Hot Summer = Crush

Right now, I could really use some sleep. We are working a lot of hours, doing a lot of events, I have a lot of paperwork to do...BUT it was too damn hot to sleep! Once I woke up I found myself listening to the traffic on the road and started counting the trucks going past that were hauling grape bins. (Honestly, they DO make a different sound!)

Crush is on in full force. We were at a wine tasting the other night along with other wine industry folks and one of the guests was on the phone with her staff discussing which grapes had been picked that day. Crush waits for no man...or woman.

The Farm is also going great guns. The peppers are not only at peak production, they are turning red! It is very cool! The eggplants are coming in, too. We have some really beautiful "white tango" eggplants, white looking Japanese eggplant, that are most prolific. We have something like 6 or 7 varieties of eggplant. One of them is finally popping out its fruit which is like little fat purple striped fingers.

Not only do we have the farm to look after, but lots of events. This Saturday we are serving "tastes" at the Kendall-Jackson Tomato Festival for, get this, 2,000 people. OYE!!! Farmer Chef Jeff is serving "Not Your Grandma's Tomato Aspic". It tastes like the freshest tomato salad you have ever had, but cold and jiggly! Farmer Chef Jeff calculated he would need 23 gallons of the base. Once again...OYE! He roasted some of the tomatoes to give them a deeper flavor. Brilliant! Okay, so that is one event.

Sunday is the Windsor Farmers' Market 7th Annual Tomato and Pepper Festival. We have entered some tomatoes for judging and have high hopes for a ribbon or two! Last year we won 3 ribbons! In addition to the tomato judging, the Windsor Farmers Market in cooperation with Windsor and El Molino High School Culinary Arts program is building the World's Largest BLT. Farmer Jeff is donating the bacon necessary to build the 135 foot sandwich! He put the bacon into the smoker last night at midnight and was back at the smoker this morning at 6 am to turn it off. He will go to the culinary class at Windsor High School at 8 am to talk to the students about the process of making bacon.

To add to our already full plate, we are also appearing at the Saturday night event, Range to Plate - An Evening Celebrating Sonoma Grown Meats. Farmer Chef Jeff created a recipe the event with lamb, the meat he was given to showcase. He created: North African Lamb Sausages with Eggplant Charmoula and Toasted Almond and Mint Cous Cous. YUM!!!

Well...that is what we have to get ready for so I had best go get myself in gear for the day! Have a great weekend!