The Cycle of Life is a Wonderful Thing

by Lassa Skinner

In 1953, Harold and Jean Taramasso moved their family to the Napa Valley. Harold grew apples and pears and raised chickens, and Jean grew tomatoes and raised their boys. A daughter came along and the farm shifted to raising horse and cattle. That daughter, Joan Taramasso, is now grown up and the ranch has come full circle—back to raising chickens and growing tomatoes.

Some of you know Joan well as the former manager of our market, which she lived and breathed for 12 years (and, before that, she was a vendor). Joan also managed the Napa Chefs Market for 7 years, and the Napa Wine & Craft Fair for 6. And now, amazingly, she’s back as a vendor at the market again—selling eggs laid by free-roaming, pastured chickens on her family ranch, and ready-to-plant heirloom tomato starts.

Joan, Matthew Blach, and Cohan Sculley are the industrious team behind Taramasso Ranch, which began raising chickens over a year ago and now have 1000-plus vigorous, thriving chickens of many shapes and sizes. Because of the different breeds—including Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Dominique, Aracauna, Pearl White Leghorn and White-Crested Black Polish—their eggs come in a spectrum of colors, from pale blue to light tan, darker brown, and bright white. All of them, though, have extra-thick shells and deep orange yolks, the mark of freshness and health.

In addition to eggs, Taramasso Ranch raises heirloom tomato plants (7 varieties) and will continue selling them at the market through the end of June. Once tomatoes start coming, canning and sauce-making will begin--all part of Joan’s family heritage. “It is shaping up to be an epic tomato growing year,” she says, which means it’s time for all of us to get those plants in the ground before the heat sets in. The future? As the ranch evolves, there will be other crops for market as they figure out what the property will best sustain. Stay tuned!

Look for Joan, Matthew and Cohan on Saturdays with their eggs and tomato starts, as well as Matthew’s Organic Karma coffee every Tuesday and Saturday—which he sells both brewed onsite and by the whole bean or ground. For 4 years, Blach was the proprietor of the Organic Karma Café on Third Street, and he continues to slowly tumble-roast his delicious coffee beans locally. Try his signature blend, Karma, or his 100% Guatemala Single Estate. Alongside a couple of Taramasso Ranch fried eggs, perhaps—sunny side up.


Joan’s Auntie Jean’s Torta

This recipe will sound like your average, everyday frittata, but "torta" is what our family always called it. While I don't know the exact derivation of the word, I'm sure it's from the Genovese dialect, since that's what my entire family spoke as a first language prior to my generation's birth.

Ingredients:
• 4 cups of any combination or single item of the following:
• Raw zucchini or squash, diced
• Cooked green beans
• Left-over white or brown rice
• Steamed chard or spinach
• Raw or cooked whole kernel corn
• 5 Taramasso Ranch eggs
• 1 tsp crushed garlic (or more, if you really like garlic)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup Bisquick
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with olive oil.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the garlic and olive oil.
• Add the diced onion, grated cheese (save 2 tablespoons for later) and Bisquick, and stir to combine.
• Add salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper is about right for most).
• Combine wet mixture with the 4 cups of vegetable(s) you have chosen.
• Pour everything into the prepared baking pan, and sprinkle the top with a little more grated cheese.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until top is a light golden brown.
• Serve hot, cold or room temperature.