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.

Mallow: Not Just A Common Weed!

If you live in San Francisco, you've walked past wild mallow plants growing out of cracks in the sidewalk, in neglected gardens and other untended patches of urban land. A hardy plant which appears early in the spring, the common mallow is one of the many members of the botanical family Malvaceae which includes hibiscus, okra and cotton.

All parts of the mallow are edible; roots, leaves, seed pods and flowers. Mallow has been foraged for centuries for use as a highly nutritious food and and as a versatile medicinal herb. It thrives in poor soil and requires little water, and thus has been a valuable resource in times of food shortage.

Young mallow leaves are tender and mild, with no hint of bitterness. They can be used like any other leafy green - raw in salads, steamed, sauteed or even blended into smoothies.  Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooks add them to traditional stews; the large mature leaves are used as wraps in place of grape leaves. The seed pods are high in protein and healthy vegetable oils.

Our prehistoric ancestors survived for millennia on their impressive ability to gather and hunt wild foods. Many edible plants thrive in urban settings, though they are usually dismissed as nothing more than nuisance weeds. Learning about wild plants provides us with a valuable connection to our ancient origins and an appreciation for the vast changes in our food supply and the manner in which it is procured.

Foraging should always be undertaken with caution. For those who wish to learn more, there are many informative web sites devoted to the topic. Here is the link to one such site:

www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com/mallow-plant-nutrition.html

Mallow Seed Pods

 

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).

Ode to The Tomato: "Star of Earth"

Locally grown tomatoes will soon disappear from Northern California farmer's markets, as autumn apples, pears, persimmons and winter squash take the place of summer produce. Each season has its delights, but saying goodbye to summer favorites is never easy.

There is still time to celebrate "the tomato, star of earth" as the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda refers to it. Now is the time to stock up on the last of the crop.  Dry- farmed tomatoes are a good choice; they are hardy and flavorful and their low water content makes them ideal for storage. Select those which are deeply pigmented and still firm.

Make sure that the tomatoes are not damp or bruised. Place them in a paper or plastic bag, leaving it partially open to allow some air circulation. Properly handled, tomatoes will keep in the fridge for two or three weeks. Check them daily and select the ripest ones for immediate use.

Freshly blended tomato juice is a nutritious, simple and delicious way to make use of ultra ripe tomatoes. A handful of dry- farmed tomatoes will make one generous serving of juice.


Autumn Fresh Tomato Juice

4- 5 ripe tomatoes, washed and quartered
optional garnishes: lime juice, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Place tomatoes in blender and process until smooth. Serve in a glass, with or without garnish.  If the day is chilly,  briefly heat juice in a saucepan over a low flame until just warm.

Ode To Tomatoes  by Pablo Neruda (excerpt)


"...and, on
the table, at the midpoint 
of summer,
the tomato,
star of earth, recurrent
and fertile star,
displays its convolutions,
its canals,
its remarkable amplitude 
and abundance,
no pit,
no husk,
no leaves or thorns,
the tomato offers
its gift
of fiery color
and cool completeness."

Springtime Detox? Cleanse? Savory Leafy Green Drink

Enter the word "detox" into the Google search engine and 17, 900, 000 hits will appear; "cleanse" generates 15, 900, 000. Ours is a culture of excess which is simultaneously obsessed with detoxing and cleansing. This modern paradox has led to a huge interest in green foods, green drinks and a myriad of costly green supplements.  

When I first began writing about food and health almost three decades ago, the word "kale" was met with puzzlement or revulsion. When asked if they ate greens many people would mention lettuce and spinach. Now at my urban farmer's market, people happily wait in line to buy their weekly organic kale ration. 

The human body is a marvelously efficient regenerating and self cleansing organism. When nourished with appropriate amounts of high quality whole food, the body transforms it into usable nutrients which create energy for daily activity and maintenance of the organ systems.  All this occurs without resulting in "toxicity". 

Detoxing, cleansing and fasting are not emphasized in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM); the primary focus is on cultivating a proper lifestyle to keep the body in balance and avoiding any kind of excess-  culinary, emotional or physical.  In each season the diet is adjusted to suit the changing environment; in Spring lighter fare is appropriate in most climates.

TCM discourages over consumption of chilled and raw foods, especially during cooler weather and by individuals who are recovering from illness, who are fatigued or have difficulty staying warm. This green drink has all the healthy attributes of a (mostly) raw green drink but is designed to be lightly heated in order to provide warming energy in addition to its dense nutrients.  Fresh ginger root also increases its warming "qi supportive" qualities.
 
The recipe components are intentionally minimal to counter our tendency to believe that more is better;  a few kale leaves may be added if desired! The quantity of miso and tahini may be adjusted to your taste.  Use only the lightest of miso pastes; their flavor is mild and less salty.  Yield: One serving.  Preparation time: Less than five minutes.



Savory Leafy Green Drink

1 cup fresh water
2 cups baby arugula and spinach leaves
2 slices fresh ginger root, minced
2 teaspoons white or light miso paste
1 teaspoon raw tahini
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or soy milk 


Place water, greens and ginger root in blender and process until smooth.  Blend in miso and tahini. Add nut milk and blend again. Heat soup very gently in a saucepan until just warmed through; do not simmer. Serve immediately.

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!

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.

 

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 

Coolness of the Melons

Melon season has begun in Northern California and the outlook is good for a sweet and plentiful harvest which will continue all summer. Not a single cantaloupe or honeydew I've tasted in the last ten days has been anything less than superb, and the prices are right. Melons are an excellent source of quality nutrients and their cooling properties make them ideal for warm weather eating.

Selecting the perfect melon requires a bit of philosophy and a small leap of faith. There are no guarantees when it comes to guessing what's on the inside of any piece of fruit but there are a few guidelines to keep in mind as you peruse the pyramids of melons at your local produce stand.

The first is fragrance; shop with your nose. If a melon has no perfume, chances are it will never develop much flavor. Color is the second important factor; cantaloupes should show a golden color between the beige netting. If the rind is predominantly green, move on to the next melon. Honeydews should also have a slightly golden hue; small brown speckles indicate a high sugar content. The outside of a very sweet honeydew may even feel a little sticky to the touch.

Allow melons to continue ripening at room temperature until very fragrant. Ripe melons will keep well in the fridge for several days; allow to return to room temperature before serving for best flavor. Cut melon into chunks and store in glass jars in the fridge, ready for quick snacks. Or make spectacular fresh smoothies by simply blending melon with other ripe summer fruits like strawberries, raspberries or blackberries.

Melons grow while resting on the ground, and it's important to wash them before slicing. Scrub the rind gently with water and a vegetable brush and blot dry.

***

"Coolness of the melons
flecked with mud
in the morning dew."

--- Basho
(1644- 1694)

Hachiya!

Persimmon season is here, and the first Hachiyas and Fuyus are arriving in the markets. These are the two persimmon varieties most familiar to North Americans, at least by sight if not by name; Hachiyas are tall and pointy, shaped like a big acorn; Fuyus are flat and squat, resembling a tomato in shape.

The most important fact about Hachiya persimmons is their astringency; they contain a high percentage of tannins which slowly disappear as the fruit ripens. Eating a partially ripe Hachiya is a very unpleasant experience and many people never eat another after encountering the intensely bitter astringent taste of incompletely ripened fruit. (This does guarantee that Hachiya aficionados get to horde more fruit for themselves).

However, a perfectly ripe Hachiya is one of the most delicious fruits on earth; it is worth learning how to correctly judge its ripeness in order to enjoy this exceptional treat. The Hachiya must be totally soft from tip to stem in order to be edible, so soft that ripe ones are almost impossible to transport home from the market undamaged.

It's best to purchase Hachiyas which are firm or just slightly soft. Select those which are deep orange in color, smooth and free of breaks or bruises in the skin. Some Hachiyas have darkish spots from sun exposure as in the photo above, but this pigmentation does not detract from the quality of the fruit. If the skin of the persimmon is intact, it can be allowed to ripen for as long as necessary without spoiling.

Store Hachiyas at room temperature in a location where you will be able to monitor their progress daily. If you have purchased a good quantity at the height of the season, most likely the individual persimmons will ripen at different rates. Very ripe Hachiyas can be held for a few days in the fridge but for optimal flavor, plan on using the fruit as soon as it ripens.

The persimmon season is short, so if you find good quality fruit in your market, don't delay. Once you've tasted your first ultra sweet velvety Hachiya persimmon, you'll want more. Gather your persimmons today, or wait for next season!


Decadent Hachiya Dessert

This recipe creates a beautiful luxurious dessert in seconds. Blend very ripe room temperature Hachiya persimmons with soy or nut milk and flavorings until smooth. Serve immediately in small glass dessert bowls.

2 Hachiya persimmons, calyx removed
1 cup soy milk or nut milk (+ a little more if needed)
1 pinch each: nutmeg, cinnamon, powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Note: Serves 2 slightly greedy persimmon lovers.

Apricot Smoothie: Summer in a Glass

Apricots are among the first stone fruits to appear in produce markets in late spring, soon to be followed by peaches, plums and nectarines. Fresh fruit smoothies are a seasonal delight, simple to make and redolent of the flavors of summer. All that's needed to create an energizing light meal or snack is a handful of very ripe fruit, some nut milk or soy milk and a blender.

Apricot Smoothie

1 + 1/2 cups apricots, halved and pitted
1 + 1/2 cups fresh nut milk or plain soy milk

Place ingredients in blender and process until smooth; you may adjust the ratio of fruit to nut milk to your taste. Serve apricot smoothie immediately in chilled glasses. For instructions on how to make fresh almond milk, see earlier post titled "Raw Almond Milk" listed under the label "nuts & seeds". When you'd prefer a thicker more substantial smoothie, add one or more of the following:

raw cashews
medjul dates
banana

Medjul dates will sweeten and thicken the smoothie. Soak a few medjuls in fresh water in a clean jar over night; they will be easy to blend. Dates will keep for several days in the fridge; add liquid from soaking to smoothies.

Perfect Persimmon Smoothie

Persimmons are nature's autumnal gift to serious fruit aficionados. Stock up now on persimmons and you'll have many weeks of delicious, nutritious eating to look forward to, long after the late summer fruits disappear from the scene. Ripe persimmons contain an impressive range of high quality nutrients which will contribute to maintaining good health during the winter months. I've been refining my persimmon smoothie recipe for years; this deceptively simple formula is positively divine! (Yield: one serving).

1 fuyu or hachiya persimmon
1 cup nut milk plus more as needed
1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg*

Wash and trim the persimmon, then cut in half and remove any seeds which may be present. (Many persimmons contain no seeds at all).
Place persimmon, nut milk, and nutmeg in blender and process until smooth, adding more nut milk if you prefer a thinner smoothie. (You may substitute plain soy milk for the nut milk.)
Pour into a bowl, garnish with a little more nutmeg if desired, and eat with a spoon.

*Note: Whole nutmegs are available in natural food stores. Scrape the nutmeg carefully with a sharp knife to obtain desired amount, or use a hand grater.

Persimmon Selection and Storage:

Fuyu and Hachiya are the two persimmon varieties most commonly found in American produce markets. Fuyus, which are short, squat and shaped somewhat like a tomato, are a non-astringent variety; they are ripe and ready to eat when they are a deep orange color but still firm. Hachiya persimmons have an elongated acorn- like shape and contain high levels of naturally occuring tannins, which make unripe Hachiyas harshly astringent and completely inedible. However with thorough ripening, the tannins disappear and the Hachiya attains a delicious sweet flavor.

Fuyu persimmons can be stored for weeks in a cool room (but not in the fridge). As they ripen, their color will deepen and they will begin to soften, at which point their flavor is at its very best. Hachiyas ripen somewhat unpredictably; keep a close eye on your stash and use when the fruit is very soft from the tip to the leafy stem end (which is called the calyx). Ripe Hachiyas may be kept for a few days in the fridge. Both varieties make velvety rich smoothies which are low in calories and high in nutrients.

Raw Almond Milk: Creamy & Healthy

Home-made raw nut milks are irresistibly rich, flavorful and highly nutritious. Almond milk is the perfect base for fresh fruit smoothies. No commercial almond milk can compare to home made!

1 1/2  cups organic raw almonds, soaked and rinsed
3- 4  cups fresh water

1. Soak almonds in fresh water for at least 6 hours or overnight in the fridge.
2. Drain almonds and rinse in fresh water.
3. Process nuts and water in batches in blender until smooth; use more less water to reach desired thickness.
4. Strain nut milk through a fine meshed sieve.

Nut milk will keep well for a day or two in a clean glass jar in the fridge. The nut residue left in the strainer may be added to cold or hot cereal; just refrigerate until use. Nut milk may be made without straining which will result in a thicker more textured product. Still delicious!

Frozen Chocolate Banana Smoothie

This smoothie is a healthy, nutrient dense and delicious treat. Peeled and waxed-paper wrapped bananas should be placed in the freezer a few hours ahead. When shopping for Medjul dates, select those which are moist and they will be easy to blend.

1 banana, peeled and frozen
1 cup nut milk or soy milk,  unsweetened
3 Medjul dates, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons raw unsalted cashews
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Place nut milk, dates, cashews & vanilla in blender container & chill in freezer for a few minutes.
2. Blend chilled mixture until smooth.
3. Add cocoa powder and blend briefly.
4. Break frozen banana into a few pieces and blend just until smooth.
5. Serve in small chilled bowls.

Note: Unsalted nut butter may be substituted for the cashews.