above, L-R: apriums, nectarines, peaches
Stone Fruit Time.
Finally, premium stone from Fitz Kelly is ripe and ready to eat tonight.
For those of you that don’t like rock-hard stone fruit, listen up: we’ve spoken with our grower partners in California, and they finally have tree-ripened fruit that is ready to pick and ship. While our competitors compete with one another to be the first to offer stone fruit each season, we prefer to focus on flavor. We speak with the growers personally about ripeness levels, and ask them to leave ours on the tree until truly ready to eat. Apriums are excellent, the early peaches have great flavor but are a bit tart, and the nectarines are flavorful but crisp–and could use a touch of heat to bring out their best. Frog Hollow are expected in next week, rounding out the premium stone fruits we have available. As always, early-ripening varieties of peaches and nectarines are clingstone. Also, early-season cherries are here. The variety is Brooks. Bings come later.
86: Jumbo asparagus continues to be available, but is no longer the King’s’ Crown variety, nor is it what we’d consider peak season anymore. New Jersey asparagus is delicious, and local is not far behind. French white asparagus is dwindling. Blue foot mushrooms are done. Fresh Oregon porcinis, and imported chanterelles are available. Some heirloom citrus is still available, although it is now commercial. Green and Purple daikon are over.
Also happening: #thegrainproject continues. In addition to stone-ground heirloom grits and cornmeal, we now have Maine Grains bringing us the best grains grown in Maine: wheat, rye, triticale, and buckwheat. Check out our post on these awesome local grains and flours here. If you haven’t yet tried Soom tahini, you are missing out on tahini that is truly superior in both taste and texture: you can pour this stuff straight from the jar. And you should–it’s amazing.
remember: grains are produce, too.
Maine Grains
Available in 5# bags:
Heritage Wheat Flours
Hard Red “Magog” Wheat Berries
Spelt Flour
“Red Fife” Flour
“Marquis” Flour
“Overland” Pastry Flour
Rye, Triticale & Buckwheat
Rye Berries
Triticale Berries
Coarse Rye Meal
Rye Flour
Organic Japanese Buckwheat Flour
Spring things
First of the Season
Fitz Kelly Peaches
Fitz Kelly Nectarines
Fitz Kelly Apriums
Wild Oregon Pousse Pied
Native Fiddlehead Ferns
Lemon Verbena (limited)
New Jersey Asparagus (nice purple tips!)
Best of the Season
Wild Ramps
Field-grown Rhubarb from Oregon
Fresh Green Almonds
Oregon Morel Mushrooms
Organic Spring-dug Parsnips from Maine
Stinging Nettles from Knoll Farms
Fava Leaves from Knoll Farm
Green Garlic from Knoll Farm
Cardoons from Knoll Farm
Mustard Flowers from Knoll Farm
Fresh Georgia Peas
beautiful Greens
Equinox Mesclun Mix
Equinox Baby Arugula (limited)
Spring Fruit
Champagne Mangoes
Seedless Pink Muscat Grapes
Sour Verjus Grapes (limited)
Blood Oranges
Cara Cara Pink Navels
Golden Nugget Mandarins
Meyer Lemons
Oregon field-grown Rhubarb
Cherries
Funghi
Oregon Morel Mushrooms
Oregon Porcini Mushrooms
Imported Chanterelle Mushrooms
Honshemeji Mushrooms
Maitake Mushrooms
Fresh Trumpet Royale
Fresh Chef’s Mix Mushrooms
Roots, bulbs, radishes
Last of the Season Chantaney Carrots
German Butterball Potatoes
Russian Banana Fingerlings
Spring Onions (small bulbs starting soon)
Baby Artichokes (very limited)
Fresh Garbanzo Beans
Fresh Fava Beans
California Snap Peas
Fresh Heart of Palm (pre-order only)
French Breakfast Radishes
Easter Egg Radishes
Orange, Purple, Green Cauliflower
Jerusalem Artichokes
Salsify Root
Watermelon/Black Radishes
amp it up.
Hot Honey: a partner to fried chicken or whipped butter and biscuits
Maine Soldier Beans: a spoonful of these with wilted pea tendrils, chorizo and clams
Stone-ground Masa Harina : make your pupusas, tamales and tortillas taste less like commodity corn and more like actual corn
Dirty Secret: truffle/parmesan/black garlic seasoning mix for your home fries
Maine Duck Eggs: drop on top
Black Calypso Beans: same price as black beans, but this heirloom variety is much meatier
Koji: make your own salt koji, high five yourself after
Tcho Chocolate: if you haven’t tried this, why not? Their dark (68%) has edge, and their milk is a game-changer in the milk chocolate (39%) dep’t: much more complex than most
Iberico Ham: we have it, your asparagus wants it
