September 2nd, 2009 by Mary
I drive by a small u-pick peach orchard on my way to work. During the summer months I enjoy watching the peaches mature, becoming more orangey-gold as July turns into August. One early morning in mid-August I notice there are cars parked along the road starting at the orchard gate and continuing in a line for about half a mile. Car engines are turned off, whole families sit quietly together waiting for the orchard to open. Peaches may be one of the only foods that everyone would agree are best eaten in season. I believe that’s why those families wait so patiently every year to pick their bucketfuls of perfect August peaches. Peaches that have spent most of their lives in coolers, and have traveled great distances are not worth waiting in line for. They will never have that yielding softness that only a ripe peach has, nor the juicy, sweet-tart perfection of an August peach. I have been lucky to live most of my life in places where peaches grow in the summer, and my favorite peach recipe remains unchanged over the years. Here it is. Get a sharp knife, peel the peach and then cut along the suture from stem to blossom end, continuing up the opposite side. Twist the two halves gently. A freestone peach will separate easily and be ready for slicing. A cling variety will need to be sliced from the pit. Next eat the peach and savor the deliciousness. Sometimes I like to expand on this simple recipe, by making crepes and creme fraiche to eat with my fresh sliced peaches.
Fresh Sliced Peaches, Johnny Cakes, Creme Fraiche, and Corn Butter
Alice Waters recipes for Peach Melba or Peach Shortcake are also simple variations on the sliced peach . As she says, “Most of our (Chez Panisse) peach desserts are simple preparations designed to enhance the natural characteristics of the fruit.” I cannot argue with this perspective. My other favorite peach recipes were created by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson for their book, Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More. The recipes for Caramel Peach Grunt, Gingered Peach and Blackberry Pandowdy, or Summer Fruit Trifle should be distributed to all those families waiting for the peach orchard to open. They know a good peach is worth waiting for, and they, too might enjoy an old fashioned recipe when they get their fill of peaches eaten right off the tree.
Tags: Alice Waters, Ashland Food Co-op, Cooking & Recipes, Eat Local Week, Heirloom Foods, Local Farms, local food, organic, Slow Food
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August 31st, 2009 by Matthew
“A Georgia peach, a real Georgia peach, a backyard great-grandmother’s orchard peach, is as thickly furred as a sweater, and so fluent and sweet that once you bite through the flannel, it brings tears to your eyes.” -Melissa Fay Greene
Dave Belzberg is no georgia-peach-growing great grandmother. But given the right mood and circumstances, his peaches just might bring tears of joy and delight to your eyes. They are really that good.
Dave has been growing his organic peaches at Rolling Hills Farm in Southern Oregon (Griffin Creek area) for almost 24 years. Before moving south to the Rogue Valley, Canadian-born Dave grew plums up in British Columbia for 10 years. That gives him almost 35 years of experience in the orchards!
To view full blog with pictures and links click here!
Tags: Ashland Food Co-op, Eat Local Week, Heirloom Foods, Local Farms, local food, organic, Slow Food, sustainability
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August 20th, 2009 by Matthew
“Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral.” -Frank Lloyd Wright
When Ken and Susan Muller first looked at the Rogue Valley with their new farm in mind, they saw an abundance of exceptional produce farms and talented produce farmers. Operations like Whistling Duck, Barking Moon, Hi Hoe Produce, Blue Fox, Rolling Hills, and a multitude of others were getting the job done, and doing it well.
But the one thing that Ken and Susan didn’t see much of was poultry. Specifically, high quality pastured poultry and eggs. And so a little over two years ago, equipped with family histories in farming, experience and skills gained from WWOOFing, and a healthy dose of inspiration, Ken and Susan set out to fill this niche and transform Margaret Krout’s (Susan’s mother) seven acres into a bonafide pastured poultry operation.
Today that transformation is complete. The infrastructure is in place, the chicken houses are beautiful, their flocks are growing strong, and their customers are spreading the word. And as a new customer myself, it’s time for me to help spread the word about this amazing local food resource!
There have already been some great articles about Rogue Valley Brambles that are worth a peek: Mail Tribune, Friends of Family Farmers, Daily Tidings. But in this article, I want to delve a little deeper into all the amazing foodstuffs the farm is producing and let you know where and when you can find Rogue Valley Brambles.
FARM FRESH EGGS:
Rogue Valley Brambles’ eggs are truly in a different class. They’re beautiful, rich in color, extremely fresh, flavorful, and sustainably raised. They’re some of the best eggs I’ve seen, and well worth the cost and a trip to the growers market to find them. This is what sets them apart from the rest:
COLOR – Ken and Susan’s eggs are so beautiful you’re almost tempted not to touch them. Many of the rare breeds that they raise (Araucana, Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Delaware, Polish, New Hampshire,Cochin, Jersey Giant, and Gold Sex Link) lay eggs with unique and beautifully colored shells. The blue eggs from their Araucana hens are particularly striking………
To view full blog with pictures and links click here!
Tags: Ashland Food Co-op, Eat Local Week, Heirloom Foods, Local Farm, Local Farms, local food, organic, Pastured Poultry, Rogue Valley, Slow Food, sustainability
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July 17th, 2009 by Matthew
In Southern Oregon, Eat Local Week 2009 will take place the week of September 12th – 19th, coinciding with Organically Grown Week throughout Oregon. Ashland Food Co-op has teamed up with THRIVE in organizing a week packed with events: the Eat Local Festival 2009, the week-long Eat Local Challenge, two exclusive Movie Screenings of the food documentary Ingredients, two Local Farm Tours, and more. Ashland Food Co-op, THRIVE, and the other Eat Local Week sponsors hope to build upon the already strong local food movement and get the community excited about and aware of the abundance of amazing local foods found in and around the Rogue Valley.
Over the next two months, I will be traveling to local farms, vineyards and fisheries in search of agricultural (and aquacultural*) excellence – taking pictures, meeting some amazing growers and producers, and learning a few things along the way. You will be able to find these blogs on the Ashland Food Co-op Blog and on Return to Tradition. My partner in crime, Mary Shaw, will be examining another side of local food on her blog, Local Pantry. In particular she will explore local food preservation, traditions, lore, and recipes.
Well….it’s hot, it’s Friday, and there’s a salmon to cured and smoked. I’m off.
Tags: Eat Local Week, Local Farms, local food, Sustainable Food
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