Preservation is the Key
Just Like Your Grandmother's Larder But Different
In generations past, preserving food was a natural and important part of the year that insured our predecessors could feed themselves year round. In our modern food system preservatives, additives and the selection of new crops chosen not for their taste but for how they store and ship is prioritized. This has taken the place of traditional ways of preserving food.
For us at Orchard Kitchen, preserving the whole foods we produce is a vital part of our year, and preserving these traditions is more important than ever.
Our goal is feeding ourselves and our guests, year-round, from this farm. This time of year, alongside our quotidian kitchen duties, you’ll find us working hard to preserve our summer bounty. A 30-pound case of sauce tomatoes will shrink into a single gallon of dried halves, rich and sweet, waiting for winter braises, sauces, soups and our favorite braised Scarlet Runner beans.
Last week’s menu highlighted the joy of summer plums three ways: cocktail, savory dish, dessert
Although they ripen in waves, our plum trees have the potential to produce several hundred pounds of fruit per tree each year. This means we have to get creative. Last week, we used the ripest of our Methley plums to make a pasteurized plum juice. After boiling and straining the plums, we were left with a tart, deep purple juice, perfect as the base for a summer cocktail. We paired our Methley reduction with Prosecco, sparkling water, and white port, making for the perfect refreshing summer refresher!
Even though we think of the ripest fruits and vegetables as being the best, underripe plums can be pickled and turned into a great addition to a savory dish. Last week, we served fresh Albacore tuna, seared and set in a bath of umami dashi broth. Slices of plums were quick-pickled in a brine made with our cider vinegar, salt, and spices.
Our dessert was a Buttermilk Panna Cotta made with our own buttermilk, a byproduct of our house-churned butter. Again, we used our plums — this time Shiro and Kuban — along with mulberries and blueberries, fully ripened. To complement the sweetness of fresh summer fruits, we finished the dish with a basil syrup, forming a bridge between sweet and savory and adding another summer flavor to the plate.
Featured dessert
Vanilla-Buttermilk Panna Cotta, Basil Syrup, Shiro & Kuban Plum, Our Blueberries & Mulberries, Almond Tuile Cookie
& the perfect wine to go with
Angelo Negro 'Birbet' Brachetto - Cherry red color with violet hues. Creamy and persistent foam. Fragrant and aromatic, flavors of strawberry, rose, raspberry and blackberry.
