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THIS WEEK’S FRUIT

 Hass Avocado
Eco Farm, Temecula, CA
Creamy in texture, nutty in flavor, with a small to medium seed. The Hass skin is easy to peel and darkens from green to purplish-black as it ripens.

 Fuerte Avocado
Churchill-Brenneis Orchard, Ojai, CA
A California variety prized by specialty growers for its ability to withstand freezing temperatures and was aptly named “Fuerte” or strong in Spanish. It has a smooth, thin, grass green skin with pale green flesh. Fuerte are less oily than Hass but have a rich and nutty flavor.

Fuji Apple
Cuyama, New Cuyama,CA
Fujis are a cross between Red Delicious and Ralls Janet, an heirloom apple dating back to Thomas Jefferson. They are one of the sweetest variety apples around making them a household favorite.

Navel Orange
Rainbow Valley, Rainbow, CA
California Navel Oranges are considered to be the best Navels for eating out of hand. They have a thick skin that is easy to peel, are seedless and have a meaty and sweet flesh that makes them a perfect snack.

Star Ruby Grapefruit
Apricot Lane, Moorpark, CA
The Grapefruit is said to be a cross between the Jamaican sweet orange and the Indonesian pomelo, first documented in 1750. Under its thick, red-blushed skin you’ll find an aromatic, ruby red, juicy flesh with a perfect sweet tart flavor.

Pixie Tangerine
Churchill-Brenneis Orchard, Ojai, CA
Pixie tangerines are a late season variety that begin ripening in March and April. Their tough skin gives way to fruit with a very robust flavor.

A NOTE FROM CHEF BECKY

There is always a moment of slight panic when I am asked to write the weeks’ newsletter. My mind races as I think about what I should write about; apricots? Already did that. The Garden? Will does that much better than I could. The Kitchen? Yes, and maybe I could write about how the ketchup is coming along but, that’s a story better told by Anna. I decided to look back at what was written a year ago this time. Al had written about how he and I had just attended a conference in Brentwood called the “East Contra Costa Ag Summit.” Community leaders of Brentwood, state and even the California State Director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development appointed by President Obama, was there to discuss the amazing resource of economic, social and environmental opportunity right here in their own backyard, agriculture. It was at this conference that Al and I stated publicly that we’ll be planting avocados but more importantly, our dream of creating a farm to table restaurant here in Brentwood on the Geddes Ranch property we recently purchased. Reactions were mixed; some were excited, some were perplexed and a few shot it right down and dismissed it because, “the county will never allow it.”

I don’t know if it’s good or bad thing that we are still working on it a year later. I have spent the last month making phone calls with county inspectors, going to Ag enterprise committee meetings that I never before attended, and emailing my lame duck supervisor to try to get a meeting with her to discuss the possibility of reviving the Ag Task Force, before she leaves office in 9 months.

As general plan dictates, there are no restaurants nor B&B’s allowed in the Ag Core. We want to build a restaurant, not just any restaurant, but a farm to table restaurant where most, if not all of everything served will be grown right here on the farm. Just think, only 45 minutes away from (most) of you is this beautiful countryside, that grows, peaches, cherries, apricots, almond, wine grapes, apples and pumpkins, just to name a few of the crops that flourish here. Oh, and don’t forget corn! How about coming out to u-pick and picnic, maybe go for a swim in the delta. Then go wine tasting, or go to the local brewery that makes beer grown from locally grown barley. Finally, have an amazing dinner at Frog Hollow Farm, then go back to your B&B. Sounds great, right? Well, the county will not allow it.

I think the time is right for a change. In the research I’ve done and the people I’ve talked to, I think there is a real movement to create a new vision for Brentwood. That vision would include not only farm restaurants and B&B’s but any business that highlights the amazing and rich agricultural bounty that we have here. Brentwood could be a destination like the Napa and Sonoma counties but with more to offer than just wine.

Hopefully, by next year I will report that we have passed legislation that would change the General Plan that would allow this dream to come true.

And yes, we are planting avocados. As I write, Al is planting mandarins.

Cheers,

Chef Becky