Fruit – food-whys

Baby Steps

January 3, 2011

As my son begins to figure out how to put one foot in front of the other for the first time in his life, it has helped me reflect upon a new year in a different way. As another year dawns, many turn to resolutions as a means to start fresh or being anew; however for me such resolutions have always seemed a bit hollow.

As a person who is continually making lists of things to do, trying to define and work towards goals both professional and personal, I see the start of the year as a time to commit to achieving more of what I have already set out to accomplish. So rather than brainstorm a new list of mundane actions, I have decided to focus on prioritizing in each area of life – family, health, & work.

In contemplating these areas, it occurs to me that there is a priority that affects all three – conscious eating. I am fortunate in that I work in an area that I am passionate about and which what I learn can improve both my office work as well as the quality of my personal life. I thus renew my commitment to eating more local & healthful foods.

So, in the spirit of baby steps… today I ate grapefruit.

Before you shake your head and utter “tsk, tsk” – hear me out. As is always the case in any location, some foods with fantastic qualities such as high antioxidant levels or vitamins that fight winter blues such as C, A, and B5 do not grow here due to climate. It is not warm enough for citrus fruits to thrive in Maryland – they do not tolerate more than a few hours below freezing. However, they flourish in southern states and ripen during the winter months. So grapefruit is now in-season. Furthermore one of my relatives is kind enough to send a big box of citrus from her home in Florida every holiday season. Thus I am able to enjoy grapefruit as a treat from a loved one and a boost to my health.

So on this day in the new year, I lean towards the health side of the spectrum more so than the local.

What are my other priorities this year? Well, one is – make peace with what works; be satisfied with progress towards more local eating rather than lamenting not meeting an arbitrary amount of local each meal, day, or week.

Here’s to making 2011 filled with progress, satisfaction, health, and happiness.

bye bye blueberries

September 18, 2009

As Labor Day meant the bell tolling for the end of summer, now is the time to take advantage of what warmer weather produce is still at market, including juicy fresh fruits. In case you can’t find any more ripe berries at market this recipe also works well with frozen ones. If you can still get your hands on a bunch of berries, by all means get extra and make some space in that freezer! Just put the blueberries on a tray first, and then after they have frozen gently roll them into a bag for the long haul. You’ll be thrilled in winter when a few of those blue morsels bring back the taste of summer sunshine.

Blueberries are a fickle fruit – they like very acidic soil, need lots of sunshine, can take 3 years to bear good fruit and can take up to 6 years to bear a full and luscious crop. They are also beloved by birds, so plant protection can also be an important factor. Shallow-rooted and in need of sustained moisture, these little orbs are a challenge to grow so either preserving or enjoying them while they last are great ways to appreciate what might be the last of summer’s gifts for the year.

Blueberry Muffins

Adapted from Joy of Cooking

Dry ingredients:
2 c. all purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon

Wet ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 c. whole milk yogurt
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla
6 T. butter, melted
1 ½ – 2 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat the oven to 400˚F Grease 2 muffin tins (makes 18 -24 muffins depending on size) or line with muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Gently stir in the dry ingredients, until the mixture just barely comes together. Fold in the blueberries, breaking as few as possible (unless you like all-blue muffins!).

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until cooked through and just browned on top.

cherry royal

June 25, 2009

Just about every year, in late May or early June, I indulge in a guilty pleasure – one that I can’t help myself from committing, unable to resist the siren call of those delicate orbs blushing golden and calling to me with their perfectly ripe sweetness. Even though they come from the other side of the country and sell for what seems to be an exorbitantly indulgent price, I can never resist: Rainier cherries.

bag o Rainier cherries — bag o' Rainier cherries

One of a slew of sweet cherry cultivars, Rainier cherries were developed at Washington State University and thusly named for that noble mountain which dominates the Evergreen State’s Cascade Range. A cross between Bing and Van, these cherries are golden inside with a tinge of red on the outside, and are as delicate as they are sweet. Susceptible to rain (which causes the fruit to split), wind (which can lead to bruising when the fruit bumps against others close-by), and temperature (the hotter the temperature the shorter the ripeness window) these are the princesses of the cherry crop and bring princely prices along with them.

So after eating a whole bag of Rainiers over the course of a few days in May – and after ‘accidentally’ forgetting to tell anyone in my house that they were in the refrigerator – you can only imagine my glee to see our East Coast equivalent appear at markets this week. Queen Anne has arrived!

While Washington State dominates in overall cherry production, with the USDA predicting a crop that will outpace California by 125,000 tons this year, there are some orchards in the mid-Atlantic region that grow beautiful varieties. There are the sour Montmorencys for pies and tarts, sweet ruby red Bings for eating out of hand or enjoying with ice cream, and last but not least the leading lady for snacking: Queen Annes. Often destined for the maraschino jar, this cultivar is considered to be one of the older varieties and has been subject to various names since the 1800’s including Napoleon, White Napoleon, and Royal Ann. Some even posit that this cultivar spawned the most-popular and most-selling Bing cherry.

Regardless of its jumbled history, the names all capture the singular quality of the fruit: that it is worthy of nobility. Fortunately for us common-folk, our farmers bring us this distinct treat every June to savor and celebrate. So go enjoy these luscious sweet treats with their crisp skins and enticing tenderness – and eat like a queen today!

saving strawberries

June 19, 2009

What to do when confronted with a slew of spotted strawberries?

Recently the market opened with one sole customer willing to brave the morning downpour, no doubt propelled by her vegetable needs for brunch taking place in a few hours. The rain’s dampening of customers and our clothing was eventually overcome by warming temps and drying sunshine, but not before droplets doused the most fragrant crop of the day – strawberries.

When rain lands on berries – or any porous, pockety fruit for that matter – it is quickly absorbed, leading to swollen segments. While still on the plant protection and rescue occurs, in the form of leaf umbrellas and root plumbing piping away water prior to berries bursting. But without their leafy sidekicks strawberries are no longer impervious to water, implode from water spots, and quickly decompose.

In order to avert wasted berry tragedy, one of the farmers and I made a deal that I’d take the two flats of spotted strawberries that remained after filling pints with undamaged goods.

With the market breakdown behind me, a light lunch of spinach quiche (thanks be to bakers) in my belly, and some restful reading accomplished, I was ready to face the flats.

more “saving strawberries” …

food-whys

exploring tastes and place

Category: Fruit

Baby Steps

bye bye blueberries

cherry royal

saving strawberries