Neighborhood Fruit

Hello There!                                                               (View in Browser)

It's that time of year again, when one has to pack away the sun-seeking summer attitude, and dust off the mantle of responsibility. Students open the books on a new semester, working folk trudge dutifully back to their cubes. It's harvest time, gardeners taste the fruits of their labor, and lovingly pack away jams, sauces and chutneys for later.

It's the beginning of apple and pear season and we can almost smell the aroma of fresh-baked apple pies wafting from the oven. Did someone say pie?! Who has the best pie recipe? Enter a recipe in the Neighborhood Fruit Pie Throwdown and win a Neighborhood Fruit branded apron and bragging rights for a year! The rules are simple: submit your recipe in the Recipes and Techniques forum between now and October 15th. Our expert pie baker will test the recipes at her top-secret location. Submissions will be judged on clarity of instructions, originality and flavor. Bonus points for creative recipe titles! The winners will be announced in the November Grapevine. So, pie makers, fire up your ovens!

Fruitfully Yours,
Kaytea and Oriana

    Fruit Label

  Avocado Smusher

Fruit Label

In honor of the start of avocado season, we're bringing you an Avocado Smusher! This frightful creature lurks around avocado trees, surreptitiously munching and smushing them under your very nose. Beware!

The monthly fruit label is provided to help you mark fruit that you share with others in the Neighborhood Fruit community! Print the label and afix it to the bag of fruit you've prepared for a fruit seeker or to identify a tree for U-Pick.

Don't have fruit to share? Download the desktop version just for fun!

We are always looking for label art submissions. Please contact us for guidelines - get famous and showcase your art within the Neighborhood Fruit community!

   Events

  Report on the Time for Lunch Eat-In!

On September 7, 2009 Neighborhood Fruit participated in the Eat-In at San Francisco's Civic Center. An Eat-In is part potluck, part sit-in and takes place in public gathering people to support a cause. The Labor Day Eat-In took place in almost 300 communities across the US to send a clear message to Congress: It's time to provide America's children with real food at school!

Check out the visual story about our experience. There was an abundance of delicious food, great activities for kids of all ages and informative speakers - Daphne Miller MD and Assemblyman Mark Leno. If you attended an Eat-in in your community, please share your pictures with us!

Add your event to our calendar!

   Recipes & Techniques

  Yes We Can, Pickle!

Hard Apple/Pear Chutney This recipe enables you to make something with early pears or apples. It also works well for windfalls, because you can cut out the bruised parts. (read more)

Basic Pickle Recipe This is our favorite pickle recipe! We like it best with brussel sprouts, but you can use it with most veggies. Share your variations with us! (read more)

Make Your Own Herb String This technique works well for most garden herbs. It works best with woody herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, sage and thyme. (read more)

Drying Peppers the Easy Way Too many peppers right now? Wanna save some for later? Here are some techniques to keep your mouth hot while the weather cools! (read more)

Don't forget to enter your favorite pie recipe in the Neighborhood Fruit Pie Throwdown! The winner will be announced in the November Grapevine. Share your recipes and kitchen ideas in our Recipes and Techniques Forum.