Category Archives: Fruit

A Visit to Gold Ridge Organic Farms

Asian pear apples grown at Gold Ridge Farms. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)
Asian pear apples grown at Gold Ridge Farms. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Farmer Brooke Hazen knows every tree planted on his 88 acres in the rolling hills of Sebastopol. Not in the “Hi! How are you?” kind of way, he jokes. But in the truest sense of nurtured familiarity, having planted each and every one of them with the help of only one assistant.

He started his Gold Ridge Organic Farms in 2001 to create an edible wonderland. He’s more than succeeded, growing 13,000 olive trees of Spanish, Italian and French cultivars; 12,000 apple trees of 75 different varieties, including rare heirlooms; and a smattering of citrus, including Blood Oranges and Mandarin-Kumquats. All are grown organically, too.

You may very well know his apples already from his branded bags of Heirloom Apple Blend that are sold at Northern California Whole Foods. These treasure bags can contain such unusual antique varieties as Pitmaster Pineapple that actually tastes like pineapple, and Strawberry Parfait that — yes — tastes like strawberry. Indeed, Gold Ridge is one of the largest heirloom apple growers in California.

Farmer Brooke Hazen. (Photo by Dawn Heumann)
Farmer Brooke Hazen. (Photo by Dawn Heumann)

This month, you can get the opportunity to visit this wonderful farm for the first time.

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Sponsored Post: Honeycrisp Apple Cake With Rosemary

Welcome fall with this apple-licious treat.
Welcome fall with this apple-licious treat.

Fall means sweater-weather, new TV programs to binge, leaves turning a kaleidoscope of colors, and all things absolutely apple.

Indeed, few things beat biting into a fresh, sweet-tart, crunchy-as-can-be apple.

But apple cake just might.

So when samples of just-picked Honeybear Honeycrisp arrived on my porch, I eagerly set some aside to bake into fragrant, moist “Apple Cake with Rosemary.”

I am all about crackling-crisp apples. The ones that give when pressed gently with a thumb? They have no place in my life — or kitchen. With Honeybear Honeycrisp, there’s never a worry with that. Whether eaten out of hand or baked into a sweet treat, these apples live up to their name. They are delightfully crisp through and through, hold their shape well when cooked, and have a subtle honey note.

Now's the time to enjoy Honeybear Honeycrisp apples.
Now’s the time to enjoy Honeybear Honeycrisp apples.

Grown in Northern Washington alongside the Columbia River, and in the Midwest along the Mississippi River, these large, dappled apples are at peak season now through December. Load up on them at Safeway and Albertsons stores.

Then, turn up your oven and get ready to bake.

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Tasty For Kids, But Sure To Please Adults, Too!

Would you believe there's butternut squash in this ready-to-drink smoothie?
Would you believe there’s butternut squash in this ready-to-drink smoothie?

With their cheery, colorful designs featuring a cute, overall-clad cow on the bottles, Clover The Rainbow smoothies are clearly intended for kids.

But the worst kept secret is they are so delicious and satisfying that adults will surely be clamoring for them, too.

The new product by family-owned Clover Sonoma is all organic. It’s full of fruit. And psst, it also contains vegetables.

Just get a load of the three flavors: Blueberry Beet; Strawberry Carrot; and Strawberry Banana Butternut.

I had a chance to try samples recently of all three, which come in single-serve resealable bottles. Just keep refrigerated, and give it a good shake before enjoying.

Keep refrigerated until you're ready to refresh with one.
Keep refrigerated until you’re ready to refresh with one.

All three flavors are creamy, thick, and not overly sweet. Honestly, if you didn’t see the veggies listed predominantly on the front, you might not know they are there, as these smoothies are definitely fruit-forward tasting.

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The All-Natural Red Velvety Strawberry Cake

A most unique red velvet cake.
A most unique red velvet cake.

Admittedly, the hoopla over red velvet cake has always left me perplexed.

Sure, the dramatic color captures your fancy — for a hot second.

Then, as quickly, reality tells you that’s all due to red food coloring. At which point, I say, “Pass me a wedge of all-real devil’s food cake instead.”

“Red Velvety Strawberry Cake,” though, sparked a far different reaction.

It had me all in from the get-go.

Nope, no artificial anything in this stunning cake. No food coloring whatsoever — only an entire bottle of red wine.

And if that doesn’t grab you, I don’t know what will.

Now, that my friends, is a cake.
Now, that my friends, is a cake.

To be fair, this cake doesn’t possess that vivid maroon you expect from red velvet. Instead, the wine, which first gets reduced before being added into the batter, adds the merest bit of rosiness to the dark chocolate-colored cake. The wine (I used a Pinot Noir) also adds a touch of acidity to balance out all the sweetness.

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David Kinch’s Ricotta Gnocchi with A Simple Tomato Sauce

Pillowy ricotta gnocchi in a fresh and lively tomato sauce.
Pillowy ricotta gnocchi in a fresh and lively tomato sauce.

If you’re someone who was mesmerized by the beauty, creativity, and precision of the “Manresa: An Edible Reflection” (Ten Speed Press, 2013) cookbook, you are not alone.

And if you are someone who sheepishly admits to never having actually cooked anything from it, I am right there with you.

Because let’s face it, few — if any — of us have the daring or dexterity to cook Michelin three-star food at home.

Chef-Owner David Kinch knows that.

That’s why his newest cookbook, “At Home in the Kitchen: Simple Recipes from a Chef’s Night Off” (Ten Speed Press) focuses not on what this renowned chef creates at his revered Los Gatos restaurant, Manresa, but what he cooks at his Santa Cruz home, particularly on Tuesdays, his day off, when he’s apt to invite friends over for impromptu, beachy eats .

The book was written with Devin Fuller, a former Manresa backserver and expeditor who is now a freelance writer.

Included are more than 120 recipes, including “Baked Miso Eggplant,” “Pasta with Pesto & Avocado,” “Trout with Fennel & Grapefruit,” and “Almond Granita.” Each recipe includes a fun addition: a song recommendation by Kinch, a vinyl fan, to play while indulging in the dish.

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