MOTHER
LODE ORCHARDS
Produce Express is now offering varietal Apples from Mother
Lode Orchards, one of the many growers in the Apple Hill
Growers Association. If you have lived in this area for
a while, you are probably familiar with the Apple Hill region,
located just to the West of Highway 50 between Placerville
and Camino. The Apple Hill Growers Association was founded
in 1964 by local farmers. Up until that point, the region
was best known for Pears; however, pear blight in the early
60's all but wiped out the crop and the growers decided
to market the existing Apple crop as a means to continue
farming. The original Association consisted of 16 ranches.
Today it boasts over 50 ranches including Christmas tree
growers, vineyards and wineries and even a micro brewery
and has become a destination for both locals and tourists
to enjoy.
Mother
Lode Orchards is located on 63 acres in the heart of Apple
Hill. The orchard is one of the original apple orchards
in Apple Hill and the initial owner was one of the founding
members of the Apple Hill Association. The current owners,
Robert and Betsy Verzello and family friends, purchased
the Orchard last January. The have decided to farm organically
and have started the three year certification and management
process necessary to be recognized as an organic grower.
This is the first year that the orchards were not sprayed
with pesticides and they are quite pleased with this crop.
Mother
Lode Orchards has twelve varieties of Apples available during
the season, which begins in mid-September and will continue
through December. Some of the varieties are only available
for a few weeks, while others last longer. The fruit is
left on the tree as long as possible in order to develop
full flavor. This week we are offering two well known cooking
varieties, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious and two varieties
that are excellent for salads and eating out of hand, Winesap
and Empire. Coming soon-Fuji, Rome , Gala, Braeburn and
Liberty . Due to the proximity of Apple Hill, transportation
and storage costs are significantly lower and we are able
to offer these apples from Mother Lode Orchards at prices
significantly lower than our house varieties, most of which
originate from Washington.
- Golden
Delicious- golden yellow
apple, crisp flesh, mildly sweet. This is the apple most
often used for baking at the Apple Hill farms. 40#
case-$19.75
- Granny
Smith- green, crisp and
tart. Mixed with Golden Delicious to create sweet tart
flavor in baking. 40# case-$19.75
- Empire-
small, dark red apple with
creamy, tart flesh. Excellent for cider. 40# case-$21.75
- Winesap-
medium size, speckled red
apple, crisp, spicy flavor and aroma. 40# case-$21.75
Seasonal Produce
OCTOBER
VEGETABLES
Fresh
Herbs- Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano
Local
Tomatoes-Mixed Cherry, Vine Ripe and Heirloom
Potatoes-German
Butterball, Yellow Finn, Fingerlings, Yukon Gold
Kale,
Kohlrabi, Turnips, Beets
Brussel
Sprouts, Cabbages, Fresh Shell Beans
Escarole,
Arugula, Sunchokes
Artichokes,
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Chards
Pumpkins,
Sweet Potatoes, Yams
Winter
Squash-Butternut, Acorn, Banana, Spaghetti, Kabocha, Heirloom
varieties
Wild
Mushrooms-Chanterelles
OCTOBER
FRUITS and NUTS
Almonds,
Walnuts, Chestnuts, Pistachios
Varietal
Apples, Cranberries
Bartlett
, Asian, Seckel, French Butter and
Comice Pears
Lemons,
Valencia Oranges , Quince
Red,
Green and Varietal Grapes
Persimmons
and Pomegranates
Produces
Express carries a wide variety of items to enhance our selection
of fruits and vegetables. Dairy -
Whipping Cream, Buttermilk, Sour Cream, Eggs, Half and Half.
Olives-
Pitted Kalamata ( Greece
) and Mixed Harvest Olives ( California ).
Olive
Oil- Sciabica Extra Virgin
and Pure Olive Oil ( California ).
Sparrow
Lane Vinegars- ( Napa )-Apple
Cider, Champagne, Balsamic, Golden Balsamic, Zinfandel,
Cabernet and Red Wine.
Gourmet
Valley Specialty
Rice and Beans- ( Woodland
)- Vermont Cranberry, Marrow, Runner Cannellini, Garboncito
and Florida Butter Beans. Basmati, Carnaroli, Jasmine and
Wild Rice.
Nuts-
Cashews, Almonds, Pistachios,
Hazelnuts, Macadamia, Walnuts, Pine Nuts, Peanuts, Pecans,
Pepitas.
Dried
Fruit- Apples, Raisins, Peaches,
Pears, Cherries, Figs, Pineapple, Mango, Papaya, Apricots,
Mixed Berries, Blueberries, Dates, Sundried Tomato.
Decorative-
Palm Leaves, Ti Leaves, Bay
Leaves, Leatherleaf Fern, Edible Flowers, Roses, Pansies,
and Orchids, Mixed Confetti Flowers.
Dried
Herbs and Spices- Whole Black
Peppercorns, Crushed Red Chile Flakes, Whole Fennel Seed,
New Mexico Chile Powder, Paprika, Oregano, Sage, Anise Seed,
Whole Coriander Seed, Cayenne Pepper, Bay Leaves, Cinnamon
Sticks, Cumin Seed, Black Sesame Seed, White Sesame Seed,
Whole Nutmeg, Thyme, Whole Cloves, Ground Nutmeg, Whole
White Pepper
Perfect
Puree- ( Napa )-Strawberry,
Peach, Raspberry, Blackberry, Blood Orange , Mango, Black
Currant, Blueberry, Cherry, Pomegranate, Lychee, Prickly
Pear.
Vanilla-
Imported Tahitian Vanilla
Beans (4oz and 8oz ), Vanilla Puree (Pint),
and Extract (32oz ).
Wood-
Mesquite Charcoal, Wood and
Chips, Hickory and Apple Wood Chips.
