« REAL Suggestions from the Children's Room | Main | Quotable Thursday »
July 12, 2009
Why My Arms are Scratched, My Shoulders are Sunburned, and My Hands are Stained Purple
It has been abundantly rainy in WNY this summer, so much so that sunny, warm days put me in a panic because there is just so much I want to do. This past Friday was, to my way of thinking, a perfect summer day—sunny and HOT. All I cared about from the time I left the house until I got to work that morning was whether or not I had enough personal hours left to leave early. Happily, I had enough to take a half day and decided to use my time to drive out to Brown’s Berry Patch to pick cherries.
The thing about picking cherries if you’re five feet tall is that the kids have already picked most of the ones you can reach, leaving all the best bunches right up past the signs on the trees telling you not to climb them. Not that I paid any attention. Hardly anyone was at Brown’s on Friday afternoon, and my mother was with me, totally egging me on and holding my basket while I climbed about in my flip-flops. It was wonderful—warm and quiet and breezy because we were by the lake.
Today I woke up to sun and 70°, so I decided I’d run over to Whittier’s to pick raspberries. I’m at an advantage with the raspberries. People don’t bring their kids to pick them en masse because of the thorns, so there is much less competition for the good berries, and the canes, like me, are close to the ground. This morning was divine. I was the only person picking, and the canes were overflowing with ripe berries. On the down side, I wore a tank top and foolishly kept going for berries in the middle even though there were plenty on the safe edges. It offended my inner hunter-gatherer to just leave them, though. I’d reach in, get some scrapes, and think, “Yeah, don’t do that again.” Then I’d see another bunch of berries and think, “Oh, just this one last time.” Between that and the delicacy of the fruit, it’s no wonder raspberries cost about $4 a pint at the market. Imagine what they’d cost if they paid the people who pick them a living wage.
So, much of my weekend has been full of freezing, drying, and making jam. Yesterday, I dried cherries and made cherry jam. Today, I froze cherries, froze raspberries, and baked a couple loaves of cherry almond bread, which I don’t mind telling you is amazing. And my house smells fantastic. If Hansel and Gretel walked by, they’d totally stop. One thing I love about putting food up is that when you eat it in the dead of winter, you remember the circumstances of obtaining it—remember that, in fact, summer does exist. In February it becomes doubtful (well, even lately it’s been kind of doubtful).
Right now, though, I could kind of use another day off. A sunny, 80° day during which I would sit on the porch and read, although, if that happened, I know I’d just go pick more berries and start this whole thing over again.
Posted by adrienne at July 12, 2009 08:50 PM
Comments
If I walked by, I'd totally stop.
Raspberries are the Best Fruit Ever. I've been wanting to make a raspberry torte. Maybe I will.
I like the phrase "my inner hunter-gatherer" and don't think I challenge mine enough. I bet your raspberry jam makes those scratches worth it, right?
I'm not a huuuuge fan of cherries, but cherry almond bread sounds very, very good to me.
Posted by: Jules at July 12, 2009 09:25 PM
A berry productive weekend for you, Adrienne.
Posted by: Susan at July 12, 2009 09:59 PM
Jules, Mmm. Raspberry torte.
Jam makes everything worth it, really. Aside from tasting good, the jars are all so pretty in the cupboard.
Susan, Tee hee.
Posted by: adrienne at July 13, 2009 02:04 AM
What a great couple days! I haven't been berry picking since I was little little. You are inspiring me, although I think by the time we get back to the US in August it'll all be done for the year....guess there is apple picking in the Fall! If you like sunny and HOT you would be thrilled to be here in the UAE! And here I am tired of no seasons and sunny and hot and long for rain.....
Posted by: Cheryl at July 13, 2009 05:08 AM
Dude. Just got fresh peaches yesterday.
Mmmm. Envying you your berries; ours are almost ready here, and Scotland is a big berrying place. Even in the rain...
Posted by: tanita at July 13, 2009 05:48 AM
I'll be coming over for a sample of that bread, Adrienne. :)
Posted by: olivia at July 13, 2009 07:30 AM
Sounds like fun. Are you willing to share that bread recipe?
Posted by: Kelly at July 13, 2009 12:15 PM
Ditto on the bread recipe request.
Posted by: Deb at July 13, 2009 12:44 PM
Cheryl, You may be back home in enough time to pick peaches, too. Mmmm.
Tanita, I keep wondering how the berries are managing to ripen under all these clouds, but they're doing it.
Olivia, :)
Kelly and Deb, Sure! I'll send it along once I'm home.
Posted by: adrienne at July 13, 2009 01:54 PM
I used to go berry-picking with my father when I was a little girl: blackberries, black raspberries, and alpine strawberries were the three main berry crops, but there was occasionally a patch of red raspberries, which were my favorite. Once, a farmer let me loose in his field of red raspberry canes, and I went up and down the rows, eating raspberries until I had my fill. As you can tell, it left an impression on me.
Hem hem. Perhaps this fall we can discuss a jam/doll trade. :)
Posted by: Saints and Spinners at July 13, 2009 09:42 PM
Farida, I would be very open to a trade. You know how I love my dolls. They're currently residing in my dining room, keeping an eye on everything.
Posted by: adrienne at July 13, 2009 11:39 PM
Wow! Dried cherries! Jams! Your kitchen must smell divine. There must be a way to package this heavenly scent for people like me who don't know how to do these things.
Posted by: Vivian at July 14, 2009 07:42 PM
Last year a friend traded us a cherry pitter for a rather bawdy tchotchka that another friend had given us a a joke. Do you have a cherry pitter? I don't know that it's any more efficient than a knife, but it's more fun. I spent last night pitting, freezing and drying cherries that my generous neighbor gave me (he has a "you pick" orchard with LADDERS...the place was swarming with city folk people this past weekend). Today my fingers look like I've just voted in Iraq. How are you drying your cherries, Adrienne? My 20+ year old electric dehydrater seems to be doing the trick...but I'd be interested in other (electricity free) methods.
Posted by: steph at July 15, 2009 03:42 PM
Vivian and Steph, My mom got me a dehydrator a month or so ago, so the drying is a cinch. Wash, put them in the machine, turn it on, check on them periodically. Easy peasy.
Steph, I have a pitter, but it broke from my overenthusiastic use, so I have to get another one. The thing is when I try to pit a cherry with a knife, I destroy the cherry. I need someone to teach me how to do it properly. My biggest weakness as a cook is my non-existent knife skills.
Posted by: adrienne at July 16, 2009 11:39 AM