Newsletter 1

What’s in Box? Summer Squash, New potatoes, Basil, Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, String Beans and Corn,

Good Humus Produce

presents

The 17th Annual Peachy Party

Saturday, August 7th, 1 to 11

Support the One Farm at a Time and the Good Humus Farm Preservation Project at our Peach party with a contribution

$25 contribution or more for the first 36 folks will receive a free peach pie deliciously crafted by Mission Pie of San Francisco (with Good Humus Peaches)

$50 contribution or more will receive a case of Good Humus peaches! Pies are limited so please let us know by August 1! Pick up at our farm at our annual Peach Party. Order via email (humus@cal.net) or call 530-787-3187. Check made payable to TPCF-One Farm at a Time/Good Humus Produce-and the donation is tax deductible.

There has always been something a bit too sensuous about a peach to keep its admirers on the straight and narrow. Sooner or later their relationship to a peach becomes physical and their admiring smiles tighten into a leer. Even the splendid and lyrical Epitaph for a Peach by David Masamoto gets slightly well, off his peaches as he describes eating a Sun Crest peach: “Sun Crest is one of the last remaining truly juicy peaches. When you wash that treasure under a stream of cooling water ...your mouth waters in anticipation. You lean over the sink to make sure you don't drip on yourself. Then you sink your teeth into the flesh, and the juice trickles down your cheeks and dangles on your chin”. I can speculate at some length about why peaches, in particular, have this effect. I can point out its curvaceous outline; its lip-like groove; its terry-cloth fuzzy robe and its enchanting perfume as charms. But I think that the Siren-like appeal of a ripe peach is its flesh. Unlike other fruits peaches yield to the tenderest of bites that a knife can make firm crisp-looking slices, and it is not just yellow, it has a red blush and when really ripe the flesh is almost completely red. Once in the mouth a ripe peach explodes into a sweet elixir while retaining just enough texture that it’s nobody’s snow cone. That peachy quality of yielding, juice-filled flesh is called “melting flesh” by botanists and while the science explaining this characteristic isn’t sensual it is sexy. Epitaph for a Peach, is a book worth reading by David Masumoto. It is about the Sun Crest peach that he mourned the loss of from modern agriculture. The Sun Crest peach was perishable and did not ship well, but had a superior taste, texture and the messy, running down your face kind of juiciness. He was on the edge of pulling the orchard, and could not bring himself to do it. He still grows them and funnels them through local organic food channels in California, doing his part to save this peach from extinction. We too have our largest amount of peach tress planted to the Sun Crest Peach. The bud wood came from dear friends Gene and Margie Merrill from The Vinegrove Farm in Winters when we started the farm here in the Hungry Hollow in 1983. We actually got the Royal Blenheim apricot, the Sun Crest peach (both of which are on the Slow Food Ark) and the Flavor Top Nectarine bud wood from Gene that Jeff budded to our trees. I remember the first years of the Davis Farmers Market buying the last of the Vinegrove fruit on a Saturday market, it was the sloppiest, softest fruit that nobody in their right mind would spend a dine on…or really only the folks that know that this was going to be the best fruit a dime could buy. It was so ripe that it really couldn’t make it to even the farmers market, and everyone passed it by, but it was the sweetest, juiciest fruit on earth. Ah, heaven right here in Yolo County! We have two other peach varieties and I eat them, but I really don’t pay attention to them, I am waiting for the real deal, the Sun Crest! I am really a peach snob, as I won’t eat other peaches from the market either, the texture is mealy, or not that burst of flavor that the Sun Crest has and the white varieties peaches are just pure sugar, no flavor in them at all…see I said I was a peach snob! Have a great week-Annie

Prepare grill or medium heat. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Remove vegetable from bowl, reserving mixture. Place the onion and bell pepper on grill rack coated with cooking spray, grill 7 minutes on each side or until tender. Grill zucchini 3 minutes on each side or until done. Hollow out bottom half of bread leaving a ½ inch thick shell, reserve torn bread for another use. Layer grilled vegetables on loaf, drizzle reserved vinegar mixture on top. Cover with top of the bread press lightly. Place filled loaf on grill rack, grill 4 minutes on each side or until cheese melts. Cut into quarters. Yield 4 servings.

Spread zucchini on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. This draws out the moisture. Preheat oven 350F. In a large bowl beat eggs until lightly frothy. Add zucchini and 2 Tablespoon. Cheese. Season to taste with pepper. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add zucchini mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place in oven and bake until set but still slightly moist, about 20 minutes. Serve warm with Quick Tomato Sauce. This is good without but the tomato sauce puts it over the top. Tip: Prep the zucchini the night before; roll up in the paper towels and leave in fridge. Makes it easy to assemble in the morning.

In skillet, warm olive oil. Add garlic and, when it sizzles, stir in tomatoes and sugar. Sauté, stirring just until the tomatoes’ juices begin to thicken, 5-7 minutes. Stir in basil and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

If fresh mozzarella is not available substitute another fresh soft cheese, such as queso fresco or feta. For added flavor use an olive oil infused with herbs or roasted garlic instead of plain olive oil.

Set aside several whole basil leaves for garnish. Using a sharp knife, chop remaining basil leaves. Combine chopped basil, oil, and pepper in a medium bowl. Cut mozzarella into 1 inch cubes: toss cheese cubes gently with herb and oil mixture till cheese is well-coated. Cover and let chill for 1hour-5 days. Transfer cheese mixture to a serving dish; garnish with whole basil leaves and, if desired tomato slices. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Aioli is like mayonnaise but with garlic- great with grilled vegetables or on your sandwich

Blend ¼ cup garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons oil in a blender on high speed until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes, then transfer to mortar. Add ¾ cup plus 2 teaspoon oil very slowly 1-2 teaspoons at a time, stirring and mashing constantly and vigorously with pestle. This will take about 15 minutes, and mixture will become very thick and glossy. Aioli will separate if oil is added too quickly. Transfer to a bowl, make second batch with remaining ingredients.

Peach Cake

3 cups coarsely chopped peaches (about 1 pound)

Preheat oven to 375. Combine the chopped peaches, ¼ cup sugar, and lemon juice. Set aside, Beat 1.4 cup sugar and butter at medium speed of a mixer until well blended. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, an eggs; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, lemon rind, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Spoon cake batter into an 8 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon peaches over batter. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with frozen yogurt. Yields 6 servings.