Thanks for joining us while we share what's happening on the farm this week. If you would like more information about our family farm, please visit KingOrchards.com. You can also shop for our Montmorency Tart Cherry Products in our King Orchards Online Store.
We invite your comments, questions and suggestions.
The King Family
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The strawberries are looking great. We should have them through the 4th. It has been a little hard keeping a constant supply of strawberries, but we are trying to keep up the best we can. The picking should become more consistent in the next couple days once it stops raining.
Jim brought in a couple cherries from the trees today and they look like they are coming along wonderfully. They still need a little time to get bigger and darker. We are looking at them being ready between the 10th and 15th of July.
Today is the first day for strawberries in the markets. They are beautiful and delicious and totally worth the wait.
Prices this year are $4 per quart; 11.00 for 3 quarts; 28.00 per flat of 8 quarts.
Fresh Michigan Strawberries
Tart cherry juice after a workout is the way many athletes ease muscle soreness. This triple hit of tart cherries, antioxidants, and protein is a great post-exercise treat.
Ingredients:
1 cup thawed tart cherries (canned tart cherries are an easy and less expensive alternative)
1 cup fresh or partially frozen strawberries
3 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 /2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt (or vanilla nonfat yogurt)
1 /2 cup tart cherry juice (1.5 tablespoons cherry juice concentrate)
2 Tablespoons honey
ground nutmeg
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except nutmeg in a blender and whip until smooth. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Makes 2 servings (approx. 1 1 /2 cup each)
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition Facts per 1 ½ cup serving: 227 calories, 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 g carbohydrate, 1 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 4 g fiber, 51 mg sodium; Daily Values: 5% vitamin A; 134% vitamin C; 16% calcium; 6%iron
0 comments Patty | Canned Cherries Recipes, Cherry Juice Recipes
Ingredients:
Cherry "Red Eye" Mojito
2 1/2 teaspoons super fine granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons tart cherry juice
12 mint leaves
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
1 ounce white rum
1/2 cup soda or seltzer water
Ice
Directions:
Place 6 mint leaves in a tall glass. Crush mint leaves with a muddler, or with the back of a spoon. Add sugar, tart cherry juice, lime juice, white rum and ice. Mix well. Finish drink with soda water and remaining mint leaves. Stir to combine and serve.
Yield: 1 serving.
For a subtle spice flavor add 1 cinnamon stick to the boiling water along with the tea bags. Discard the cinnamon stick along with the tea bags.
Ingredients:
4 cups boiling water
4 orange pekoe or English breakfast tea bags
1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute*
1 cup tart cherry juice (2 tbl. cherry juice concentrate plus 7 ounces water)
Directions:
Add tea bags to boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard tea bags; stir in sugar until dissolved. Stir in cherry juice. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Pour over ice in tall glasses. Makes 4 servings.
*Note: Follow package directions on sugar substitute, using suggested amounts to replace ¼ cup sugar.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition Information per serving: 84 calories, 0 g total fat, 21 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g protein, 0 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Daily Values: 0% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 2% iron
Nutrition Information per serving with sugar substitute: 74 calories, 0 g total fat, 18 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g protein, 0 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Daily Values: 0% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 2% iron
There are a lot of cherries on the trees, and all signs point to a good crop of both sweet and tart cherries. Our latest estimate is that sweet cherry picking will begin around July 10th, with tart cherries following a week to 10 days later.
Betsy and Rose expect to have strawberries in the markets beginning Monday. We still have wonderful, delicate & crisp asparagus available for the next few days, and also some tasty fresh spinach.
Montmorency cherry trees
Little green cherries, soon to be plump red cherries!
Ingredients:
1 c. apple juice
1/2 c. fresh apple chunks
1/2 c. Michigan Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
2 tbsp. croutons
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. dry white wine
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
6 pork loin chops, cut 1-inch thick
2 tbsp. cooking oil
In saucepan combine apple juice and apples; simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Add Michigan Dried Cherries and let stand 5 minutes; drain, reserving liquid.Combine cooked fruit mixture, walnuts and croutons. Stir together sugar, wine, lemon juice and ginger. Add to crouton mixture, tossing lightly to moisten. Cut pockets in fat side of chops, cutting lengthwise to bone.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of the stuffing mixture into each pocket. If necessary, use wooden picks to hold pockets closed. In large skillet brown chops in hot oil. Place chops in a 13×9x2-inch baking pan. Sprinkle chops with a little salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup reserved apple liquid to pan, adding water if necessary.
Bake chops, covered, in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Serves 6.
Ingredients:
For couscous:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
5 ounces whole-wheat couscous (about 1 cup)
For dressing;
1 tablespoon cherry juice concentrate
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons canola oil
For salad:
1/2 cup chopped dried tart cherries
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pistachios
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
Prepare couscous:
In a quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add couscous, stir, cover and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool.
Prepare dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together cherry juice concentrate, lemon juice and mustard. Whisk in oil until emulsified. Set aside.
Assemble:
Add dressing and remaining ingredients to the couscous and mix well. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info:
Calories 142, Total Fat g 6, Sat Fat g 0, Chol mg 0, Sodium mg 180, Total Carb g 21, Fiber g 3, Sugars g 7, Protein g 3
0 comments Patty | Cherry Juice Recipes, Dried Cherries Recipes
June 8th and Still cool here in Northern Michigan! I’ve noticed that my favorite way to cook asparagus is in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes. The added benefit of this recipe is that it warms up the kitchen. I have been making lots of asparagus soup also. Here is my favorite recipe Asparagus Soup
(Wolfgang Puck)
~2 lbs. Fresh asparagus cleaned and cut into 1” pieces
~4 C. chicken stock (or broth)
~1 sm. White onion, peeled and cut into chunks
~Salt and pepper
~1 pinch sugar
~1 c. heavy cream
~4 T. butter
Sauté onion in butter 1 minute. Add stock and asparagus, cover and cook just until tender, not mushy. Put portions into a blender with cream and blend until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Enjoy and pray for sunny days ! Betsy
Asparagus is in and great! Try these recipes
Sweet & Sour Asparagus
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. wine vinegar
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp salt
1 15oz can asparagus spears drained OR 1 lb fresh asparagus spears cooked until tender
Combine first 6 ingredients with 1/4 C. water in saucepan. Bring to boil-stir until sugar dissolves. Pour over asparagus: cool covered in refrigerator 6 to 24 hours. Garnish with hard boiled eggs.
Asparagus and Mushroom Quiche
1 Box Pillsbury pie crust
About 12 spears of asparagus; boil to cook until soft
1 large vidalia onion and a good hand full of any kind of mushroom
Saute onions and mushrooms in butter until soft
Add 2 packet splenda for sweetness
Spray bottom of pie pan with PAM. Line with pie crust. Add a layer of asparagus. Add mushroom and onions. Add a layer of white American cheese. I also added colby jack in small pieces. Add about 10 eggs (beaten). Add salt to taste and add to pie. Bake for about 1 hour- check often.
ENJOY! Betsy