Blueberry-Nectarine Buckle

This easy dessert is sure to please the whole family!

Ingredients:
For the topping:
½ stick (¼ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg

For the batter:
1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups blueberries, picked over and rinsed
2 nectarines, pitted and cut into 1-inch wedges

Method:
1. Make the topping: In a small bowl, blend together the butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until the mixture resembles coarse meal; chill the topping while making the batter.

2. Make the batter: In a small bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar and beat in the vanilla. In a small bowl stir together the baking powder, the flour, and the salt, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and fold in the blueberries and the nectarines.

3. Spread the batter in a well-buttered 10-by 2-inch round cake pan or 2-quart baking pan, sprinkle the topping evenly over it and bake the buckle in the middle of a preheated 350° oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and the topping is crisp and golden. Serve the buckle with whipped cream or ice cream.

Changing Seasons Recipes

With dewy mornings and darker evenings, the subtle shifting of the seasons seems to be well underway here in the Northwest. The gardens are thus towing the line between summer and fall with the continuation of favorites like melons, blueberries, Thai basil and edible flowers alongside the arrival of such fall highlights as locally-grown corn, Jimmy Nardello peppers and the cooler-weather-loving greens. This week’s lineup includes all the aforementioned produce as well as sliced multigrain bread, farm-fresh eggs and a crisp apple Verjus from Sauk Farms; here’s to enjoying the best of both worlds this week!

Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:

Stewed Romano Beans with Tomatoes
Braising the beans lends them a beautiful texture without sacrificing any of their gorgeous color!

Pan-Fried Peppers with Lemon & Garlic
Seasoned with slivered garlic, this Bon Appetit recipe is a favorite for enjoying fresh peppers.

Green Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Tossed with a Dijon mustard and sherry vinaigrette, these beans boast bright, zesty flavor.

Sweet Corn & Roasted Potato Salad with Fresh Basil
This room temperature salad will be a hit at your next barbecue. (Plus, it’s a snap to prep ahead!)

Thyme-Apple Verjus Vinaigrette
One of our favorite dressings for fall; try tossing with sliced apples, roasted nuts and your favorite salad greens.

Pickled Blueberries
Tart-sweet and incredibly addictive, these pickled berries are a wonderful finishing touch for salads and sandwiches (try them on grilled cheese).

Blueberry Cobbler

It’s hard to beat this classic summer dessert—just add vanilla ice cream!

Ingredients:
6 cups blueberries
F&L cobbler crust mix
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup sugar
10 tablespoons cream
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Method:
1. Melt butter in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the F&L cobbler crust mix with the cream, stirring until dry ingredients are just moistened.

2. Bring 1 cup sugar, blueberries and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and top with cobbler batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired.

3. Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve the cobbler warm or cool.

Summer Grilling Recipes

Honey Sweet corn to smoky-spicy peppers, this week’s array of local summer treasures invites you to bust out the barbecue and get to grilling. Highlighted by other summery produce such as zucchini, cucumbers, melon, Walla Walla sweet onions and a plethora of sun-ripened heirloom tomatoes, plus fresh focaccia bread, fragrant herbs and edible flowers, this box is fit for lingering on the patio, all the way down to the gourmet s’mores kit to enjoy at night’s end.

Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:

Grilled Summer Vegetable Focaccia Sandwich
This satisfying sammie is extremely adaptable: Tuck in some grilled chicken, add a little spicy salami or throw in even more veggies.

Lemon-Herb Mayonnaise
In addition to a sandwich spread, this zingy mayo is also fantastic on grilled corn (trust us!).

Grilled Corn & Poblano Salad
Smoky, a little spicy and very summery, this salad with a snap to prepare.

Grilled Potato Salad with Sweet Corn, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Fresh Basil
The combination of sweet corn and grilled potatoes is a hit here.

Cucumber Melon Salad with Feta
A true homage to summer, this salad from The Splendid Table is cool, crisp and juicy.

Zucchini Ribbons with Lemon & Basil
This incredibly fresh side from Alice Waters’ Art of Simple Food II is seasoned with just the right amount of fragrant basil and zesty lemon.

Pear Crostata with Blueberries
This rustic tart is fantastic served for dessert—and then breakfast the next day.

this week's recipes
colors of the rainbow

farm & garden notes
hi, april

workshops & events
new classes!

archives