Similar to the Red Beauty, the Black Beaut is a Santa Rosa style round plum. This plum has deep dark – almost black skin with bright red flesh.
Black Beaut Plum
Storage Tips
Plums continue to ripen after picking. They should be stored at room temperature, away from sunlight and heat until they give softly to the touch and have a sweet aroma. Once ripe, refrigerate plums as necessary to prevent spoiling, but cold temperatures may change their texture and taste.
Garlic Scapes
In spring, the garlic plant’s head looks like a fountain pen tip leading the long stem in twirls and loops like it’s scribbling or chasing a bee. Farmers trim the stems called scapes for a blissfully garlicky treat - another edible part of this important plant.
Recipe Links
Garlic Scape RecipesPreparation Tips
Use garlic scapes as you might asparagus: cook lightly. Used as a festive ingredient for pizza or a frittata, their mild garlicky-ness will be revealed. Or try them in a pesto.Storage Tips
Garlic scapes store well, although they taste best when fresh. Keep in a paper bag in the fridge for a few weeks, or chop and freeze for later use.Carolina Gold Tomato
A unique tomato, this golden orb can be large. Flavorful and fruity, this wonderful tomato is low in a acid, which can be a great benefit to those who have to avoid regular red tomatoes.
Preparation Tips
Slice tomatoes with a serrated knife. Cut in half, giving the hemisphere a gentle squeeze to release seeds and juice and then slice or chop.Storage Tips
Tomatoes are best at room temperature as the chill damages their delicate membranes. Keep away from heat (like the stove) and place in a bowl to add beauty to your counter.
Spring Toastie with Herbed Goat Cheese
Recipe by Rebecca Dienner for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup radishes, very thinly sliced (1/8-inch thick, or thinner if you have a mandoline slicer) 1 cup lettuce, torn into large pieces 1/2 cup onion, diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons dill, minced 1/2 cup goat cheese 1 small clove garlic, crushed and minced, or [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
What’s in Season June 2013
Here’s a preview of what regional farms will be harvesting in June, from The FruitGuys produce buyers. To see what’s being delivered this week, visit fruitguys.com/mix and choose your region. Remember to always wash your hands and wash your fruit before eating, even if it’s organic. EAST Stone fruit, including cherries, pluots, plums, peaches, and [...]
Easy Rhubarb Cake
Recipe by Delilah’s Farm for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 2 cups rhubarb, washed well and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 to 1-1/4 cups natural cane sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour (or white whole-wheat flour) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350°F. [...]
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Benton Cherries
Benton is a registered trademark name for a dark red cherry that ripens the same time as the Bing – “rounda ’bouta bing” you might say. It is a large, sweet cherry.
Recipe Links
Pit cherries the old-fashioned way (with your mouth, being careful not to swallow the pit); use a handheld pitter; or carefully slice and de-pit with the tip of a paring knife. Cherry pit–spitting manners may vary from family to family—but a pair of cherries over the ears is in fashion everywhere.
Preparation Tips
Unlike other stone fruit, cherries are picked ripe. They may be left on the counter for a couple of days out of direct sunlight or refrigerated in a plastic bag for several days. Do not wash until ready to eat, as excess moisture during storage can cause them to meet an untimely demise. When ready to use, rinse and let warm to room temperature for best flavor. (Although they’re also great pitted and frozen for a refreshing treat in the hot summer months!)Fresh Fava Salad
Recipe by Rebecca Dienner for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 1 pound fresh fava beans 1 head green garlic, minced 1 bunch kale, de-stemmed, and chopped into 1-inch pieces 2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal, about 1/8-inch thick 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons water or white wine 1–2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette 2 [...]
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In Our Spring
by Jeff Main of Good Humus Farm, Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop With the passing of the equinox a few weeks ago, and all the warmth and wetness of the last week or so, everything on the farm has finally decided that it will go with: It’s Spring! And with that decision by all [...]
Grilled Asparagus With Arugula Pesto
Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop INGREDIENTS 1- 1 1/2 bunches green asparagus 1 bunch arugula Parmesan cheese, cut in 1-inch super thin strips Extra Kalamata olives chopped Lime PREPARATION Blanche the asparagus (about 90 seconds). Grill asparagus over low heat on the grill or grill-like surface. Blanche the arugula and blend it with olive [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Simmered Leeks
Adapted from food.com INGREDIENTS 1–2 large leeks 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, to taste 1–2 tablespoons butter 1/2–3/4 cup vegetable broth PREPARATION Carefully clean leeks; cut off the stemmy bottoms and the dark green leaves, so you end up with just the white and light green parts only (dirt [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
The Strawberry Patch
By Reed Adam, courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop On a warm June day, the aroma from field of sweet peas behind the T and Y Strawberry Patch, located just west of Woodland on Highway 16, is overpowering, providing a sensory counterpoint to the stunning display of the flowers themselves: a sea of whites, reds, [...]
Cooking Ideas For Sugar Snap Peas
Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop Sugar snap peas are a sweet, crunchy snack, just as they are! The shells and all can be eaten, end to end. You can pop them in your lunch or keep them at your desk for mid-afternoon munching. Here are some other options for enjoying this spring treat: Put [...]
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Cooking Ideas For Cilantro
Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop Although cilantro is often eaten with summer crops like tomatoes, it is a cool season crop available from the Capay Valley in the spring. It goes especially well with lemon or lime juice, Mexican dishes and pan-Asian food. Here are a few ways to enjoy this fresh green herb. [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
What’s in Season May 2013
Here’s a preview of what regional farms will be harvesting in May, from The FruitGuys produce buyers. To see what’s being delivered this week, visit fruitguys.com/mix and choose your region. West On the West Coast, spring is upon us! April winds and honeybees pollinated the Asian pear and apple blooms, so the fruit should be setting in May. Strawberries are [...]
Apple Blossom Time-Lapse
By Heidi Lewis 1913 was a crazy time. It was the year Igor Stravinsky and Vaslav Nijinsky staged the ballet The Rite of Spring. Nowadays, we are accustomed to the dissonance and seemingly tonal chaos of Stravinsky’s famous piece. It has been rolled into many cinematic scores, including Fantasia, but a hundred years ago in [...]
Dandelion Green Pesto
Adapted from David Lebovitz’s blog at davidlebovitz.com; courtesy of Riverdog Farm & Capay Valley Farm Shop INGREDIENTS 3/4 bunch dandelion greens, rinsed and stems trimmed 1/2 cup olive oil 2-3 green garlic bulbs, with the tough green leaves and roots cut off 3 tablespoons walnuts, lightly toasted 3/4 tsp sea salt 1 1/4 oz Parmesan [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Brooks Cherries
In the American cherry world everything comes after the Bing. And the wingman to the Bing is the Brooks – a headliner in its own right, a sweet early cherry.
Preparation Tips
Pit cherries the old-fashioned way (with your mouth, being careful not to swallow the pit); use a handheld pitter; or carefully slice and de-pit with the tip of a paring knife. Cherry pit–spitting manners may vary from family to family—but a pair of cherries over the ears is in fashion everywhere.Storage Tips
Unlike other stone fruit, cherries are picked ripe. They may be left on the counter for a couple of days out of direct sunlight or refrigerated in a plastic bag for several days. Do not wash until ready to eat, as excess moisture during storage can cause them to meet an untimely demise. When ready to use, rinse and let warm to room temperature for best flavor. (Although they’re also great pitted and frozen for a refreshing treat in the hot summer months!)Pixies and the Full Moon Fairy
By Heidi Lewis Springtime mandarin season makes me think of the Full Moon Fairy. I first heard about her when my daughter came home from kindergarten and announced that a fairy would be visiting us—every full moon. Ah, another late night visitor to add to the guest list. I was already pressed to remember to [...]
Zucchini Ribbon Salad
Recipe by Rebecca Dienner for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut into ribbons (about 3 cups) 2–3 medium beets, roasted and cut into bite-size wedges 2–3 shallots, minced 1 cup carrots, shredded 1 1/2 cups snow peas, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Citrus Braised Artichokes
Recipe by Delilah’s Farm for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 2 artichokes 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup lemon or orange juice 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock 1 teaspoon citrus zest 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme or oregano 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot 1/2 teaspoon salt Pinch of pepper or red [...]
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Miso Soup With Tokyo Turnips
Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop INGREDIENTS 1 bunch Tokyo turnips, greens removed, chopped & rinsed 1/3 cup Miso 4-6 cup water 4 oz Soba noodles (optional) PREPARATION Trim and wash the turnips, then cut them into quarters or smaller. In a pot, place turnips and greens in enough water to cover and put over medium [...]
Spinach & Asparagus Pasta Salad
Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop INGREDIENTS 1 large bunch asparagus, cut in 1″ lengths 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste 3/4 lb uncooked penne or other pasta shape 2 green or spring onions, chopped 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and trimmed [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Candycot
Candycots come from the Britton & Konynenburt Family Farms. “By breeding with seeds from the very best apricots in the world, we have created a new class of apricots. Called CandyCots, these apricots taste the way apricots are meant to taste. What unites these apricots under the name CandyCot is their superb taste, complex flavors, [...]
Storage Tips
Apricots continue to ripen after picking. They should be stored at room temperature, away from sunlight and heat until they give softly to the touch and have a sweet aroma. Once ripe, refrigerate fruit as necessary to prevent spoiling, but cold temperatures may change their texture and taste.Peppercress
Shhh… It’s a weed. Of the Lepididium variety. Except this peppercress has been lovingly and carefully cultivated for the table. Spicy (as its name indicates) and delicate like watercress.
Preparation Tips
Use raw in salad or sammy's, peppercress is not really suited for cooking.Storage Tips
A delicate cress, should be eaten as soon a possible. In the meantime, wrap stems in moist towel, store loosely in plastic bag in the fridge for up to two days.Korean Melon
A sunburst of yellow. This melon’s skin is tender – so handle with care. Peel with peeler, slice and remove seeds from cavity, cut into thin slices. Superbly refreshing. Not the same melon used for bitter melon soup — this one is sweet.
Storage Tips
Korean melon will ripen on the counter. Once fruit is cut, store in the fridge for two days.Blackberry
Blackberry thumb is what some call the malady of too much texting. [:-(] At the Emerging Technology Conference in San Diego the theme was “The Attention Economy,” Linda Stone spoke of a “continuous partial attention” trend. Constantly checking devices for messages, losing focus. [hu me?]. FruitGuys urges you to work better at work. Put down [...]
Preparation Tips
Berries absorb water, so give a very quick spray rinse right before eating and dry gently on toweling (wet berries in the fridge will mold). Sweet and good for you, berries are a fruit made in heaven.Storage Tips
Transfer unwashed berries to a paper towel–lined container, removing any spoiled or smashed berries. Store in the coldest section of the fridge.Blue Velvet Apricot
Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams” haunts David Lynch’s neo-noir movie more than the title song, Blue Velvet. The Blue Velvet is actually an aprium, which is a plum and apricot hybrid. One bite of this golden-fleshed apricot will remove memories of the creepy 1986 cult classic.
Storage Tips
Blue Velvets will continue to ripen after picking. They should be stored at room temperature, away from sunlight and heat until they give softly to the touch and have a sweet aroma. Once ripe, refrigerate fruit as necessary to prevent spoiling, but cold temperatures may change their texture and taste.Asparagus and Hearty Greens Soup
Recipe by Delilah’s Farm for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 2 cups asparagus (cut off and discard woody end) cut into 1-inch pieces (set aside the tips) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 head green garlic, papery outer layer and stalk removed, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup onion, in 1/4-inch dice 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 cup [...]
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Spring Veggies with Lemony-Dill Sauce
Recipe by Rebecca Dienner for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 1 bunch broccolini, stalks separated, but left whole 2 yellow squash, sliced into bite-sized rounds (approx. 1/2-inch thick) Juice of one lemon Zest of one lemon 1/4 cup fresh dill, minced 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 cup Greek-style yogurt, plain (regular or [...]
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B-rrring! It’s Spring
By Heidi Lewis The cuckoo clock at the Greenwich Mean Time offices popped its head out at 11:02 a.m. on March 20, letting all us inside people know that it’s officially spring. For the outside world, the tightly wound mechanisms of nature’s internal clock are springing plants into action. Petals and birdsong may fill the [...]
Lemon Lavender Soda Bread
Recipe by The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/3 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 tablespoons lavender buds 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter cut in small pieces Sugar for dusting [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
What’s in Season April 2013
A preview of what regional farms will be harvesting in the coming month, from The FruitGuys produce buyers. To see what’s being delivered this week, visit fruitguys.com/mix and choose your region or enter your zip code. WEST COAST Spring is around the corner and we have fava greens to prove it. Our TakeHome boxes in March will [...]
Mustard Greens
From the same plant that gives us mustard seeds, antioxidant-rich mustard greens help lower cholesterol and are off the charts in vitamins A and K. Often described as “spunky” or “piquant”, mustard greens will jazz up any work-a-day stir fry into a Duke Ellington Saturday Night Function!
Preparation Tips
Fix as you would any hearty greens, such as kale or chard. Young raw mustard greens are a great addition to salads or slaws. Cooked, they are delicious sautéed as a side dish or added to pastas, soups, egg dishes, curries, and more.Storage Tips
Keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days.Anaheim Chili Pepper
We usually equate Anaheim with Disney ,and if you bite into an Anaheim chili you just might look like Goofy with steam pouring out of his ears. They range from 1000-2500 on the Scoville scale. Anaheim peppers are also called chile seco del norte since original grower Emilio Ortega brought seeds from New Mexico to [...]
March: The Fickle Season
By Heidi Lewis How’s the old saying go again? “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”? Or is it the other way around? March’s seasonal unpredictability requires farmers to be prepared for a wide variety of growing conditions. Their jobs include tending to tiny baby seedlings in warm greenhouses until [...]
Albion Strawberry
Albion strawberries are the variety that put strawberries front and center in current market and availability. This vigorous and big berry has made it possible to have strawberries more often throughout the year and no longer just the ultra-rare treat for princesses and little red riding hoods foraging in the forest.
Recipe Links
Strawberry RecipesStorage Tips
Berries are picked ripe and should be enjoyed as soon as possible. For overnight storage, they should be refrigerated. But don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat (or freeze) them.Baby Carrots
Not just little bunnies love baby carrots. Ideal for dipping or snacking on raw. Carrot seeds are super tiny and so are broadcast over the seedbed. Many carrots will grow in a crowd and need to be thinned to make room. That’s how we get little ones.
Preparation Tips
Wash thoroughly and gently scrub—keep the peel for maximum nutrient benefits. Delicious raw on their own; sliced or grated and added to salads and slaws; or roasted, steamed, stir-fried, grilled, boiled, baked, or braised.Storage Tips
Tightly seal unwashed carrots in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to a few weeks.Warm Greens Salad with Grapefruit
Recipe by Delilah’s Farm for The FruitGuys INGREDIENTS 4 cups hearty greens (chard, kale, collards), cleaned, heavy stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallot or scallion 1 grapefruit White wine vinegar 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper PREPARATION With a paring knife, [...]
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Using Cilantro In The Kitchen
Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop Although cilantro is often eaten with summer crops like tomatoes, it is a cool season crop available from the Capay Valley in the fall, winter and spring. It goes especially well with lemon or lime juice, Mexican dishes, and pan-Asian food. Here are a few ways to enjoy this [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Spring Swooning for Summer Fruit
By Heidi Lewis Here they come, rolling into town— They get the hungriest looks from, everyone around— [drum fill…] Hey, hey, they’re the summer fruits! And they’re super duper cute! It may not quite be summer—but that point is moot! When summer fruits start to arrive in May, there’s a bit of a giddy vibe [...]
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Timeline of our favorite berry By Heidi Lewis Today’s strawberry, Fragaria ananassa, with its large, practically perfect berries is the culmination of selective breeding going back centuries to when strawberries were tiny, rare, and found only at the peak of summer. Strawberries are mentioned in works by Virgil and Ovid, yet they made no appearance [...]
The Earl of Sandwiches
By Heidi Lewis “The doctor will see you now,” said the nurse pityingly. “What seems to be the trouble?” the doc asked without looking up. When greeted with silence, she swiveled around. “Oh!” the doctor exclaimed with a mixture of scientific surprise and gory glee as she freewheeled her three-wheel stool over to the patient. [...]
Recipe Links
Watercress RecipesPreparation Tips
Cut off white stem. Use watercress raw in salads or throw into broth or dashi in the last few minutes of cooking.Storage Tips
Watercress is highly perishable and should be used right away. Wrap in a moist paper towel in the fridge in the meantime.April Field Notes
From Riverdog Farm, courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop 4/2/12 It’s getting close to tomato transplanting time. The plants, all 80,000 (about 9 acres) of the first seeding, have been ready to go from the tray into the fields for about 2 weeks but the rainfall has delayed the transplanting. That’s ok – we need [...]
April is the Not-So-Nicest Month
By Heidi Lewis The National Cherry Blossom Festival was recently held in Washington, D.C. This year’s festival commemorated the centennial of Japan’s gift of 3,000 cherry trees to the U.S. in 1912. The ornamental trees rim West Potomac Park’s Tidal Basin, which reflects their snowy canopy. Their beauty and a slew of special events attract [...]
Help Wanted: Pollinators
By Heidi Lewis It’s spring. Blossoms are abundant. Time to get pollinating in the fruit orchards. But since colony collapse disorder has been decimating the honeybee population, we’ll have to look outside the organization for some help. As they say in the bee biz, “No bees, no honey; no work, no money.” We all admire [...]
What Spring Brings
By Roxanne Crittenden, courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop Even though I grew up here in California, I find the cycles of abundance and scarcity here a little surprising. In a Mediterranean climate like ours, winter is a time of plenty when it comes to fresh produce. Greens, root vegetables and citrus all thrive in [...]
“Beulah, peel me a grape…”
By Gretchen Bay Most FruitGuys cases this week will feature red or green grapes from environs south. Grapes come in many flavors and forms, both with and without seeds. In The FruitGuys’ world, we generally provide seedless varieties, as we’ve learned that serving seeded grapes in workplaces can create challenges (“Anybody have a napkin? I [...]
Spotlight on the Understudies
By Heidi Lewis “The show must go on!” is the biggest trope in theater. Some movies about theater, from All About Eve to The Little Rascals to Waiting for Guffman, have great nail-biting third acts. Yet in real life, the show does go on—because behind every great star is a great understudy. Many go unnamed, [...]
Red Beaut Plum
Beauty, but friends call it “Beaut” for short, is an early smooth red plum with yellow flesh. Good plum to know on a first name basis.
Miranda Rights
By Heidi Lewis Pineapples (Ananas comosus) will be making their first appearance of the year in most FruitGuys cases this week—as a way to spice up the mid-winter variety. When you pick up a pineapple, do you instinctively put it on top of your head? Yeah—me too. I call it the Carmen Miranda Effect, and [...]
Preparation Tips
How to Cut a Pineapple:- Cut off the crown and the base of the pineapple, then stand it upright on the cutting board.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the peel from top to bottom in strips all the way around the pineapple.
- Any remaining pineapple “eyes” may be removed using the scoop end of a vegetable peeler or by making very small, angled cuts behind each eye with the long edge of the knife.
- After removing the peel, cut the pineapple in half lengthwise. Place each half cut-side-down on the cutting board, and cut in half lengthwise again.
- Carefully slice off the core, cut into bite-size pieces, and enjoy!
Spring Prospects after Mild Winter
First wave of spring vegetables begins By Rebecca Taggart Winter has been very mild this year for most of us who don’t live in Alaska. The general lack of snow and cold is attributable to unusual patterns in the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations, which have kept the jet stream more northerly than usual. The [...]
Alexander Lucas Pear
The origin of the buttery Alexander Lucas pear and who Alexander was are uncertain, but it is a European variety. Alexander Lucas pears are usually the biggest ones on the block. Green and juicy, they are very much like a D’Anjou in sweetness and texture. Thanks Mr. Lucas — wherever you are!
Storage Tips
Pears are picked hard to avoid bruising and should be stored at room temperature, away from heat and sunlight. They ripen from the inside out, so if it gives to the touch, particularly near the stem, it is ready to eat.Health Per Acre
By Judith Redmond of Full Belly Farm, courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop Despite heavy rain, a surprisingly large group of people turned out for the Full Belly Open Farm Day. While we couldn’t sample the strawberries as in years past, we were able to walk around and enjoy the muddy farm. Several families showed [...]
Asparagus Three Ways
Adapted from Mark Bitittman/nytimes.com Here are three quick and easy options for preparing a delicious asparagus side dish or entrée. 1. STEAMED with Fresh Aioli Sauce Put asparagus in a covered pot with an inch of water (they may stand, lean, or lie flat) and turn heat to high. Put an egg yolk in a [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Ode to the Apricot
By Chris Mittelstaedt I was recently given a copy of Robert Palter’s The Duchess of Malfi’s Apricots, and Other Literary Fruits. It’s a great reference book if you like those moments of clarity when writers unravel the human condition in simple observations of nature, like the blush of an apricot or the fragrant night-flowering of [...]
The Not-So-Humble Potato
By Nina Andres of Capay Valley Farm Shop One of the great gifts of seasonal eating is that we get to experience (and eat) a single plant in all its phases– including fresh out of the ground, early in the season! In your Capay Valley FarmShares case this week is the not-so-humble potato– but these [...]
Water and the Farm
By Jeff Main of Good Humus Produce Oh, my, and what a week it has been. Sometimes, we come to a moment that is so scary that all we can do is stop, sit down and eat ice cream. The mind is numb, really numb, and it feels like the best protection because we really [...]
Fava Bean Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop This is a smooth, creamy dressing, great for topping fettuccine, grilled chicken or fish. INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups cooked, peeled fava beans (pre-steaming helps with shucking) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano (or 1/4 teaspoon dried) 1 cup [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Easy Spring Vegetable Soup
From Delilah’s Farm INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1 teaspoon chopped thyme 2 cups broth, vegetable or chicken About 3/4 cup of corn, cut from the cob 3/4 cup snap peas, cut in half diagonally 1 cup cooked rice or small pasta (great way to [...]
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News From Good Humus Produce
By Annie Main of Good Humus Produce I went for a bicycle ride to Esparto on Sunday, Jeff and I had breakfast at Zach and Nicole’s house. I took my camera and stopped for some photos. I took one just down our road a bit from us looking at the hills, and a field [...]
Yes, You May Bike!
By Chris Mittelstaedt It must be May because I find myself having that recurring elementary school dream again. It’s the one where I’m out on the blacktop in red shorts with white piping, socks pulled up to my knees for speed, waiting in a three-point crouch for the start of the shuttle run. I’m gazing [...]
Spring Planting at Baia Nicchia Farm
By Karla Milosevich On a sunny Northern California morning in April, volunteers gathered at picturesque Baia Nicchia Farm in Alameda County to plant heirloom tomato seedlings. When the tomatoes are ready to eat, we’ll enjoy knowing that we had a hand in the process, as well as eating them. Baia Nicchia is a small farm and nursery [...]
The Asparagus Files
By Nina Andres Why so much asparagus these days? There’s been asparagus in the boxes for the last month and we’ve all had asparagus recipes on the brain. The answer lies in this particular little plant’s growing season. The asparagus season in the Capay Valley area generally runs from early March through late May, depending [...]
The Age of Asparagus
By Heidi Lewis “This is the dawning of the age of asparagus, the age of asparagus, as-pari-gusss!” Spring has sprung, and green shoots and blossoms abound. Evidence of new growth is exactly what’s in our east coast TakeHome case this week—asparagus. This almost leafless member of the lily family is the springtime delicacy we await [...]
Cinco de Mayo Fruit Salad in Tortilla Cups
Recipe courtesy of Delilah’s Farm Report Fruit Salad: INGREDIENTS 1 cup strawberries, hulled and cut in half 1 apple, cut into bite size dice 2 murcott tangerines, separated into segments Grated peel of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon Agave Nectar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional) PREPARATION Toss fruit with [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Springtime
by Paul Muller of Full Belly Farm There is an infusion of springtime powering the life force of bees, goats, people and plants intent upon being fully alive in spring-moment. Full Belly Farm this week is alive with color and bursting with flowers everywhere. There are fields of bright yellow mustard, white sprays of arugula [...]
Asparagus and Alliums Mark Spring
By Judith Redmond of Full Belly Farm Visitors to Capay Valley farms often get a lesson in the advantages of crop diversity: there are dozens of vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs and flowers growing in the valley, not to mention the conservation plantings where one native shrub or another is in bloom almost any time of [...]
Mushroom Tomato Frittata
Adapted from whfoods.com INGREDIENTS 1/2 medium onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoons vegetable or chicken broth 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup thinly sliced white mushrooms 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 3 large eggs Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste PREPARATION Chop the onions [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Fava Beans and Potatoes
Courtesy of Delilah’s Farm Report INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup peeled fava beans (see how to prepare below) 1 cup potato in 1 inch dice 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon chopped parsley PREPARATION Place potatoes in [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Wearing It On Your Sleeve
By Chris Mittelstaedt I’m not a good poker player. I generally say what I think and you can read the thoughts I’m not saying across my forehead as if it were an electronic billboard streaming data for all of Times Square to see. One of my daughters seems to have inherited the same gene but [...]
Baby Turnips and Endive in Honey Mustard Dressing
Adapted from bbcgoodfood.com INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder or mustard 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup diced baby turnips 2 white Belgian endives, chopped 3 tablespoons chopped turnip greens 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley (optional) Black pepper Optional additions: 3 tablespoons [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Escarole with Olives, Raisins, and Pine Nuts
Adapted from epicurious.com INGREDIENTS 1 garlic clove, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 head of escarole, trimmed, cut into bite-size pieces, rinsed well, and spun dry 1 tablespoon Kalamata olives, chopped 2 teaspoons Thompson raisins 2 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted lightly PREPARATION In a large skillet, sauté the garlic in the oil over moderately high [...]
Ingredients for this recipe were included in The FruitGuys TakeHome box. Order yours today! www.fruitguys.com
Spring Happenings
By Judith Redmond of Full Belly Farm With a little warm weather, the fields are drying out and plants have all started growing remarkably suddenly as if a switch just turned over to ‘ON’. Now they’re in a race to catch up with the spring. In one week we saw more growth in the asparagus [...]
Asparagus
Asparagus comes from the Greek aspharagos, meaning “sprout.” And who better to follow through the springtime greenery than Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring. Asparagus has great medicinal value. The ancient Romans ate it raw or dried for curing aliments ranging from bee stings to toothaches. In our modern age, it is more commonly known [...]
Preparation Tips
Cooking can be as simple as grilling or simmering in water for a few minutes. The aficionado may use an asparagus steamer basket so the bottoms get more heat than the tipsStorage Tips
Wrap the ends of the asparagus in a moist paper towel and place in the back of the fridge, as folate degrades in light and heat.Cherry Blossoms
The sadness of Japan’s natural disaster brings back memories of Katrina for me (my folks are from New Orleans and I have relatives there). There are those natural routines in the world that we look forward to at this time of year: the sound of robins chittering at dawn, the dusty-sweet nighttime perfume of cherry [...]
“Where’s Your Coat, Child?”
By Heidi Lewis The parenting adage goes, “Put on a sweater, your mother is cold,” but we needn’t worry about the health of a nectarine, which is indeed a sweater-less peach. Peaches’ fuzzy coats help protect them because pests don’t care for their texture, but nectarines get extra mothering. Nectarines thrive with the special care that many orchardists [...]
Recipe Links
Nectarine RecipesPreparation Tips
Wash right before eating or cutting. Nectarines add sweetness sliced into green or fruit salads. They hold together well when baked in crisps or grilled and topped with cream. They can also be sliced in a glass and covered with your favorite wine for dessert.Storage Tips
Nectarines are climacteric, which means they ripen after picking. They should be stored at room temperature, away from sunlight and heat until they give softly to touch and have a sweet aroma. We strive to deliver them to you on the firm side so they won’t be damaged in the shipping. Ripening can be hastened by placing them in a paper bag on the counter. When they’ve reached the desired ripeness, eat or refrigerate for up to several days.Of Rabbit Holes & Writing Desks
Nessie, the six-month-old chocolate lab, tears through the house wanting nothing more than to lick the cat until it becomes her friend. A puffed up and spitting blur of fur trailed by a bottle brush tail screams past my feet wishing it were just a floating Cheshire smile as the dog slides around the corner to beat a path [...]
The Sound of Cold at Night
As a kid I always looked forward to spring time. Winter didn’t just mean less sunlight and standing at a bus stop early in the morning in a red down jacket trying to quickly mound up disparate flurries and street gravel into soggy battlements that would derail any school bus on its journey of despair. [...]
The Spring Transition
In the fruit world, spring is the hardest time of year. Summer brings its abundance of stone fruits, Fall its apples, pears, persimmons, and pomegranates, and Winter all varieties of citrus that grow under the sun, but springtime . . . well that’s another story. In California, we really only see two fresh crops in [...]