Tag: berries

  • Fruit Plates Are Our Favorite Afternoon Snacks

    Working from home can be dangerous to your waistline, unless you're careful about snacks. At about three every afternoon, we both need a little pick-me-up.

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    Our snack of choice is fruit. Some days it's just an apple. But, when our fruit basket is full of delicious ripe berries and peaches, they will make an appearance.

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    Occasionally, when the cheese drawer has a perfect match like this cheddar, a bit of cheese will join the party.

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    We have added fruit to our cheese trays over the years and now have quite a few favorite combinations like these bits of brie with figs. 

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    When the stone fruit season is at its height, it can be fun to taste the contrasts. On this plate we had a sweet, luscious Saturn peach, a tart apricot, and a plum that was right in the middle of the other two on the sweet/tart scale.

    The blueberries were on the plate to add color. We eat with our eyes and the contrast makes the plate of healthy fruit as attractive as a fancy and high-calorie fruit tart.

     

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    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • At The Market: Berries & Corn!

    It's starting to look a lot like summer around Boston's Farmers' Markets with some of our favorite summer crops coming into the city from the farms, orchards, pastures, and ocean. The heavy rain followed by heat has taken its toll on our farmers but they're doing their best to keep planting and harvesting.

    DSC_5980 - Version 22013-07-02-copley-farmers-market-foppema's-farm-keown-orchards-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    This customer is checking out the cherries and raspberries at the Foppema's Farm stand at the Copley Square Farmers' Market.

     DSC_6001 - Version 22013-07-02-copley-farmers-market-corn-stillman-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

     Stillman's Farm has some of their early corn at their stands at markets throughout the area. 

    The Word from the Farms & the Commissioner

    “The purchasing of locally-grown fruit like blueberries through a wide range of local food markets not only helps support our local growers, but also contributes to the rich agricultural heritage of the Commonwealth,” said DAR Commissioner Greg Watson. “And blueberry season marks the arrival of summer in Massachusetts.”

    Lily Carone from Atlas Farm reports that the blueberries are in and, "There is a full array of color on the stand now – including rainbow carrots and chioggia beets!" 

    Peter Ward, Manager of the Central Square Farmers' Market, did some taste-testing for you. "The sugar snap pea is vastly overlooked. And its reputation isn't enhanced – on the contrary, it's damaged -by the over-chilled tasteless snap peas you might see at the supermarket. I tried sugar snap peas from every vendor at the Farmers Market …and their snap peas are crisp, crunchy and moist and sweet."

    Copley Market

    In Season, Right Now!

    You can see in the photos some of the wonderful produce we've been enjoying. 

    Get Some Before It's Gone!

    Garlic scrapes, radishes, and strawberries are all coming to the end of their spring crops.

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    Coming Soon!

    Lisa from Atlas Farms says, "Peppers, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes…it's all just around the corner."

    Plus, more varieties of corn, peppers, and the early stone fruit

    Follow all our Local Food/Farmers' Markets and At The Market reports.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Kitchen & Dining needs and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

  • At The Market: Berries & Corn!

    It's starting to look a lot like summer around Boston's Farmers' Markets with some of our favorite summer crops coming into the city from the farms, orchards, pastures, and ocean. The heavy rain followed by heat has taken its toll on our farmers but they're doing their best to keep planting and harvesting.

    DSC_5980 - Version 22013-07-02-copley-farmers-market-foppema's-farm-keown-orchards-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    This customer is checking out the cherries and raspberries at the Foppema's Farm stand at the Copley Square Farmers' Market.

     DSC_6001 - Version 22013-07-02-copley-farmers-market-corn-stillman-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

     Stillman's Farm has some of their early corn at their stands at markets throughout the area. 

    The Word from the Farms & the Commissioner

    “The purchasing of locally-grown fruit like blueberries through a wide range of local food markets not only helps support our local growers, but also contributes to the rich agricultural heritage of the Commonwealth,” said DAR Commissioner Greg Watson. “And blueberry season marks the arrival of summer in Massachusetts.”

    Lily Carone from Atlas Farm reports that the blueberries are in and, "There is a full array of color on the stand now – including rainbow carrots and chioggia beets!" 

    Peter Ward, Manager of the Central Square Farmers' Market, did some taste-testing for you. "The sugar snap pea is vastly overlooked. And its reputation isn't enhanced – on the contrary, it's damaged -by the over-chilled tasteless snap peas you might see at the supermarket. I tried sugar snap peas from every vendor at the Farmers Market …and their snap peas are crisp, crunchy and moist and sweet."

    Copley Market

    In Season, Right Now!

    You can see in the photos some of the wonderful produce we've been enjoying. 

    Get Some Before It's Gone!

    Garlic scrapes, radishes, and strawberries are all coming to the end of their spring crops.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340134858b8fc4970c-800wi

    Coming Soon!

    Lisa from Atlas Farms says, "Peppers, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes…it's all just around the corner."

    Plus, more varieties of corn, peppers, and the early stone fruit

    Follow all our Local Food/Farmers' Markets and At The Market reports.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Kitchen & Dining needs and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

  • At The Market: Berries & Corn!

    It's starting to look a lot like summer around Boston's Farmers' Markets with some of our favorite summer crops coming into the city from the farms, orchards, pastures, and ocean. The heavy rain followed by heat has taken its toll on our farmers but they're doing their best to keep planting and harvesting.

    DSC_5980 - Version 22013-07-02-copley-farmers-market-foppema's-farm-keown-orchards-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    This customer is checking out the cherries and raspberries at the Foppema's Farm stand at the Copley Square Farmers' Market.

     DSC_6001 - Version 22013-07-02-copley-farmers-market-corn-stillman-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

     Stillman's Farm has some of their early corn at their stands at markets throughout the area. 

    The Word from the Farms & the Commissioner

    “The purchasing of locally-grown fruit like blueberries through a wide range of local food markets not only helps support our local growers, but also contributes to the rich agricultural heritage of the Commonwealth,” said DAR Commissioner Greg Watson. “And blueberry season marks the arrival of summer in Massachusetts.”

    Lily Carone from Atlas Farm reports that the blueberries are in and, "There is a full array of color on the stand now – including rainbow carrots and chioggia beets!" 

    Peter Ward, Manager of the Central Square Farmers' Market, did some taste-testing for you. "The sugar snap pea is vastly overlooked. And its reputation isn't enhanced – on the contrary, it's damaged -by the over-chilled tasteless snap peas you might see at the supermarket. I tried sugar snap peas from every vendor at the Farmers Market …and their snap peas are crisp, crunchy and moist and sweet."

    Copley Market

    In Season, Right Now!

    You can see in the photos some of the wonderful produce we've been enjoying. 

    Get Some Before It's Gone!

    Garlic scrapes, radishes, and strawberries are all coming to the end of their spring crops.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340134858b8fc4970c-800wi

    Coming Soon!

    Lisa from Atlas Farms says, "Peppers, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes…it's all just around the corner."

    Plus, more varieties of corn, peppers, and the early stone fruit

    Follow all our Local Food/Farmers' Markets and At The Market reports.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Kitchen & Dining needs and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

  • Strawberry Shortcake Dessert Bar for Your July 4th Party

    Entertaining this weekend? How about a "build-it-yourself strawberry shortcake table" for dessert? We've done this for years, and our guests love it!

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    It's easy on the host and fun for the guests. Here's the step-by-step on how we do it.

    • Reserve the most perfect berries for dipping in chocolate and eating out-of-hand. Put a shaker of sugar near the plain berries for those who would like to sprinkle a bit on their choices
    • Slice and sugar the rest and allow them to form a natural sauce overnight in the refrigerator.
    • Collect a variety of bases– dessert cups, short cake, biscuits, ladyfingers, cookies, and angel food cake are a few I've used for this.
    • Since it's July 4th, add a big dish of blueberries for red, white, and blue creations.
    • Add a fondue pot of dipping chocolate, and you'll have guests swooning.
    • Arrange a selection of toppings. I've set out whipped cream, yogurt, ice cream, creme fraiche, and fudge sauce.
    • For something tall on the table, add wine buckets filled with bottles of sparkling wine that guests can pour over a few berries in a champagne glass.
    • Set up a tray of "special enhancements" (rums, liqueurs, and dessert wines) to drizzle on the cakes or sip with the shortcake. Most popular around here was limoncello.
    • Add big napkins to protect clothes; spoons, dishes, or wine glasses to hold your guest's creations; and let everyone have fun with the fruit.

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    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino