The Houndstooth Gourmet

Seeing familiar faces behind the fruit and vegetables at Allenberg Orchards was like seeing old friends. Except I don’t really know them. Or their names. And I’m not a stalker. Really.

The thing is-when I discovered how wonderful the Kingstowne market is last year, and AO in particular, it made me a little sad to say see you next year when the market season ended. I had come to discover how delicious their cherries and tomatoes are. Plus the peaches were the best I’d ever eaten. I hoarded all those good things and still have some vacuum-sealed in my freezer.

This week, Allenberg made thier 2008 season market debut. Along with yellow and red raspberries, they had sweet cherries and a nice selection of greens (note the signage). I bought up 2 quarts of cherries in my frenzied excitement, only to find that they were not at the peak of ripeness. They’re not bad, just not as sweet as they’re going to get. The raspberries were another story all together. They were perfect without any hint of sourness.

I decided that my preshus berries needed to be frozen right away, lest any of them suffer from compression or exposure or just me picking at them before I could use them in a tart the next day.

First, I needed a tart pan. I don’t own any and usually cheat by using my spring-form pan. But I had perfectly gorgeous berries which needed that perfect crinkle edge that the pan gives. I found tart pans (loads of them) at La Cuisine in Old Town Alexandria. They were actually inexpensive, so I decided to get a large pan, along with 6 individual serving pans. OK, I threw in copper cleaner and a real Microplane microplane (truly, they are the best)for cheese. At that point, Frank looked at me and said “you planned this all along didn’t you? Just a tart pan, eh?”

For my dish, I found Raspberry Tart May on the Food Network site. It got good reviews and was from Gourmet Magazine, and made by Sarah Moulton. I had a feeling it would be a winner.

While the tart was blind baking (oh, by the way…if you don’t have pie weights or spare beans to weigh down the dough, you can use rice) I took the berries out of the freezer to thaw before I used them to top the tart. I used apricot jam to gloss over the top of the tart, because it’s what I had on hand and it worked perfectly.

This tart is like a thin cheesecake with fresh fruit. It’s elegant and easy. Plus, now that I’ve had a test run with it, I’m going to make 2 to take to a 4th of July get-together in my neighborhood. I think I’ll use blueberries and red raspberries for the whole patriotic color scheme thing.

Check out the photos for more information of what was at market and more berries, berries, berries!

Until the next At the Market, eat and buy local when you can.

Tags: Alexandria, farmers markets, cheese, cake by Ramona
4 Comments »

About a week or so ago, I noticed a new website linking in to mine-On The Gourmet. Curious, I linked back to the site and found that On The Gourmet is a mobile gourmet store which carries upscale groceries and visits farmers markets in Northern Virginia, including the Alexandria West End and Falls Church farmers markets.

I visited On The Gourmet last Sunday in Alexandria. The truck sat at the east end of the market, hooked up to a generator that hummed in the distance. The entrance to the truck via a portable set of wooden steps is warmed with chalkboard signs announcing some of the specialty items that are is stock; Keswick Creamery cheese, brown eggs, creme brulee almonds and lavender honey to mention only a handful of the comestables that they carry.

 Inside, the large truck is outfitted with wood floors and wainscotted walls that are dotted with quaint artwork. Rustic woodend shelves with bright gerbera daisies carry gourmet salts, honeys, rice, oils and refreshing soda pop. Across the center isle, a rustic aqua blue and wood-topped counter displays cookies, bread and samples as if they were casually set out by your grandmother-all that was needed was a tall glass of cold milk and I could envision pulling up a chair and sitting a spell.

At the front end of the truck is a refrigerator for cheese and other dairy products, and a chest freezer for local organic meats and artisan gelato.

I mentioned to one of the owners that On The Gourmet was like Cheesetique on wheels, and like Cheesetique, the owners obviously go to great lengths to procure the best ingredients with a focus on freshness, quality and local purveyors.

To check out On The Gourmet’s locations and to see what’s in stock this week, check out their website at www.onthegourmet.com.

Tags: gourmet shops, Alexandria by Ramona
No Comments »

~A Jar is Born!~

A few weeks ago, Smita of Crackpot Gourmet asked me to suggest a few names for her new No Name Chutney, as part of a contest. You see, she made a delicious new addition to her line of products; a spiced apple chutney with tamarind, and it needed a name. Smita got the market- goers involved in her process of creation.

No Name Chutney reminded me of the first time I ate a curry. It was slightly spicy green chicken curry that was served with chutney for garnish. I liked it immediately, and began cooking with chutney, adding it to pork and chicken dishes. I also found that chutney makes a wonderful topping to a warmed brie, when tucked under the top rind just before it is baked. A new way of looking at jams was born in me; they’re not all sweet concord grape and strawberry!

No Name Chutney, to me, needed a name that reflected Smita’s use of Indian spices in her jams. She has a real knack for taking sweet fruits and complimenting them with pepper, chilies and other spices to create a balance of flavors that delights the tongue all over.

Guess what? I won!

Frank came up with the clever notion of “Indian Summer”, but it was my “Let’s Chaat” (chaat, get it?!!!) that won and was on the label when I visited the market last Friday. For my prize, I get to pick 3 large jars of jam. I told Smita that I wanted to spread out my pickings (I didn’t want any going to waste) and so I picked 1 jar of Kiss of Kerala. Kiss of Kerala is a strawberry jam punctuated with  gourmet Indian pepper and lime juice.

Smita suggested that besides enjoying it over toast or with cheese, that I do as she does and use it in a sauce for savory dishes, such as with lamb. After searing the meat, add red wine and a bit of the Kiss of Kerala to make a sweet and savory reduction to accompany the lamb (or pork, duck).

I can’t wait to try this out, and I’ll post a recipe and some pics when I do.

Visit Crackpot Gourmet’s website here to find out how you can enjoy these wonderful preserves.

~Mount Olympus Berry Farm~

Mount Olympus Berry Farm is located between Richmond and Fredericksburg, VA. They grow strawberries, blueberries and blackberries on their pick-your-own-farm. Fortunately, they also bring their fruit and produce to producer-only Northern Virginia markets.

Blueberries and blackberries looked amazing, so I picked up a box of blueberries. I’m not sure how I want to use them, so I froze them on a parchment lined baking sheet, in a single layer. Shortly, I’m going to retrieve them and store them in a zipped baggie. That way, I can use them as needed without any effect on how good and juicy they are.

~Susie’s Cookies~

Susie’s grandparents came to America in 1923. With them, they brought their recipe for Swedish Fruit Drops. But, don’t think Dots, think a melange of nuts (pecans, almonds and brazil nuts) with dates and candied cherries and pineapple. This cookie is gourmet GORP!

Susie uses a trusted source in New Jersey for her nuts and other ingredients. She also uses the finest chocolate in her cookies, including the Oatmeal Carmelitas. In her Blueberry Oatmeal cookies, Susie uses blueberry wine to rehydrate the dried blueberries. You can really taste the quality that Susie takes great measures to ensure comes through in her cookies.

Susie’s daughter-in-law is helping to build her website. Check out www.susiescookiesyahsure for more information.

~D&S Farm~

D&S Farm from Southern Maryland and at the Del Ray farmers market will have raspberries and blackberries in the next week or two, as well as peaches.

~Toigo Orchards~

Toigo Orchards from Shippensburg, PA will have peaches by the beginning of July. They will also have mirai corn again this year. Keep an eye out for it wherever you find Toigo. It is hands down some of the most delicious corn there is.

 Toigo’s hot-house tomatoes were a big seller, given the salmonella scare we are in the midst of. This is why it’s so good to know the source of your food, and the farmers that grow it.

Until the next At the Market, eat and buy local when you can.

 

 

Tags: Alexandria, farmers markets, Uncategorized by Ramona
2 Comments »

Growing up, my family had a Queen Anne cherry tree in the backyard. Each spring, it would grow beautiful soft white and blush petals, which yielded creamy yellow and red fruit. Their tart taste was a spring delicacy, and I remember eating them out of a bowl with my mom over the kitchen sink.

Appearing very similar to the Queen Anne cherry is the Rainier cherry. Both have light yellow flesh which is blushed with pinks and reds. And those dark brown spots? They indicate sugar. Not a bad thing, nope. The Ranier cherry is a cross between the Bing and Van variety of cherry, and has been cultivated since the 1960’s. Although it is primarily grown in California and the Pacific Northwest, many orchards in our area grow the Ranier cherry.

That mean, aside from picking your own*, you can usually find Ranier cherries at many area farmers markets this time of year. But don’t wait to long-Ranier cherries are prized and bit more expensive because they are hard to grow and harvest, and the season is short. Heavy rain, excessive heat and wind can damage them.

The flesh of the Rainier is juicy and sweet. There are other fruit flavors mixed in with the cherry flavor, such as apple, pear, nectarine and grape. The complex mix of flavors makes this pit fruit delicious to eat out of hand, and with its’ mild flavor, the Ranier cherry is incredible in savory dishes. For example, the Ranier cherry would make an excellent chutney or salsa to compliment pork, lamb, duck or bison. On the other hand, you could use the Ranier cherry in fruit salad or to top ice cream.

If you want cherries for baking, I recommend waiting for the sour pie cherries to arrive.

Along with my Rainier cherries which came from D&S Farm in Charlotte Hall, MD (whose owner said that peaches should appear in a couple weeks!), I picked up gorgeous golden beets, fresh, just cut asparagus, deep crimson-colored rhubarb, and baby arugula. Let’s see what I can create from these amazing ingredients!

Until the next At the Market, eat and buy local when you can.

* http://www.pickyourown.org/index.htm

Tags: Alexandria, farmers markets by Ramona
14 Comments »

I’m finally getting around to posting about last Saturday’s markets!

First, let me back up to Friday, when I stopped by Del Ray to pick up a loaf of challah from Caboose Cafe. Smartly, CC has challah on the bread menu each Friday, so to me, that means a delicious treat of French toast on Saturday or Sunday. I had not made French toast in quite a while, and I wanted to make some for Frank over the weekend-it’t one of his favorite breakfasts.

That brings me to the Del Ray market on Saturday. Three Way Farm had several pints of English peas. I picked up 2 in order to make a pea soup over the weekend. I then ventured over to Let’s Meat on the Avenue to gather a few links of Amish sage sausage, since we’d loved it so much the first time we bought it. Breakfast was set!

But before we went home, we quickly stopped at the Alexandria market so I could pick up some of my favorite baklavah from a lovely woman-Emine. I also bought a bag of spring mix greens with a handful of colorful (and edible) nasturtium flowers for $3.50.

I do appreciate the lower prices in the ‘burb’ markets!

So, as you can see from the photo collage, we did indeed get to enjoy French toast with strawberries and maple syrup, along with sage sausage. Later, I made fresh pea soup, drizzled with a bit of fage and cream. It was fresh and delicious.

Overall, it was a great week of fresh produce and goodies from the markets-bring on the cherries!

Until the next At The Market, eat and buy local when you can.

Tags: Alexandria, farmers markets by Ramona
2 Comments »