Seeing Red!

by Alexis Handelman


Red is one of those colors that really gets our juices flowing...pumps us up...revs our engines. It identifies bold women with ruby kissed lips, exquisite designer shoes, hello Christian Louboutin, and even keeps us aware of global issues through the RED campaign which focuses on the fight to eliminate extreme poverty and preventable disease thanks to rock star leaders like Bono.

Here at the Napa Valley Farmer’s Market our very own rock star vendors bring us our own red campaigns. As you walk through the market you’ll see what I mean. Check out Rodriguez Farms and the basket upon basket of plump and succulent strawberries. Pretty hard to resist! Haven’t we been waiting oh so patiently since November to once again see those locally grown beauties?

And how about the first of the season heirloom tomatoes so lovingly grown by Bruin Farms. It does my heart good, to say nothing of my sandwiches and salads, to see those luscious orbs of red ripe juiciness lined up just waiting to be rushed home for the first of the season BLT’s!

But, perhaps the most surprising find right now at the market is Tenbrink Farms red walnuts! Gorgeous nut meats tinged a deep crimson, a variety rarely seen but, now available from one of our most reliable vendors of truly delicious produce.

If you’ve been consumed with the thoughts of leading a greener life think about jazzing it up this month with splashes of red. Your eyes, your heart and your taste buds will thank you.

Strawberry Sorbet
Puree enough strawberries in a blender to yield 3 cups. Mix in 1 cup of simple syrup made with equal amounts of sugar and water. Add a few dashes of salt to pull up the flavor of the berries and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Chill this mixture till cold. Follow the directions of your ice cream maker or chill in a shallow tray in your freezer, mixing every so often to keep the mixture smooth. Put the finished sorbet in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or a non-reactive container with a lid. Will keep for several days.

Easy Heirloom Tomato Salad
Find a pretty platter or dinner plate and cut into 1/4 inch slices enough heirloom tomatoes to fill it. Thinly slice a quarter of a red onion and scatter on top of the tomatoes. Crumble some Danish feta cheese over the tomatoes and onions and sprinkle with 2 or 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 or 2 tablespoons of your very best aged balsamic vinegar. Serve at room temperature.

Red Salad
Roast 3 medium sized beets covered in a pan in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. Cool, peel and dice into small cubes. Grill 4 or 5 radicchio leaves brushed with olive oil and slice thinly. Slice a half of a red endive into thin pieces. Toss it with a tablespoon or three of aged balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle the top with red walnuts, halved red grapes and chevre and gently toss again.

Alexis Handelman sees, eats, drinks and serves red everyday at Alexis Baking Co. and sits on the board of the red hot farmers’ market.