The Big Crush

The postcard arrived, I chose Saturday Oct. 6th, and off we went to Amador county for the annual Big
Crush. The  deep-purple grapes were lusciously ripe and heavy on the vines as we drove into Plymouth.

We picked up our tickets at Storey Winery, tasted a red Mission varietal we had never seen before (grown historically at the missions in the area), snacked on spanakopita, and with the help of a friendly local couple, mapped out our itinerary. Next stop, Amador Cellars just down the road.

Here the festivities included a live band, plenty of wine tasting and, out back, employees were crushing red grapes. While Dean was busy buying a case of 2011 Zinfandel futures, I started snapping pictures of the crush.

Grapes are transferred from a bin to the wooden press and lovingly patted down before crushing

                          
While two men operated the wine press, an onlooker was sure the scene was enacted only for this event. He was quickly informed that this is the procedure and equipment the winery uses to crush and cellar all its grapes. After crushing, the crimson juice was carefully carried to the nearby wooden barrels and poured in through a funnel.

It takes many pails of juice to fill one barrel. This is how it's done

We then visited, picnicked, and tasted wines at Driven Cellars, Wilderotter and Helwig Vinyards. But the wines and the grape crush at Amador Cellars were the highlight of our fun-filled day in Amador County.

Allie inspects a bottle of Amador Cellars Bunkhouse Red and its bag when we arrive home

Peppers

This year peppers have outdone themselves in both brilliance and abundance. Here are examples from Berkeley's Saturday farmers' market. 

  Catalan Farm's colorful pepper display

Peppers from Quetzal Farm

          

Poblanos, Jalapenos and gypsy peppers at Catalan Family Farm

  

Yellow bells and green varieties

                                           

Tantalized by the herbaceous scent of fresh green peppers, I decided to dig out a precious recipe for a Moroccan salad, taught by Paula Wolfert at a cooking class at La Grande Bouffe in San Francisco in the late 70's. It was at that event that I first learned how to peel peppers by blistering them in a 450 degree oven, enclosing them in a plastic bag for 15 minutes, then peeling and seeding them, while carefully preserving the juices. Now, paper bags are recommended for steaming the blistered peppers, and La Grande Bouffe is long gone, but those are the only changes. After tasting the salad in class, I duplicated it many times at home, most often without the preserved lemon. Then red peppers eclipsed green ones, Paula Wolfert moved on to the cuisine of South-West France, and for years I forgot about it.... 'til now.

 Fez Green Pepper and Tomato Salad from Paula Wolfert's class

(Too) Sweet Corn

     From the point of view of a  kitchen green bin, corn is the ultimate vegetable. The cobs, the husks, the silk—this is the stuff compost dreams are made of. From the point of view of a transplanted Midwesterner, corn is more problematic. The perfect ear is now elusive and after some research, I am beginning to see why. Growing up in Wisconsin, one of the premier corn-growing states, we looked forward to corn on the cob every summer. About mid-August, when the crickets started chirping we could visit our local sweet corn stand in Mequon and buy our daily dozen ears bagged in brown paper, ready to consume that evening. We preferred small-kerneled cobs, crisp and creamy pale yellow, with a subtle, sweet flavor and a delicate crunch when husked and boiled a few short minutes.

A typical sweet corn farm stand in the Midwest

     Things changed when I got to Berkeley. Hot, sultry August nights were a thing of he past, and so was sweet corn. Along with the fog came tough big ears of mealy feed-variety fodder. How disappointing! Summer tomatoes, too, were not what I was anticipating. What I gained in luscious apricots and fabulous artichokes, I lost in sweet corn and tomatoes. Every region has its virtues, and that was that, until about the early nineties. In the newly emerging farmers' markets a plethora of sweet corn was available. I tried it from a number of sources and to my surprise, it was really sweet. At first, I was delighted. I enjoyed the transformed summer ears and didn't question the change in bionomics. I discovered a terrific new method of steaming my vegetable in the microwave, no husking required, and all was well. Soon after, I began realizing that this corn on the cob was actually a new product. What had been savory, tough and yellow was now white, overly sweet, chewy, and less complex. Corn on the cob appeared by the fourth of July instead of mid-August, and furthermore, it retained its sweetness for many days, rather than a few hours. We had gone from one extreme to the other. I started to wonder what was involved in all these changes

Berkeley's Monterey Market has corn from Brentwood, some of the best around

   A little research revealed some interesting answers. According to an article on corn in The University of Illinois Extension Newsletter, there are three distinct types of sweet corn, each with its own genetic background. The first,  Standard Sweet (or "normal sugary"), is the sweet corn we ate years ago in Wisconsin. Varieties like Silver Queen or Golden flourished throughout the Midwest and the East. They are best suited to being husked and eaten in a very short time. This type has "delicate flavor, tender kernels and slender elegant ears." Over the years new hybrids were developed to increase the sweetness and keep corn fresher for longer. This brings us to the second type, called Sugary Enhancer. The sugar content is significantly higher in this type, while retaining the tenderness and creamy texture of  standard varieties. The taste, texture, and tenderness are outstanding. Then, there is a third  hybrid called Supersweet. This variety has overrun the markets, and to me, has a discordantly saccharin flavor and overly large and crunchy kernels. The Newsletter cited above states, "The kernels of the extra-sweet varieties have a crispy, tough-skinned texture and contain low amounts of polysaccharides that impart the creamy texture and 'corny' flavor to other varieties." Sometimes the Sugary Enhanced and Supersweet are combined in a bi-color variety called Synergy. U. of Illinois Extension-Corn

 Two summer pleasures— Sweet Corn at the market and The San Francisco Giants ( Way to go Schmidt Farm)

Bi-Color Corn at Ferry Plaza Market, combining Sugary Enhanced and Supersweet varieties, according to the vendor

     The trend toward sweeter and sweeter produce is troubling, not only because I don't like it, but also because it encourages the public's expectations that vegetables and fruits must be super sweet to be good. I hear the word "candy" bandied about at farmers' markets lately when customers are praising a piece of fruit. It seems inevitable that we will exchange flavor and complexity for sweetness and durability. America's sweet tooth is insatiable and we are beginning to pay the price.
     A positive aspect of the new supersweet varieties is that you can now eat raw sweet corn in salads and side dishes which, to paraphrase Hamlet, was never dreamt of in our philosophy. Raw corn salads proliferate on the Internet and in cookbooks. Below is an especially appealing example, courtesy of Brittany Mullins, author of the lively blog Eating Bird Food.

Raw corn salad with avocado, red onion and basil—photo courtesy of Eating Bird Food 

A chef's knife is the best tool for removing kernels from the cob

I found out just how indestructible the "supersweet' variety really is when I made a favorite corn and coconut dish from the Indian state of Gujarat. The corn kernels are first simmered in milk until the liquid is reduced, before spices and other ingredients are added. This time I started with too much milk and had to reduce it even longer, which took over an hour. I was curious to see how the kernels had fared. I tasted a few and, to my astonishment, they were as crisp and tough as they had been before being cooked! This had to be the Supersweet variety (it is impossible to tell which variety you are buying until you taste it). The hour-long simmering had not affected the texture of the kernels at all.

Gujarati style creamed corn with coconut milk and spices

          
              GUJARATI -STYLE CORN COOKED IN MILK WITH CHILES AND SPICES

Kernels from 6 ears fresh corn (preferably Standard Sweet), about 3 cups
1 cup milk
1 t. each  ground cumin, coriander and curry powder
1 T butter
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk
6 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Put corn and milk into a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until milk has reduced by three-quarters, 45 min-1 hour. Season to taste with salt.

2. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, add chiles, ginger and spices and stir for a few minutes until fragrant. Add corn mixture and coconut milk, and mix well. Add cilantro and cook for 1 minute more. Adjust seasonings.

My faithful, furry friend  

FEATURED BOOK:   David Tanis,  Corn: A Country Garden Cookbook, Collins Publishers, 1995                                                                                        

David Tanis, chef at Chez Panisse, author of  recent bestsellers A Platter of Figs and Heart of the Artichoke, current City Kitchen columnist for The New York Times, wrote this gem in 1995 as part of Harper Collins Country Garden series. In each volume of the series, a different author covers a fruit or veg and includes useful info, lovely color photos, and elegant recipes. Interestingly enough, in the introduction to this book, written eighteen years ago, Tanis cites the three sweet corn hybrids— Standard Sweet, Sugary Enhanced and Supersweet— discussed above. He too laments the introduction of the extra sweet varieties into the marketplace. He reiterates "For me, some are just too sweet. I'm not convinced that altering sugar genes has produced a superior product, even though it has resulted in improved shelf life."

The Dirty Dozen

Here is a list of one dozen fruits and vegetables that should be bought organic or pesticide-free. The list was compiled by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, which tests foods for pesticide residue. The following 12 ranked consistently high for levels of contamination.

APPLES

CELERY

PEACHES

CUCUMBERS

STRAWBERRIES

LETTUCE

PEPPERS

NECTARINES

POTATOES

BLUEBERRIES

SPINACH

GRAPES

Cheese Board Pizza celebrates Indian Independence

A lovely couple allowed me to photograph their pizza and even offered me a slice

PIZZA OF THE DAY:  ROASTED POTATO CURRY

Late Saturday morning while heading for the Cheese Board to buy some Parmesan cheese, I passed the line at the pizza annex next door and couldn't help but peek at the  chalkboard where "Today's Pizza" is described. When I saw that it was a completely wild and original concoction of  roasted curry potatoes, onions, Bulgarian feta, mozzarella, cilantro and chilis, I knew I had to join the queue and buy a slice, which actually translates to a generous slice and a half. Only then did I notice that there was a celebration going on. Indian music was playing, and flags and garlands festooned the shop. When I reached the poster at the entrance, I discovered that August 18th is three days after Indian Independence Day and this particular pizza was developed by the Cheese Board wizards to commemorate that momentous, historic event in 1947.  How very Berkeley, how very wonderful!  Luckily, having just come from the farmers' market, I had my camera in hand, so to occupy myself in the long line, I started snapping photos of happy diners spilling onto the sidewalk, enjoying hot Indian-style pizzas, and pizza-makers hard at work creating the days speciality. Everyone was very cooperative.

Bright Indian flags decorated  the Pizza shop

A pizza-maker sprinkles cilantro on hot pizzas in the open kitchen

                              

A pizza sliced and ready to serve

I finally reached the front of the line and ordered my slice (and a half) of pizza to go. When I bit into the pungent, cheesy morsel,  the spices and chilies immediately transported me to a street scene in Mumbai or Delhi. I glanced up and saw a quote by Gandhi that the staff had posted for the occasion:  "A coward is incapable of exhibiting love. It is the prerogative of the brave." Then, leaving the celebration with pizza in hand,  I noticed a multi-generation Indian family enjoying the independence pizza and I knew we were all one.

Mother supplies napkins for her family, happily eating curried potato pizza

FEATURED BOOK:
                                                          Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children, Johnathan Cape, 1981
  

25th Anniversary Edition of Midnight's Children

       For a compelling and thorough coverage of events surrounding India's independence from England, my friend Andrew, author of guest blog "Cobras in the Compost," reminded me of this wondrous novel by Salman Rushdie. The book recounts the turbulent history of these years through the eyes of the narrator Saleem Sinai who was born at midnight, August 15th, 1947 at the exact moment when India became an independent country. He and all the other children born within that fateful hour were imbued with special powers, which transport the book into the realm of magical realism. Though it is a long novel and full of complicated historical details, it is a work of genius and will reward the reader who perseveres. It was awarded the prestigious Booker Prize in 1981, the year it was published, and has been reprinted many times, in both cloth and paperback editions.

Flowering Herbs

     "Few are those who cannot permit themselves at least a few pots or a window box of herbs; and in a garden, borders, hedges and clumps of herbs...they can be of great beauty."—Richard Olney

 Flowering chives from Green Gulch at Ferry Plaza Saturday Market

Oregano blooming in my wooden planter

Flowering Sage in Barbara Pleasant's garden—Growing Sage

Rosemary blossoms, buzzing with bees, in the Berkeley hills

Hyssop—cutting the stems releases its fragrance

                            
                      

                          "The tiny intense blue flowers scattered  
                          over a background of varied greens and
                          hard- boiled eggs are ravishing." —                  
                                                                Richard Olney









                                                                                              
                                                                                                          

A butterfly enjoying thyme in full bloom

    "The hillside formed a tapestry of the blues and violets of flowering wild thyme, punctuated by bushes of wild rosemary, feathery shoots of wild fennel and the spring growth of oregano and winter savory—the poetry of Provence was in the air..."— Richard Olney
Richard Olney in Provence

Spanish lavender brightens my herb garden and delights the bees.

 

A friend's garden with a magnificent quantity of flowering basil.....and mint

     And finally— Basil. As in the passages above, I quote Richard Olney, from Simple French Food:
"It is addictive, and few who form the habit of using it can do without it! By all means use the flowers as well as the leaves and, rather than chopping, tear the latter into fragments; then they won't blacken."      
            
             
  
Featured Book:

Craig Claiborne, Cooking with Herbs and Spices, N.Y., 1963

     An oldie but goodie. This was perhaps my first cookbook. My mother gave a copy to me, another to my sister and kept one for herself. She loved growing and cooking with fresh herbs and she had an admirable collection of herb books and old herbals.
     Craig Claiborne, long-time food editor of the New York Times and author of many classic cookbooks, offers a tempting set of recipes for fifty-four herbs and spices, illustrated with lovely pen and ink drawings. My copy is spattered and worn, but still sports the original dust jacket. I make the pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving; no other filling comes close!