Matsutake Mushrooms

Posted on September 5, 2008 by Scott

After several weeks of wet, rainy weather we seem to have hit a dry spell making this week prime for gathering Matsutake (tricholoma magnivelare) mushrooms.

One of my favorite mushrooms for simple preparations, the matsutake (松茸, pine mushroom) has a uniquely spicy, faintly pine scent and a meaty firm texture. In Japan a good sized matsutake with its veil unopened is highly prized and can apparently fetch hundreds of dollars per pound.

I love them sauteed or stir fried with leeks in sesame oil, served over rice and gently seasoned with a good soy sauce. Sake optional.


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McIntosh

Posted on September 5, 2008 by Scott

I have to admit that McIntosh have never been my favorite eating (or as Europeans say “dessert”) apples. I just find that the complexity of their vinous aroma over-promises the on the delivery of their flavor and texture.

I am, however, fond of their sweet, soft, juicy flesh in the kitchen. They don’t hold their shape when cooked, but make a very nice sauce especially when paired with a more acidic or bittersweet apple, and their fabulous aroma is a great background addition to any pie or tart apple combination.

Parentage: Chance seedling, probably Famuese Snow x Detroit Red
Origin: Dundella, Dundas County, Ontario, Canada
Introduced/discovered: 1811 (By John McIntosh)
Season: Early September – Late September
Classification: Sweet/Tart
Use: Eating, Sauce, Pie (as an aromatic)


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Green versus Red Peppers

Posted on September 4, 2008 by Scott

Two days ago a set of young (I’ll guess six year-old) twin boys came to the counter and politely inquired, “Excuse me. What is different between the red peppers and green ones? Are they the same?” This is not the first time I’ve been asked the question(s), though perhaps it was the most polite delivery.

Green bell peppers are simply peppers that have not ripened completely (they are immature fruits). Their green color is caused by high concentrations of chlorophyll. Green peppers will turn red, yellow, or purple if they have enough time to fully ripen. Unfortunately, in our climate we find that organic peppers are almost as likely to develop rot spots as they are to make it to their colored phase.

As the pepper fruits ripen, chlorophyll breaks down and other pigments (carotenoids) are formed which give the peppers their distinctive color. Which color they turn depends on the cultivar.

The maturation process also includes a conversion of carbohydrates into simpler sugars, making colored peppers sweeter and less “grassy” in flavor than when they were green. The cellulose in the structure of the flesh additionally breaks down, making the flesh of colored peppers easier to digest (although most of the cellulose is in the skin anyway).

And yes, I gave a shorter answer to the six year-olds.


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Sauteed Radicchio and Hot Italian Sausage with Spaghetti

Posted on September 2, 2008 by Scott

    Serves 3
    2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    2 Hot Italian Sausages
    1 Head Radicchio, Chopped Coarsely
    2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
    1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt (plus 1 tablespoon for seasoning pasta water)
    16 ounces dried Spaghetti (will be about 4 cups cooked)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then reduce heat.

Slice open sausage casings and scrape the sausage from the casings into a bowl.
Heat a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add the sausage. Stir and break sausage apart with wooden spatulas.

When sausage just begins to brown, reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic, stirring so garlic does not burn.

Add chopped radicchio and toss to combine.

Bring water back to a boil, season with salt and add pasta.

Continue to cook the radicchio and sausage mixture, stirring frequently.

Cook pasta until just al dente, then drain (leaving a little pasta water with the noodles). Add pasta to the radicchio and sausage and toss over medium-low heat to combine.

Garnish with shaved parmigiano-reggiano and chopped parsley and serve immediately.


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Ginger Gold

Posted on September 2, 2008 by Scott

Appropriate to the current weather season, Ginger Gold was born of a hurricane.

In 1969 Hurricane Camille obliterated Clyde Harvey’s apple orchards in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Harvey collected the young apple trees that survived and replanted them. Six years later he discovered an unusual looking tree amongst his Winesaps that was producing fruit two months earlier than a Winesap normally should. Harvey had a botanist identify the tree’s parentage and named the new apple after his wife Francis “Ginger” Harvey.

Ginger Golds have a clean, refreshing taste with a good balance of sweet and tart. At their peak they have crisp, “snappy” flesh with a fine texture.

Grown by our good friends Steve and LuLu Wood at Poverty Lane Orchards in West Lebanon, NH.

Parentage: Albermarle Pippin x Golden Delicious x (unknown)
Origin: Nelson County, Virginia, USA
Introduced/discovered: 1975 (by Clyde Harvey)
Season: Late August – Late September
Classification: Sweet/Tart
Use: Eating


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Pears: Clapp (Clapp’s Favorite)

Posted on September 1, 2008 by Scott

Clapp or Clapp’s Favorite is the first (and hopefully not the last) pear of the season here in Vermont.

Closely resembling a Bartlett (which should follow in a couple of weeks) these pears are sweet and aromatic and delicious. When you purchase them at the stand they may seem greenish: don’t be out off. Clapp’s must be picked slightly under ripe, as their cores soften quickly off the tree.

As with most early tree fruits, these pears are best eaten immediately, before they become grainy.

Parentage: Unknown
Origin: Dorchester, MA, USA (by Thadeus Clapp)
Introduced/discovered: 1860
Season: Late August – Early September


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Eggplant Crema Stuffed Zucchini Rolls

Posted on August 24, 2008 by Scott

    For the Crema
    1 12-16 ounce “Italian” eggplant

    6 spearmint leaves

    ½ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon sugar
    A few drops good quality balsamic vinegar
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    1 large clove garlic

Preheat oven to 375º (or use a wood burning oven after intense heat has subsided).

Prick the eggplant all over with a fork. Roast the eggplant and garlic for 1 hour in a conventional oven or until eggplant is soft and collapsing in the wood-burning oven.

Cut the cooked eggplant in half and scrape out the soft flesh into a bowl and allow to cool.

Place the cooled eggplant in the bowl of a food processor, along with the spearmint, salt, sugar, vinegar, olive oil and garlic.  Purée to make a smooth cream.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

    For the Zuchinni and to Complete
    2 medium Costata Romanesca or Zucchini (as straight as possible)
    Olive Oil
    Salt
    Pepper

Cut off the stem end of the Costata Romanesca or zucchini. Using a mandolin or a vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin (1/16 inch) strips.

Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. The zucchini strips will be more translucent and pliable after resting.

Place about 1 tablespoon of the crema filling on the cut end of the zucchini strips.

Roll the zucchini strip over the filling, chill rolls for 20 minutes, then plate and serve.


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Senses Working Overtime

Posted on August 22, 2008 by Scott

This is the beginning of the true bounty of our growing season!

The sweet corn has been outstanding. The melons are overflowing on the vines. The fruits of late summer are tempting us with their sweet aromas and bursting with sweet-tart counterbalances of flavors. The savory depth of late summer vegetables begs for simple preparation (like pasta with hot Italian sausage, garlic and wilted radicchio, or BRTs (bacon, radicchio, and tomato sandwiches))

I learned this week that scientists now believe that we have calcium flavor receptors, thus adding a sixth sense of taste (after salty sweet, sour, bitter and umami). I felt lucky to have only four… then umami… and now this! I can hardly wait to explore the culinary ramifications.

Also, did you know that what we call cantaloupe are technically not canteloupe at all, but members of the muskmelon family? True cantaloupe are named for a specific cultivar of muskmelon that originated in Cantelopo, Italy.

I had a great time teaching last weekend with Rosemary and hope more of you can join us for future classes.

New this week: French Fingerling and German Butterball Potatoes, Organic Clapp’s Pears (a.k.a. Clapp’s Favorite), Watermelons, Honey Orange Melons ( a sweet orange fleshed honey dew), Shallots, Bufalami (Waterbuffalo salami), Yellow-foot Chanterelles, Chrysanthemums.

Returning to the Scene: Organic Peaches, Cauliflower.

On Holiday: Carrots, Dill, Red Potatoes.

Gone for the Season: Cherry Plums.

Weekend Baked Goods:
David’s Blueberry Pies
Rosemary’s Torta Di Arancia with Valrhona Noir Orange


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Paulared Apples

Posted on August 20, 2008 by Scott

The Paulareds have been in since August 4th when both Reed Miller and Don Harlow Started picking them on their orchards 40 minutes south of here.

While not my favorite apple of the season (I am not the biggest McIntosh fan), Paulareds are a really good early apple. They are, at their peak, tart, juicy and crisp-fleshed, but once their season starts to decline they become mealy quickly.

Paulared was discovered around 1960 near a McIntosh block in the orchards of Lewis Arends of Sparta, Michigan. Mr. Arends named the new variety after his wife Pauline.

Parentage: McIntosh?
Origin: Sparta, Michigan, USA
Introduced/discovered: 1960
Season: Early August – Mid October
Use: Eating, Sauce


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Sweet Rewards of Summer

Posted on August 16, 2008 by Scott

I had almost forgotten that the word “cloud” also had a plural. With more rain in the forecast for today, it’s hard to remember that we had some nice sunshine a couple of days this week. The fields remain soggy and the growing conditions difficult but, as usual our field crew keeps coming through with great produce from the farm.

I am off today to teach a wood-fired pizza class at King Arthur with my friend Rosemary (so no baked goodies from her this week either).

Be good and eat well.

New this week: Chinese Cabbage, Shiro Plums, Cantaloupe, Wildflower Honey.

Weekend Baked Goods: David’s Blueberry Pies


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