I didn’t grow up in Texas, but once I moved here I was quickly pulled into the celebrations of Mexican-American culture. From learning how to make tamales from scratch to enjoying a molten-hot pork molcajete, I love learning about the culture (and food!) that has such strong ties to my adopted home state.

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day as some believe (that’s September 16), but a day that celebrates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While the victory did not prevent a French occupation of the country, the Mexican victory over the larger, better-equipped French army became a source of national pride for Mexicans and Latinos living in Mexico and the US. Today, Cinco de Mayo is a bigger holiday in the US than in Mexico and serves as a day to celebrate all aspects of Mexican culture.

Even if you can’t claim any Mexican heritage, Cinco de Mayo is the perfect warm-up to the start of the grilling and patio-party season. Why not try a few of our favorite recipes to set the stage for your fiesta?

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Years ago imported pineapples were exotic and their sweet flavor was uncommon in Europe and colonial America. From pineapple-themed door mats to carved bedposts to door knockers, this coveted commodity became a symbol of welcoming and hospitality. Today, of course, acquiring a pineapple is as easy as a trip to the grocery store. However, whether it’s served as a tasty complement to meat dishes or simply cubed, sweet, succulent pineapple still makes a very welcome addition to menus from sunrise to sunset.

From a morning fruit smoothie to a grilled after-dinner dessert, here are 12 of our favorite ways to enjoy pineapples.

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Once, after a tortuous bowl of ultra-spicy soup at an Indian feast, I thought I would die. I sure kept my distance from all chili peppers for a good long time after that! Yet when I lived in Texas, I gradually learned that jalapeños are peppers that my palate enjoys. I’ll bet yours will, too.

Although chili peppers are used by experienced cooks the world over, if you’re a heat novice, jalapeños are a great place to start. Ranging in color from bright green to red, they’re up to three inches long and rank fairly low on the Scoville scale, a measure of the units of heat produced by the capsaicin, the natural compound in peppers that makes them spicy. To put it in perspective, bell peppers rank zero Scoville units; jalapeños rank 5,000 Scoville units; and habaneros, some of the hottest peppers in the world, rank up to 300,000 Scoville units.

Jalapeños are incredibly versatile. You can enjoy them fresh, roasted, stuffed, pickled, canned, jarred and dried. Once dried and smoked, they develop a deeper, sweeter flavor and are called chipotle peppers.

Fresh jalapeños should have nice tight skin with no bruising or soft spots. They are best used fresh or stored in the fridge in a plastic bag for up to two weeks. Don’t wash until you’re ready to use them, and remember that the ribs and seeds contain most of the heat. For milder, less spicy taste, remove both.

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When walking the produce section, do you scratch your head when faced with selecting a pineapple? How do you know when it’s ripe? How do you cut it? Where did it come from?

At Whole Foods Market, we have “pineapples with a purpose” that are a part of our Whole Trade^® Guarantee. These pineapples set a sweeter standard for quality, environmental care and social responsibility. Hailing from Costa Rican farms known for delectable, juicy fruit, they’re grown with the health of the planet top of mind. Our Whole Trade Guarantee ensures that farms pay equitable wages and provide better working conditions — and that you enjoy the best-quality tropical treat, delivered at peak ripeness.

Now that you know we have these delicious pineapples, how do you choose one and what do you do with it when you get home?

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Having troubling making heads and fins out of seafood sustainability? At Whole Foods Market®, our mission is to only sell wild-caught fish that has been responsibly caught.

Wild-caught seafood from fisheries certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is the top choice for sustainability and we offer the widest selection available. We also display the color-coded sustainability status ratings of our partners, Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA) and Blue Ocean Institute (BOI), on all wild-caught seafood that’s not certified by MSC to help you make informed choices.

Read on to find out how you could win a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card for your next green-rated seafood supper.

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Remember that bumper sticker reading: “Visualize whirled peas”? A play on words though it was, it gave me plenty of great ideas for whirled peas — sautéed, steamed, baked, smashed, mashed and mixed with all kinds of other goodies. Fact of the matter is, my home is never without a bag of peas in my freezer. Just today I needed a quick lunch and that meant yesterday’s potato leek soup and a green salad topped with steamed peas and a sprinkling of feta cheese.

Delicious at breakfast, lunch or dinner, perfect in simple or complex recipes, adding peas to your menu can add flavor, boost good nutrition and save you time when you need something quick. If you like green peas but haven’t ventured beyond a small pile on your plate, I’m happy to introduce you to the many possibilities of peas. Remember, these ideas work well with fresh or frozen peas:

• Add to omelets or scrambled eggs for breakfast.
• Sauté with tofu or tempeh and serve over noodles or rice.
• Sprinkle over green salads.
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When my sister announced that she was marrying a Spaniard in a seaside city in Northern Spain, I was, of course, thrilled for her, but also secretly excited for me. I knew that the wedding celebration meant a firsthand introduction to the local culture from football (soccer) to food. Goaaaal!

While I anticipated the Spanish wines I would get to try during my travels, I hadn’t known how much I would relish the tapas, the small bites, that often accompany those glasses. Early on, I was introduced to tapas bars, the quintessential place to savor a glass (or two) of wine, socialize and enjoy a variety of these small bites. In Spain, the day’s largest meal is lunch, and since dinner is routinely eaten late in the evening, tapas bars are generally very busy with folks like me who want (nay, need) to tide themselves over until dinner.

Language Lesson

Tapas. The word is derived from “tapar”, which means “to cover”. Tapas were originally small pieces of bread topped with a slice of cured ham that bartenders offered free of charge to cover your glass of wine, reportedly to keep the fruit flies away. As clever bartenders discovered that salty ham spurred beer, wine and sherry sales, the tasty tradition of tapas was born. In some cities when you order a drink, a tapa (the singular version) may still be served for free. Beware though: it’s a gateway tapa! You will want more.

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Lindsay Robison is on the global public relations team and manages the @wholefoodsPR Twitter handle. A foodie at heart, in her free time she loves to cook, eat, read food magazines and write in her food blog, Apron Adventures.

Did you know that April is Grilled Cheese Month? While I think any time is a good time for grilled cheese, a whole month devoted to this comfort-food classic is something to be celebrated. Of course, there’s the classic combo of cheddar and buttered sandwich-bread, but a month of grilled cheese means you probably need to expand up your repertoire of melty goodness.

For starters, here’s a list of fancier flavor combinations from an expert — our Global Cheese Buyer, Cathy Strange:

• Sottocenere: This Italian cheese has an amazing texture. And with truffles in it, you’ll be living in flavor city! Enjoy this on a fresh loaf of ciabatta bread.

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When faced with the challenge of finishing off a box or two of leftover matzo after Passover, I’ve heard of friends eating it with butter and sea salt, topping it with peanut butter and jelly and even frying it. Others take the simpler route (or some may call it the “thinking ahead” route) and let it sit on the shelf for a later . . . usually much much later date. If you’ve bought too much matzo for the Seder meal and don’t know what 
to do with the rest, no fear — there are matzo surplus solutions.

Here are a handful of tasty solutions in which the matzo is left whole, crumbled or ground. So please don’t let those leftovers just sit on the shelf until the next holiday rolls around!

Matzo meal. A must-know trick is making matzo meal by grinding matzo using a blender or food processor. Yes, matzo meal makes more than just matzo balls. In fact, it is very versatile and can be successfully substituted in many recipes that call for breadcrumbs. (A few examples are below.)

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Mint is in everything from food to body care to household cleansers. It grows like crazy in the sunshine, making it perfect for cooling beverages, summer desserts and fruit or vegetable salads. It adds depth to marinades and dressings and is easily slivered and sprinkled over everything from soup to dessert. For generations the world over, people have celebrated mint in its many forms, enjoying its refreshing taste and pleasing and powerful aroma.

Whether fresh or dried, mint is an herb you can keep on hand year round. Dried mint is more concentrated, so use less. Here’s a general rule: Dried herbs work well with slow simmered foods such as soups, sauces and stews, since their flavors are released slowly through longer cooking, and fresh herbs work best in recipes that are cooked for a shorter period of time or not cooked at all. I like to substitute two tablespoons of fresh mint for one teaspoon of dried mint in recipes, but this can vary according to taste.

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