Dear Readers,
Some of you may ask, what is the big deal about ORGANIC produce? I mean, really? Who wants to spend more money on ugly-looking food, more time scouring our fluorescent-lighted grocery store aisles for pretty green packaging and more worry on whether your beef is (or is not) going to cause your estrogen levels to sky rocket?
These are good, practical questions. I know we’re all through with spending New Year’s resolutions on no carb diets. Let’s be realistic here. No man can live on bread alone, but no American can live without bread for a year. Right? Instead, I think we can turn this new decade over to a healthier lifestyle. It’ll take some change, but, my furry creatures of habit, sometimes change is a good thing.

Resolution #1: Educate yourself on WHICH items should be purchased organic and which don’t really matter. For example, we know that organic foods have to do with their lack of sprays, pesticides, fungicides, antibiotics, artificial hormones and chemically treated fertilizers, but which fruits and veggies (and meat products) are better for us when they’re organic? I’ll make this easy on you and give you some answers in Resolution #2.

Resolution #2:

• Buy organic milk. The commercial dairy industry has a whole chemical system when it comes to agriculture.

• Buy organic potatoes. These guys grow as a root in the ground and therefore soak up all sorts of pesticides and fungicides into their flesh. These guys have one of the highest pesticide contents of all veggies and fruits. In 2006, a U.S.D.A. test found 81 percent of potatoes tested still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled, says New York Times writer Tara Parker-Pope.

• Buy organic peanut butter. Peanut farms have a pesky problem with mold and are therefore doused with fungicides. How many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have you made in your day? There are great health food store options to grind your own organic peanut butter at the store as well. This would be an added treat for those kids who love their PB&J.

• Buy organic ketchup. Organic ketchup has twice the amount of anti-oxidants in them. That means bye bye free radicals and cancer causing agents.

• Buy organic apples. These guys are known to be contaminated with pesticides since they can’t prevent the large amount of bug munchers themselves. That means they are sprayed frequently and liberally. Organic apples do not have this problem. Also, do not be alarmed if you organic apple isn’t shiny enough to create a beaming glare. That amount of shininess is NOT natural. That is a wax that the commercial apple industry sprays onto their apples to give them that Snow White apple effect. As with Snow White’s apple problem, shiny does not mean non-poisonous.

Hope this was helpful y’all. Have a wonderful January.

Cheers,
Amy

Tiding #1: A few helpful hints to finding the best apples: Make sure it’s organic! This ensures your apples are pesticide, insecticide and herbicide free. These guys are in no way genetically modified and aren’t sprayed with wax (the stuff that makes your supermarket apples glossy-looking…Double yuck). For apples, the skin should be clean and bruise free. A dull finish may mean the fruit is past its prime. You can refrigerate apples up to two weeks. Leaving them at room temperature could cause them to become too mealy.

Tiding #2: Here’s a tip for understanding your grapes. Ripe white and green grapes should have a yellowish cast while red and purple ones should not have any greenish coloring. Grapes can be kept for up to one week in a ventilated plastic bag. If they sit in room temperature for even a day, you’ll be making your own wine in your fruit basket.

Tiding #3: How to preserve precious pears? These babies will ripen off the tree so a producer will generally give you a firmer pear. When they’re ripe, they should have a little give at the neck when pressed. Here are some different varieties of pears: Anjou, which is egg-shaped with a green, rose-tinged green or red skin; Bosc, which has a slender neck and a brown skin (these guys are flavorful even before being fully ripe); and Bartlett, which has a red skin or a green skin that yellows as it ripens.

Tiding #4: Apple-Pear Galette Recipe that will please any sized family

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 20m

Total Time: 1hr 20m

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for the surface
• 2  9-inch refrigerated piecrusts
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 3  Empire, Gala, or Cortland apples, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 3  Bartlett pears, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1  large egg, beaten

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. On a lightly floured surface, place one piecrust on top of the other and roll out the stack to form one 16-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup of the preserves on the crust, leaving a 2-inch border.

2. In a large bowl, toss the apples, pears, flour, lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Transfer to the crust, leaving the border clear. Fold the edges of the crust over the fruit mixture.

3. Brush the egg on the crust and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is tender, 50 to 60 minutes.

4. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of preserves and 1 tablespoon water over medium heat until liquid, 2 to 3 minutes. Brush on the fruit. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip

When baking a fruit pie, put a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom of the oven to catch bubbling juices.

Nutritional Information

Calories 378; Fat 15g; Cholesterol 36mg; Carbohydrate 59g; Calories From Fat 35%; Sodium 210mg; Fiber 3g; Sugar 27g

Delicious! Happy holidays everyone. Hope these tidings and tips were helpful. Give us any feedback at amy@californiafruit.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Cheers,

Amy B.

            Hope this holiday season brings more tidings of joy than Christmas stress. We’re here to help relieve some of that stress with healthy, local alternatives.  We now have new Navel Oranges and Mandarin Oranges at our stand. These are perfect for sprucing up your cider or garnishing your savory meals. Also, our honey roasted almonds are packed in 6 oz. bags, perfect for stocking stuffers! Visit our site for more Holiday ideas, including recipes and new info on our latest crop. www.smitorchards.com

Try this awesome recipe for the family:

Pound Cake with Oranges, Honey, and Rosemary

Anna Williams

Serves 6

Hands-on Time: 10m

Total Time: 10m

Ingredients

• 4  oranges
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 10- to 12-ounce pound cake, sliced into 1-inch thick pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Cut away the peel and pith of the oranges and cut out the segments. In a medium bowl, gently combine them with the honey. 

2. Spoon the oranges over the cake and sprinkle with the rosemary before serving.

Tip

Use a paring knife to cut fruits and vegetables.

Nutritional Information

Calories 271; Fat 9g; Sat Fat 5g; Cholesterol 75mg; Carbohydrate 46g; Sodium 269mg; Protein 4g; Fiber 2g; Sugar 32g

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