566380 Tue Oct 21 12:30:31 -0700 2008 24 3 California 0 4119061 To round out the SF Bay Area ‘hounds field trip to Fresno to experience the cooking of Chef Zhongyi Liu at the Hunan Restaurant, Ruth Lafler pointed the PT Chow Cruiser to Kings Canyon Park. We picked up picnicking provisions at Fresno’s Armenian places, as described here, http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/566237 , and then hit the road. It took us about 2 ½ hours to reach the park’s “End of the Road”, making a stop for gas and various breathtaking vista points along the way. Unfortunately, no time to stop at any of the taco trucks we noticed along our route to the park. We walked the 1 ½ mile loop around Zumwalt Meadow. Note that this is an easy hike but takes one over some rocky areas and I was glad that I was wearing my Timberlands. The bugs were out in full force so our picnic time was cut short and we headed back to Fresno. We stopped in Minkler (population = 30) to check out the Blossom Trail fruit stand. There we found gigantic, late season peaches and also nectarines and plums for 99¢ per pound, as well as grapes. The lady manning the cash register thought they might have stone fruit until the end of the month with any luck. Also in Minkler we visited the pomegranate stand, actually just a couple tables in front of a shed. The preserves and honey for sale were labeled Burkett Farms but I’m not sure if that’s the name of this spot. We were greeted with samples of fresh-pressed pomegranate juice. Just lovely, not as acidic or tannic as other producers I’ve tried, maybe because it’s early in the season. A quart is $8 and a gallon is $16. I’m sorry we didn’t take the opportunity to check out the Minkler Cash Store across the road. I didn’t know its significance until we talked to the local ‘hounds at dinner that night. Something to save for later. Kings Canyon Park and Minkler farmstands http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/tags/kingscanyon/ http://www.jessemorrowmountain.com/index.shtml Chef Liu’s bio http://www.thehunanrestaurant.com/543768.html Tue Oct 21 12:30:32 -0700 2008 10039 Melanie Wong 1 4120072 Not to belittle anyone for their appreciation of the way of life in the Central Valley, I had always found it amazing of how people that find our way of life so interesting. I grew up in Reedley on a 20 acre farm where my folks had peaches, plums, melons, apples, and other vegetables. We sold our stuff to the commercial market, where in the '60s it was located down on what is now the Embarcadero in San Francisco. This is where most of the restaurants buys their daily needs. Now the market is located over on Army Street and another down in South San Francisco. While a teenager, I farmed vegetables and sold them to the local grocery store in Reedley. Back then 20 acres was a lot, now it mostly a large home lot. The marketing of the Blossom Trail has worked very well in getting people acquainted with the small farmer and the beautiful sights, just like going to the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building. As I end this wondering and rambling, take time and smell the farms before it's too late. We are losing them to developments way too fast. As a teenager having to work on the farm and hating it, I now miss that and know my kids will NEVER have that opportunity. Danny Tue Oct 21 19:27:05 -0700 2008 4119061 42143 Bakersfield Hound 2 4120405 I've enjoyed the Vineyard farmers market in Fresno as well, been there twice this season. Here's the link for the Fresno County fruit trail. http://www.gofresnocounty.com/Fruit%20Trail/FruitTrailindex.asp Tue Oct 21 23:15:23 -0700 2008 4120072 10039 Melanie Wong 1 4120142 The trick I learned from a chef who loved pomegranetes is to squeeze them intact with your fingers outside the skin, until you feel you have 'popped" all the seeds on the inside and then poke a hole in the tough outer skin and drain the juice out - no bitterness, no messing with the seeds, no white membrane to foul things up - just pure juice that mixes beautifully with sparkling water and maybe a bit of sugar, to taste. Sometimes the juice squirts out of a crack in the skin so I now put the fruit in a plastic bag and then do my squeezing. It is a little tricky at first because when you poke the hole to get the juice sometimes it really squirts out fast making a mess. Best to lower it into a glass and then try and slowly poke a hole in the bottom so the juice squirts out into the glass. Or stand back when you poke it and don't wear anything not washable. But once you get the hang of this, it is a great way to get the best, most flavorful juice without a lot of the hassles dealing with this often plentiful and now popular fruit. Tue Oct 21 20:05:05 -0700 2008 4119061 12522 glbtrtr 2 4120421 Yes, but do you end up with pink hands? I drank the pomegranate juice the whole way home. I am also enjoying my viscous buckwheat honey, from the same stand. Tue Oct 21 23:56:36 -0700 2008 4120142 10966 Windy 2 4121709 Interesting, thanks for the tip. Any sense of how many pomegranates it takes to make a cup o juice? Wed Oct 22 12:22:41 -0700 2008 4120142 10039 Melanie Wong 3 4123071 I get about one quarter cup plus juice per pomegranate with this intact squeezing method. That in a single glass with sparkling water and a few sugar cubes is as good as it can be. But it is hard work squeezing these guys - seems the harder the outer shell the better the juice. Wed Oct 22 22:47:35 -0700 2008 4121709 12522 glbtrtr 4 4123617 I inherited a cone shaped collander and a wooden pestle that looks like a rolling pin that's been tapered from my mother. She used them to get the juice out when she make pomegranate jelly. Thu Oct 23 07:47:49 -0700 2008 4123071 18150 PolarBear 5 4125052 Sounds like you have what used to be called a Chinaman's cap, now referred to as a tin hat or China cap. Thu Oct 23 16:26:06 -0700 2008 4123617 10039 Melanie Wong 6 4125183 How cool, thanks for the background. Was it originally designed for a specific purpose? Wonder what other uses have been found for it? Thu Oct 23 17:32:11 -0700 2008 4125052 18150 PolarBear 7 4125679 So did the Armenian immigrants plant the pomegranates? Thu Oct 23 22:50:31 -0700 2008 4125183 10966 Windy 7 4125685 I use mine (which has a double screen) for the times I need to strain out really fine particles and/or press hard on the solids, such as for the avocado and roasted corn soup recipe that I made for this year's picnic (and still need to post). I've been reading a bit more about Fresno County's blossom trail and am so sad that I was so close to a source of aebleskivers! Haven't had them since I was a child and must go to Kingsburg the next visit. Thu Oct 23 22:56:57 -0700 2008 4125183 10039 Melanie Wong 8 4130801 Not sure about this area being good for abelskivers (even Solvang misses the mark on these family favorites of mine) but they do have Swedish pancakes at the Pala Horse Cafe in Kingsburg (a Swedish, not Danish town) but you have to get there before 11am as they then turn the grill over for hamburgers. I have yet to find any abelskivers that actually put the little apple slice in the middle (abel skiver ---duh?) like we always had at home. Plus most places use a boring packaged mix, whereaas the "real" thing was a separated egg batter with cardomom that gave them so much more depth than the very ordinary Bisquik versions I have had to date around here. And gasp, some even serve them with strawberry jam, not raspberry. The Pala Horse in Kingsburg after 11am does have a Swedish plate lunch and some Swedish retail products. However, sad to report these Swedish pancakes in Kingsburg were not as good than the ones you get at IHOP which are very good IMHO, as I keep recommending here. And I think you get more for less money at IHOP. Same yummy ligonberry jam at both places - have to hand it to IHOP to be that authentic too. This town of Kingsburg however is a delightful stop on Highway 99 and nice to get away from the chains, plus they seem to have a few 1950's memorabilia shops here for some reason as well. Anyone know where you can purchase the special addition Hydrox cookies that came out of hiding for their 100% anniversary? Sun Oct 26 19:54:55 -0700 2008 4125685 12522 glbtrtr 9 4132899 To assist with searches, that would be the Dala Horse 1531 Draper St Kingsburg, CA 93631 (559) 897-7762 Mon Oct 27 16:17:43 -0700 2008 4130801 18150 PolarBear 9 4135796 Thanks, yes, I'd read your prior posts about Dala Horse in Kingsburg. What do you think of Diane's? Wed Oct 29 01:22:24 -0700 2008 4130801 10039 Melanie Wong 9 4209043 Hi Glbtrtr -if you haven't found Hydrox yet, I found them (on sale) at Vons/Pavilions in southern CA which means near you, they're at a Safeway (same company.) Sat Nov 29 19:10:59 -0800 2008 4130801 28938 Dyspepsia 8 4141772 In today's paper Joan Obra reports on a Danish festival at the Immanuel Lutheran Church tomorrow at 5955 S. Elm, in Easton (just south of Fresno). She lists a mix of Danish American dishes such as: Danish meatballs w/cream sauce Danish sausage leverpostej (liver pate) rullepolse (a meat roll) rodgrod (a sweet-tart pudding flavored with plum or pomegranate juice) AND aebleskivers, along with other treats: pebbernodder (cookies spiced w/ginger and molasses) butter cookies marzipan-filled butter cake Dinner tickets are $10, served 4-7 PM, a country store w quilts, jams, jellies, and baked goods will be open from 3:30 0 7:30 PM Info: (559) 237-7909 Fri Oct 31 17:01:38 -0700 2008 4125685 18150 PolarBear 9 4141920 I remember a red Danish pudding that was raspberry and current combination,n not plum or pomegranate- also called "rod" something - like red blood pudding which pertains only to the color because it was delicious. They even had Danish pudding packets you could buy and make this at home. Wonder if anyone still makes them. Fri Oct 31 18:42:32 -0700 2008 4141772 12522 glbtrtr 9 4142045 Thanks for the heads up, sorry I can't be there. My memories of aebleskivers were at church bazaars like this one. Hope the current generation of Lutheran church ladies still has the touch. Fri Oct 31 20:52:59 -0700 2008 4141772 10039 Melanie Wong 1 4121871 The pomegranate man was so nice! He was starting to close up when we pulled up, but took the time to let us sample the pomegranate juice (delicious!), and then to bring pretty much the entire contents of his larder (jams, jellies, honey) out for us. I haven't tried the nectarine jam I bought; the red rhubarb is going in my Dad's Xmas stocking. Wed Oct 22 13:23:40 -0700 2008 4119061 10159 Ruth Lafler 2 4122865 I poked around a little on the web and found a website for the preserve, honey and pomegranate man. It's in the Places record for Burkett Pollination and that street address is not too far from the stand we visited. The website has a fax line for orders and apologizes that there's no email in the rural area. Wed Oct 22 20:29:17 -0700 2008 4121871 10039 Melanie Wong 1 4122966 Speaking of Pomegranates and the Central Valley, Merced is having its First Annual Pomegranate Festival this weekend! Yes, I will report back! Will try that tip on drinking the juice..... http://localchoicescv.com/2008/10/21/come-have-fun-at-the-first-annual-pomegranate-festival-that-will-benefit-merced-county-food-bank/ Wed Oct 22 21:33:20 -0700 2008 4119061 10158 susancinsf 2 4123008 Have a great time . . . I was so sad to finish the last of my pomegranate juice this evening. I enjoyed looking at the local farmers includes on that website. I'm especially interested in the grassfeed beef and the lamb growers . . . please let us know when you try them. Wed Oct 22 22:08:10 -0700 2008 4122966 10039 Melanie Wong 3 4129823 Alas, the Pomegranate Festival was a big disappointment....I expected small, since it was the first, but I did expect that it would be oriented towards food, and well, pomegranates....but no. Out of perhaps twenty or thirty booths, there were two or three that were selling pomegranates and pomegranate products, and the rest were primarily vendors of cars, chiropractic services, jewelry, furniture and the like, with recruiting booths for the Army, a few political booths, a rock climbing wall...I was hoping to see more local growers or restaurants, or cooking demonstrations, or smething, but there was nothing like that. No organic farmers or meat growers at all, other than one booth selling organic pomegranates (and nothing else). No juice vendors in sight. We were able to buy some tasty preserves from one of the two pomegranate vendors (unfortunately, I managed to lose their card, for which I am very annoyed with myself, and thus can't report on the name of the makers of the preserves. It is a very small Mom and Pop operation, with trees in Merced and Turlock). The pomegranates were at the same prices I had seen them selling for at the Merced Farmer's Market that morning. A local restaurant, Bishops on the Square in Merced, did have a booth. (The only restaurant booth that I saw). Bishops on the Square is owned by the folks who had the now closed (and favorably reviewed on CH and elsewhere) Cafe Sol on G and El Portal; it is located downtown and offers breakfast and lunch only; the woman running the booth told me they will open for dinner once they get their liquor license. Anyway, there were offering a pomegranate lemonade and tastings of pomegranate sorbet, made by Gelato Classico, a large wholesaler; both items were one dollar each per taste. I decided to try the gelato and it was fairly tasty, though sweeter than I would like. However, I was rather appalled at the serving size: I was given a cup that was perhaps an inch in diameter and less than 3/4 of an inch tall: it was about half the size of a golf ball! I didn't expect a huge portion, but since it wasn't a free sample I did expect more than just a literal taste: paying a dollar for that much sorbet did not endear me to the restaurant or make me want to rush down and try it, despite very good initial reports...(they were storing the cups in dry ice in a chest underneath the booth: theoretically to keep them cool, but of course then one doesn't see the size until one orders). As for non-pomegranate food booths, there were two hot dog stands and a stand run by an Escalan bbq catering company that was selling tri-tip and bbq chicken plates. That was it. There was no advertised 'beer garden', though one could buy (and drink) a beer at the club house of the driving range where the event was held: There was also no shade other than in vendor booths (the three food stands had no area to eat the items purchased, including no chairs). I was tempted to try a hot dog, but without shade or a place to sit not overly tempted, and we ended up leaving fairly quickly. It wasn't a total bust, as I had lovely pomegranate preserves with my English muffin this morning, and because it was an awareness raising event for the sponsor: the Merced County Food Bank, which is only four years old but much needed in this community. They did collect a nice assortment of canned food items as the admission fee. I won't fault the sponsor for the poor planning, since it was done by an outside event planning company, which apparently earned its fee from all of those commercial vendors, but I do hope that this does become a true food festival over time (perhaps with a change in planners?). I think it will need to do so if it is going to become the Merced tradition that the idea deserves to be. Sun Oct 26 09:46:37 -0700 2008 4123008 10158 susancinsf 1 4225997 Hi, Melanie;I am going east to the Burkett's stand tomorrow, could you or anyone else please share the significance of the Minkler Cash Store? I saw it across the street there. Thanks! Sat Dec 06 16:30:17 -0800 2008 4119061 152672 stillh20gal