Monday, July 31, 2006

Ceviche Three Times a Day

It's been about a month since my last post. During that time, my wife and I travelled to Ecuador - spending a week and a day in the Galapagos Islands. A people after my own heart, Ecuadorians eat ceviche at every meal. They even have cevicherias.


Breakfast ceviches might include smoked mussels, dinner ceviches could include everything from octopus (pulpo) to lobster (langosta). While commercial fishing in and around the Galapagos is forbidden, locals are allowed to fish for commercial purposes, subject to seasons. Lobsters were off limits while we were visiting, as indicated by this sign at the airport on Isla Isabella.


It'll be business as usual here in a day or two. We've been to the farmer's market a couple of times now, and there's plenty going on there. Wild Boar Tomatoes are back. We're happily eating peaches, plums, and pluots. The Hamada Farms folks have a couple of varieties of grape, though it'll be a while before their concords are available.

Photo Credits: San Cristobal Cevicheria, A.Moore. Isla Isabella Airport, A.D. Mehta.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Sour Cherries

Sour Cherries can be any one of several cherry varities including Montmorency, Morello, and Early Richmond. According to whatscooking.net,"Montmorency is the most popular of the sour cherry varieties the U.S. and Canada providing 95% or more of the sour cherries on the market."

Prior to this year I was unaware of the distinction between sour cherries and sweet cherries. We grabbed these on a whim at the Lagier Ranches stand at the Grand Lake Farmer's Market. Dumb luck tends to be its own reward at times like these. I did not have to suffer through, for instance, a period of deep and intense wanting.


Sour cherries are smaller than more familiar varieties, and get sweeter the longer you hang on to them. Their tart flavors stand up to the sugary rigors of desserts. While harvest of these cherries is generally associated with July, the folks from Lagier Ranches indicated that last weekend was the last weekend they'd have them.