cherries

What’s the best way to enjoy artisan cheese from Nicolau Goat Farm at the Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market? Maybe it’s classic chevre layered with beets from Sage Mountain Farms in a beautiful terrine. Could it be the goat feta combined with citrus-y sorrel from J.R. Organics and extra-virgin oil from the California Olive in sorrel pesto?

We love to spread red pepper chevre on country French bread from Bread & Cie and top it with caramelized fennel from Maciel Farm. Slice up aged Stanislaus Supreme and serve on a cheese plate with Fuji apple wedges from Lone Oak Ranch, roasted almonds from Hopkins AG and a drizzle of Heratige Farm honey, or try the Stagionato Misto, a semi-firm cheese of sheep and goat milk, garnished with peach-blackberry preserve from Terra Verde Foods.

Try these variations of Goat Cheese Salads, using Kawano Farms' strawberries and Smit Orchard cherries. You can't go wrong with a Strawberry, Basil and Goat Cheese Panini; grab whole wheat levain from Belen Bakery and basil from Suzie's Farm.

What’s your goat-to recipe?

Check out the newest crop to hit the North Park Thursday Farmers' Market, cherries from Smit Orchards, like sweet red drops of summer on the tongue.

They’re perfect for a healthy snack anytime, stir them into a bowl of Ancient Secrets’ Greek style yogurt, or slice them in half and use them to top a bowl of Bare Roots’ vegan ice cream (and add some crushed Honey-Vanilla Almonds from Hopkins AG for a perfect Sundae!).

Pick up fresh citrus from R&L Farms, herbs from Suzie’s Farm and Meljess Bees’ Honey for this sweet and savory Rosemary Lemonade with Cherries. Use them to garnish a cheesecake made with Spring Hill Cheese Company Lemon Quark, or serve them over French toast made with Belen Bakery’s country bread and Paradise Valley Ranch pastured eggs.

Grab farm-fresh chicken from DaLe Ranch to make this Butter Lettuce, Chicken and Cherry Salad; it's hearty enough to be your main dish.  Feeling the knead to bake? Sweet Cherry Pie will satisfy your craving and makes enough to share with hungry friends and neighbors. 

Cherry on!

When we heard the first murmurings of the back to school ads, we were prompted to find a way to preserve the luscious bounty of the summer harvest.   What better way of preserving that summer fruit than putting our famous San Diego sunshine to work and sun-drying them! Follow these easy steps:

1. Choose which fruits you want to dry.   The obvious choices are apricots and plums from R& L, peaches and nectarines from Hillside.  But, why not get adventuresome!  Be sure to give cherries from Smit farms, strawberries from Valdivia farms and citrus peel from Paradise Valley a try.    Why not preserve the outrageously delicious yellow and red watermelons from JR organics or the meaty Stupice tomatoes from Suzie's farms. 
2. Wash and thoroughly dry the chosen fruit. Cut large fruits into narrow slices about 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thick. Small fruits such as grape tomatoes or berries can be left whole.  For watermelon and cantaloupes you'll need to remove the seeds.  
3. Spread the sliced fruit out on a stainless steel cookie rack atop of a baking sheet and cover with cheesecloth to keep away the insects.  Let sit in full sunlight for approximately two days, taking them inside at night to prevent the fruit from absorbing the moisture from any dew.  Turn them over once each day to promote even drying.
4. The fruit is done when it is no longer sticky. Store the dried fruit in plastic bags or airtight containers and freeze it. 
5. Open it on a cold rainy January day, we bet you'll be able to taste the summer sunshine!

This summer has brought us a superabundance of stone fruit.  Mosey through the R&L farm booth and you'll be treated to at least eight different kinds of stone fruit, including white peaches, black plum, pluots and apricots.  Stop by Smit farm and you'll find Rainier and black cherries.  Savor the flavor of the fruit but don't throw away the pits.   Some of us grew up terrified that if we ate the pits they would sprout in our bellies or that we could die.  There are so many old wives' tales and myths about fruit pits that it is hard to know what to believe.

So, let's separate fact from fiction.  First, most stones, also known as pits, are edible in moderation.  Cherry, peach, apricot and nectarine stones are all edible (within moderation).  They all have a distinct almond flavor and are, in fact, related to almonds. Crack open the pit and you'll find a soft little kernel that looks, smells and tastes a lot like a tiny almond. Europeans have long prized these hidden treasures, which go by the name "noyaux" in France. The French love to leave cherries unpitted in preserves and desserts like clafouti, so the subtle almond flavor can permeate the fruit.   When distilled those kernels produce several famous liqueurs, including kirsch and amaretto.
But the kernels can also have a dark side. They contain a compound that can release cyanide in the body.  Our bodies can detoxify small amounts of that compound without a problem. But when consumed in large amounts they can make you very sick. To be safe, always roast the whole pits at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, which helps destroy the cyanide compound and make the shells brittle, so they're easier to crack. Once the kernels are roasted, you can steep them in cream to make almond-scented ice cream. You can grind them, add a little sugar and sprinkle the mixture on your fruit pies, galettes, crisps and cobblers. 

Sounds like too much work to get almond flavoring?  Stop by the Hopkins AG booth and pick up a variety of flavored, raw and roasted almonds.  No matter which you try, the flavor won't be the pits!

Enter the North Park Farmers' Market and you can't miss the unmistakable buzz of the blenders at Green Fix Smoothies as they make their delicious fruit and vegetable concoctions.  But we're also hearing the buzz of our shoppers talking about juicing at home.   Whether you use fruit or vegetables, juicing is a great way to use up the prolific summer offerings - especially the blemished ones - and get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals. 

Go green and detox like the stars by blending or juicing a mix of kale and lettuce from JR organics, a cucumber or two from Suzie's Farm and the juice of lemon from Paradise Valley Ranch.   To brighten up the flavor of any vegetable juice try adding an orange or two from Ranchito Rainbow or carrots from Kawano Farms into the mix.  For a fruit forward take try blending in pitted cherries, blueberries or peaches from Smit Orchards to your greens based drink. 

Now that should get you juiced!

EYE SPY SOMETHING FRESH!

I spy with my little eye new crops popping up under the radar at the Little Italy Mercato.

First there were the cherries at Smit Orchards, precious, bright red and cheery. These stone fruits were the first of the season, and a sure sign of the summer crops to come. Now Hopkins AG is in on the action as their cherries are ripe and ready. Almonds and cherries, what a perfect pairing!

Kawano Farms has been bringing sweet white corn for a few weeks now and the ears just keep getting better. Picture grilling season in full swing with smoky and slightly charred ears fresh off the coals. Their little zucchini and patty pan squash would make a nice accompaniment grilled and drizzeled with Thyme of Essence's balsamic vinegar.

Then there were the Persian cucumbers at Vang Farms. More fragrant than your typical cucumber and with tiny, tiny seeds, they're a great addition to any salad or use them to make a quick vinegar pickle. And last, but never ever least, were the peaches that just suddenly appeared at Lone Oak. Fuzzy, juicy and sweet, this first of the season offering did not disappoint.

Keep your eyes peeled, it seems like there's something new every week and you don't want to miss it! What did you see this week that you haven't seen before?

THE NITTY PITTY DETAILS

Can you feel it? The beginning of stone fruit season is upon us. Soon the markets will be full of fruits other than citrus, berries and apples - all delicious wonderful fruits, to be sure, but there's something so alluring about the stone fruits. There will be peaches and apricots and plums; rosy cheeks and fuzzy skins. But right now, right this minute, the cherries are heralding in the season. Stop by Smit Orchards this Thursday at the North Park Farmers Market and check these beauties out.

Burlat and Brooks are some of the early season offerings and each dazzling in their own right. Brooks are sweet, juicy and the perfect shade of red, a true market favorite. Burlats, sometimes called early Bings are quite similar to their counterparts with a softer flesh that ripens quickly into a deep shade of red. Both make for easy snacking, or showcase the fruit in Julia Child's classic clafoutis dessert, a silky custard that envelops embraces the jolly fruit. However you eat them, eat them quick! The season will be over before you know it.

Get excited, we hear this is supposed to be a phenomenal harvest year.

THE NITTY PITTY DETAILS

Can you feel it? The beginning of stone fruit season is upon us. Soon the markets will be full of fruits other than citrus, berries and apples - all delicious wonderful fruits, to be sure, but there's something so alluring about the stone fruits. There will be peaches and apricots and plums; rosy cheeks and fuzzy skins. But right now, right this minute, the cherries are heralding in the season. Stop by Smit Orchards this Saturday at the Little Italy Mercato and check these beauties out.

Burlat and Brooks are some of the early season offerings and each dazzling in their own right. Brooks are sweet, juicy and the perfect shade of red, a true market favorite. Burlats, sometimes called early Bings are quite similar to their counterparts with a softer flesh that ripens quickly into a deep shade of red. Both make for easy snacking, or showcase the fruit in Julia Child's classic clafoutis dessert, a silky custard that envelops embraces the jolly fruit. However you eat them, eat them quick! The season will be over before you know it.

Get excited, we hear this is supposed to be a phenomenal harvest year.