Four years ago, I discovered the Scott Farm heirloom apples at City Market. They continue to be my favorite orchard**, though I still haven't visited Dummerston in fall.
One of the apples they grow that I particularly enjoy is the Calville Blanc d'Hiver, or "white winter calville". Based upon the pictures I've seen elsewhere, this apple's appearance seems to be highly variable, so I've included a couple representative pictures of what is sold by Scott Farm. The most distinctive visual features are the vertical ridges -- the Orange Pippin review calls it ugly and misshapen, but I find it unique and beautiful.
The Adam's Apples blog has a fairly good description of the apple, and notes its distinctive banana-pear smell and taste, but I strongly object to the idea that this apple is "not really for eating out of hand." It is, in fact, delicious on its own as a light dessert or late night snack.
** though I'm very partial to picking the early macs at Shelburne Orchards, and my kids love the tire swing
The August First Bread Bike just came by!** I was the first to hear the "fresh bread!" call, but the kids, as usual, were the first to burst out the front door. I don't know what I love best about this, but maybe it's that you get the same thrill as running after the ice cream truck, but for something that's actually good for your body (um, Sarah and I get the jalapeño cheddar, but it's still better for us, and tastier than, a Good Humor bar).
This isn't to say that we completely forego ice cream; we're not monsters, but we prefer to walk to the Bagel Cafe and Deli for cremees.
** The information in their post might not be up-to-date for 2012. They come through our neighborhood on Fridays.
Sarah took me to Penny Cluse Cafe, the preeminent local breakfast place that has a 2-hour wait on weekends (only a 40-minute wait on Friday at 10:50am. Damn Quebec separatist tourists, pumping money into our flagging economy ;-)), to celebrate the grand opening of GBGB.
The hostess takes a look at my "When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not" t-shirt and says, "Ah, going to see Clone Wars?" and I'm like, "Huh?" "Clone Wars. It opens today." "Oh, so it does. No, actually, my four-year-old, by request, is seeing the original Star Wars tonight for the first time." So there you have it! The next generation begins to be indoctrinated! Of course, for them, the rage and disappointment of Episodes I-III will be all the less for not having to wait 20 years to be disappointed.
At any rate, I had the Garlicky Kale Quesadilla, which was really good. Basically, it tasted like you sautee garlic, kale (chopped up in the food processor), and a little onion, then put it in your quesadilla maker with the shell and some feta (we use the Doe's Leap feta that Penny Cluse used in their recipe; we've been buying their cheese for a couple-few years and their chevre is wonderful and the feta is pretty good, too). Serve with salsa and black beans.
