Fix of the Week

The spring harvest of fresh berries along our coastal and inland area has officially begun. The longer day with persistently warming conditions accelerates the transformation from blossom to ripe fruit on the plant. April is when the first true seasonal push begins, starting with the strawberries, and closely followed by blueberries, raspberries, olallieberries and blackberries. Antioxidant rich berries of all shapes, sizes, colors, flavors and textures will soon be readily available at all weekly farmers markets from our local growers.

Fresh berries have seen quite an expansion in seasonal availability over the past 10 years, primarily due to the use of hoop houses.

Hoop Houses allow for a heated micro-climate for the plants to thrive during the cooler times of year. Plants are still placed in the ground outdoors, but are protected from much of the elements which would normally hamper their growth during the winter months.

Such hoop houses are particularly evident in Ventura, Oxnard and Santa Maria when driving along Highway 101, as well as in San Luis Obispo County.

When selecting your blueberries, a general rule of thumb is the darker the berry, the sweeter it will be. Larger blueberries generally tend to be sweeter. They should possess a nice blue to purple hue across their entire surface, free of any green.

Once home, blueberries are best kept refrigerated, unless they are going to be enjoyed within 24 hours. I usually refrain from washing my blueberries until I am ready to eat them, as any moisture on the berry in the refrigerator will cause them to break down much faster. They can be stored in a food storage container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. If you leave them uncovered in the fridge, they tend to shrivel and dry rather quickly. Blueberries can be enjoyed in an array of ways, but this week I incorporated them into a delicious blueberry apple crisp.

BLUEBERRY APPLE CRISP

3 cups sliced and peeled apples.

2 cups blueberries.

2 tablespoons flour.

2 tablespoons granulated sugar. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. For the topping:

2/3 cup packed brown sugar.

½ cup flour.

½ cup rolled oats. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.

1/3 cup butter, softened.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine apples and blueberries and toss with flour and sugar until evenly coated. Place contents in a lightly sprayed

8- by 8-inch baking dish. Make the topping in your mixing bowl by tossing sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon.

Then work in your butter with a fork or using your hands to form nice crumbly clumps of topping. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and place in the oven. Cook for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the apples are soft. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Yield: Serves 6.

Thought for Today

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”

— Saint Augustine