can't close the fridge
cooking my way through peak interior produce 💚 🍽 💚
How’s the produce scene in your neck of the woods lately? Are you in the months of local glory?
Up here in the interior of Alaska, we’re amidst the weeks of absolutely peak, often monstrously beautiful produce. It’s a rush, really.
Literally, with snowfall this year into June, and reappearing again as early as August 10th. It’s a speedy window for all things fresh and sunny.
Let me set the scene these days…
So, we did not have the delight of gardening this summer with our move into the park, nor adventuring through a regional CSA box (the farm took the year off, alas, wishing them well).
Now, let me clarify that I still LOVE farmers markets, but the one I really want to go to is 2 hours north in Fairbanks. We do go when we can, we do, although that’s on a bi-weekly basis, at best.
However! This is not about despair!
(Yeah, it’s far too soon to tackle how on Earth we make it through the winter. There are eight long months approaching to discuss that some more…..)
This is actually an ode to something EVEN! BETTER ! than a farmer’s market.
It’s time for a short(er) pilgrimage to a family-run U-Pick farm a mere hour (ish) north of the Denali borough: Big M Farm in Nenana.
We’ve visited each summer living here so far - now twice this past year - to excitedly pick a serious slew of berries, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cukes, carrots, peppers, green beans, three varieties of peas, greens, squash, dill, and whatever else they’re sharing with the public !
Getting even more gleeful…to the point you should realize I’m about to break into song…here’s our haul from this year’s honest-to-gooooodness ‘HARVEST FESTIVAL’…tra..la…la
If we’re going to get produce / If we’re driving in a gasoline-powered vehicle up up into the interior / If winter is who knows how not-so-far away / WE’RE GOING ALL OUT.
We came home from Big M’s annual Harvest Festival with everything I already jubilated about above – all of it picked by yours (plural) truly - plus, surprise heads of purple & green lettuces, early spaghetti squashes (!) and three types of raspberries, saskatoons and red currants. The latter of those, I must say, both wild and cultivated at this farm, is my top berry of the summer. The honor!
In related news, is the refrigerator closed all the way?
Wait, do the cats have a cabbage?!?!
Did I enter what felt akin to an early morning battle upon being the first person to walk into the hot & sweet pepper greenhouse? Did I flashback to big, bad weekend sales for shiny new blouses at Filene’s Basement as I began to unearth the few remaining slicing cukes? Yes, yes, and why, yes, we were all holding knives. Eerie, titillating times.
Although, seriously, it’s Alaska and bitter greens are not exactly hip unless they’re imported from CA up to the sole cooperative grocery in the state.
Another mantra as of late: Cherish the salad before it retreats into slaw!
Gosh, we brought home berries and knew we could not eat them all in time.
Therefore, I made two renditions of similar but not quite the same tarts in a very short period. The first (which was actually the second) has a sourdough tart crust, creamier chocolate mousse base, the raspberry trio (golden/black/red), bonus red currants, and cloudberry lime glaze.
The bottom tart has a darker chocolate base, virgin coconut oil tart shell, raspberry trio, and a better-set lingonberry lemon glaze, thanks to a bit more agar agar powder. No complaints, all around.
Time for dinner!
This one is based on the distant memory of a dish I threw together a decade plus ago, and the sheer awesomeness of that fresh produce + Jules’ never-ending longing for tempeh (which we haul up for Trader Joe’s whenever we’re in the lower 48, sheesh). Notecard follows.
Between us, I would have worked in balsamic and sesame oil, but there’s no need with such peak veg.
Two more for the road…
This belated “chickwheat” endeavor (which trended a few years ago) was an official success. Multiple steps, but worth the end result for something special. So close to soy curls - which I dig. Link at the bottom.
And last ! but ! not least !
The gift that keeps on giving…until the jar is empty…
When this ‘scrap returns, it’s time for a duo of September birthday cakes – and to finally tackle all those sprawling (end-of) summer berries. Toodaloo!
References + Relevant Links (as of late)
How chili peppers conquered the world (or at least most of it), The Splendid Table July 11, 2018
‘I would wish this on absolutely no one’: How three women dealt with pregnancy in the year since Texas’ six-week abortion ban, the 19th News August 29, 2022
Recipe: Kenji’s mom’s Japanese-style mapo tofu is one of his regular family meals, The Boston Globe March 8, 2022
Spicy Cajun Pickled Green Beans and Carrots, Bowl of Delicious (thanks to Jen for the recipe rec - I’ve made them twice already!)
Yes yes yes, the food all looks wonderful. BUT... did the cats have a cabbage?? What did they do with it?? Did you get a photo?? Please tell me more.
Ooooh wow. So much goodness. The harvest festival!!! The pasta! The raspberry tarts!!!!!!! The veggies!! The pickles!!! Chick wheat!!!! I still haven’t tried making it, even though I’ve had it on my radar for so long. I’m so happy for you that you are surrounded by veggies!! By the way, Musty now holds you in the highest regard and talks about your culinary creations to this day.