harvest time

Garrison Kiellor talks about summer as being the only time that mid-westerners lock their car doors -- so people can't leave their excess squash in random vehicles. It is true that using produce can be somewhat of a challenge, especially if your plants or trees seem to have a mind of their own. When we recently had dinner at a friend's house, we weren't allowed to leave until we had each picked a full bag of grapefruit to take home. Most of them we ate for breakfast; however, I decided to get a little creative and try grapefruit sorbet. I love sorbet; it satisfies my sweet tooth but isn't fattening; it's refreshing, and so easy to make. Grab an ice cream maker and a sauce pan, and you're all set. For this particular recipe, I used honey instead of sugar, which changed the taste quite a bit and gave it an amber color. Feel free to use sugar if you don't like the taste of honey in your dessert (I did, but my husband tactfully suggested that I try it the "regular" way next time). Of course, it's best on a hot summer day.Grapefruit Sorbet
2 cups fresh grapefruit juice
3/4 cup -1 cup honey or sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

On medium heat, dissolve the cup of sugar in 1/2 cup of grapefruit juice (do not boil). Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into a bowl and add in the remaining grapefruit juice and lemon juice. Chill until cold. Taste, and add more sugar if desired. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze as directed.

early birds

Early arrivals to a party can be tricky. What do you do with them when they appear at your door, carrying a bottle of wine, an hour early? If you're like me, you put them to work, peeling, chopping, or some other last minute task. When we're talking about fruit after the long hiatus of winter, you welcome your guest with open arms. Don't get me wrong; rhubarb has its complications. The long, red stalks remind you of celery, but it is usually treated like a member of the fruit family. It's bitter, but that makes it a handy compliment to sweeter food. And when it shows up at the farmers market in early spring after the cold winter months, I put it to work. Like in this strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe. As long as it lasts, it's a very good guest at the table.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

3 cups strawberries, chopped
3 cups rhubarb, chopped
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter
Mix the strawberries, rhubarb and honey together and place in an 8x8 inch ungreased pan. Mix the other ingredients until crumbly and spread it over the fruit mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Serve with vanilla icecream or yogurt.

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