fruit notes

Juan Garcia planted three Gold Nugget loquats 35 years ago and now, amongst the citrus and avocados, they fruit on these big, leathery-leafed trees. These loquats are reminiscent of a fuzzy little apricot – bright, sweet, and tart – a teaser for stone fruit season proper. This week, they’ve ripened perfectly, just in time for us to include in the FQ boxes for Mother’s Day. For me, loquats are deeply linked with memories of the matriarchs in my family. I grew up eating them, always lovingly peeled by my mother and grandmother. Though peeling and cutting fruit was common in my household growing up, it was the most tender expression of love. 

In Cantonese, loquat fruits are called pi pa guo. In my family’s dialect, I also knew them as lo goot. Both words are pretty playful to say and hear. As a kid, I remember being confused when I heard loquats referred to as pi pa guo because the word sounds just like “Pei Pa Koa”, the cough syrup we’d take as medicine when I had a sore throat. Pei Pa Koa is made of an herbal blend that includes loquat leaves and fruit. Most Chinese medicine I grew up with was really hard to swallow but Pei Pa Koa syrup was delicious – so delicious that I’d ask for it when my throat had even the slightest hoarseness. When I was introduced to the actual fruit as a kid, I realized it wasn’t as sweet as the syrup – and you had to peel the skin! So I took a little while to come around to the fresh version.

As an adult, I’ve spent most years seeking out perfectly ripe loquats from the farmers we work with. Much like how my family used to gather loquats from the backyard trees of friends and relatives, most of these farmers have just a few loquat trees scattered around their property, their own versions of backyard trees. 

The most discerning fruit-eater in my life is my 96-year-old grandma. For the past few weeks, I’ve been able to bring her loquats, asking her opinion on fruit from this farm or that variety. And just like she did for me growing up, I now have the honor of peeling loquats for her. Some are sweet, and some are a little more tart, but that’s the loquat-eating experience.

Bruising is normal, and often means it has a particularly rich flavor. Store on the counter. Grown organically by Garcia Organic Farm in Fallbrook.

California’s first blueberries ripen at the southern end of the Central Valley, so Murray Family Farms, in Bakersfield, is well into their season. They harvested these Star blueberries for us this week – sweet, a little tart, and deeply flavorful. Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Murray Family Farms in Bakersfield.

The beloved Mara des Bois strawberry is tiny but mighty in flavor. The berries are floral, aromatic, and perfectly sweet. This French variety is reminiscent of wild strawberries with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture which makes it hard to grow commercially. Even with Poli Yerena’s delicate touch and extremely fresh harvest, they are not long for this world. Eat them right away. Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Yerena Farms in Watsonville.

Last year, Murray Family Farms brought the OB1 cherry to market for the first time. It’s an early dark red cherry, and this year, they’ve got a really good crop. Spring weather has been favorable for cherries so far and this newer cherry variety is thriving. It’s early May – to have a dark red cherry that’s so juicy and big is a pretty nice treat. Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Murray Family Farms in Bakersfield.

    We went a little further south down the coast from our usual Chandler strawberry spot to Yerena Farms in Watsonville. Sylvia and Poli Yerena are a few weeks into their berry season and strawberries are the first to come on. This fruit was harvested from their second-year plants, which means the berries are a little smaller, but they ripen a little earlier. These have that classic Chandler jam flavor and a soft and juicy texture! Store in the fridge. Grown organically by Yerena Farms in Watsonville.

    What a way to celebrate the end of citrus season! These Yosemite Gold mandarins are such a wonderful-tasting mandarin! They are another TDE-type mandarin, like Tahoe & Shasta Golds. We’re most familiar with their cousins, the Tahoe Golds, but these Yosemite Golds are incredibly flavorful, juicy, and have the best sweet-tart balance. Garcia Organic Farm has a late crop to wrap up citrus season on a high note. Store on the counter. Grown organically by Garcia Organic Farm in Fallbrook.

Classically sweet-tart Ruby Red grapefruit! Our friends at Terra Firma are in full-swing of their late-season grapefruit harvest. They are our favorite super-flavorful grapefruit! Store on the counter. Grown organically by Terra Firma Farm in Winters.