In my part of California, summer lasts a long, long time. We start seeing melons in June, and it was just last week that the last of our Japanese eggplants disappeared from the farmers' markets. I love watching the seasons change through the available produce. Here's what was new from the local guys last Sunday:
Fresh chanterelles
All kinds of sweet potatoes, including the lovely white Japanese kind that taste like chesnuts
Chesnuts themselves
Kiwis
Hearty greens like chard and chinese broccoli (gai lan)
Persimmons (kaki in Japanese), both kinds
Pears
Apples
Pomegranates
Quince
My favorite find of the day were the Yali pears. Yali are an Asian-style pear that's shaped like a Bartlett. In other words, it has the 'traditional' pear shape. Yali also have a smoother, thinner skin that's more palatable than some of the other Asian pears. They're incredibly crisp and sweet. I made an appetizer for a few friends with this:
2 sliced Yali pears
3 T crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese, mashed with 1T cream cheese
1/4 cup roasted, finely chopped pecans
1 package Carr's Water Crackers
Spread each cracker with a little cheese mixture. Top with a pear slice and sprinkle with a few nut pieces. Also lovely after dinner with port or madeira for a not-to-sweet and no-cook dessert.
Comments