THIS WEEK’S FRUIT
Moro Blood Orange
Frog Hollow Farm, Brentwood, CA
Moros have a deep red flesh and tart flavor with a rind that tends to blush into hues of red. The Moro is a wonderfull orange for juicing or cooking due to its bright flavor and color.
Fuji Apples
Cuyama Farm, New Cuyama, CA
Fujis are a cross between Red Delicious and Ralls Janet, an heirloom apple dating back to Thomas Jefferson. Fujis are loved by many for their crisp, sweet, and juicy character.
Hayward Kiwis
Chiechi Farm, Live Oak, CA
Originally known as the Chinese gooseberry due to its Chinese origins. Hawyward Wright, a New Zealand nurseryman propagated his plants by grafting, and they eventually became the preferred cultivar of growers due to their sweet flavor and thin skin.
Murcott Tangerine
Schellenberg Farm, Reedley, CA
Murcott Tangerines are known for their rich flavor and deeply hued flesh and juice. Their small size and sweet juice makes them a favorite with little ones.
Hass Avocados
Calavo Growers, Santa Paula, 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.
Golden Nuggets
Sundance, Oceanside, CA
Appearances aren’t everything. The bumpy peel of the Gold Nugget givesway to a richly flavored and sweet tart flesh.
Navel Oranges
Purity, Coachella, 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.
A NOTE FROM CHEF BECKY
Dear CSA Members,
Got Apricots
Today could not have been a more beautiful day for our annual blossom walk. It’s about 73 degrees, with very slight breeze. I think everything is as close to full bloom as possible for today’s event. The plums are always first and they are beginning to wane, but the peaches, nectarines and apricots are in their full glory.
I think the apricots are the most beautiful in full bloom. The white petals are in a dark fuschia jacket that makes them look pink at first glance. The contrast of the flowers against the dark shiny branches is dramatic. The apricot blossoms however, are not looking quite as abundant as the peach, plum and nectarine blossoms and not as uniform.
This is exactly what we feared. When the trees don’t get enough chilling hours, the bloom will be scattered and light. Chilling hours are the number of hours of temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Each type of stone fruit requires a certain amount to break down the growth-inhibiting hormones and allow the tree to come out of dormancy. Cherries need the most but apricots seem to need a little more than peaches and nectarines do. (The cherries are yet to bloom, they are always the last to bloom and the first to fruit so we’ve yet to see what kind of cherry crop we’ll have.)
The good news is that there does seem to be good fruit set. When you pinch the blossom you can feel a hard little apricot in there, about the size of a peppercorn. When pulled open you can see it, small and green with what looks like a little tail. Another silver lining is the fact that in spite of the warm weather, there isn’t any sign of brown rot, evidence that our compost program is working.
So, the apricots will be light this year, how light remains to be seen.
– Chef Becky
