Straight forward honesty seems to be a common thread among all the creators of the very special foods that we stock on our shelves. Passion, compassion and enthusiasm also appear to be shared traits.
I was reminded of this just last Friday, when I made a quick stop near Lake Chelan to shoot a few "snaps" of the fruit we are offering today. I was expecting no more than directions to the orchards where my friend, Rick, and I could shoot. Instead, even though he had a big family event to attend, Kevin squeezed in time for us - he wanted to not only show us the fruit, but tell us about it personally. He and his family were clearly very proud of what they do. But, the story starts many years prior...
In 1894, a Norwegian immigrant planted roots in the Methow Valley of the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State. The roots he planted on the 160 homestead acres were not just apple trees, but a far more important tree... the family tree.
Now, 115 years later, generations three, four and five partake in the family business and create a wide range of produce — including one of our favorite fruits of the season, that funny mix of two fruits called the Pluot®. Created in the 90's, a mix of mostly plum with a little bit of apricot, it makes for a sweet-tasting and good-looking fruit - the Pluot.
If you haven't had the chance to try this juicy summer fruit before, this might be the perfect time to. The Stennes Orchards grow simply wonderful fruit. If you are one of the lucky few who ordered the Rainier Cherries this year, those truly amazing cherries were from the Stennes family.
Keith, the third generation Stennes, has been expanding the family fruit business since 1968, increasing the acreage and the fruit offerings over time. His two sons, Kevin and Mark, now manage sales and marketing and production for the 250 acres of orchards, respectively.
This is a once-a-year offering is from their first picking, and they have promised to cherry pick the best to share them with you. The Dapple Dandy Pluots are currently scheduled to be picked and shipped next week, and the Flavorich and Flavor Grenades are scheduled to ship the following week - so don't wait - order today. From what I saw out in the field on this past Friday, these Pluots are going to be delectably delicious!
Dapple Dandy Pluot: large, sweet fruit with pale-green to yellow, red-spotted skin. Red or pink juicy flesh. SHIPPING NEXT WEEK - Dapple Dandy order deadline is now. Order by midnight, Sunday, September 6th to reserve your box.
Flavorich Pluot: medium-sweet, large black round fruit with orange flesh.
Flavor Grenade Pluot: An elongated, bi-colored fruit with a reddish tinge. A crisp texture with an intense flavor.
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 Muscovado is a soft, moist, fine brown sugar. It's also known as Barbados sugar, where it was once made. But ours comes from the island of Mauritius off the African coast. While most brown sugars these days are made by combining already-refined sugar with molasses-like syrup, this is the real thing: a less refined product with rich, complex flavor. This is perfect for any BBQ sauce or marinade. The added twist it gives when compared to typical brown sugar is unique. Try it or replenish today!
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YUZU KOSHO. The red version!
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 Like the green version, with the same ingredients, it has a little more texture and shape, and is, well, red. Perfect for sauces and marinades. Use a little for shape or lots to make a dish scream.
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KATZ'S CHAMPAGNE VINEGAR - Organic
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 Katz Farm Champagne Vinegar is made in Sonoma from high quality sparkling wine stock, mainly chardonnay – so technically, it's a 'sparkling wine' vinegar. It offers crisp and pleasant acidity, hints of vanilla from the oak, and subtle nuances of sweet melon and cucumber in the finish. It is perfect for salads with fresh greens and marinades, as well as a cooking/deglazing liquid.
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REED AVOCADOS – It's not too late!
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 The positive reports continue to come in. Almost a meal unto themselves. So big and meaty — and getting bigger every day. Local customers can stop by the store and take a look. We will have a few available this week to sell individually in our retail store — if you want to give one a try without buying a half-a-dozen at a time. (First come, first served...)
Here are what some of our happy Reed Avocado customers are saying
"These avocados are superb! We grilled two - cut in half and added just a little lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Two avocados served four adults and the taste was truly amazing." - Terry (Washington)
"Just wanted to let you know I served your avocados with a tomato basil salad with olive oil and balsamic drizzle to about 7 dinner guests tonight. It was a HUGE hit. Creamy and luscious. ....." - Jodi (New York and Connecticut)
Got a good story or tale to tell? Let us know and we might just send you something nice on your next order ...
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NEW THIS WEEK – PURPLE GLAZER ORGANIC GARLIC
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 Garlic is in full swing! The heads are drying, and Chuck and crew are working their way through the thousands and thousands of heads of garlic. Cutting them down from the stalks, cutting off the roots and taking off a few layers of “skin” to gussy them up for the market. Chuck picks the bigger heads for seed stock (next year’s crop) and us. A few of the outliers, the really big ones, head for us as well. To learn more about Purple Glazer Garlic, click here!
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See What You Missed In Previous Newsletters
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