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Check Out This Weeks Recipe from Your Produce Man. Click Here.
| Last week’s Your Produce Man’s Produce Puzzzzle dealt with grapes: What grape was originally named "Lady DeCoverly"? How would you like to sell a grape named "Lady DeCoverly?" That's what it was known by in England, where this grape was first grown. Well, John certainly did not like the name, and he didn't think the rough and tough pioneers of California in the late 1800s would buy such a grape named "Lady DeCoverly" either. John was a farmer in Yuba City, in the northern Sacramento Valley in California. Yuba City was the first place that grew this new grape. And John was the first grape grower to graft it into his vineyard. But he just had to change the name. So John named it after himself. John's last name was…Thompson! The Thompson Seedless grape was originally known as the Lady DeCoverly. This week's Your Produce Man’s Produce Puzzzzle deals with another summer fruit: What is the oldest deciduous fruit tree in California? See next week’s Fresh Tips for the answer. |
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BARTLETT PEARS (Monday, August 8): A little late, but still looking good. The new crop of California Bartlett Pears is now in the supermarkets. The Bartlett Pear is the most popular pear in the world, although in most other parts of the world, you will find it marketed as the “Williams” Pear, as it was originally known in England. When the Williams Pear crossed the Atlantic and landed in Massachusetts, a nurseryman named Enoch Bartlett began selling the tree. Unaware of its name, he named the tree after himself. The Bartlett was grown in most regions of the country until a Pear Blight destroyed virtually every pear tree east of the Rockies. That’s why today, all Bartlett Pear production is west of the Rockies. California grows about 60% of the nation’s Bartletts. The season begins in the Sacramento River district, just south of Sacramento. Along the banks of the Sacramento River, 3rd and 4th generation Bartlett Pear orchards are in full production. Harvest then moves to the Lake County region, surrounding Clear Lake. So why were the Bartlett’s so late this year? Rain. Too much and at the wrong time. When trees were in full blossom in April, Mother Nature sent cold temperatures and heavy rains. The combination caused considerable “blossom drop.” Every blossom is a piece of fruit. The blossoms fall off the tree, the less crop a farmer will have. The fruit set this season was very poor in many of the California growing regions. Some farmers lost more than half of their Bartlett Pears. Overall, California’s Bartlett Pear crop is about 20 – 25% less than normal. In mid-July, right when growers were scheduled to harvest, California was in the grips of a heat wave. When you have 100+ degree temperatures in the orchards, sugar leaves the fruit and goes back into the tree to protect the tree during the stress of extreme temperatures. With less sugar in the fruit, the growers can’t harvest. Every day, growers are in the orchards, testing the fruit for the minimum sugar content. Until the fruit reaches that level, they must stay on the tree. An incredible taste for pears dates back to ancient times. The alluring fruit even captured the praise of the well-known Greek poet, Homer (8th century B.C.), who referred to pears as a "gift of the gods." Evidently, the Romans agreed and proceeded to use grafting techniques to develop more than fifty varieties. They also introduced the cultivated pear to other parts of Europe. Since then, hundreds of varieties have been developed, and people have continued to benefit from the good taste of these early connoisseurs. The Bartlett Pear variety originated in Berkshire, England, in the 17th century, by a schoolmaster named John Stair. Stair sold some of his pear tree cuttings to a horticulturist named Williams, who further developed the variety and renamed it after himself. After pear seedlings crossed the Atlantic with the early colonists, the Williams pear found fame and fortune in 1812, under the tutelage of nurseryman, Enoch Bartlett, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Bartlett, unaware of the pear's true name, distributed it under his own name. Ever since, the pear has been known as the Bartlett in the United States, but is still referred to as the Williams pear, in other parts of the world. Bartlett pear trees eventually made it out West in the covered wagons of 49ers heading for the Great California Gold Rush. Think of the pear, and your mind conjures an image of grace, sophistication and the ultimate in good taste. With its voluptuous contour, the pear is among the world's most alluring fruits. A teardrop shape and tender, golden skin surround a fine-grained, buttery-textured flesh with a juicy, sweet flavor and pleasant aroma.
BARTLETT PEARS (Tuesday, August 9): Bartletts are the nation's leading pear variety and the golden state of California produces 60 percent of the total U.S. crop. The California Bartlett pear growing regions are divided into two districts relative to the timing of harvest - the Early District and the Late District. The heart of the Early District orchards lie in the rich soils along the Sacramento River Delta, stretching north to the Upper Sacramento Valley. Harvest in the Late District begins in the north coast county of Mendocino and moves on to the shores of Clear Lake. Pears from this area are sometimes called "Mountain" Bartletts. California Bartletts are normally harvested mid-July through mid-September, with two peak supply periods. However, because these pears store so well, the availability can extend into November. So just how do you pick out a good Bartlett Pear. That’s the cool thing about Bartletts. They’re all good. Remember what I said yesterday. All Bartlett Pears are picked with the right amount of sugar content. That means every one will ripen up very nicely. Now, obviously, you don’t want to pick pears that have any decay. Even misshapen pears will be fine. This year, because of the heavy rains in April and May, I’m noticing a lot more “russetting” on the pears, large brown patches. That does not affect the quality at all. It’s only an appearance thing.
BARTLETT PEARS (Wednesday, August 10): Alright.
You bought several pounds of Bartlett Pears. You get them home.
Now, just how do you ripen these things? Do you just set them out
on the counter? These early Bartletts need a little patience. Since
it is the first of the crop, they may take an extra day or so to
ripen
properly. Don’t set the Bartlett out in the open air. With
a lack of natural oils on the skin, the Bartlett would dehydrate
before it really got to a nice ripe stage. When the fruit turns
that beautiful golden brown, then you know it’s about ready.
The Bartlett is great simply eaten out of hand. Roll up those sleeves.
The Bartlett is great in many great recipe
ideas. Bringing the California Bartletts to your own preferred degree
of ripeness is quite simple. The key: Always ripen the pears together.
They love company. They love other fruit. So put them with other
Bartlett Pears in a bowl at room temperature. Once they have reached
your desired ripeness, you can place them in the refrigerator to
slow any further ripening. Depending on their degree of ripeness,
California Bartletts can hold in the refrigerator for almost a week.
When California Bartletts are "breaking," or turning from
green to yellow and losing their firmness, leave them alone for
a couple more days so they can ripen completely. But, if you prefer
pears that are more firm, these are ready to eat. When California
Bartletts are golden yellow, they are really ready to eat - fully
ripe and at their juiciest and most flavorful stage. Remember to
handle gently to avoid bruising.
BARTLETT PEARS (Thursday, August 11): Fresh pears alone make a flavorful snack or appetizer. They're also great tossed in salads, made into jelly, jam or preserves, used in desserts and other baked creations, blended into fruit drinks, and used in a creatively fresh approach to salsas or chutney. What's more, California Bartlett pears provide a variety of nutrients, including important vitamins and minerals. One medium pear provides 16 percent of the daily requirement for dietary fiber (4 grams) and 10 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin C. Fresh California Bartletts also contain a healthful source of potassium. They contain no cholesterol or sodium, and are virtually fat free. My favorite way to use Bartlett Pears is to team it with leftover Caesar Salad. Or, how about a simple chicken Quesadilla with pepper jack cheese and slices of a Bartlett. Let’s start today with a Caesar in a Pita with a Bartlett. I love this, especially when I have left over Caesar Salad. You know how the salad will look a little wilted the next day? By using it in a Pita, who cares if it’s wilted. Take your Caesar Salad. Add some roasted chicken and mix. Now stuff this into a Pita bread. Slice some firm ripe Bartlett Pears and slide those down the inside pocket of the Pita. This is quite a treat.
BARTLETT PEARS (Friday, August 12): This coming weekend, Lynne Cheney celebrates another birthday. I hear the wife of Vice-President Dick Cheney loves a quesadilla. Well, in honor of Mrs. Cheney’s love for the Quesadilla, I have developed the perfect pair: Quesadilla with Bartlett Pear. This is super simple. Take your flour tortilla out of the refrigerator and leave out at room temperature for 20 minutes or so. Turn a burner onto medium-high and put a fry pan on top. Let it get hot, then drizzle just a little Olive Oil into the pan. Now, place one of the tortillas into the hot pan. Add some sliced Pepper Jack Cheese. Plenty of it. Thinly slice of firm ripe Bartlett Pears and place those on top of the cheese. Now top it with another flour tortilla. Once the bottom tortilla has slightly browned, flip it over and let the other side brown. Remove from the heat and slice. Get out the Guacamole or Salsa.
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