fruit notes
The Bronx grapes are magic right now. A few weeks ago, we visited John and Casey in Escalon to see how they were coming along. We trekked out to the vineyard to taste and test the grapes. In addition to sensory evaluation – plain ol’ tasting, personal fave – measuring the grapes’ sugar levels helps give you a sense of how far out from harvest you are. John explained that you can typically expect the grapes to gain two degrees Brix – a measure of sugar concentration – each week. We picked a sample and crushed the berries, catching their juice in a paper cup. The digital refractometer wasn’t working, so John and I took turns with the analog tool, a device with a lens on one end and a glass plate that holds a drop of juice on the other. We looked like navigators gazing through a spyglass at the sugary horizon. Testing (and tasting) across multiple rows showed that the Bronx needed a couple more weeks to come into their own. Now they’re finally here, and they’re incredible. The thin skins are painted with pale greens and pinks – ethereal is the word I keep coming back to. It’s hard to believe they could taste as good as they look. But behind the skin is a juicy burst of flavor, wild sugars with just enough acidity to set it off, and a complexity matching the color’s nuance. With only 2-3 weeks in the season, the window is short. Enjoy :) Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Lagier Ranches in Escalon.
French prune plums are a favorite of ours. They are such a classic! Brian calls them “a poor man’s Greengage”, but that doesn’t quite do them justice. They share a richness and that fine-grained texture. And prune plums have the caramelized sweetness – more syrupy than juicy – like you find in a Greengage plum. All this is hidden behind a demure form; in a dim light they might look like a bowl of dates. But it's easier to eat a bowl of these in one sitting :) Store these on the counter. Grown organically and biodynamically by Filigreen Farm in Boonville.
This is the first time we’ve ever been able to put a melon in the Baby Box! We just got our hands on a slightly taller version of the box AND when you know your melon farmer, they’ll hand-sort and size melons with the perfect dimensions – thanks Carine!! The Sivan Charentais are just so fantastic right now we want everyone to be eating them. If you get to stick your face in a case like we do, the waft of aroma that escapes is intoxicatingly sweet and floral. Just before the season began, I asked Carine what her favorite melon was. She gave me a rambling, eight-minute answer – a speech, really – in which she may have mentioned every variety they grow. Pressed, she admitted it was probably a Charentais. I agree! Carine and Robert’s melons are delicious all season long but something about a late-summer melon hits a little differently. It sure is sweet. Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Sun Tracker Farm in Guinda.
Albion strawberries have been tasting so good over the last couple of weeks. Particularly, these Albions from Blue House Farm in Pescadero are just perfect. Albions are consistently a great strawberry but August is when I think it’s at its best. The first flush of spring berries in May and June tend to be big and crunchy. The July berries, persevering through heat waves, become deeply red-colored. But August Albions are perfect in color, size, and flavor. Strawberries need cool nights paired with warm days to reach their full flavor potential, and we’re seeing ideal strawberry growing temps both day and night. Store these in the fridge. Grown organically by Blue House Farm in Pescadero.
Cassie yellow peaches grown by Double Wild Farm are eagerly anticipated by their farmers market patrons, who wait for this variety all year long. We can’t find anyone else who grows this peach, so it seems it may be another Woodleaf Farm original, planted by founding farmer Carl Rosato. It’s a highly aromatic freestone peach with lovely fruity-punch flavors. Notably, the Cassie is dense, a trait prized by certain peach connoisseurs – more peach flavor per cubic inch! This is a real standout variety and we’re wild about it. We’ve got one more week to enjoy these. Store on the counter. Grown organically by Double Wild Farm in Oroville.
If you can’t tell, we’re acid-loving fruit eaters. But when Chenango Strawberry apples are harvested, I don’t pass up the short harvest (maybe just a single harvest) of this beautiful summer apple. They are delicate and bruise easily, traits you don’t typically associate with apples, which makes them uncommon and unfavorable for the commercial market. They’re uniquely firm and tender at the same time. This heirloom, dating to the early 1800s, has a juicy texture, milky white flesh, and subtle notes of strawberry. They’re best eaten fresh. Lucky for us, Stan Devoto delivers his apples within a day of harvest. This variety is best stored in the fridge. Grown organically by Devoto Orchards in Sebastopol.
O’Henry yellow peaches are a long-time favorite. It’s a late-season variety with incredible flavor and a special place in my heart. This is one of Toby’s last peach varieties and as with many of his delicious stone fruits, we’re competing with birds that enjoy his fruit as much as we do. This is another way of saying they were picked before the birds could get them. Give them a couple days on the counter before enjoying these peaches. Store on the counter. Grown organically by Free Spirit Farm in Winters.
It’s unusual to see my 96-year-old grandma eat a peach at all, but somehow she’ll put away a few donut peaches in one sitting. She confirms they are sweet, sweet to her liking. (Editor’s note: this is the highest praise. Joyce’s discerning palate is a direct inheritance from her grandmother, whose taste is as sharp as ever.) These are the last of these late-summer Galaxy white donut peaches. They’re honey-sweet, with a soft and juicy texture. Eat them soon. Grown organically by Terra Firma Farms in Winters.
