Tag Archives: produce

Upside-down Peach Coffee Cake

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

There are very few fruits I enjoy more than a “freestone” peach. They have a very short season, so we grab them every time we get the chance. Unfortunately, they usually aren’t labeled so I never know if I am getting a freestone or a cling peach. We were so lucky to find them at our local Costco, but sadly the last batch seemed to have been exposed to too much refrigeration (almost as if they had been partially frozen) and while the flavor was great, the texture was horrible and they sucked to eat raw. I hated to toss them out…so I cooked them and made them all better!

Notice how the pit comes away cleanly from the flesh? That's the beauty of a freestone peach

Notice how the pit comes away cleanly from the flesh? That’s the beauty of a freestone peach

If you know me at all, you know I am not a coffee drinker, but that never stopped me from enjoying a good coffee cake! My mind wandered to pineapple upside down cake and how my Mom used to make it in a cast iron skillet and then I thought, “Why couldn’t I do a coffee cake like that?” In my mind, a coffee cake shouldn’t be overly sweet and this one isn’t. It’s perfect for breakfast or snacking and loaded with caramel and peaches. It’s dense and moist, so you don’t need a huge piece.

When I made this recipe I used a Lodge 12” cast iron skillet. It’s great for everything! I wouldn’t recommend a stainless pan for this recipe – hello, caramel – but an oven safe non-stick pan would work if you adjust the baking time as indicated. A couple of quick notes about the recipe:

  • No need to peel the peaches – BONUS!
  • I made it without the nuts in deference to the Hubby, but I bet it would be great with chopped nuts, so I included variation instructions
  • You can sub regular (not fat free or reduced fat) cream cheese for the mascarpone if you can’t like, but it will make the batter a little tangy
  • This recipe would work well with apples too
  • Cloves and peaches really work well together, so if you like that flavor, make your “pinch” a bit heavier. Same goes for apples.

Upside-down Peach Coffee Cake

serves 12 -16

active time 20 minutes – baking time 40-45 minutes

3 C all-purpose flour

1Tbsp baking powder

¾ tsp sea salt

¾ tsp cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)

3 large peaches sliced ¼” thick – use more if you want

¾ C packed brown sugar

¾ C unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)

¾ tsp cinnamon

¾ C chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

¼ C plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temp

1 1/8 C packed brown sugar

3 oz mascarpone cheese

3 eggs at room temp

1 ½ C buttermilk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 350

Combine the dry ingredients in a 1 qt bowl and whisk to blend. Set aside.

In a 12” oven safe skillet melt the butter, add the brown sugar and cook over medium flame until it starts to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Top with sliced peaches in a spiral pattern or something decorative. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Set aside.

Cream together butter, brown sugar and mascarpone until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla. Mix well.

Pour cake batter onto the prepared peaches, gently spreading the batter to the edges of the skillet. It’s ok if you see a little melted butter around the edges of the pan.

Bake at 350 for about 40 – 45 minutes for cast iron, a bit less for a non-stick pan. Either way, check it at 30 minutes to see how much more time you will need. Top will slightly crack and bounce back when touched lightly and the edges will be dark golden brown.

Allow to cool in pan 10 – 15 minutes, then flip out on a large serving platter. Be CAREFUL, the melted sugar will burn the shit out of you if you get it on your skin. If you wait TOO long to flip it out the caramel won’t run down the sides of the cake and will glue itself to the bottom of the pan. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes after removal from the pan before serving to set the caramel and peaches. Tastes great warm or at room temp.

 

 

 

Kerry Clasby – The Intuitive Forager

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Growing up on the east coast Kerry Clasby was no stranger to farm stands and farmers’ markets. They are literally everywhere. In California she found them as well, but not in Las Vegas. With a background in education, sales & marketing and business, she did the only sensible thing. She followed her intuition and started one here. And boy has it grown! She talked with family farmers, educated herself through hands-on time at the farms, and through reading and talking with clients. She is a wealth of information on produce, the health benefits of nearly everything she sells, and what is in season at any time of the year. Kerry forages through the farms’ offerings to bring us the best and she follows her instinct on what to choose. Kerry is a fascinating human and an excellent raconteur. If you get the chance to chat with her – good luck getting her to sit still for very long – ask her about rose scented geranium and Michael Mina. Or how Tom Colicchio called her his vegetable girl on national TV. And she always wants to know your Zodiac sign.Kerry Clasby

In 2007 Kerry, with the help and urging of Mario Batali, started to bring farm fresh produce to the Vegas Valley, running the market out of Batali’s warehouse on Dean Martin. It started out as a way for the Strip chefs to get the quality and variety they had been lacking previously. Heavy weights like Batali, Michael Mina, Joel Robuchon and the Blau Group all began shopping at the market and the local community jumped on the bandwagon and began shopping too. MTO, Grass Roots, VegeNation, Pizza Rock and Carson Kitchen, all in the downtown area, get their produce from the market now as well. Recently Southern Wine & Spirits has gotten in on the action, sourcing ingredients for their in house development kitchen from the market. With ever expanding cocktail programs in all the casinos and many bars, mixologists are on the hunt for new and interesting ingredients to showcase not only great spirits, but the talent of the mixologists as well. The market is an obvious fit. Fantastic fresh herbs and fruits, some used to make shrubs, are in demand as well as less common citrus fruits to round out their ingredient lists. Just like our culinary community, our beverage community is creating sensational seasonal menus of cocktails that highlight produce and herbs at their peak.

Locally grown heirloom tomatoes

Every bit of produce you see at the market is organic. No commercial farming practices are used in the creation of the beautiful produce. Because we don’t have a vast array of farms here in Nevada, most of the produce at the market comes from California, however there is a whole section devoted strictly to Nevada farmers. On any given week, you can go in and find up to 450 different items to choose from. Several varieties of peaches, plums, potatoes and melons were on display in addition to morel mushrooms and of course the ever popular heirloom tomatoes. In choosing the farmers she deals with, Kerry visits EVERY farm. She investigates their growing practices, their past production and walks their fields. She knows these farmers, their families and what’s going on in their lives. It makes a difference. Any salesperson worth their salt will tell you a personal relationship with the client makes all the difference in the world. That is the case with Kerry as well. Knowing what is going on in the lives of her producers is important to her and it shows. She can tell you the provenance of every single item on display; where it was grown, how it was grown and when it was picked.

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It is more than just a farmers market with fruits and veggies. Need gifts? You can find them at the market too. Handmade hardwood cutting boards, flavored oils and vinegars and so much more can be found there. There are food, home, personal care, jewelry and decorative items. May I suggest starting your holiday shopping NOW! You can also see live cooking demos by local chefs and test ride an e-bike (think electric moped for the hip cyclist commuter).

Does it cost more? Yes. But as the old adage goes, “You get what you pay for”. When you bite into a slice of tomato from the market, it tastes the way a tomato SHOULD taste! The melons and peaches are sweet and juicy. The reasons for this are the produce is allowed to ripen naturally, they are picked at the height of flavor and are at the market in 24 hours. None of that is true when you shop elsewhere. If you want fresher, you’ll have to grow it yourself. When asked why she does this, Kerry responded, “It’s the right thing to do”. I asked her if she meant right for the community, the earth, or our bodies. “All of it!” was her response.

After a few location changes, the markets have found two stable locations. You can find weekly markets at both the former bus station at Downtown 3rd street on Fridays and also at the Downtown Summerlin mall on Saturdays. Both locations run 9 am – 2 pm weekly. A quick note: bring cash. The market is cash only and the local craftsmen and food purveyors (Jamaican cuisine, fantastic granola, micro-roasted coffee, for example) on site appreciate cash as well. Go to www.intuitiveforager.com for more details and to contact Kerry about purchasing the best produce for your business.

Farm to Table

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I have been a slacker and I am sorry. As August is “Month of Happiness”, there is MUCH to be happy about as we near harvest season in many parts of the country. Here are some thoughts…

Back in the dark ages (haha) farming was a way to feed one’s own family. You ate what you could fresh and then you preserved what you could and if you couldn’t preserve it, you THEN sold or bartered whatever was left for other goods for your house. The same was true for hunting and animal husbandry. “Farm to Table” was a way of LIFE not a catchy menu phrase or marketing option.

Growing up in upstate NY on the Hudson River there were farms and farm stands galore. My family owned one. We grew what was easy to grow and sold it, just like everyone else and I can promise you that I ate more than my fair share of zucchini (Moment of Truth – there are some members of my family that STILL won’t eat squash). We did “farm to table” because it was cheap and relatively easy. Did we always LIKE what we ate?  No, but we were brought up to eat what was put in front of us (Moment of Truth – I despise those parents who cook 3 meals every night NOT due to food allergies, but “because this kid won’t eat this, and that kid won’t eat that”…they’d starve in my house).

What was a way of life, and continues to be a way of life for many in the world, has become a catch phrase for trendy seasonal dining.  Because everyone is so focused on fresh produce, people frequently forget that part of the “farm to table” model includes preserving food for later use. My Mom canned, pickled, and made jelly and jam. I find it mildly shocking to type that, because her favorite thing to make for dinner these days is reservations. I am forever ruined for grape jelly because all of them taste too sweet to me after Mom’s version using concord grapes that were grown on our property. I remember her canning on an open fire – yes, really – in a concrete block fire pit because that was the only place large enough to hold the canning pot. I have learned to preserve food beyond the freezer and I take great pride in knowing that I can my own food.  I love the little “plink” sound when the jars seal. As I write, I am eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s Bountiful Basket Co-op delivery.  I have a case of Hatch green chiles and a case of corn coming.  I am thinking corn relish, canned corn, charred chiles frozen for later use, pickled peppers and of course eating a bunch fresh!

Learn a new skill this year and try canning. Yes, I know it sounds corny (see what I did there?), but it is really satisfying to say, “Yes, I did that!” and hear all the little plinking sounds when the jars seal themselves.

To see what I am eating, follow me on Instagram – all of my food porn shows up there as well as pics of my produce and canning in the next few days. And if you want to know more about the town I grew up near, read this piece, although I can promise you it wasn’t this cool when I lived there.