Poppy Seed Cake with Strawberries and Summer Blossoms at Restoration Farm

Summer arrives on Long Island with an attitude – never predictable, yet never indifferent.   There are cool breezy days, black clouds, torrential rain, and afternoons of withering humidity.   One can only accept the cacophony and try and go about the rituals of the season.

I make my annual pilgrimage to Patty’s Berries and Bunches on the East End of Long Island to stock up on strawberries.   

The strawberry season is short and sweet, and two quarts are collected to supplement my summer desserts.  

At Restoration Farm, the lettuce for which we have patiently waited now stands tall.  As the Summer Solstice approaches, the heat of longer days will coax the prized greens and vegetables to maturity. 

On a late Sunday afternoon, members gather for the annual Summer Solstice potluck, where we celebrate the bounty of the fields and the farm community we share.   

The buffet table is topped with a delicious spread of homemade salads, cakes and pies, all contributed by members.  

We pile our plates high and revel in the moment, enjoying the music of a sultry jazz ensemble.

My contribution is a sweet summer treat – an Almond Poppy Seed Loaf Cake topped with Long Island Strawberries.   (Recipe found here)  The tartness of the strawberries perfectly compliments the delicate flavor of almonds. 

And, throughout the farm, a bevy of blossoms have emerged to welcome this precious season of sunlight, warmth and earthly delights.

©2013 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved

Hello Summer, Hello Rain, Hello Cherries!

I know the Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be the unofficial start of summer, but it’s feeling much more like late March.  Still, I had cherries on my mind, hoping to make a Fresh Cherry Tart to bring to the East End summer retreat of my college roommate Ford McKenzie. 

But, with the chilling wind and drizzle, I’d convinced myself that perhaps it was just a bit too early to be in the warm weather mindset and too soon to enjoy the juicy cherries that grace the start of every summer season.

I walked the aisles of the grocer in search of ingredients for a substitute dessert, and nearly stumbled on the produce manager stocking a shelf with – you guessed it – fresh cherries.   The weather be damned.  My dessert was meant to be. 

This Fresh Cherry Tart from Everyday Food is a great option for someone who didn’t want to work too hard this weekend (me).   The baked graham cracker crust is ready in minutes, and filled with a sweetened base of cream cheese and heavy cream whipped into soft peaks.   The cherries are not cooked, so it’s really just a matter of artfully arranging the fresh fruit atop the tart filling. 

Perhaps the most time-consuming job is pitting the cherries.   I tried a cherry pitter, but the slice on the fruit was not as clean, so I used a paring knife and pitted each cherry by hand.   You might recall that Ford McKenzie is a fashion maven, so presentation actually does count.  

While we’re likely to be wearing sweaters this weekend as we hover over the barbecue grill to stay warm, this Fresh Cherry Tart offers a sweet taste of the summer season ahead, and hopefully the balmier weather to come.  

©2013 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved

The Promise of Beets Fulfilled and the Summer Solstice at Restoration Farm

The cycle of life at Restoration Farm stretches throughout the year and is shifting and evolving each day.    Humans work the land, chickens forage and fertilize the fields and seeds interact with sun, soil and water resulting in food.  There is a short slumber, and the process begins again.

Tiny black seeds planted in the short, cold days of February have delivered on their incredible promise.   Bunches of fat purple beets crowned with brilliant leafy greens await us at the distribution tent.   I planted those beet seeds last winter in the greenhouse.   A simple action sparked a natural process and has generated nourishment for the community of members. 

The first beets of the summer are a true gift from the farm – rich, earthy and deeply satisfying.    Typically, I love to roast fresh beets, but this first bunch – with which I feel an intimate connection – is best experienced in its natural state.   I grate the beets raw into this robust magenta-colored Beet, Carrot and Quinoa Salad (recipe found here). The salad offers a landscape of colors, textures, and crunch – bright orange and burgundy with scoops of diced apples, raisins, almonds and pumpkin seeds.   

In the sun-drenched fields of Restoration Farm, the annual ritual of the Summer Solstice Pot Luck occurs again. Folklore says the Solstice initiates a season of fertility, and plants are believed to acquire healing powers on the longest day of the year. 

Part of the fun of this event is sampling the variety of dishes made by members with ingredients grown at the farm, so I bring the Beet, Carrot and Quinoa Salad as my contribution to the communal banquet.   You feel a real sense of vitality when so many members gather in the field for a meal and a real connection to the food grown here.

The sharing of this summer meal - with its bright, vibrant vegetables and crisp greens - will only happen once before the season gradually begins to fade into another.   But, for a brief moment we all revel in the smiles, flavors and magic of a Midsummer Night at Restoration Farm. 

©2012 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved  

Summertime and The Cooking is Easy

It’s August, the thermometer’s been sweating it out in the 90s in New York City, and my culinary muse is taking things slow. While I’m usually an “over-achiever” in the kitchen, right now I’m quite content to wander the Farmers Market in Rockefeller Center, admire the succulent summer produce, and concoct some simple menus that allow for plenty of time to prop up my feet and enjoy a glass or two of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, lush with notes of herbs and citrus.

The Everyday Food “Great Food Fast” cookbook is a fantastic resource for the summertime chef who is looking for more time to dip his toes in a cool mountain stream, literally or figuratively. Broccoli, Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad assembles in minutes. The broccoli can even be steamed in the microwave, and the colors are as bright and inviting as a farm stand on a country road.

Roasted Salmon with Lemon Relish from Everyday Food pairs glossy pink salmon with intensely-sweet raisins, tart lemon zest and crunchy pine nuts. Aromas of lemon and fruity olive oil tickle the nose.

A colleague shares tomatoes, garlic and leafy basil from his garden. The tomatoes are full of savory juices and the basil tempts me with smells of licorice. I turn it all into summer pasta garnished with the raw chopped vegetables, herbs and a splash of olive oil.

The baskets of peaches at the greenmarket catch my eye immediately. The pinkish-amber fruit would make a scrumptious pie, but that just feels too strenuous. Instead, visions of peach ice cream dance through my lazy head. The peaches are soaked with sweet nectar and the recipe is simple, requiring no stove-top cooking. Just cold, crisp, sweet peaches and cream.

Summer produce is sublime and just one embellishment can be miraculous. Such is the case with the sensual combination of strawberries and balsamic vinegar. I use the exquisite Balsamic Vinegar “A La Fig” from O&CO Mediterranean Food Merchant in New York’s Grand Central Terminal. The drops of balsamic splash onto the fruit and are thick, like mahogany syrup. The liquid coats the strawberries with a dark glossy sheen until they are almost an iridescent claret color. The dessert is tangy and almost hot, with notes of smoke and black pepper and sunny-sweet floral strawberries.

Although I’ve managed to cut my kitchen time considerably, my often demanding “to-do list” is effortless – listen to classic music at the botanical gardens, feel the summer breezes, watch the clouds dance across the evening sky and admire the sunset. Ambition can wait for a while. It’s summer.

©2007 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved