La Vigne

Spring Cleanse!

2010-03-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Recently I listened to a nutritional lecture. The speaker emphasized how matching a cleansing fast with the seasons is a great way to start trying detoxes. It makes sense... every time the season changes I get this renewed sense of productivity and excitement and that can go hand in hand with a detox.

The body builds up years of toxins, especially when you consider how we live in a fast pace lifestyle, mowing down whatever is in front of us in a stressful situation at work, at home, when we are bored, etc. Most informative sites I visit recommend cleansing quarterly, so again this spring cleanse is a great way to dive in and start.

The wonderul hot yoga studio in Encinitas, Yoga Tropics, will be hosting a FREE event tomorrow night to help you figure out any detox confusion. Here is a few words from them!

"This spring, forget about the house! Renew your energy, vitality, and optimal health by cleaning out your insides instead! Come and hang out with everyone at Yoga Tropics and listen to Barnet Meltzer, M.D. divulge the importance and ease of cleansing with the change of season. As the weather warms, we all want to be outside soaking up the sunshine, being productive, and feeling grand! And with Dr. Meltzer's help, we can avoid feeling anything less!"

So I hope to see you there! Click here for more information.

Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Time: 8:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Yoga Tropics
Street: 830 S Coast Hwy 101
City/Town: Encinitas, CA

Kumquat Tea Bread

2010-03-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

I love the smell of fresh baking bread in the morning. This bread is no exception, and actually brings back some nostalgic childhood memories of picking kumquats. If you love those little citrus fruits as much as I do, try this recipe out.

1 9 oz jar La Vigne Kumquat Conserve
1 cup of broken walnuts or pecans pieces
½ cup bakers small candied ginger piece
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium egg
2 TBSP oil
1 medium orange, juiced
Water as needed

Chop La Vigne Kumquat Conserve coarsely, and hold aside with nuts and ginger.
Put orange juice in measuring cup, add oil and egg & water until liquid ingredients are 1 cup. Sift dry ingredients.
Beat egg and blend with liquid ingredients. Add to the dry ingredients.
Do not over mix.
Pour in greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50 to 60 minutes and test with cake tester.

Kumquat Ginger Ice Cream

2010-03-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

Spring is approaching fast, and we've got one of the sweetest treats for you to try! Kumquat Ginger Ice Cream!

Equipment: Ice cream machine.

Ingredients:

1-1 /2 cups (12 ounces) whole milk

1-1 /2 cups (12 ounces) heavy whipping cream

1 /2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) sugar

4 large egg yolks

1 cup Kumquat Ginger Syrup, cold

1 jar (10 ounces) La Vigne Kumquat Conserve

Directions:

Place the milk and cream in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat to just below the boiling point. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly add about 1 cup of the hot cream to the yolks. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (about 170 F. on an instant read thermometer). Immediately pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Set the bowl into an ice bath and stir the custard until it is cold. Stir in the Kumquat Ginger Syrup.

Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.

Meanwhile, place the conserve in a strainer, rinse and pat the fruit dry. Remove any seeds and discard. Slice each kumquat into 4 or 5 pieces, and give the entire pile a rough chop.

When the ice cream has finished freezing, transfer it to a storage container and then stir in the chopped conserve. Cover and place in the freezer until needed.

(Makes 1 – 1 /2 quarts)

Olives and Olive Oil Class

2010-02-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Now this is cool! Being Italian, I really love olive oil. Pretty much everything that my family ever cooks has to have olive oil in it. Or as Racheal Ray says, "A little EVOO"!

In collaboration with The University of California Cooperative Extension and the San Diego County Farm and Home Advisor's Office, Slow Food SD invites you to join them for a short course on Olives and Olive Oil Production Strategies for Southern California . The course will be featuring internationally known olive and olive oil expert Paul Vossen.

February 27, 2010 8:00 AM

Click here for more details. See you there!

By Tracy

Raw Foods Dehydrating Class

2010-02-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

Delaney's Artisan Foods Market is hosting a class tonight, Wednesday February 17th from 5 - 6:30pm.

The class will be conducted by Colin Buchannan of Raw Revelations, one of great local gurus of whole and healthy foods! He will be showing how to dehydrate foods at 115 degrees or less and also show you how he makes his tasty kale chips.

The class is $25.00 and for more information on all the details, contact Delaney's at 760-277-8575. The store is located at 41955 5th St, Suite 101 Temecula, CA

Alive, Organic Chocolate Persimmon Rolls

2010-02-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

This is sure exciting. Living Tree Foods up in Berkeley, Ca has been using our persimmon fruit leathers to create a new chocolate treat. Read on to see how they do it!

"We begin with a sheet of organic and bio-dynamic certified persimmon leather and add a layer of California grown almonds, walnuts and sun dried raisins.We add cashews also and top it with raw chocolate to complete the filling.We then roll it ecstatically and dip the whole into our alive chocolate made from 100% raw cacao,carob, mesquite, lucuma, cacao butter and alive honey. We also add maca for energy.

Most raw chocolates out there use sugar in one form or another. I’m delighted to say that instead of sugar we use honey. Alive honey has powerful antibacterial properties and is even effective against antibiotic resistant bacteria. It is a complex substance containing over 800 compounds, little understood by conventional science."

Wow it sounds AMAZING. If you want to try them, click here and order some!

Have an Appetite for Kumquats?

2010-02-10T21:30:00.000-08:00

One of our best selling products is our kumquat piquant sauce. People always ask me how I like to use it. Well I'm going to share one of my super easy ideas that you can do for any occasion. You ready? It's really easy...

Take the cracker of your choice
Add your favorite cheese
Decide to add a slice of turkey
Dab on the piquant sauce
and WOW, it's a party on a plate

Enjoy!!

ChileCo Announces New Socials for 2010

2010-02-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

What is a social you might ask? The ChileCo Social is a gathering of a limited number of guests for the enjoyment of each others company while being treated to a five course meal. It is a wine and dinner pairing in celebration of artisanal goods, local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen.

Here is a picture of a beautiful social they held at The Beck Grove last year, it was so amazing. It was the first social I had ever been to, Helene was kind enough to invite me to participate at the long table! Everyone is wonderful, chatty, and so pleasant to be around, I won't ever forget that amazing experience.

Ok so the next social is in March and it's called "Water". Check out the menu, it looks so good!

“WATER”
March 21^st at 6:21pm
Catalina Offshore

Our first Social of 2010 embraces the element of water. And what could be more fitting than discussing the sustainability of the Oceans at Catalina Offshore. Amongst many a surprises – we will get down n’ intimate with Uni, experience a blind sake tasting, spoon up some off the charts grub and as always – dine to the flicker of 1,000 candles. The experience exceeds any preconceived notations and will sure leave you awestruck and inspired! Spaces are limited – reserve your place today!

The March Social Menu “Water”
Artesian Wine Pairings by Holiday Wine Cellars & Blind Sake Tasting

Libations

Bluewater Iced down Melancholy of the Sailor Sort

Beginners

Pacifico Chef Scotty’s seasonally Organic Innovations of Bluefin, Caviar, Ebi & More

Amuse Bouche

the Cure Chef Scotty’s Sampling of Salt Cured Fishies

1^st Course

Unified Thai inspired Uni Risotto with Diver Boat Sea Scallop on Lemongrass Kabob

Intermezzo

Entrée

It’s a G-thang! Gingerized pan-seared Grouper, Tandori Béchamel, Wok’d Garbanzo Minestra

Dessert

Pink Panther Pink Pepper-White Chocolate Crème Brulee with Fennel laced Shortbread

Do You Hear Cupid Calling?

2010-02-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

Cupid called and wanted to remind me that although chocolate is oh so divine, not everybody wants that for Valentine's Day! If you have a health conscious sweetie, consider a mindful gift basket filled with 100% organic and biodynamic goodies like sweet dried persimmons, zesty salsas, and fresh exotic fruit...

There are many baskets available, and we can custom make one with any of our products. My personal recommendation is is this little beauty right here!

Basket consists of

Dried Persimmons

4 Fruit Leathers

Blood Orange Syrup

Persimmon Chipotle Sauce

Persimmon Salsa

$20. Plus Shipping

Perfect for the healthy snacker! These dried persimmons are my favorite in between meal bite, absolutely guilt free and naturally so sweet.

If you'd like to send your sweetheart some of our organic treats, let us know and we'd be happy to hand write a card as well.

One last tip! For a delicious addition to your glass of champagne, drizzle the kumquat conserve in the bottom of your glass, add half a kumquat, and it's absolutely out of this world.

Slow Food San Diego Event!

2010-01-31T16:39:00.000-08:00

Road to Healthy Meals in Our Schools with Chef Ann Cooper

Meet the leader of the School Lunch Revolution, Chef Ann Cooper, a.k.a. "The Renegade Lunch Lady" and author of Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children. Chef Ann is on a mission to ensure that every child in America receives healthy, delicious food every day in school. Hear her thoughts on how San Diego area schools can make simple, yet significant changes to improve lunch programs. Pre-lecture reception with local food artisans and community food groups 6-6:30 PM. Co-presented by Slow Food Urban San Diego and Whole Foods Market

Thursday, February 18, 2010; 6:30-8 PM

Advance registration recommended.

$5 per person

For more information or to register, contact 619/255-0203 or visit http://www.sdnhm.org/education/lectures.html

San Diego Natural History Museum
1788 El Prado
Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
619/255-0203

Harvest Ranch

2010-01-29T16:47:00.000-08:00

Guess what? La Vigne is going to be in Harvest Ranch very soon! We love Harvest Ranch, they have such a great variety of gourmet foods you can't find just anywhere. And you know what else that means, I'll be doing demos there too! Stay tuned for more info and I'll be sure to fill you in when I'll be sampling our awesome condiments!

La Vigne to speak at Quail Gardens Festival

2010-01-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

By now, everybody is familiar with the term organic. However the general public is still very unaware of biodynamic agriculture. La Vigne will be giving a lecture on the fundamentals of biodynamics, sort of an introduction if you will.

The lecture will be taking place during the Quail Botanical Gardens Tomatillo Festival in late March.
Stay tuned for more details on the time and date!

Foodies On Foot- Little Italy San Diego

2010-01-28T16:42:00.000-08:00

Want to get an insider's view of the Mercato and of other nearby artisan food businesses? Laura Massoni Travel is offering Foodies on Foot Tours every Saturday in February. Destinations will vary but they all start with a tour of the Little Italy Farmers' Market. On February 6th, the tour will also include a gelato-making lecture (with samples, of course), and bread, cheese, coffee and chocolate demos. Tickets are available at Foodies on Foot Reserve now!

Two for One...

2009-12-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

Sale going on NOW! Click here to buy or read more about the persimmon products!

Slow Food SD Holiday Dinner

2009-12-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

Only a few days left to get tickets!

"Celebrate the Season and the Terra Madre with Slow Food San Diego!

Enjoy an artisanal four-course Holiday Dinner with fresh, local, organic fare prepared by world class Stone World Bistro & Gardens Chef Jason Seibert. The evening features a guest speaker and a video of prior 2009 events including the Terra Madre Conference.

Terra Madre is an international network of food producers, cooks, educators and students from 150 countries who are united by a common goal of global sustainability in food. The "food communities" of Terra Madre come together biennially to share innovative solutions and time-honored traditions for keeping small-scale agriculture and sustainable food production alive and well.

Tickets are $65, including one drink, tax and gratuity."

To buy tickets, click here.

Biodynamic Wines for Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T22:30:00.000-08:00

"How about a bottle of green wine for your Thanksgiving dinner table?

For the sake of the environment as well as for the quality of their wines, winemakers around the world are returning to farming practices that resemble those of the Pilgrims. That means no pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Instead, wineries are composting and using natural means of supplying the vines with nutrients. Pests are controlled by free-range chickens roaming the vineyards and swallows flitting through the air, eating bad bugs."

This is a snippet from a great article about wines for your Thanksgiving table! Definitely read the whole thing here.

My favorite organic and biodynamic wines I have had are Bonterra (Organic) and Quivira (biodynamic).

It was very inspiring visiting Quivira's vineyard in Sonoma. I bought a bottle recently, brought it home for friends, and got nothing but love in return.

Look how beautiful the grapes are! MmmMmmM...

So impress your guests with some organic wine this year! And also try it with our kumquat conserve. You just put half a kumquat in the bottom of the glass and fill her up! It never fails to please.

Happy Entertaining!

Slow Food San Diego Lecture

2009-11-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

This lecture is part of the Sustainable Planet: Food Lecture Series. Advance registration recommended.

Sustainable Agriculture: A Necessary Transition

Lecture: With a growing human population, climate changes, water insecurity, erosion of good soils, peak oil, and dramatic losses in biological diversity all upon us at once, how will we feed ourselves tomorrow?

Tuesday, December 1; 6:30–8 PM
$5 per person

Lecture with Erika Lesser, Executive Director of Slow Food USA

To register, go to: https://tickets.sdnhm.org/public/ and click on "Lectures & Films"

Fresh Fuyu Persimmons are in Season!!

2009-10-15T00:22:00.000-07:00

Finally it's here! Fall always means one thing on The Beck Grove.

PERSIMMON SEASON!

Beautiful and delicious persimmons are ready to order today! Aprox. 10lb box.

We will also have the dried slices available in about 2 weeks.
Stay tuned, they are one of our best sellers!

Pumpkin Soup with Mexican Cinnamon Creme Fraiche

2009-09-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, nobody wants to be thinking about this yet.... and if you are anything like my mother, you will have faith in your culinary skills and can just "wing it" with a new recipe the day of a big event.

But if you're anything like me, you will want to try it out first and make sure you are capable of pulling it off, not to mention quenching your curiosity as to what it will taste like. That is why I decided to share this story with you now, just in case you are apprehensive about making a new recipe on an important day.

A few years ago for Thanksgiving, my mother made a pumpkin soup that called for a chipotle puree. What a challenge that was to find! She could not find a chipotle puree anywhere. Not even knowing who La Vigne was, we were shopping at Jimbo's and stumbled upon this persimmon chipotle puree. Well it worked wonderfully, and who knew that down the road we'd be selling it in our family's shop and I'd be telling you all about it!

Thanksgiving is coming up, and this recipe will be sure to please everyone at the table. It's perfect since the persimmon puree is already a rich pumpkin color, only adding to the beauty of this presentation. Be sure to order a jar of the chipotle puree and try the recipe this year. Everyone at our table was delighted, not to mention impressed.

If you decide to give it a try, let me know how you like it!

Mesa Grill's Pumpkin Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 stocks celery, coarsely chopped
7 cups vegetable stock, or water
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not flavored pie filling)
1/4 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon, plus 1 teaspoon (canella)
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons chipotle puree (substituted with the persimmon chipotle puree)
3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish: 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions:
Heat the butter in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a clean medium saucepan and whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth. Bring to a simmer and add the 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, spices, honey and chipotle. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add water, if the soup is too thick.

Remove from the heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix together the remaining creme fraiche and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon until combined. Divide the soup among 4 bowls and garnish with the cinnamon creme fraiche and a handful of pumpkin seeds.

Good Luck!

La Vigne products can be found in our local grocer's such as Major Markets, Jimbo's, Frazier Farms Vista, Delaney's, and soon to be in all San Diego Harvest Ranch Locations. Contact us for stores in your area that carry it, or buy it online.

www.lavignefruits.com

Strawberries and Free Speech

2009-08-06T23:36:00.000-07:00

Two things happened during my demo at Jimbo's recently. One was great, and one was disturbing. I think I will write about the good one first.

I discovered a wonderful way to serve our Persimmon Chipotle Sauce. I poured it over cream cheese and spooned a little on a cracker. Then I set a sliver of strawberry on the side next to the cheese and voila! It creates the most simple and beautiful presentation. You could use brie also, or any cheese that is mild.

This is the perfect thing to serve during the summer into fall transition. The bright white from the cheese, red from the strawberry, and orange from the sauce are sweet colors for this time of year! Try it for a great snack or to give your guests when you have company. It was fabulous.

Now... while I was in the store discovering this beautiful combination, I kept over hearing the shoppers talking about a very offensive man outside, bashing Obama. This rippled into the store and customers were getting very riled up, making complaints to Jimbo's' staff. I got curious as to what was going on, so I pretended to make a phone call outside and did a little observing. (I want to point out that I quickly realized I had to pretend to be on the phone or they would have harassed me too).

It was actually quite extreme! It appeared to be a father and son with a little booth set up and a large picture of Obama sporting a Hitler mustache. There was another poster with a picture of Bush and Obama that said "Dumb and Dumber". They had lots of literature and pamphlets and things to give out as well.

This duo was very pushy and did not let one person (nor employee) walk by without attacking them with one of their many "pick up lines". They must have had 100 different things to say to get someone's attention. These things were highly offensive, illogical, and down right ridiculous. And as I sat observing I was amazed at how many different jaw dropping comments they could come up with to toss out at the passing shoppers. They are creative, I give them that.

Apparently they were there all day, for hours and hours. Now I believe in free speech of course, but I also believe in tact, and this lacked it to the say the least. I questioned why one would need to be so offensive to get their point across, and wondered how many people that could really work with.

So then I started thinking about how maybe they were being so rude because nobody would pay attention to their antics to begin with, so they blurt out these ridiculous things to get someone riled up and start a debate. Now the basic Jimbo's shopper is passive and "organic" minded and therefore most simply said a few words about how they didn't appreciate the disrespect and moved on. But some of the things they were saying could stop a person in their tracks and cause quite an argument. Maybe that was their only chance of being heard?

What do you think?

I could understand it must be hard to be ignored if your ideas go against the grain, and I respect one's decision to speak out, even if their thoughts seem far fetched. But in my opinion, it should be done more tactfully. Why did it disturb me so much? Maybe I felt a little saddened to see the father having gotten such a strong hold over his son's ability to reason on his own. Or maybe one of my pet peeves is illogical thinking. This kind of thinking happens everyday, but I guess it's easy to forget it's going on until someone reminds you.

What are your thoughts on free speech and when do you feel it crosses the line? Or is there even such a thing as crossing the line at all when the subject is free speech? What tactics work best when getting your message across, and is it really necessary to resort to this kind of behavior? And last but not least, how do you reason with someone unreasonable - do you just let it go or do you stand up for your side of things?

It's sort of like the old (greatly debated) saying "any publicity is good publicity".

By Tracy Kinnaman
www.lavignefruits.com

Delaney's Artisan Foods Market

2009-07-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, July 25th from 10-1
I will sampling our condiments at a
wonderful new store in
Old Town Temecula.

Delaney's is a store that has captured a very important concept in its walls. They are here to help small local groves like us, find conscious consumers like you. All of their produce is guaranteed to be sourced and grown within 15 miles away. Basically the idea is to be like a farmer's market, but available everyday, instead of the once a week slot usually offered. With that said, they have much more than just produce- like popcorn, chips, honey, and local artist works.
This Saturday is a great time to come check it out. The Old Town Temecula Farmers Market meets from 8-12:30 right down the street from Delaney's, so you can stroll through on your way to come try our persimmons and kumquats. Here are some of the items the market vendors sell on Saturday mornings:

Avocados • Breads • BBQ • Crepes • Cheeses • Cut Flowers • Donuts • Exotic Fruits • Farm Fresh Eggs • Fresh Vegetables • Fresh & Smoked Fish • Handmade Soaps • Hats • Herbs • Honey • Kettle Corn • Local Artists • Lotions • Music & Entertainment • Natural Pet Foods • Nuts • Olives • Sauces • Tamales

Mmm tamales.....

Oh there is also a really cool spice store right next to Delaney's called The Old Town Spice Merchants. They have the coolest selection of loose teas and every spice you could EVER EVER EVER want, available for purchase in tiny amounts too! For someone like me who cooks for 1, well it's what I always look for :)

Delaney's is located at 41955 5th Street, Suite 101, Old Town Temecula, Ca

Cucumber Madness

2009-06-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

Here on the Beck Grove, Helene's garden is off the hook!

There are cucumbers everywhere, and luckily, I get to take a few home too.

Now one of my favorite things about the cucumber is how guilt free I feel when I prepare it. I mean, cucumbers are 95% water, so in the summertime it's great hydrating snack.

However, does the summer make you think about anything else??? For me it does... it makes me think of the county fair. And rightly so, the county fair makes me think of none other than a variety of fried foods which have no place in nature being fried.

So in celebration of the vice we all tend to fall victim to this time of year, I experimented with a little fried cucumber recipe of my own! It's extremely easy to do, and they were delicious. Oh and they cost a fraction of the price of fair food $$$.

Slice the cucumbers
Soak them in slightly salted water for at least a half an hour
Pat them dry
Dip them in egg
Dip them in seasoned bread crumbs
Drop into pan of hot oil, fat drippings, or deep fryer
Brown on both sides

ENJOY!!!

Now if only I could get the fair to deliver a private ferris wheel to my house... Hmmm....

By Tracy Kinnaman

Permaculture - Take it Abroad and Bring it Back Home

2009-06-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

This is a difficult subject for me to write briefly on. I have been increasingly more interested in permaculture lately and I would love the opportunity to go abroad and help create a sustainable solution for a struggling community. I respect the way in which this concept seeks to solve economical problems as well, not just set up and abandon the freshly planted system, but find lasting solutions to a continuing independence.

"Permaculture is an ecological design system for sustainability in all aspects of human endeavor. It teaches us how to build natural homes, grow our own food, restore diminished landscapes and ecosystems, catch rainwater, build communities and much more."

The principles involved in permaculture are ones I think everyone could use. We should slow down, stop, and think about the way we solve problems in this day and age - and the repercussions of our actions and what we're leaving behind.

The first step in planning the development of an ecosystem is to take the time to engage in nature and interact with the natural progressions in that certain area. Since we already live in a developed nation, we don't really take the time to look around our natural surroundings and question our methods of living and if they are harmonious with the environment in which we are forcing a certain way of life. Why do we accept the status quo?

I know I am always saying, "Do I really need blackberries in winter?" Or can I wait for Summer when the conditions here at home provide a natural growing environment for them. Do I indeed live in southern California, a desert, yet watch the sad amounts of rain that fall here, run away into gutters, lost forever?

There are so many countries that are in need of help setting up basic methods of survival, and I feel so helpless over here. But for now I should to try to do what I can while I am home. Hopefully someday I can affect someone else. Even if it's just one of my friends or neighbors, or an entire community abroad.

I believe in the power of 1.

By Tracy Kinnaman

Bottle Shock

2009-05-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

On a 12 hour flight across the Pacific a few months ago, I had the pleasure of my very own mini TV screen. Filled with games, shopping, and videos, I picked out a movie I'd never even heard of: "Bottle Shock".

The movie appealed to me right from the get go. Beautiful scenery of an idealistic lifestyle, an attractive lead actor, and a subject I've grown quite fond of in recent years - wine! Set in the 1970's, this film was based on a true story of a California winery clawing for survival when it's put to the test against the unbeatable French wine. The battle between old and new traditions and expectations (French vs California wines) reminds me of a modern day "competition" forming on our grocery shelves today.

Organic & biodynamic, or traditional wine? Which is better? What are the costs, health benefits, environmental findings, etc? I think we've all heard that organic wine will lighten up your hangover because there are no added sulfates. Sulfates are supposedly what contribute to the headache of a wine hangover.
I am not a wine connoisseur, so when I say that I can not taste a difference in organic or regular wine, I guess it does not hold much merit. But that being said, I see no reason why not to buy the organic, save myself a headache, and support those trying to get back to nature. It's a beautiful thing.

Other deeply rooted traditions are taking change in the wine industry as well. You might have noticed the increasing number of wine bottles with a screw top instead of a cork. I can't tell you the joy this brings me personally, working in the restaurant industry, even as most scoff at the idea. Apparently it is a growing trend for many reasons.

Cork is at a shortage. More importantly, screw tops keep the wine in tact with it's original flavor. Did you know that your wine might be "corked" 1 out of 10 times? This means that the cork interacts with the flavor of the wine, and often times you won't like the taste of the wine because of the cork, not because you are tasting the true flavor of the wine. Unfortunately it is going to take some time for the screw top to avoid the stigma of cheap. But keep in mind, when you drink a bottle of wine that is opened with a twist of the wrist, at least you aren't giving your taste buds a run for their money.

I admit it is sad to throw out such a loved tradition, especially the joyous sound of "pop" that occurs when you pull the cork out of the bottle, followed by the rich aroma of relaxation.

Keep up with the times, it's a changing world out there.

Written By: Tracy Kinnaman

Community Gardens

2009-04-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

Our close neighboring city Encinitas is petitioning for a community garden. I think it's really awesome. I decided to search for any others in the area and was discouraged to find only two gardens in all of San Diego and Orange County.

I hope Encinitas citizens pull through on this one, I'd be so curious to see how it comes together. The benefits of using space in this way have always made me intrigued, and a little jealous, that we have no community garden.

Every spring I tell myself I am going to buy a tomato plant, some herbs, some flowers.. start over again in my little patch of cement I call a back patio. Clear the weeds, repot the dead plants with new, and feel that I am giving and getting back. Buuuuut every year I find I just can't seem to pull it off.

I like the idea that for so many of us who yearn for a primal activity such as planting and picking our own food, yet fail to effectively do so on our own, can still partake in the learning and rewarding process of gardening. Which in actuality was a community activity after all.

It's enjoyable to think that we can get our kids outside to see the cycle of life as it relates to what we put in our body, and let them firsthand experience the gift the soil can provide. Show them how caring for something, or not caring for something, can breed very differentiating results.

I could see there being some downsides to this idea of a shared space, especially if neglected. However, the best town I could think of to pioneer this idea into a reality would be the city of Encinitas. There is already such a strong sense of community, shared especially with a love, appreciation, and respect for nature.

Let's give it a shot!!

By Tracy Kinnaman

The Lightbulb Goes On

2009-03-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

"Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems. The biodiversity found on Earth today consists of many millions of distinct biological species."

Here at La Vigne, we are all reading "The Creation" by E.O. Wilson. Helene has read it a couple times already, and thankfully has passed it on to me. After recently picking up the short book "Science and Spirituality" from a dingy shop in Singapore's Little India, I realize I love drawing upon the broken parallels between religion and science, and refocusing on the commonalities, more over, where we meet in the middle to move towards a common goal. This book is no exception and offers a mature approach to the proposition of setting aside some differences to focus simply on solving a problem.

Although I've just started "The Creation" myself, I can already tell its brilliance and enjoy the fact that it is not just a book for fellow biologists who toss around industry jargon, and leave out the novice laymen like myself in the process. No matter what one believes in regards to the creation of the earth, I feel it is never a waste of time to continue educating ourselves on controversial matters, especially when there is good at the heart of it.

The thing that most fascinates me as I further my learning on the biological processes of our ecosystem, is simply how we over look important tiny creatures who provide so much to the vitality of things like soil. Soil that we grow our food in...food that we consume. It's amazing to think about how everything works together so beautifully to work out the kinks of nature. And so sad to think we might be compromising that in our carelessness. I can see a bee or a butterfly, even those little rollie pollie's (pill bugs) that were so amusing to collect as a kid. But the biodiversity needed for rich and healthy soil is a lot more complex than meets the eye, and even those little micro organisms I don't realize exist are crucial to a thriving ecosystem.In most countries, farming takes up more land than any other activity. It is clear to see that agriculture and biodiversity are interdependent. In most cases, farming is destructive to biodiversity richness. Sometimes resources are exhausted, or foreign species are introduced and contribute to depletion of local organisms. I suppose you can not control everything, and by the laws of nature sometimes certain species may not be needed anymore. But conversely, it scares me to think about our modern contribution to the extinction of types of species we can not observe as obviously as we can a large mammal on the endangered list. It helps me put it in perspective by realizing 21 new species were added to the extinction danger list this year. One being the Cheetah.
Such a beautiful, amazing animal. Doesn't it sadden you to think that once it is gone, it is gone forever? But what I just have been so ignorant to until recently, is how those little ugly organisms and bugs and worms, are just as important. Even if we can't see them, even if they are not as majestic.

And we hem and haw over the beautiful creatures that are splashed on the news and in the San Diego Zoo, but what about everything else? I will admit I've scoffed at the crazy environmentalist who denies a traffic relief plan to save some sort of rare bug that will be harmed by a new road. But why would I be so quick to write them off just because the mainstream public doesn't care about the complexity of ecosystems? Well it's just easier that's why. But I guess I'm turning over a new leaf.

And I am still learning a lot about all of this, furthermore I am only in Chapter 1 of "The Creation". I write this blog from the perspective of the most uneducated consumer, realizing there is a lot to learn, and appreciating even more greatly the efforts of farms and groves to be biodynamically certified, as La Vigne has chosen to do.

By Tracy Kinnaman

Cupid can be Mindful

2009-02-05T14:14:00.000-08:00

Not all girls want chocolate this Valentine's Day.

If you have a health conscious sweetie, consider a mindful gift basket filled with 100% organic and biodynamic goodies like sweet dried persimmons, zesty salsas, and fresh exotic fruit...

There are many baskets available, but we personally put two new ones together just for this occasion!

Basket 1 consists of

Dried Persimmons

4 Fruit Leathers

Blood Orange Syrup

Persimmon Chipotle Sauce

Persimmon Salsa

$20. Plus Shipping

Perfect for the healthy snacker! These dried persimmons are my favorite in between meal bite, absolutely guilt free and naturally so sweet.

Basket 2 consists of

Fresh Blood Oranges

& Kumquats

Kumquat Ginger Syrup

Blood Orange Syrup

Kumquat Piquant Sauce

Kumquat Conserve

$30. plus shipping

Great for anybody, but absolutely perfect for the gourmet in the kitchen! Even just drizzled over pancakes, the kumquat syrup will tantalize your taste buds - that's a promise!

If you'd like to send your sweetheart some of our organic treats, let us know and we'd be happy to hand write a card as well.

And for the rest of us who will be hanging solo on V-day? I will be settling back at home relaxing with a glass of white wine. Helene taught me to drizzle the kumquat conserve in the glass with the wine, best idea yet! It is simply divine.

If you see cupid, tell him I say hello...

By Tracy Kinnaman

New Food Demos

2009-02-03T13:37:00.001-08:00

Announcement!

I will be doing La Vigne food demos two to three times a week at various San Diego locations including Jimbo's 4s Ranch, Escondido, Del Mar, and Carlsbad and Whole Foods La Jolla.

For details just contact me via email lavignefruits@gmail.com and come in for some samples of our innovative products!

By Tracy Kinnaman

Patience and Anticipation

2009-01-15T20:03:00.001-08:00

Have you eaten at a Slow Foods restaurants recently? Perhaps you have and you don't even realize it. I have been actively seaking them out.

A restaurant that abides by the slow food philosophy supports local and seasonal crops for their menus. The benefits of produce when it's local are cost, taste, and nutritional value. When in season, costs can be less because there is bountiful supply. The other thing I've been studying, is the idea that fruit is best picked ripe. When traveling great distances or across seas, the crop is most definitely picked much earlier than a ripe state, and since the nutrition comes from the stem of the living plant, you can see how the earlier picked, the less nutritional value. I am embarrassed to admit I had no idea.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the selection of produce in the grocery store. Do I really need to eat blackberries in the middle of winter? Or should I wait until they are in season and patiently anticipate the summertime flavor... From my point of view, the food really does taste a lot better when it's local and in season.

As with everything else, I guess there is a balance to integrating new purchasing habits into our lifestyles. I can't imagine just shunning all the wonderful options in front of me, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes, and less it seems like a sacrifice.

By Tracy Kinnaman

Dining Under The Stars...

2008-12-19T08:09:00.001-08:00

Recently we were the hosts to an outside dining event put on by ChileCo Catering. It was a beautiful display of people sharing good food, great conversation, and education.

I'd never been to a social like this. It was really fascinating to see total strangers coming together to partake in a similar love of artisan crafted, organic creations. I was also very impressed with the time and thought put into the decor of the table setting.

My mom, a designer for the past 20 years, has always been extraordinary in her attention to detail, so much that nothing ever seems to be able to stack up to something her or I could do.

Well I was so impressed! You started by walking through a path in the grove, lit by small covered candles. When you reached the event it was captivating for more than one reason. Laid out in one long single table, there was extra attention being paid to whether or not the chairs were even with each other, creating a perfect straight line (which I was very pleased with, there's that attention to detail - pride in one's presentation). The colors worked wonderfully with each other- romantic, fun, and festive at the same time. You felt as though you had stepped into another world far from the hustle and bustle of southern California.

And an added bonus? A live string quartet was sitting amongst the trees playing softly while we ate, drank, and were merry. It was so much fun, so delicious, and The Beck Grove was proud to have been host to such a presentation.

Written By: Tracy Kinnaman
www.lavignefruits.com
Photos By: Resolusean Inc.

Gifts, Ribbons, and Bows!

2008-11-05T08:12:00.000-08:00

Although we just updated some of the photos on our "gifts" page, I wanted to show more ways you can have the gifts sent! We have a variety of baskets, ribbons, and styles to suit whomever is on your list.

Christmas wrapping can be fun and filled with character to really spruce up the surprise of opening a Christmas Gift Basket!!!

These are great ideas for men's gifts too...

I sent my brother a sampler!

No matter what the occasion, we can customize the basket's contents, colors, packaging, and ship it off to be opened and enjoyed! Just let us you know your needs and...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Changing Seasons...

2008-10-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

I love the shifting weather towards a more noticeable fall season. When the local cafes start promoting pumpkin spice lattes, it reminds me that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching!

I wanted to share some delicious holiday recipes using our products. Please look through them and ask us for the beautiful full color recipe cards we can send you!

SUGGESTIONS:

La Vigne Kumquat Conserve – An alternative to cranberries or blend with cranberries.
Recipes: Kumquat – Cranberry Tea Bread, Kumquat Refrigerator Pie or
Quick Kumquat Inside-Out Cake

La Vigne Kumquat Piquant Sauce – Mix sauce with beets and butter– a pseudo- for Harvard beets
Recipe: Kumquat Layered Gel

La Vigne Persimmon Chipotle – A savory sauce on a California Turkey Sandwich
Recipes: Chipotle Rice with turkey

La Vigne Persimmon Salsa – Serve with chips as a snack or mix with green beans.
Recipe: La Vigne Salad Dressing

IF YOU NEED TO ORDER, PLEASE FAX, EMAIL, OR CALL US AT 760-723-9997.
THANK YOU!

Kumquat – Cranberry Tea Bread

1/2-Cup LA VIGNE KUMQUAT CONSERVE
1/2-Cup fresh cranberries
1 Cup walnuts or pecans
2 Cups flour
1/2-teaspoon baking soda
1-teaspoon baking powder
1 Cup sugar
1/2-teaspoon salt
1 medium egg
2 TBSP oil
1 medium orange, juiced
Water as needed

Chop cranberries, nuts and La Vigne Kumquat Conserve coarsely, and hold aside. Put orange juice in measuring cup, add oil, and then water until liquid ingredients are 3/4 cup. Sift dry ingredients. Beat egg, blend with liquid ingredients, and then add to the dry. Do not over mix. Pour in greased pan. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 55 – 65 minutes.

Kumquat Refrigerator Pie

1 Baked pie crust 9"
1 Regular 8 oz. Cool Whip
2/3 Cup La Vigne Kumquat Conserve
1 Can Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Lemon Juice

Beat condensed milk and Cool Whip topping. Add lemon juice and beat until thickened. Add La Vigne Kumquat Conserve. Pour in pie shell and chill in refrigerator for several hours. Garnish with mint leaves and kumquats from conserve.

Quick Kumquat Inside – Out Cake
1/2-cup sugar
1-tablespoon butter
1 egg
1-teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
2-teaspoon baking powder
1/4-teaspoon salt
3/4-cup milk
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 8-oz. jar La Vigne’s Kumquat Conserve

Heat La Vigne’s Kumquat Conserve and keep warm. Cream butter and sugar, add egg and beat. Sift all dry ingredients together and add to the butter and sugar, alternating with liquid. Mix briefly. Pour into a greased square pan (8x8). Pour heated Kumquat Conserve on top and add chopped nuts. Bake at 350 degrees until brown (about 30 minutes).

California Turkey Sandwich

4 oz Turkey
1 1/2 TBSP La Vigne Kumquat Piquant Sauce
1 TBSP Hollywood’s Safflower Mayonnaise
1 Slice sweet red onion
1 Leaf red leaf lettuce
Salt and pepper
Boutique bread (French or rye)

Slice fresh bread and cover both pieces with mayonnaise and La Vigne Kumquat Piquant Sauce. Add beef, salt and pepper to taste. Add lettuce and red onion. Serve with new potato salad.

Raspberry-Kumquat Layered Gel

3/4-cup La Vigne Kumquat Piquant Sauce
3 oz. Cream Cheese (1 package)
1/4-cup real mayonnaise
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2-cup powdered sugar
One 3oz. Package raspberry flavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/4-cup cold water
1 cup whipped cream

Dissolve gelatin with boiling water. Cool for 15 minutes. When cool, add La Vigne Kumquat Piquant Sauce and cold water. Blend thoroughly. Pour into a mold that has been rinsed in cold water. To set, refrigerate. Blend cheese, mayonnaise, nuts and sugar. Smooth the cheese mix on top of setting gelatin. Serve with game or fowl.

Persimmon Chipotle Risotto With Turkey

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen, thawed niblet corn
1/4-cup butter
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2/3-cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup La Vigne Persimmon-Chipotle Sauce
1 pound cooked turkey (cubed)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a blender or food processor, puree 1 cup of the niblet corn; set aside. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the butter, sauté the remaining 1/2-cup corn with the onion and carrot for 3 minutes. Stir in arborio rice; sauté for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid cooks away.

Stir in enough of the chicken broth to cover rice and vegetables. Cook and stir over medium heat until liquid cooks away. Repeat until all of the broth is used. Stir in La Vigne Persimmon-Chipotle Sauce and cook 10 minutes more, stirring frequently, or until mixture is nearly dry and the rice is tender. (If rice needs to cook longer, add more chicken broth and cook as above until tender. Total cooking time should be about 25 to 30 minutes.) Stir in turkey, corn puree and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook 2 minutes more, or until mixture is heated through.

La Vigne Salad Dressing

1/4-Cup La Vigne Persimmon Salsa
1/4-CupLime or Lemon Juice
2 TBSP Soy Sauce
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TBSP Jalapeno Pepper - seeded and diced small
1/4-Cup Green Onion - thinly sliced
1/4-Cup Flat Leaf Parsley - minced
Freshly ground Pepper to taste
2 TBSP Brown Sugar

Mix all ingredients together and toss with your favorite salad.

If you try any of these recipes, let us know how you liked them! Or suggest something new and we will try it too!

Did you know...

2008-10-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

that The Beck Grove has organic jujube?

Yum Yum!

Agriculture and Daily Life

2008-09-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

Recently I went to a discussion about the amazing innovations toward greener living. What I liked the best were the new school and community programs that were being integrated in to the daily lives of students and citizens.

For example, urban schools being designed and built, or even upgraded, are putting greenhouses or gardens on the roofs of the school buildings. Not only does this help reduce energy costs by adding building insulation, it provides an excellent learning experience for kids. They get to see first hand their relationship with food, the life cycle of plants, and how to care for and nurture something alive. These extensions of the science classes provide hands on learning and help show children the importance of the seasons as they can care for their own gardens all year. The best part? The food can be used in the cafeteria and the kids can eat the food they grew!

The other thing I really liked were these "community gardens". I really can't remember who it was or where, but there was urban park in between some tall apartment buildings. It was an awkward shape filled with grass that was rarely occupied. As an experiment they transformed it into a garden growing different crops and plants. It transformed into a place where the residents often communed there, tended the plants, neighbors actually talked. It really became a community again.

The grass just took up space, used a lot of water, and gave nothing back to the community. The garden added a lot to this lonely urban patch of land! How cool!

Simple Party Ideas

2008-09-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Helene made an appearance at a special event last weekend and showcased some of her products for the guests to enjoy.

Fallbrook's eco-friendly boutique At Home On Main Street hosted an open house featuring the actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. More than 100 people filtered through tasting organic wine and La Vigne Fruits, and the feedback was fabulous. Here's what they did and how you can easily create artisan, organic, and quick appetizers for any event or party...

Just buy a couple of blocks of organic cream cheese and open a bottle of kumquat conserve and kumquat piquant sauce. Simply pour the sauce over the block and serve with crackers. It's absolutely wonderful.

Next we opened a jar of persimmon salsa, put it in a nice bowl, and served with artisan tortilla chips. Another quick idea is to create a simple salad with the persimmon salad dressing.

All of the flavors of these ideas are so exotic and the perfect blend of sweet with savory. I think your guests will surely be impressed!

The feedback was so good that the boutique decided to carry the line of products for the customers. (See photo)

Kumquats Come In First!

2008-07-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

Pasta... entrée or dessert?

Well just ask The San Diego County fair, and they will tell you that our Sweet Kumquat Pasta Pudding is a first place delight either way!

Helene entered the recipe contest this year and came out with a sweepstakes! Want to try out the delicious dish for yourself?

Sweet Kumquat Pasta Pudding

4 egg yolks
4 TBSP melted shortening
3 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 lb. medium noodles, cooked & drained
1 cup La Vigne Kumquat Conserve
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 egg whites

Beat egg whites in a bowl. Add shortening, sugar, salt, & cinnamon. Mix well together.
Add noodles, La Vigne Kumquat Conserve, raisins, and walnuts. Mix again.
Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Fold them into the previous mixture gently but thoroughly.
Pour into a greased 2-quart baking dish.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until set and lightly browned on top.

Let us know if you like it!

La Vigne

2008-07-16T07:36:00.001-07:00

So now you know a little bit about how The Beck Grove started.

What about La Vigne? In 1994, with an abundance of crops that Helene couldn't bare see go to waste, she started La Vigne, which gives people the opportunity to taste the exotic and innovative flavors of her products (such as fruit leathers, preserves, and syrups). "So few even know what a kumquat is, I have read through thousands of cookbooks and developed delicious recipes using these unique flavors", Helene comments, "People are becoming aware that natural food is their best medicine, and I feel I can help in a small way through my farming practices." As a visionary, she takes unusual fruit without much market presence, and creates exciting and innovative condiments. The quality of the soil and its nutrients makes a considerable difference in the flavor of the food grown.

In the Beck home, cookbooks from almost every culture line the walls of the study. "I have merged a long-time interest in multi-cultural cuisine with a passion for nutrition and a lifetime of gourmet cooking into La Vigne products," Helene says. That, coupled with a commitment to ecology, has contributed to the development of La Vigne's distinctive line.

Helene Beck

2008-07-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

Meet Helene...

... an entrepreneur from Fallbrook, CA.

In 1982 the Becks moved from Los Angeles to Fallbrook to pursue a more healthy, rural lifestyle. They settled on an old avocado grove that was most definitely on the decline. Faced with the decision to revive the current trees or start new, Helene and Robert chose to make a fresh start with new crops.

The Becks decided that two main producers would be kumquats and persimmons. They wanted to bring these less conventional fruits to the public, and help familiarize the West with the Asian fruits. Filled with Vitamins A and C, the fruits can be used in so many ways other than the traditional (yet still scarce) uses seen in baking recipes. After testing the soil and beginning their new venture, slowly but surely The Beck Grove became certifiably organic and biodynamic, ensuring a closed system using all natural and historical methods to produce some of the sweetest blood oranges, kumquats, persimmons, and 12 other types of fruit crops as well!

The idea of living in an agrarian cycle every year was an appealing one, and they have embraced organic living ever since. Helene describes it in a refreshing way, "Seasons come and go and it's so exciting to see new crops develop each year. The process is invigorating and keeps us youthful."