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In This Week’s Box
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- O’Henry Peaches
- Cal Red Peaches
- Summer Fire Nectarines
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From Sarah
Greetings from the land of Peaches!!! That’s what this last weekend was all about, and the time of year it is here at Frog Hollow. Peach, Peach, Peach we are surrounded by Peaches!!!
Al asked me (Sarah is co-owner of Frog Hollow, for those who are unfamiliar with her role here at the farm! She’s also our HR and office manager) to write the newsletter this week so I’m going to write about “Battle of the Peaches”. For 27 years Al and I have had this good natured back and forth about which peach is better; The Cal Red or the O’Henry. Al claims there is no peach better than the Cal Red. I beg to differ! So, what’s the difference you ask. Subtle, but distinctly different, the Cal Red is dense, sweet, and will hold up to anything you could DREAM of doing with a peach, it’s a chefs dream come true. The O’Henry is sweet, tart and complex in it’s perfectly peachy taste, it’s summer cradled in a round, plump, dripping with juicy perfection (yes, I know, obvious which one I prefer). This past weekend we had a competition, which peach did the general public think was the better peach? And guess what? O’Henry won! HA! I have bragging rights! Finally.
But this is not to say Al doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to something truly special you can’t get anywhere else. Most of you have heard of the O’Henry, but have you heard of Cal Red? Odds are you have not. Al picked this delicious, but persnickety peach, for its flavor not it’s name (never mind that he’s a Cal grad and I to this day think that’s the REAL reason he choose it). It’s not as pretty as the O’Henry and will bruise if you look at it wrong, making it difficult to pack and ship. Highly susceptible to brown rot, again, making it difficult to ship, thus putting most commercial growers off. But Farmer Al is so committed to flavor that 33 years ago when he planted his first Cal Red peach he knew it would make his reputation. And it has.
Alice Waters served President Clinton a single peach as he was on his way out the door after having dined at Chez Paniesse. For us, there is truly no higher compliment than the simplicity of serving a piece of our fruit on a plate with nothing to distract from its flavor. This is the Cal Red. I hope you enjoy the fruit this week and perhaps have your own battle of the peaches in your dining rooms. Have fun with it!
Good Health to you.
Eat well,
Sarah
Special next week– Order a flat of O’Henry or Cal Reds and you’ll receive a “Battle of the Peaches” T-Shirt that corresponds with your favorite variety; while supplies last! Order before This Friday, for your Week of August 29th order.
**How can you tell which peach is which?** They look very similar! We’ll be marking the flap of your boxes, so once you open your CSA share, look at the lids– OH=O’Henry, CR=Cal Red
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Jeff Bordes is Frog Hollow's Director of Sales and Marketing. His goals for Happy Child CSA directly align with its core values which include education, sustainability, and building community. Suggestions or feedback regarding the future of our CSA can be directed to him through this website's contact form.
