Jam-Packed Summer

Some of my sunniest childhood memories are of lazy summers spent at my grandmother’s home, out in the Russian countryside. In her vegetable garden at the back of the house, I fearlessly taunted the dog from the safety of my playpen, chased imaginary critter friends through the tall grass, and gorged myself on her home-grown, sun-ripened fruit, veggies, and berries. I’m four or five years old, a scarf tied babushka-style around my head, out alone among the sleepy drone of insects. The early afternoon sun beats down on my shoulders; the red berry beckons on its pretty green leaf, just barely ready for picking, still translucent at the base and framed by delicate white flowers. I pull at it carefully, ready to let it drop in my basket, yet it somehow ends up in my mouth instead, an aromatic and slightly tart burst, sticky strawberry juice staining my fingers and the yellow cotton of my sundress.

Idyllic, maybe, but nearly three decades later and halfway across the world, this experience was one I wished to recreate for my own son – and myself. As we have no friendly babushka nearby willing to let us roam her strawberry patch, we turned to the next best thing: pick-your-own berry farms, where you get to load up on as many sweet, organically-grown fruit and berries as you can gather. There are numerous around the Bay Area, with offerings ranging from peaches to pumpkins. I was after that classic summer gem, the strawberry – because no matter how well-versed you are in urban farmers’ markets, there is nothing like the fragrance and flavor of a berry plucked right off the stem.

Our destination was Swanton Berry Farms, in the quaint little town of Davenport about 65 miles south of San Francisco. The farm’s fields teem with organic strawberries, olallieberries, blackberries, and even kiwis for picking, and the proprietors pride themselves on their land-respecting farming methods that produce incredibly flavourful berries – the Chandler variety with its complex notes is the standby favorite. We were early in the season but that didn’t thwart my three year old, who quickly grasped the concept of the tummy being the most efficient picking vessel. The coastline winds soon got nippy, so we cut our picking session short and headed to the charming Farm Stand barn, a nostalgic mishmash of vintage books, games, and funky memorabilia as well as farm-fresh jams, desserts and other berry-themed goodies, complete with an old-fashioned honor till. A good part of an hour was spent snuggled up in the well-worn couches with mugs of hot strawberry cider and homemade shortcake, a cloud of tangy preserves, fluffy biscuit, and whipped cream. Some fantastic jams were a parting souvenir, along with whatever strawberries actually made it into our containers.

There are more U-Pick options for berry lovers. For a closer-to-home jaunt, head out to Portola Valley where the Webb Ranch offers up assorted certified organic berries, as well as tomatoes, corn, squash, and more, depending on season. The family-run ranch also boards horses, with lessons and rides available should you fancy a gallop. A bit of a road trip away in Watsonville, strawberries, boysenberries, and apples, along with homemade pies await on the Gizdich Ranch. And for a full day of farm-hopping, Harvest Time, an agri-tourism organization in Brentwood, puts out an annual trail of over forty east Contra Costa County farms growing everything from fruit and vegetables to olives, herbs, and even Alpacas (those sadly aren’t for picking, but you can buy some cuddly garments). The U-Pick season dates differ by produce, and will vary based on conditions, so be sure to check with the farm before going.

Berry picking is an experience, so make a day of it: pack a picnic, admire the surroundings, and prepare to get your hands dirty. After all, even the most grown up of us need a step back now and then, to being little, barefoot and sticky-handed, in the sunshine of grandma’s garden – at least for an instant.

Wondering what to do with all that gleaming berry goodness once you’ve gotten it home? By far most preferable is to gobble them up fresh, perhaps with a dollop of clotted cream or crème fraiche, topping your breakfast waffle, or sliced up on some baby spinach with a bit of goat cheese and balsamic drizzle. But if they’re starting to look slightly worse for the wear, one of my favorite ways to cook them up is in this ridiculously decadent roasted strawberry, chocolate, and brie sandwich, courtesy of the brilliant Jessica of “How Sweet it is”. Strawberries. Cheese. Bread. Chocolate. Need I say more?

Roasted Strawberry, Brie and Chocolate Grilled Cheese

makes 2 sandwiches

6 strawberries, quartered

1/2 teaspoon canola oil

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter

4 thick-cut slices of multigrain bread

2-3 ounces of brie cheese, sliced

1-2 ounces high-quality chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss strawberries with oil and salt, then spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Butter the sides of two slices of bread, place them on the skillet buttered-side down, then layer on a few slices of cheese, chocolate and strawberries. Top with a few more slices of cheese, then butter one side of the other bread slices, and place on top of the cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has started to melt, then gently flip the sandwich and cook until golden. Serve immediately!

Kate Missine is a domestic diva, shopping addict, and worshiper of all things delicious. When she’s not chasing after her toddler son, Kate can be found stirring things up in the kitchen, scouring grocery aisles for strange ingredients, or indulging in much-needed retail therapy. She holds a B.A. in Communications and Publishing and accepts pastries and shoes as currency. 

By Kate Missine