Wolfskill Fig Tasting

We had a luxurious fig tasting at Wolfskill yesterday, under the 150 year-old olive trees which are, according to Ray Bruman, "like something out of Tolkein."

The good folks there had already laid out both figs and grapes for tasting. Very attractive - people were buzzing around with their cameras. The staff spoke briefly about their programs, figs and grapes in particular, including the startling (to me) fact that there is no organized breeding program for figs. Anywhere.

Then we began tasting. Figs: 'Ischia Black,' 'King,' 'Violette de Bordeaux,' 'Santa Cruz Dark,' 'Zidi,' 'Kadota 1,' 'California Brown Turkey,' and 'Calimyrna.' The favorite seemed to be 'Zidi.' Orchard manager Howard Garrison again presented his legendary grilled figs, 'Excel' stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in prosciutto, and 'California Brown Turkey' with walnuts. It was interesting to compare the tastes of the grilled and fresh 'California Brown Turkey' - completely different.

And grapes too - a wonderful assortment: V. vinifera 'Autumn Black,' 'Chasselas Rouge' (an old classic), 'Alicante Bouschet,' 'Pirobelle' (very richly sweet), 'Longyan' (thought by some to taste like lychees), and 'Sultanina Marble' (fruit green flecked with brown, variegated foliage); V. labrusca 'Woodruff;' and, a hybrid, 'Muscat Angel.'

Disappointed not to be "out in the field"? Not to worry! At last year's tasting someone drove over and broke some irrigation risers so they didn't want us all driving out there ourselves. Instead, we piled into air-conditioned vans for the trip out to the trees. We enjoyed a running commentary on the various blocks of trees as we went (lots more persimmons scheduled to be planted! pomegranate tasting coming up....), and once there they invited us to sample all the figs we wanted from the trees.

It was hotter out there, so we didn't stay long. They drove us back to the parking area under the olives, where the top temperature inside a parked car was 85F.

Fruit from Frieda Kahlo

I went to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art today, which has a big exhibit of the paintings of Frieda Kahlo. I discovered that if you wait until one-half hour before closing time, entry to the museum is free, including special exhibits if they have room--which they did.

Almost the first painting I saw after getting off the elevator was a portrait of Luther Burbank, looking a little like Mr. Sycamore.




















Not long after, I came to a painting of Pitahayas!















And later still, some still lifes with fruit. (I've added a couple of extras here that aren't in this exhibit.) Rare fruit partout!

Jakfruit Tasting on youtube

Click here.

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Agronomist Francisco Vázquez checks immature jackfruit from the exotic fruits collection. Photo by Scott Bauer

NASA Says Martian Soil Suitable for Asparagus

Read all about it here. Maybe CRFG should send a representative on the next probe.

Speaking of asparagus, on those hot days we had a couple of weeks ago my asparagus plants were mobbed by honeybees (well, as much as anything is mobbed by honeybees these days). They didn't seem well suited--they really had to jam their heads into the flowers. I had never seen that before.

Pawpaw Development in Ohio

" native Ohio tree, once farmed by American Indians on large plantations for its fruit and medicinal benefits, is being re-introduced to horticulture for preservation and as a potential niche market crop. "
.... read all about it here....

Paul Thomson obituary

The SF Chronicle has reprinted this obituary from the LA Times: Click here

Rare Fruit Music

"Charles Amirkhanian, the former music director at KPFA, will perform a text/sound piece titled "Quince Quinoa," comprised of the names of all the exotic foods he's eaten in his travels around the world."

This is in a piece by Martin Snapp in the San Jose Mercury News about the upcoming Garden of Memory concert.

This is a fabulous event in a fabulous building. Banana trees inside too!