On Perfection, Evolution & Summer Pleasures

Though human perfection does not exist, Homo sapiens is imbued with the evolutionary drive to seek perfection in all things.  Perhaps this  impulse is linked to the survival instinct which pushed our species to hunt for the best food, partners, comrades and environments. 

There is tension inherent in this search, for ultimately, one must make a choice.  Certain choices are crucial, and will resound in our lives for decades. Other choices are simpler; which sunflower, which artichoke, which peach shall we select?  

Such are the small, weightless pleasures of summer, when there is an abundance of nearly  perfect produce to enjoy.

  

***

inanimate perfection?

Of Autumn, Apples and Poetry

Autumn is a time to pause for reflection as the heat, light and activity of Summer diminish; it is a distinct period of transition between the expansive warm energy of Summer and the cold contracting energy of Winter, a time to let go of the pleasures of Summer and to gather and safeguard food and fuel for the season ahead when the earth freezes and growth ceases.

According to traditional Asian medical theory, the Lung is the organ system associated with Autumn; it is closely connected to our external environment via the nasal passages and throat and is vulnerable to changes in temperature and atmosphere. (I remember noticing while traveling in the chilly highlands of Guatemala that women habitually covered their noses and mouths with a shawl during cold weather, when the wind blew or when riding on a bus with open windows).

The energy (Qi) of the Lungs can be supported by eating specific foods, like the fruits which are now in season: apples, pears, grapes and persimmons. These are thought to protect the Lungs by keeping them slightly moist and cool, rather than too cold, dry, hot or damp. Spicy, pungent foods like ginger root, radishes, leeks, onions and garlic also benefit the Lungs by gently increasing local circulation. Appropriate exercise, adequate sleep and mindful awareness of unsettling thought patterns and excessive emotion are additional ways to protect Lung Qi.

Apples  (By Grace Schulman)

Rain hazes a street cart's green umbrella
but not its apples, heaped in paper cartons, 
dry under cling film.  The apple man,

who shirrs his mouth as though eating tart fruit,
exhibits four like racehorses at auction:
Blacktwig, Holland, Crimson King, Salome.

I tried one and its cold grain jolted memory:
a hill where meager apples fell so bruised
that locals wondered why we scooped them up,

my friend and I, in matching navy blazers,
One bite and I heard her laughter toll,
free as school's out, her face flushed in the late sun.

I asked the apple merchant for another,
jaunty as Cezanne's still-life reds and yellows,
having more life than stillness, telling us,

uncut, unpeeled, they are not for the feast
but for themselves, and building strength to fly
at any moment, leap from a skewed bowl,

whirl in the air, and roll off a tilted table.
Fruit-stand vendor, master of Northern Spies,
let a loose apple teach me how to spin

at random, burn in light and rave in shadows.
Bring me a Winesap like the one Eve tasted,
savored and shared, and asked for more.

No fool, she knew that beauty strikes just once,
hard, never in comfort. For that bitter fruit,
tasting of earth and song, I'd risk exile.

The air is bland here. I would forfeit mist
for hail, put on a robe of dandelions,
and run out, broken, to weep and curse- for joy. 



"Apples" from The Broken String by Grace Schulman, Houghton Mifflin 2007.

Tomato, Tomatl, Solanum Lycopersicum!

The tomato is a fruit of many colors, shapes and names, and summer is the time to revel in its heady acidic sweetness. Though greenhouse tomatoes are available year round, a tomato in winter is but a pale imitation of robust fruit grown in healthy soil under the hot summer sun. 

Tiny wild tomatoes were native to South and Central America and were first cultivated by the Inca and Aztec peoples around 700 CE.  The Aztecs learned to breed large flavorful specimens which they called "tomatl" meaning "fat fruit" or "plump fruit" and "xitomatl" meaning "plump fruit with a navel" in the Nahau language.

Spanish explorers introduced the fruit which they called "tomate" to Europe in the sixteenth century; eventually it gained extensive culinary use throughout the continent and beyond. The Italians named it "pomodoro" or "golden apple" and the French call it "pomme d'amour", "apple of love". In Russia, home of the famous heirloom Black Krim,  the fruit is called "pomidor".

Known botanically as Solanum lycopersicum, tomatoes belong to the large family Solanaceae which includes potatoes, eggplants, peppers and tobacco. The etymological roots of Solanaceae are unclear, but Lycopersicum  as translated from Greek means "wolf peach", "lyco" meaning "wolf" and "persikon" meaning "peach". The "wolf peach" name may stem from early European folklore involving witchcraft and werewolves. Tomatoes were long thought to be poisonous since they belong to the nightshade family, which includes some deadly varieties.

Far from being poisonous, tomatoes are dense with valuable nutrients, especially lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which gives tomatoes their deep color and is thought to offer protection from several types of cancer and coronary artery disease. Tomatoes also contain plentiful amounts of vitamin C, potassium and fiber, and a 100 gram serving provides nearly a gram of protein. 

Tomato, tomatl, Solanum lycopersicum; whatever name you give it, the plump fruit of the Aztecs and Incas is one of the finest simple pleasures of summer. 

Farmer's Markets: Where the Real Food Is

One of the great luxuries of life in Northern California is the accessibility of quality produce year round. Even in winter, a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits are available from regional farms. In San Francisco, neighborhood farmer's markets provide urban residents the opportunity to deepen their understanding of seasonal growing cycles and to become familiar with a broad range of produce which is seldom available commercially.

In our earliest millennia as a bipedal species, our primary occupation was to search for and gather our food. Anthropologists observe that foraging peoples walked an average of three to five miles a day in search of a remarkably diverse selection of edible plants, roots, nuts, berries and fruit. Our ancestor's survival hinged upon their knowledge of where each of many varieties of food was located in its season and the ability to gather it. Energy, intelligence and perseverance were critical to this task; our motivation was hunger. Homo sapiens succeeded in this endeavor well enough to reproduce and pass on the human genome from generation to generation.

Many thousands of years later, this essential human project has turned upside down. Moderns have little need to gather their own food, and little time to prepare it. Most of us spend our days (or nights) earning money with which to purchase our food, much of which bears faint resemblance to that of our forager ancestors. A vast assortment of what Michael Pollan calls "edible food like substances" is readily available in supermarkets and few calories are consumed in the effort to acquire it.

These changes have created a deep disconnect between humans and their sources of food, a decline in food intelligence and a troubled relationship between the instinctive drive to eat and an oversupply of aggressively marketed low quality calories. There is much confusion surrounding food choices and eating styles which has engendered a huge proliferation of widely variable and contradictory information about nutrition and health. Lost in the deluge of advertising and misinformation are the essential unprocessed foods which once were the sole components of our diet.

Farmer's markets offer honest commerce on a human scale. They bring farmers and shoppers together in venues where an abundance of the real food which truly nourishes and sustains us can be found. 

Stone Fruit: The Naked Truth

Although San Franciscans are still sporting fleece and down jackets, the arrival of the first stone fruits in Bay Area farmer's markets hints that summer is near. Apricots, peaches, nectarines and cherries are already brightening foggy market days. There is much to look forward to in the coming months for those who cherish the fragrance, flavor and beauty of the fruit of the trees.

Fresh, raw and naked is the best way to enjoy summer stone fruits. Quality fruit is bred for flavor, not shelf life or cosmetic perfection. Smaller fruit with a few blemishes may be far superior in taste and nutritional value to oversized picture perfect commercial produce. Farmer's markets provide the opportunity to sample different varieties of fruit and to consult with the vendors about how to select, ripen and store it.

Transport your fruit home from the market with care. Separate very ripe or slightly bruised specimens immediately; fruit salads and smoothies can be made with them in minutes. Many stone fruits can be held at room temperature for a few days or more. Don't wash the fruit until you are ready to eat it. Place fruit on a clean dry surface, leaving a little space between each piece.

Check the fruit daily and set aside the ripest to be eaten that day. With proper handling, your collection of stone fruit can be savored all week at peak flavor. Simply wash and nosh! When the next market day arrives you will be eager to replenish your supply of some of nature's finest creations.

The Essence of Summer, Season of Joy

According to the traditional Asian calendar, Summer is the Season of Fire, the time of "Ultimate Yang". Energy is high, daylight is plentiful and growing things flourish and reach the apex of their ripeness and fullness. This is the season of the Heart, whose dominant emotion is Joy.

 
Midsummer farmer's markets in Northern California are brimming with exquisite produce of the utmost freshness and flavor. Almost everything I have sampled in recent weeks is of extraordinary quality.

This is the time to revel in the abundant colors, flavors and fragrances of nature. Farmer's market  purveyors offer many luscious varieties of produce such as plums, peaches and nectarines which are seldom found in commercial supermarkets.

Don't forget to select red, yellow and orange sweet peppers, crimson dry farmed tomatoes, fragrant melons and bunches of aromatic basil. (If you can't use all the basil, tie a cotton string around the stems and hang it up to dry in a warm spot in your kitchen for later use.)

Produce of this quality is dense with nutrients, requires little preparation and is great for casual snacks and meals. Ultra ripe fruit is at its best eaten out of hand. Make a simple gourmet meal with sliced dry farmed tomatoes sprinkled with olive oil, sea salt and fresh basil leaves. Eat slowly and savor the essence of Summer, the Season of Joy.

Almost Spring: Citrus - Mango Smoothie

Plum blossoms, blood oranges, Minneola tangerines, Ruby Red grapefruits and Lunar New Year signal the arrival of Spring in San Francisco. Farmer's markets are flush with colorful fresh citrus fruit, perfect for creating delicious smoothies like this citrus- mango combo, which can be made in a minute or two.

Dried mango slices are a versatile all- season pantry staple. When re-hydrated and blended into smoothies, they add velvety texture, valuable nutrients and a subtle tropical flavor. To re-hydrate, place a handful of mango slices in a glass jar and add water to cover. Mangoes will be soft enough to use in about an hour but can be stored in the fridge for up to three or four days in the jar of water.

Citrus - Mango Smoothie

2 or 3 medium blood oranges or Minneola Tangerines
3-4  mango slices, re-hydrated
1/2 cup mango soaking water

Use any combination of citrus.
Remove peel and seeds, slice into chunks.
Place citrus, mango slices and water in blender and process on high until smooth. If needed, add a little more water.  Serve immediately.  (Yields about one serving).

Fuyu Gaki! (Winter Persimmon)

The fuyu persimmon season began early this year in Northern California. Vendors at my local farmer's market inform me that the crop is plentiful and of high quality but the season will be short, so now is the time to gather a generous supply of persimmons for the winter. 

Store fuyus in a cool place (not the fridge where they will get mushy). Fuyus keep well and will continue to ripen and soften a bit as their color deepens. The deeper the color the sweeter the fruit!  Be patient! Eat a nutritious delicious fuyu gaki smoothie every day to ensure good health this winter.

Fuyu Gaki Smoothie:

To make a single serving smoothie, place one cut up fuyu and one cup plain, unsweetened almond milk in blender and process until smooth, adding a little more almond milk if mixture is too thick. Garnish with freshly ground nutmeg.

Serve in a bowl.  Meditate on the beautiful orange color of the Fuyu Gaki, the Winter Persimmon!

Late Summer: The Fifth Season

Late Summer is the fifth season of the traditional Chinese calendar, a brief interlude between Summer and Autumn. With the arrival of the fifth season, the fiery intensity of Summer heat, light and energy is in decline.  Late Summer is the transitional time between the season of rapid growth and the end of growth.

According to the philosophical theory of Wu Xing (the five transformational energies),  Late Summer is the season of Earth, which receives, holds and transmits the moisture, warmth and nutrients necessary for the final ripening of fruits, grains and other crops. It is a time of stillness and calm, a moment to savor the Earth's abundance, to gather energy for the harvest and to contemplate one's plans for the cooler darker days ahead.

"EARTH"

Summer Fruit: "O Taste And See"

Fragrant, ripe summer fruit is piling up now in profusion in produce markets everywhere. Few pleasures surpass that first sweet taste of the melons, peaches, plums and berries of summer.  The most flavorful fruit is best sought in farmer's markets, fruit stands, small produce markets and in the yards and gardens of generous friends and neighbors. Summer is the time to revel in a little sweet excess; if you come across enticing fruit in the market, splurge a bit and bring home a few extra pounds to enjoy.

Certain fruits like peaches and berries were not designed for "shelf life" and should be eaten soon after picking. If handled carefully,  ripe fruit can be kept for a few days in the fridge. Melons, plums, nectarines and grapes may be stored a bit longer.  Check your fruit inventory daily. Plan to use ripe or bruised fruit that day, perhaps in a smoothie or fruit salad. Let melons and stone fruits ripen on the kitchen counter; their fragrance will tell you when they are ready to eat.

Denise Levertov was one of the foremost American poets of the 20th century. Her poem "O Taste And See" was published in 1962. 


O Taste And See 

The world is
not with us enough.
O taste and see

the subway Bible poster said,
meaning The Lord, meaning
if anything all that lives
to the imagination's tongue,

grief, mercy, language
tangerine, weather, to
breathe them, bite,
savor, chew, swallow, transform

into our flesh our
deaths, crossing the street, plum, quince,
living in the orchard and being

hungry, and plucking
the fruit. 


-- Denise Levertov, 1923- 1997

Persimmon Season: Will It Be Sweet?

"Will it be sweet                                         
this Japanese persimmon
the first in my hand?"


Shibu karo ka
shira nedo kaki no
hatsu chigiri?

--- Chiyo-ni
(1703- 1775)



Chiyo-ni  was one of the foremost haiku poets of the Japanese Edo period (1603- 1868). Her work was particularly revered for its poetic quality of "shizen to hitotsu ni naru"  or "oneness with nature". It is said that she composed this haiku while contemplating the future of her recent marriage.

Persimmons are inspirational for their beauty but also for their taste, and one of the sweetest moments of the year for me is the appearance of the first persimmons in local produce markets. It is my annual ritual to spend a November morning on the chilly streets of San Francisco seeking out the most perfect persimmons to store up for the coming weeks of winter, when throughout the dark days, rows of ripening orange fruit brighten my kitchen.

Whether Chiyo-ni's marriage was sweet, or bitter like an unripe persimmon is unknown. Perhaps hints can be found in her poetry, which she began writing at the age of seven. By seventeen,  her talent for writing clear, pure haiku was well known. In her later years she took vows and lived the contemplative, austere life of a Buddhist. Perhaps even then she permitted herself an occasional taste of the sweet fruit of the persimmon tree.
                                                                           

Note: Previous posts contain extensive details on how to select, store and eat Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons. To access them, click on the "persimmons" label on the right hand column of the blog. My favorite persimmon recipe is below:

Persimmon Smoothie

1 Fuyu persimmon
1 cup nut milk or soy milk, plus extra as needed
fresh nutmeg, grated

Wash the persimmon and remove the calyx. Cut into a few pieces and remove any seeds. Place fruit, nut or soy milk and nutmeg in blender and process until smooth, adding a little extra nut or soy milk if too thick.  Serve immediately, garnished with a little more nutmeg, or store up to a few hours in the fridge.

 

Autumn Flavors: Fresh Ginger Root & Apple Salad

 

A fundamental teaching of Traditional Chinese Medicine is that food is the basis of all healing and health.  The body's job is to transform food into usable nutrients which then nourish all the tissues and organ systems;  how well it does this depends greatly on the quality of the food taken in. Whole unprocessed foods and medicinal herbs are thought to possess inherent energetic qualities which can balance and strengthen the body. Depending on the season, the climate and one's stage in life, specific foods are chosen according to their individual properties to ensure good health.

Pungent, spicy foods such as ginger root (also onions and garlic) are associated with the respiratory system, as are foods which are light or white in color (such as rice and pears).  It's traditional to incorporate some of these foods into the diet in the autumn, when the respiratory system is vulnerable to the seasonal changes in temperature and daylight. A classic example of this use of food is rice porridge laced with sliced green onion and fresh ginger root,  a well known home remedy for colds and flus.

 

This grated ginger- apple salad has been in my autumn repertoire for many years. The sweet tart fragrance of autumn apples contrasts beautifully with the pungent ginger root and creates a refreshing and deliciously simple dish. Flavorful apples are available this time of year in farmer's markets. Look for locally grown varieties for best quality.  Select ginger roots which are smooth and plump- dried out woody roots are difficult to grate and may lack flavor.  I use about a tablespoon of grated ginger for each medium sized apple, but the ratio can be adjusted to your taste.

Fresh Ginger- Apple Salad:

1 medium piece organic ginger root, well scrubbed, unpeeled
2 medium organic apples, unpeeled
cinnamon powder 
soy milk or nut milk, optional
maple syrup, optional

Grate the ginger root coarsely with a hand grater as in photo above.
As you grate the ginger, most of the peel will separate from the flesh and can be discarded.
Grate apples. Don't discard the peel- it adds color and nutrients to the dish.
Combine ginger and apples in a bowl and toss briefly.

Serve immediately in individual bowls with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Optional: Add a few splashes of soy milk or nut milk.
Got maple syrup? Drizzle!

Urban Agriculture: Organic Apples Grow in SF!

 

 

Preparation:  Best consumed while very hungry and standing under tree. (Wipe on shirt first).  More civilized: Wash and eat. For special occasions: Wash, slice, arrange on plate, eat.

Sublime Strawberry Smoothie!

The key to this sublimely delicious, refreshing and healthy smoothie is the simplicity and quality of the ingredients.  Many summer fruits are quite perishable and smoothies are a convenient way to make use of them before they spoil. In this recipe, the strawberries provide the dominant flavor; dates and banana add sweetness and body without obscuring the bright strawberry essence. Sunflower seeds or cashews lend additional thickness and high quality nutrients. Using a frozen banana creates a thick, luxurious smoothie but you can use a fresh banana if you don't have any frozen ones on hand. The recipe yields one generous serving, enough for a light meal.



Sublime Strawberry Smoothie:

2 medjul dates, pitted
2 tablespoons raw, unsalted sunflower seeds or cashews
1 cup or more nut milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 handful very ripe strawberries, hulled
1 large banana, frozen
cinnamon powder for garnish 


Place dates, sunflower seeds or cashews,  nut milk and vanilla in blender and process thoroughly until very smooth. Blend in strawberries.  Cut frozen banana into four or five pieces and blend in one or two pieces at a time until mixture is just smooth, adding a little more nut milk if needed. To preserve thickness of the smoothie, don't over blend.  Serve immediately in a chilled glass or dessert bowl, garnished with a pinch of cinnamon powder.

Variations:  Other very ripe summer fruit such as apricots,  blueberries, raspberries or blackberries may be substituted for the strawberries. Use what's season and ultra ripe for best results!

How to freeze a banana: Select ripe banana, peel and wrap in waxed paper.  Press on the wrapped banana a bit to flatten before placing in freezer to shorten freezing time.

Antique flag: 1814 

Summer Fruit: In Watermelon Sugar

"In Watermelon Sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar." --Richard Brautigan, In Watermelon Sugar, 1968.

"When you cut them they make no noise and taste very sweet."   --Richard Brautigan, In Watermelon Sugar, 1968.


Little commentary can be added to Brautigan's poetic words about watermelon. The first slice in  summer should be eaten in silent appreciation for one of the great fruits of the earth. There exists no sweeter, more refreshing or perfectly nutritious product of nature. Although composed of over 90% water, Citrullus lanatus contains generous quantities of vitamins C and A, potassium, antioxidants and carotenoids, as well as citrulline, a compound which benefits the heart, circulatory and immune systems.

Anthropologists have discovered evidence that watermelons were cultivated in the Nile Valley as far back as 2000 BCE.  As noted in the Hebrew Bible, when the Israelites escaped from Egypt and began their wandering in the wilderness, they waxed nostalgic for the delicious melons they ate while slaves under the Pharoahs. It is thought that centuries later African slaves introduced watermelon cultivation to North America.

Perhaps the sweet juicy flesh of the watermelon helped sustain both peoples in their days of bondage. In watermelon sugar there is respite from life's labors and summer heat. This is the season to treasure and enjoy it.