October 11, 2008 - Morning Song Farm

It's not even related to a tomato, it's a persimmon!

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It’s not even related to a tomato, and is actually a tree fruit. For years the coyotes beat us to the punch and ate every one. We pruned the trees last year, so the trees couldn’t be easily climbed by Wiley anymore, and so this year is the first ever that we have a good crop. Hopefully Mr. Coyote won’t turn to my avocado trees instead…. Anyway, you can eat these persimmons when they are still somewhat hard (although as they soften, they are sweeter). Don’t confuse this Fuyu persimmon, which can be eaten hard, with a Hichiya, which is longer and pointier. You eat one of those before the dead ripe stage and you with never, ever, make that mistake again. The unripe fruit’s taste is bad, and I think, just to make myself clear, the word taste, is an understatement, you are more likely to look back on it someday, after getting over it, as a culinary train wreck, The ones in your baskets this week are good to eat at any stage. They can be peeled and sliced into a fruit salad, thrown in the blender for a smoothy, chopped into cubes and used in a cookie batter as you might raisons, or baked into a pie as you would apples. In fact an Asian pear- Fuyu persimmon pie, recipe below is worth trying.

Gingered Persimmon and Asian Pear Crisp

2 Fugu persimmons, not overripe, peeled and sliced

2 or 3 Asian pears, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup lime juice

4 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated

Topping:

4 Tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon lime peel, grated

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnimon

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon nutmet

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine frut, juice, salt and giner in an 8-inch square baking pan. In a separate bowl comtine topping ingredients. Sprinkle topping over fruit and bake for 40 minutes.

Applesauce is That Easy?

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Hardly a recipe, but applesauce is so easy, it’s really not worth ever buying. Peal your apples, squeeze a little lime juice, drop a couple drops of stevia if you think it needs to be sweeter (make sure you get the good stuff that isn’t cut with sucrose or other additives; get the pure stevia extract) and put everything in a Cuisinart. Puree. I buy little disposable containers from Smart and Final and add these little treats to my kids’ lunches.

Financial Markets Affecting Morning Song Farm

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As many have been challenged by recent economic issues, Morning Song Farm’s CSA program lost 25% of its supporters this last month. Wow! We sure are passionate about continuing our CSA program, but do need our local community’s support. I thought perhaps I should consider offering a Laguna Beach, Hungtington Beach or Orange drop off. If anyone has a friend or organization that might be interested in joining or hosting in those communities, please let us know.

Few Weird Things in Basket This Week

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Greetings!

What a scorcher of a week! Fruit photo at right is a Fioja Guava. Some people slice long ways and scoop out the contents. I like the spicy skin and eat the whole thing. Try it both ways and see what you think. Photo at right is sage, which you’ll find in your baskets as well this week. The garlic is another heirloom, and is medium hot, and fairly easy to peel.

Garlic Butter:

Either churn your own butter like I do, or buy butter and toss a cube in the Cuisinart. Add a couple cloves of garlic and salt to taste. Puree. Remember that garlic adds “heat” to a dish, as well as the familiar garlicly taste that at least I’m addicted to. So add as many cloves as you like to your butter as it’s being pureed, but make sure you don’t overdo it. If you do, just add more butter.

Use the finished product on baked fish, as a dip with cheese and crackers, on toast in the morning, on your baked potato, or over steamed green beans,
Following is this week’s basket contents:

Sage

Limes

Heirloom Melon

Avocado (Reed)

Apples

Asian Pears

Jalapeno

Weird long, heirloom hot pepper, requires drying

Eggplant

Arugula

Radish

Carrots

Baby Swiss Chard

Fioja Guavas

Rosemary

Mint

Basil

Heirloom Garlic

Baby Lettuce (large baskets oly)

Head Lettuce

Green Onions

Cilantro

Beans

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