What a Peach

I'm not a large person. Standing just over 5'1" (yes, that 1/4 inch makes a difference!), let's just say I'm actually pretty small. So perhaps it is not all that surprising that I like small things - dollhouse furniture, kittens, gelato spoons, and yes, tiny tupperware. In fact, my use of said compact containers my sophomore year of college, that my friends began referring to these (and later other things) as "Rachel-sized."

You are probably thinking, why is she telling us this, and what does it have to do with peaches. No, I have not stumbled upon some amazing petite peach. Instead, I have stumbled upon large quantities of the fruit. Working at a farmers market offers the tremendous benefit of supplying with (almost) more produce than I know what to do with. However, unlike on the west coast, the majority of the fruits are not certified organic.

The difference in climate is partly to blame for this discrepancy between east and west. Tree fruit on the Pacific coast tends to be grown in dry regions, such as the San Joaquin Valley in California and the eastern parts of Washington and Oregon. Conversely, on the Atlantic side of the country, fruit-producing areas are hot and humid during the summer months, the perfect weather to encourage fungi and insect pests that decimate crops. That said, my peach bounty comes from Toigo Orchards, which practices Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM does not prohibit the use of pesticides, but rather stresses the importance of synergies between different land management practices (such as cultivating beneficial insects).

With all that said, I still was left with this dilemma of peach abundance earlier today. I know, boohoo, poor Rachel. Alas, I am but one person (and everyone seems to be absent from my office this week) and I had a good many very very soft peaches needing immediate attention. So what did I do? Make a half-dozen Rachel-sized pies, of course!

Rachel-Sized Honeyed-Vanilla Peach Pies (7-8 pies; vg)

crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/3-1/2 cup oil

1 tbs cider vinegar

water as needed to form a ball

1. Combine all ingredients but water until well incorporated. Add water little by little until the dough just forms a ball. Do not kneed or overwork.

2. Roll out dough on a silpat or wax paper until a little less that 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles about 4in diameter. Place in greased large "deep dish" cupcake molds (about 2in diam)

filling

2 cups diced, very ripe, peaches

2 tbs honey or agave

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup tapioca starch

3. Combine all ingredients. Let sit for five minutes. Fill cupcake tin with fruit, but try to avoid the liquid.

crumble

1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup pecans

1/3 cup raw sugar (could also use agave)

1/4 cup oil

2 tbs applesauce (optional)

2 tbs coconut (optional)

4. Mix together all ingredients. Crumble on top of mini pies.

5. Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes, until fruit bubbles and crumble is lightly browned.

Dare to Bake: Sweet Eat and Summer Bounty

Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes was our July Daring Bakers’ host and she challenged us to make Fresh Frasiers inspired by recipes written by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson in the beautiful cookbook Tartine.

Let's just say I took a few liberties with this month's Daring Bakers' challenge. I really did intend to make the cake and some vegan pastry creme, but the hot weather and lack of portability of said dessert (so I could take it to work) ultimately found me scrambling on the 27th to throw something together. While I enjoyed consuming the results of my labors, neither one was the "fraisier" we were challenged to make.

Instead, I took advantage of the fact that I had been bequeather a large sum of tomatoes that had been bequeathed to me at the market on Sunday. Now, many of you know that the tomatoes you find in a grocery store are good for little more than flavorless additions to a sandwich. They pale in comparison to a vine-ripened, fresh-picked fruit. A month ago, NPR's Terry Gross interviewed food writer Barry Estabrook about his new book, Tomatoland. Estabrook takes the reader on a journey through the evolution of the tomato to the modern industrialized crop bred for durability on the grocery shelves.

Without incentive to maintain flavor, farmers and breeders have essentially focused in on the appearance, transportability, and storability of the tomato. That does not make for good eatin'. But my tomatoes were ripe and bursting with tomato-y goodness. What did I do with them? I made a baked polenta and zucchini-tofu Napolean with roasted tomato and garlic sauce! mmm...

Tomato Sauce

5 large tomatoes, diced

2 large cloves garlic, sliced

drizzle of olive oil

sprinklin' of salt

dash of red wine

tossed in a bit of basil

...and placed in a covered pan at 350F for 45-60 minutes until soft and melty!

Zucchini Tofu

1 package of mori-nu firm tofu

2 zucchini sauteed with some salt and garlic powder

2 tbs nutritional yeast

sprinkle of salt and either basil or oregano

...pop in a food processor and go at it until smooth.

Assembly

some disks of polenta (can use the tubed stuff or make your own)

ramekins, greased

...layer polenta, tofu, polenta and then place in oven for about 25 minutes. Top with tomatoes!

And for dessert, no baking for me. Top and bottom made of ground almonds, dates, cocoa powder, and a little agave. The inside, pictured frozen, is a chocolate mousse made with silken tofu, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and some stevia to sweeten. Low GI, packed with protein, and does not involve an oven!

That is all folks. Next time I promise to have a better DB post! Look out for some more chocolate and summer produce on its way.

Heat Wave

As some of you may have noticed, it has been rather warm lately. In fact, all sorts of records in the country are being set for high temperatures. Aptly termed "heat waves" are responsible for hundreds of deaths per year, not to mention that unpleasantly persistent sticky feeling that won't go away. The high of 104F/40C in Washington, DC (not to mention the current 10:30pm temperature of 90F!) is no exception from this trend.

And yet, somehow, Seattle escapes the madness. In fact, it's the best weather they've had all year!

This so-called "heat bubble" has also been linked to the rise in energy consumption from running the aircon and probably draw of water resources. As one unfamiliar with this thing called an AC, and who can't afford it anyhow, I am trying to limit its use. So, instead of cooking up some grub for dinner, I just sliced some tomatoes and cukes, whizzed a little basil in the blender for some pesto, and slathered it all on some bread for a no-bake meal!

The interesting thing about high temperatures, is that we talk a lot about their negative impacts. Humans experience heat-related ailments and deaths; livestock suffer the same fate; but with plants we have more flexibility. No, broccoli will probably not enjoy the hot weather, but if you grow tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, squash and other thermophillic crops, this is top-notch weather! A little extra irrigation might be necessary to save newly-planted fall crops, but this points towards the necessity of adapting one's growing to conditions.

Stay tuned to weigh in on what to eat when it's too hot to cook (*gasp*)

Homesick for Chocolate

Anyone who has moved away from the place he or she grew up, understands how little things remind you of home and make you yearn to return. While gloomy overcast skies and a miserable drizzle conjure up memories of my Pacific Northwest home, they don't send me running for the first cross-country flight. But certain things, like a vibrant coffee culture and a rugged outdoorsiness, incite a deep longing for the region. Theo is one of those things. Tucked into the cozy Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, this chocolate factory is somewhat of a legend and favorite haunt of local (and not-so-local) chocolate lovers. I had the opportunity to exchange a few words with both Audrey (Sales and Marketing Manager) and Debra (VP of Sales and Marketing) about the company’s inner workings.

What inspired the creation of Theo Chocolate?

As a young man, Joe Whinney, Theo's CEO & Founder, stumbled upon cocoa growing communities on a sailing trip near Belize. He spent time with indigenous farmers, fell in love with the cacao tree and tropical rainforests, and began to question an industry that paid farmers poorly with little regard for the environment. After years pioneering the supply chain for organic cacao in the United States, and finally buoyed by a growing appreciation for organic food, Whinney open Theo Chocolate in 2006.

Why choose a bean-to-bar operation?

Being a vertically integrated bean-to-bar operation means that Theo has complete control over product quality, farmer relationships, and ingredient sourcing. Additionally, by owning the whole process, Theo can respond quickly to market changes, and has the unique ability to educate consumers about the industry. All of Theo’s processes comply with our third-party organic and Fair for Life certifications. Being a "maker" distinguishes Theo from "melters", who buy chocolate and melt it down to form their products.

What factors do you consider in the choice of your current sources of cacao? Are you planning to change or expand these? (I haven’t tried Costa Rica, but Madagascar is my favourite bar – not unlike many of the staff members!)

Our cacao sources are based primarily on quality of the organic and Fair Trade certified cacao available in various cocoa growing regions. We are always open to testing bean samples from potential suppliers and are interested in working with material that meets our quality standards.

The other most critical factor in our sourcing relates to our mission to build capacity with farmers, and elevate them in the supply chain. This requires a commitment on our part to working with farmer business groups or cooperatives that show potential to reach our quality standards, and to provide them with the necessary resources and education required to improve quality, increase yields and gain access to markets. Currently, we are working with growers in East Africa, in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo – both areas where cocoa farmers are very poor, marginalized, and at the mercy of the cocoa commodity market.

How has Theo considered the long-term social, environmental, and/or economic viability of the venture?

Theo operates on the belief that all life on the planet is interconnected, and this is demonstrated in our choices of and relationships with suppliers. To consider ourselves a success, social, environmental and economic components must be viable and healthy. We pay farmers fairly and work with them to improve their quality, which translates into a better, more consistent product for Theo. We value the planet through our ingredient, packaging, and sourcing efforts so it can nurture and sustain us. We share our practices via demos, factory tours, and events through which consumers taste, appreciate and value our chocolate, growing support for our brand via sales and goodwill. And ultimately, those consumers determine the viability of our venture!

What is your interaction with the communities that grow and cure the cacao? What is the most rewarding aspect of working closely with a community?

Our degree of interaction varies depending on the country. In countries where cacao is certified organic and Fair Trade and meets our quality standards, we have a straightforward relationship that involves contracting for bean supply at fair prices, providing feedback to farmers regarding quality, and ongoing communication regarding our needs and theirs.

In other regions, our investment goes much deeper, and involves comprehensive partnerships with NGO’s to move famers along the continuum towards gaining their organic and fair trade certifications, and improving the viability of their crops. For example, we have been working with NGO partners in both Tanzania and the Congo to train local agronomists who then work with the farmers. We’ve seen dramatic improvements in quality in both countries and hope to develop finished products with Tanzanian and Congolese cacao in the coming year.

This work is rewarding in many meaningful ways. Over time, our work with farmers equates to their ability to send their children to school, improve their living conditions, reduce their exposure to environmental hazards, dramatically increase both their incomes and their self-sufficiency. All of this also serves to protect critical habitat for life on our planet – what could be more rewarding than doing all of that while making and eating delicious chocolate!?

What are the biggest challenges of running a responsible chocolate company?

Challenges are many and complex. As a small company, availability of quality organic cocoa and price fluctuations affect us greatly. We are also a creative company, yet we have needed a certain amount of structure as we grow. There are opportunities to take “shortcuts” and compromise our integrity at every turn, but the challenge is to maintain our steadfast commitment to our values.

And the chocolate industry is extremely competitive, with a multitude of companies that do a fair bit of “green washing.” Telling our story effectively to differentiate our products at the retail shelf is an ongoing challenge. But the rewards far outweigh the challenges. We’ve already had a meaningful impact on the planet in our first 5 years, and we’ve made some amazingly delicious treats that have delighted many thousands of consumers. The future is very bright for us!

Where do you see the company headed? Any exciting upcoming developments?

The company will continue to grow at a rapid pace, deepen our commitment to and work with farmers, and make more and more extraordinary chocolate products. We are looking forward to expanding into additional retail locations and ultimately, would like to have a 2^nd factory on the east coast where we can more easily educate consumers in the same way we do in Seattle.

Ok, I have to know. Does the Jane Goodall dark chocolate bar follow the same recipe as the plain ol’ 70%? I think it tastes different, but that could be my infatuation with all things Jane colouring my perception!

Great question! Our 70% bar, whether wrapped in our standard 70% label or the Jane Goodall packaging, is the same chocolate you know and love! The Jane bar gives consumers the option to support the longstanding conservation efforts of the JGI Institute and our hero, Jane Goodall. Our 70% blend is balanced, delicious, and a winner of several blind tasting competitions including the 2011 Good Food Award.

Describe your favourite chocolate bar. Which of Theo’s bars best fit the bill?

Oh boy – it really depends on the day! I am a huge fan of our dark chocolate. The ideal chocolate is made with three ingredients; organic cocoa beans, organic sugar and organic cocoa butter – and all of our dark chocolate meets that standard. When we came out with our spicy chile bar, I ate that non-stop for weeks; same with our dark chocolate cherry almond bar, and now it’s our dark chocolate with salted almonds. I swear, it’s a health food! Visitors to our factory always comment on the healthy and fit physical appearance of our team…the daily doses of antioxidants from Theo dark chocolate helps!

I couldn’t agree more! A chocolate bar a day, keeps the doctor away, right? And if Theo plans to open a factory on the east coast (perhaps in DC…), I certainly will be getting my daily dose!

Of Wine and Weather

Vineyard near Orvieto, in the Umbria region of Italy

I don't drink alcohol very often. There are many reasons for this, but generally it is expensive and I don't care for many alcoholic beverages. However, it was my birthday yesterday (yes, I am now a quarter of a century old), so a friend and I went out for a drink on Friday evening. We sipped our half glasses of wine at Ripple in the Cleveland Park neighborhood of DC. This wine bar has the added draw of prioritizing wine (and food) that is local, seasonal, and "sustainable," so the wine menu actually noted whether a wine was produced using organic or biodynamic methods. This got me thinking. While I personally don't drink wine very often, many people feel very strongly about their fermented grape beverage.

And sustainability of production is an important and growing concern. As climate change is the hot button issue these days (except in the US...), it has inevitably worked its way into the wine dialogue. In fact, 2011 was the third year in which an international climate change and wine conference convened in Spain, with Kofi Annan (former secretary general of the United Nations) as the VIP guest speaker! An industry with broad appeal and considerable backing from consumers, viticulture actually faces significant hurdles under projected climate changes.

The taste of wines are a direct product of the temperature and precipitation during the growing season. Too hot or too cold; too wet or too dry; these factors influence whether the grapes will grow or produce a crop satisfactory for wine-making. Unfortunately, climate change is altering both rainfall patterns and temperature extremes. Let us take the west coast of the United States as an example. California and Washington both host high-quality and well-known wine regions.

Recent research by Stanford Professor, Noah Diffenbaugh, indicates that in the next thirty years the land in the Napa Valley viable for producing wine grapes could fall by 50%. While winegrowers can adapt by planting different, heat-tolerant varieties of grapes, the quality may not be quite up to the current standard in the valley. Washington's Columbia Valley, home to the wine I drank on Friday, may also experience similar yield decreases. On the flip side, these temperature changes may actually improve growing conditions in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, which is currently cooler and wetter than the eastern growing regions on the coast. The Climate Impact Group with University of Washington has done similar analysis and explains some of the broader implications here.

So while this may not bode well for the winery hoppers and bike tourists (BUI anyone?) of the Napa Valley, these projections could prove invaluable to the future viability of the wine industry on the whole. Vineyards are a long-term investment and require planning well in advance. Decisions to plant certain varieties today are necessary to ensure the ability to produce a crop three decades down the line. But planning for the future is nothing new to growers around the world, many of whom have been cultivating grapes for generations.

The question is, will a long-term perspective and careful management of the land be enough to overcome this particular looming hurdle? I suppose only time will tell.

Chocolate Fail and Slight Indulgence

Yes, there should have been another chocolate company interview. No, this is not it. Hopefully, I will deliver next week. Instead, I decided only to indulge slightly with Amy's weekly lineup at Simple Sugar and Gluten Free.

What did I make? Breakfast. I took two farm-fresh peaches, one half banana (Whole Trade), a quarter cup vanilla almond milk, and a handful of wine berries from my farm stand! This resulted in an interest variation of a peach melba smoothie. YUM :)

In a Pickle

Peter Piper may have picked a peck of pickled peppers, but the rest of us are not so lucky. Our vegetables don't grow pre-pickled. Pickling is merely a process of preserving food by brining (using salt and water to ferment) and storing in an acid (vinegar). So, it's understandable that when people find themselves swimming in a sea of the produce, they often turns to pickling to preserve the summer bounty (not to mention save freezer space!). Learn to pickle cucumbers here.

Pickling actually goes back way further in history than I would have expected. Historians place the advent of pickling to over 2,000 years before the common era. Mesopotamian deli, anyone? Like many foods with historical roots, pickles were not only viewed as food but also important for good health. Ancient Egyptians used pickles for beauty; Ayurveda - an ancient Indian medicinal tradition - recommends pickles to aid digestion; during the age of exploration pickles provided a much needed supply of vitamin C to combat scurvy.

So why are we talking about pickling? Well, I recently came into some cucumbers (ok, so they didn't just magically appear; I sought them out). Now I never really cared much for pickles as a youngster, but recently they've begun to grow on me. While there are a multitude of ways to take your pickles - sweet or dill; cucumbers or chard stems - you will find a constant formula in the recipes: sea salt + vinegar + seasonings. Looking for inspiration ... and an actual recipe? Visit these wonderful blogger below:

Quick pickled zucchini - 101 Cookbooks

Pickled grapes with cinnamon bark and pepper - Smitten Kitchen

Pickled sugar snap peas - Smitten Kitchen

Carrot and ginger quickie pickle - Chocolate and Zucchini

Pickled beets - Fat Free Vegan

Have you ever tried pickling something or have something you really want to try?

My Farmers Market Fancy

There are few smells in this world more wonderful than that of a freshly-baked scone. It fills my Sunday mornings. Beside the array of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, and jams we sell at the farmers market stand, blueberry scones hold their own on the table. The irony of all this deliciousness is that neither the baker nor I can actually consume these amazing scones, chock-full of organic blueberries. For her, the wheat/gluten is the deal-breaker; for me, the butter and cream overload does it. That doesn't mean I can't gaze longingly at the baked goods and try to sell them to unsuspecting market-goers as rapidly as possible :)

But when I'm home, with a bucket of blueberries, a baking pan, and an oven, there is nothing in my way from making a decent vegan blueberry scone! So, in preparation for tomorrow (..operation workplace sugar coma) and because I was selling dairy-laden scones all morning, baking my own version made the list of Sunday afternoon cooking adventures. I think they turned out pretty well!

Classic Blueberry Scone (makes 8; vg)

2 1/4 cup all-purpose or white whole wheat flour

1/4-1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil (can also use melted coconut oil)

1/2-2/3 cup full-fat almond milk (can also use coconut milk)

1 tsp almond or vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean)

2/3 cup blueberries

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Use a fork to combine oil, milk, and extract (start with the smaller amount of milk). Add to dry ingredients and continue to incorporate using the fork.

3. About halfway through, switch to a spoon and throw in the blubes (this was a vocab w0rd I learned today ;) DO NOT OVERMIX!!! The dough may be slightly sticky, but it should be really delicately soft. You don't want to work the gluten too much.

4. Plop dough on a floured surface. Form a flattish log and divide into eight triangles. Place on a large lined/greased baking sheet and refrigerate while oven preheats.

5. Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes until just starting to brown on the edges. Some like it browner, so keep going if you want! Allow to cool or eat while warm. Yum!

Chocolatiers of the Caribbean

It is always fun to try new chocolate, particularly one from a single origin. At a recent chocolate shop visit, I happened upon a bar sourced straight from the Caribbean! Grenada Chocolate has its own unique flavour and its own unique story. Founder and local Grenada resident, Mott Green, took time out to answer a few of my burning questions about this tasty and colourfully-wrapped chocolate.

First off, we are all curious about how Grenada Chocolate came to be.

During the 12 years before starting the chocolate company, I lived in a little bamboo house that I built in the mountains here in Grenada and experimented with growing my own food and living alone in the woods with very little money. There were cocoa trees all around, and I fell in love with both the cocoa and Grenada.

I founded The Grenada Chocolate Company with two friends after dreaming about the idea for many years. In 1999, one friend from the U.S., Doug Browne, offered a start-up loan and became a partner, together with myself and my oldest friend in Grenada, Edmond Brown. We researched and learned to make chocolate on a shoe-string, and built most of our own machines at the beginning. Over the years, we have found antique machines to refurbish and bought some new machines.

Wow, what a story. So why choose a bean-to-bar operation?

Well, my idea was what I now call "Tree to Bar." It is a way of ensuring fairness with cocoa farmers, in which actual laborers are in a cooperative with chocolate-makers. Everyone benefits equally, creating much more value for the cocoa beans by making fine chocolate in the region in which it is grown. So, of course, this meant bean to bar as well.

What factors do you consider in the choice of your current source of cacao?

We take any cocoa farm into our cooperative as long as they are truly committed to only using organic methods on their farm. All of the cocoa grown in Grenada is fantastic quality cocoa, very fine flavour.

What is the most rewarding aspect of working so closely with a community?

I love the people here in Grenada, so it is rewarding for me to be well loved and prominent in the local community. It feels right, as well, to work with farmers and people from the village where I live to make chocolate; it is like a family business!

What are the biggest challenges of running a responsible chocolate company?

Well, for me, the idea was to ensure social responsibility and fairness by manufacturing the chocolate bars right here at the cocoa farms. That is the only way to really guarantee true fairness. This, however, is a big challenge because it is difficult to produce chocolate in hot and humid climates. Being an isolated little island, it is also very expensive to import machines, parts, packaging material and the cost of energy is very high here. We are half solar-powered, which feels right, and also was a costly initial investment.

Where do you see the company headed? Any exciting upcoming developments?

More Organic cocoa farms, more chocolate, more sales internationally. New types of chocolate bars. Soon, we will have a 100% cocoa bar. And, later maybe a sea salt bar.

Describe your favourite chocolate bar.

I like our 82% and our Nib-a-Licious the best, depending on my mood

That 82% is pretty darn good, and I like the sound of the 100% cocoa bar! Grenada Chocolate can be found online or at certain specialty chocolate shops (like Biagio in DC). Thanks to Mott for chatting with me!

Red, White, and Blueberry!

Happy Fourth of July everyone! Blueberries and red currants from the farmstand I work decorated some homemade soy yogurt for breakfast this morning! How very patriotic :)

The Price of Baking

There is no such thing as a free lunch. That statement is pretty universally true, if you consider not only monetary exchanges, but also the cost of time, environmental degradation, human exploitation, etc. Now if we focus just on the dollar sign in front of food, we run into one of the hot-button issues on the international development scenes - rising food prices. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) puts out a monthly assessment of the global trends in food commodity prices. According to these statistics, the price of food is hovering at its highest yet. *UPDATE* The June Food Price Index was just released, with sugar increasing 1% last month! But FAO economist Abdolreza Abbassian said that the "recent surge in sugar prices was likely to be short-term." phew.

High prices have been attributed to higher demand, depressed yields, inclement weather, and the diversion of crops to biofuels. Amidst fear of a repeat food crisis and rioting, as seen in 2008, global leaders have come together to seriously discuss the crop production and dissemination strategies necessary to feed a global population of 7 ... 9 ... and eventually 10.2 billion. In developing countries these price hikes are felt keenly, as a higher percentage of the poor's income goes toward food. While prices have gone up in the United States, most of us don't notice a drastic change. Much of our food bill actually goes to the processing, packaging, and advertising of products, and not for the commodity itself. So a higher price for a bushel of corn is slightly masked by the other steps along the value chain.


Why am I talking food prices? Well, the other day I went into Whole Foods to purchase a new 5-lbs bag of vegan cane sugar. What normally cost me $4.99 was now $6.99! A two-dollar increase in only a month. Considering the USDA documented an entire cent increase per pound in wholesale sugar (the biggest jump since 1975 and the highest price on record) between April and May, this may not be so surprising. But it also has some consequences for this blog.


I bake a lot. Though I attempt to write about a variety of topics on food, much of it comes back to baking. Due to not altogether unexpected increases in the price of sugar (and wheat soon to follow?) my baking activity may decrease, or at least shift. Hopefully, this will be the enticement needed to explore the use of alternative sweeteners and different interpretations of dessert (blueberries, anyone?). Between this hiccup and somewhat of a blogidentity crisis, my blog may be undergoing a bit of a redefining in the coming month. Keep your eyes peeled.


Potential upcoming topics: red, white, and blueberry; exotic chocolate; adventures in pickling