydew Mojitos with Melon Balls and Mint | | |
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Cool Melon Sipper from Cooking Light is more like a smoothie with its frozen melon pieces and vanilla frozen yogurt. Regardless of the erroneous title, it's a quick and refreshing way to serve this seasonal fruit.  |
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| | |  | Cool Melon Sipper | | |
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Kiwi-Melon Smoothie from The Monterey County Herald is a healthy version of a blended drink with the addition of soymilk and soy yogurt. Perfect for those looking to boost their soy intake.  |
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