Purple Power

The garden huckleberry (Solanum scabrum) is a member of the nightshade family. It grows on higher bushes and harvests late in the season, usually after the first frost. It is not sweet at all; in fact, eating it raw is not the enjoyable treat you find with wild huckleberries or other forms of cultivated blueberries.

This photo will give you the obvious clue that garden huckleberries are not the same as wild huckleberries!

This fruit is a powerhouse of nutritional value, providing anti-oxidants, inflammation reduction, and more!

I joined the purple hands club last week when we made up the Huckleberry Culinary Syrup for Ranee Solmonsson of Sunshower Hill Farm in Newberg. She sells that wonderful treat through several buying clubs in Sherwood and Dundee. It is fantastic mixed with carbonated water for an Italian soda, or in your adult beverage of choice. Yummmmmm. IMG_0004

Meanwhile, we did what we try to do on whatever recipes of ours that will permit it…..we used a “waste” product to turn into a new food to enjoy. Let me explain.

Ranee is a very considerate farm partner. She cleans the berries of all leaves before she brings them to us, permitting us to give them a wash and then into the pot quickly. Our first step is to soften the huckleberries, so maybe just short of a boil gets them soft enough to put them through the mill.

2017gLast year was the last time we used a hand mill. We then were purchased a new “toy” that is an electric mill. Not only does this save Graham’s shoulder from several hours of repetitive turning, but it takes the milling down to minutes instead.

The mill separates the juice, which gets back on to the stove with some sugar and lemon juice to prepare the syrup, and the “must”, the waste. This waste is essentially the skins of the berries as well as the teeny tiny seeds.

We dry the must, grind it, mix it with some cane sugar and voila! You have PURPLE POWER! Huckleberry dust can be used by you to add that wonderful blueberry flavor to oatmeal, yogurt, and to drinks or however else you might want to play with it. 

High in anti-oxidants, this is a star in our offerings. All are healthy, some more than others. This one, with only a little sugar (believe it or not, garden huckleberries are not sweet at all!) wins out because of all the healthy benefits it providesHuckleberry Dust.pub

You can order Purple Power! and other Can-Do Real Food Products by going to the store offerings page on the website 

 

Farmers’ Market at the Grange

McMinnville has a secret-or so it seems. A few people know about it and enjoy the benefits but everyone can! Few areas of the country celebrate a weekly farmers’ market throughout the year and McMinnville is one!

The Farmers’ Market at the Grange has a full array of vendors inside in bad weather, outside in the nice summertime. There are freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, honey, meats, teas, flours, canned goods, berries, eggs, coffee, and so much more.

This Saturday, there will also be a whole bunch of crafters to help you fill your stockings or find that perfect one of a kind gift for someone special.

Can-Do Real Food will be joining the market for this Saturday only. This will permit you to stock up on a few things and also make some inexpensive delicious purchases for gift giving.

We will bring

Hogan’s Hot Stuff (Peach Jalapeno Jam). I have a friend (last name Hogan) who tried to convince me a few years ago to make this recipe, but we were short of peaches. We finally introduced this spicy sweet jam for your epicurean delight last year. The heat  mellows in the jar so I suspect most people can easily enjoy this now but I expect to hear it is not hot enough. It starts sweet and then the heat starts to build. 9 ounce $6.00.

Naughty Peach Jam is preferred by those who opt for the mellow flavoring of amaretto. Just a bit of the liquor enhances the peaches, but not too much to offer to everyone in your household for their toast. 9 ounce jar $6.

Also very popular is the Quince Paste. This oddly shaped pear or apple kind of fruit has a high level of natural pectin so it thickens up wonderfully. It is great by itself but superb with a salty kind of cheese like manchego or an aged goat or sheep cheese or in a baked brie. Start thinking NOW about the coming holiday season. Are you going to have any people over or do you expect to be going to anyone’s house for a party or meal?  Bringing some cheese, crackers and a jar of this quince paste will raise your status amazingly!  Or, if you want, make a baked brie which is super easy and will be the hit of the party!  9 ounce jar $6.00 Baked Brie with Quince Paste

We want to suggest that if you have never considered how the Naughty Rum Plum Sauce would enhance your holiday meals, you really should take a taste. Like cranberry sauce with your Thanksgiving turkey, this sauce is a condiment that embellishes beef, pork and poultry equally well. 9 ounce jar $6.

If you’re like me, one of your childhood treats was a Fig Newton. This year our Fig Sauce is perfect: the right notes of orange and the perfect texture! We’ll be happy to give our our cookie recipe that makes this an amazing treat! 9 ounce jar $6.homemade fig newtons

The gravenstein apple tree in our yard makes pretty darn good applesauce. We have a pint for you for $12.

Finally, in our offerings in jars, we did the work with our Apple Pie Filling. Gluten free with tapioca used as a thickener, this is gently spiced with cinnamon to provide a quick and easy dessert for you! No added sugar. 32 ounce jar $12.

Our dehydrated offerings also provide snacking and meal prep!

Perhaps you don’t grill much in the rainy cool winter, but we think once you discover our Coffee Rub, you will make it a pretty steady routine when it is not storming. Perfect on beef, pork, poultry and fish! Multiple uses for $5.

Unami dustFor the person who loves to cook, a package of Umami Dust would be mind bending!! Umami is the 5th sense of taste….an earthiness that enriches soups and stews with deep flavor notes. Multiple uses for $5.

High in antioxidants, this Huckleberry Dust is a delightful side product of one of the syrups we make for a farm partner. Her garden huckleberries are part of the nightshade family and this powder can be added to yogurt or smoothies or oatmeal to provide a deep blueberry flavor. Multiple uses $5.

Gingered Pear SnacksGingered Pear Snacks is a delightful snack option for those who enjoy the jam and love ginger. We macerate the sliced pears in ginger powder, fresh ginger and candied ginger to give you an easy to carry healthy snack. $5.

And finally, our award winning (Best in Dehydrated Division at the 2017 State Fair) Winter Squash Coconut Curry Soup mix is ready for you to enjoy in 3 minutes!!! What a delicious blend of flavors! Offered in single servings ($4) and 2-4 servings ($8).

 

Come to the Grange this Saturday. The market is open from 10-2. Located at 1700 SW Old Sheridan Road, just off Highway 18 on the way to the Coast just beyond Roth’s and Bi-Mart.