Reeds: The Summer Avocado

While everyone is rhapsodic about the emergence of stone fruit, tomatoes, and melons--all that marks quintessential summer food--I'm blissed out over the arrival of Reed avocados.

Think of these as summer avocados. Fuertes are beginning to fade away with the season. Bacons are now months away. And, okay yes, Hass are everywhere almost year round -- but Reeds are a rich, buttery delight of an avocado in the form of a softball-sized globe. Like the Hass, they have a thick peel, easy to remove. And, my experience is that the seed also easily separates from the flesh. I've read that this variety remains firm even when ripe, making it a lousy candidate for guacamole, but I haven't experienced that.

In fact, one of my favorite ways to enjoy Reed avocados, is smashed on toast for breakfast. And, of course, I top it with a sprinkling (heavy handed) of Tajin. The salty and sour (thanks to dehydrated lime) qualities of the Tajin complement the gentle flavor and richness of the Reed.

Atkins Nursery of Fallbrook grows them. I found their stall at the Friday evening  Mission Hills farmers market on Falcon St. The other local grower who has them is Paradise Valley Ranch. They're at the North Park, Little Italy, and Pacific Beach farmers markets.

Looking for a unique guacamole? When chef Jesus Gonzalez ran the kitchen at Rancho La Puerta he introduced what he calls "Aztec Guacamole," which includes peas to boost the nutritional content and reduce the fat. It creates a slightly different flavor from traditional guacamole, but that creamy goodness from the avocado remains and you have a healthier, irresistible sauce perfect for dipping and topping tacos and tostadas on a sultry summer night.

Aztec Guacamole
Makes 2 cups

1 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed
1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice, or to taste
1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 red or sweet onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon  minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1. In a blender or the bowl of a food processor, process the peas until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher. Add the juice, tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Add the peas and mix well.
3. If the guacamole won't be served immediately, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent browning.

Variation: Instead of peas, use 1 cup of well-cooked broccoli, edamame, or cooked asparagus tips.




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Caprese Beef Bacon and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Thank you, Mexico, for always sharing the remnants of your humid summer storms with those of us who live in San Diego. We're just recovering from a bout of hot and humid days that were the gift of a tropical storm south of us and I don't know anyone who's in the mood to do any major cooking. Me included.

So, when I took a look Saturday afternoon at my accumulated farmers market purchases to figure out what to make for dinner I was overjoyed to realize that I had a summer feast in front of me that required only a little bit of heat. On Friday evening I'd been to the Mission Hills farmers market, where I picked up a package of Brandt Beef's beef bacon, and Saturday morning I acquired an enormous and beautiful heirloom tomato picked hours earlier at Chino Farms, along with an unusual elongated green and yellow pepper.

I coveted this tomato while chatting with the Chinos--and it was still there when I was ready to buy.

Plus, I had some mozzarella (sorry, not from a farmers market, but Henry's), a red onion from Schaner Farms, basil from my garden, and, in my pantry, lovely Temecula Valley Blend olive oil from Temecula Olive Oil Company. Oh, and smoked salt from Salt Farm.

In short, a bonanza for a hot Saturday night at home with the dogs. Only one thing to do: make my version of a Caprese salad for dinner.

Look at how beautiful this is--inside and out.

Do I have a recipe for this? Nah. Just gather your ingredients, slice what needs slicing, cook what needs cooking, then layer one on top of another and sprinkle some salt and pepper over the pile. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and vinegar (my vinegar of choice was a strong Sherry vinegar from Spain that I picked up at Pata Negra), and dig in. You'll get a mix of flavors--acid from the tomato and vinegar, savory smokiness from the bacon and salt, sweet anise from the basil, more sweetness from the red onion, heat from the charred pepper, and that always lovely umami from the mozzarella. And you can't beat the mixture of textures--crunch from the bacon and onions, silky softness from the cheese, gentle chew from the vegetables. It's bright and refreshing, but, of course, its success is totally dependent on the quality of the ingredients--there's no hiding anything here.

The only cooking here was crisping up the beef bacon and roasting the pepper.

So after the salad, surely I must have had dessert, right? Oh, yes. How about half of a petite Snow Leopard melon (like honeydew but prettier) and sweet-like-candy Mara des Bois strawberries from, yes, Chino Farms. These are strawberries that make you believe in the magic of summer.

Mexico, I'm not wary of those thunderheads off in the distance. Bring it on again. I'm ready.


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The Mission Hills Farmers Market Debut - in Photos

It looked like the little market on Falcon St. got a nice turnout for its debut last Friday. There were a number of familiar folks -- Smit Orchards, Suzie's Farm, Poppa's Fish, Jackie's Jams, and, as always Baba Hummus.

I picked up some beautiful peaches, apricots, and nectarines at Smit Orchards; small tomatoes and a lovely miniature white cucumber at Suzie's Farm; and some interesting products, including a large flat bread called Parath/Boulani, which was stuffed with spinach, ginger, and garlic, and a roasted garlic dip -- from Zaiqa Kitchens. I ran into friends who were shopping, and literally into happy little kids wandering around with lovely fruit juices dripping onto their hands and chins. It was a sunny afternoon with neighbors and dogs enjoying each other and the goods being sold.

The market appears again today (Friday) from 3 to 7 p.m. on Falcon St. between Washington and Ft. Stockton.

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New Mission Hills Farmers Market Opening

It was inevitable and longed for but seemed to take forever to finally happen. Mission Hills is finally getting a farmers market and it opens Friday afternoon, June 25 from 3 to 7 p.m. The site is Falcon St. between Washington and Ft. Stockton.

Market manager Ron Lachance sent me a list of the confirmed vendors, so here's what you'll find on opening day:

Certified Growers-
Organic
Smit Orchards- peaches, nectarines, plums apricots, cherries, blueberries right now. When in season apples and grapes too as well as dried fruits and nuts
Suzie’s Farm- A lot of items you don’t see everywhere like sprouts of all kinds, edible flowers etc. They also have more standard organics like carrots, radishes and greens
Soto Farms- peaches, avocados, carrots, strawberries, celery etc.

Other
Gayton Farms- largest variety of produce- artichokes, celery, greens, tomatoes, asparagus, onions, brussel sprouts, broccoli and much more
Rivas Farms- Strawberries, cauliflower, various squash, broccoli, tomatoes, corn
Atkins Ranch- large selection of citrus and avocados as well as potted herbs
Burin Farms- Mostly greens like kale, chard, romaine, green and red leaf, mixed greens, basil and other herbs
Hopkins Ranch- Huge variety of almonds(1 canopy)
Lopez Nursery- potted plants, mostly flowers and such (1 canopy)
Hidalgo Flowers- Simply the best flower grower in San Diego, huge selection of fresh cut flowers

Specialty Foods
Petrou Foods- Olives and olive oils, feta cheeses, pickled garlic
Poppa’s Fish-Fresh seafood
Julian Bakery- Julian Pies and other baked goods
Shroom Shack- many varieties of local mushrooms. They buy them from local growers so they can’t set-up with the other farmers
Gingerly Bakery- Cupcakes and other sweets
Sunflower- Large variety of local honey
Howllistic- Dog treats
Sadie Rose Bakery-hasn’t fully confirmed as of last week
Jackie’s Jams- Homemade preserves and jellies
Baba Hummus- Hummus, pita chips, and other Mediterranean items
CJ’s- Breakfast breads and other sweets
Caribbean Delights- Hot sauces and marinades
Zaiqai- Indian foods and sauces
Plants that Produce- potted seedlings. Mostly produce types like lettuces, tomatoes herbs and more

I'll be stopping by tomorrow to check it out and will probably post some pictures over the weekend. What I love about this market is that it gives shoppers an opportunity to buy for the weekend.

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