fruit notes
California's cherry season is a literal disaster – more on that next week – but you'd never know it from this week's fruit. These Coral cherries from Chinchiolo Family Farms are big, firm, and sweet. Not quite a Bing, but pretty much everything you'd want in a cherry. They've made me completely re-think the variety, which is pretty cool! They are the best cherries of the season so far, by my lights. Grown organically by Chinchiolo Family Farms in Escalon.
Spreadwing Farm does an outstanding job with their tree fruit. Seemingly everything they send us is picked just a little riper, but clearly sorted with so much care – their cases are immaculate. The Apache apricots in this week's box are no exception. They're a round, plump apricot prone the bruising. You might pick them firm and green to make handling easier, but not Spreadwing. When I saw their round forms, brushed with a cheeky blush, catch a little afternoon light yesterday, I swore I heard angels. Grown organically by Spreadwing Farm in Rumsey.
When a grower has a new variety, we start to get excited. When it's Masumoto, we can't wait to try. The Nicole apricots in this week's box are the first taste of an apricot we've been anticipating for a couple years now. Nikiko had mentioned a new apricot they were trying out, but the yield had never made sense to ship. This year, the trees are a little older, and there's a bit more fruit, so we get to taste them! The Nicole is a newish variety, developed with flavor in mind. It's dense and meaty, toothsome and sweet. It's a trip: a little reminiscent of a dried apricot, but in vibrant three dimensions! Its texture means it will do well in baked goods or jams. Enjoy, this week is the one and only! Grown by Masumoto Family Farm in Del Rey.
What more can you say about Swanton Berry Farm's Chandler strawberries? This week I heard Karen, a friend with a discerning palate and several decades in the produce world, call them "the best strawberries on the planet!" That's it! Grown organically by Swanton Berry Farms in Davenport.
We went a bit further afield for blueberries this week, sourcing from Triple Delight in Fresno County. They're packing a mix of Star and Snowchaser varieties. I think you can taste the heat they're grown in – a little sweeter, a bit less acid, and a tender bite. Grown organically by Triple Delight Blueberries in Caruthers.
This week really wraps up kiwi season. We may have forecasted the end of local kiwis three weeks ago, but it turns out we were wrong! (Well, me to be specific, actually.) Farmer Ruthanne of Shared Abundance measures the sugars and waits to harvest until they are nearly double the standard of big, commercial growers. This late in the season, the acid has faded and you're left with the pleasant, mellow sweetness. Last Hayward kiwis of the season! Grown organically by Shared Abundance Organic Farm in Auburn.
