fruit notes
In part, the melons from Sun Tracker Farm taste so good because of the Capay Valley’s summer heat. But when the afternoon highs climb past 110-degrees, plants (and humans) get a little confused about how to respond to the heat. As we’ve seen with Central Valley stone fruit, some things slow down in ripening, to preserve energy maybe. Other plants, like watermelons, completely pop off. (Lucky us! :) Carine and Robert Hines of Sun Tracker Farm grow unconventional watermelons. Since they started the farm in 2016, they’ve grown a few different varieties each year: some with yellow flesh, some with thin rinds, most of them seeded, but all with exceptional flavor. They’ve always grown their watermelons for flavor and taste. This week’s Dark Belle watermelon is a favorite. It’s smaller with a more intense flavor. Its red flesh is speckled with few seeds behind a thin rind. It’s the perfect picnic watermelon in my opinion! Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Sun Tracker Farm in Guinda.
In late June, we stopped to visit Murray Family Farms in Bakersfield. Farmer Steven walked us through a few rows of grape vines, tasting handfuls as we went. We ate grapes that taste like lychees, grapes long and slender like a finger, grapes with dimpled bottoms and wild aromas, and grapes called Candy Snaps. Candy Snaps have an unassuming look about them; they could sit on the “seedless red grape” altar in Safeway with shoppers none the wiser – until they eat one. When you bite into a Candy Snap, there’s this initial crisp snap then a burst of sugar and a rush of aromatic flavors: strawberry, melon, fruit punch. It’s an experience! Back in June, we were surprised to find the Candy Snaps grapes nearly ripe and ready so early in the season. We waited a few weeks to bring them in, to let the sugars develop, and it’s safe to say that the sugars are now fully grown lol. Grape season is just getting started and we’re looking forward to working our way through all of Murray’s varieties! Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Murray Family Farms in Bakersfield.
To me, it seems that green-skinned plums and pluots tend to be the sweetest varieties. It’s a trick, since green is typically associated with being underripe. But not in the case of these! Emerald Drop pluots are a plum and apricot hybrid. Their sweetness has a honeyed richness and they maintain a nice firm texture when ripe, similar to a Flavor Grenade pluot. And if you're familiar with the world of pluots, Emerald Drops are quite similar to Flavor Queens. (I think they are slightly better tasting – but don’t tell the queen.) This year, we’ve been fortunate to source many of the plums and pluots from one small farm in the Capay Valley, Spreadwing. If you can believe it, farmers Cathy and Michael are still waiting for many of their stone fruit varieties to ripen up, behind “schedule”, perhaps stalled by the heat. The flip side of that coin is that stone fruit season may stretch a little later this year! Store on the counter. Grown organically by Spreadwing Farm in Rumsey.
One of the reasons we started fruitqueen is to share less common, less popular, but exceptionally delicious fruit varieties that risk falling out of style in the market. Our hope is to introduce a fruit by its variety name, to familiarize it among fruit lovers, to encourage eaters to crave it every season, and then for fruit lovers to ask for it at farmers markets or with their favorite farmer, so that they’ll keep growing that delicious variety for years to come. The Sun Crest peach is one such success story, and an inspiration. It was a staple variety for farmers and eaters alike, juicy and fragrant, but it fell out of favor. The Sun Crest is delicate and prone to bruising, making it difficult to ship and unfavorable in the commercial market. Newer peach varieties boast a more even red color across the skin, signifying ripeness to the shopper. The Sun Crest, merely streaked with blush over a goldenrod skin, can’t compare. But the flavor-texture-aroma – well it’s fodder for poetry. And through the storytelling of Mas Masumoto, the advocacy of good food organizations, and the dedication of farmers working harder to grow fruit for flavor, the Sun Crest is alive and well. We’re so happy to see younger farmers like Toby still growing the Sun Crest variety. It’s juicy and sweet even when firm, but give it a couple of days on the counter. Grown organically by Free Spirit Farm in Winters.
Poli at Yerena Farms is our go-to guy for beautiful, plump, sweet raspberries. For the last few weeks, the heat challenged Poli’s raspberries, melting them before his crew could pick them. As the weather has cooled a bit, the plants are happier and the raspberries are harvestable again. And they are delicious! As we near the end of July, strawberry plants are fatigued by producing for months and blueberry season is nearing a close. Now it’s time for blackberries and raspberries to shine. Raspberries trail behind blackberries but linger into the fall months before a cold snap hits and ends their season. Luckily, we’re just getting started. Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Yerena Farms in Watsonville.
The Summer Grand nectarine is the second to last nectarine variety harvested at Masumoto Family Farm. Summer Grand nectos are a freestone yellow nectarine that offers bright flavors with high sugars, balanced with a bit of acidity. The streaks of red across the flesh are mesmerizing. A nectarine’s skin tends to be thicker as we march into summer, showing the resilience of ripening through a few heat waves. Enjoy these sweet, sweet nectarines that mark midsummer and mid-way through peach season. Store on the counter. Grown organically by Masumoto Family Farm in Del Rey.
We’re onto the third variety of blackberries from Toby at Free Spirit Farm, and our favorite so far: the Triple Crown. His style of trellising (detailed here) allows him to adjust the angle of the entire trellis, protecting the blackberries from extreme sun exposure. Despite the recent heat wave, Toby’s blackberries have totally popped off the last few weeks. And the beloved Triple Crown variety is just getting started. These berries are large, sweet and tart, and with lots of flavor! Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Free Spirit Farm in Winters.
