First a word from the Lansdowne Landing: This month’s second Saturday Community PotLuck will happen on September 14, (not Sept 7 as previously posted). Visit their FB events page for more info. And don’t be a stranger. The whole reason for this monthly event is to make new friends in our big-hearted little community. Be there or be square.
Also on September 14: the new Burger Bank is opening in the former Avenue Deli. More details next week.
Now back to our normal broadcast.
Today we’re talking pears. A pair of pears: specifically the Asian and the Bartlett, both appearing now at LFM produce stalls. Still to come are the Boscs and the Seckels, but that’s for another time.
First the Asian. I remember when this curiously round brown fruit started showing up at local stalls…what the heck were these things? It took us a while to develop an appetite. But once we discovered the juicy snap and mellow crunch under that golden nutmeg skin, we ate them up…literally. The Japanese, it turns out, were ahead of the curve by about 3,000 years.
Despite their round shape and heft, Asian pears are not related to the apple. What they do have in common is that, like apples and unlike their European cousins, Asian pears ripen on the tree. And lucky for us, they can do that quite nicely here in the West. So when you buy, they are good to go. Eaten out of hand they are crunchy thirst-quenchers, but don’t stop there. How about baked into a maple-y good dessert crisp? Hopefully you stocked up on some of the superior syrup available last week at the Ridge Valley tent.
The ubiquitous Bartlett is what we see when we conjure up images of pears. Yellow and mellow, soft and sweet. But best to buy when they are still green, and bring them home to ripen on your kitchen counter. And be warned…this happens quickly and the window of perfection is fleeting. Once a Bartlett has gone from granny-apple green to sunny gold it needs TLC to keep it from bruising into brown mush. So eat ‘em up or find space in the fridge, where they can last for up to a week. As for good eats? There should be a warning label. A mouthful of perfect Bartlett coats your tongue like a rich liqueur…and you just might get a little dizzy. Best eaten sitting down!
Note: It is possible to actually booze it up on a Bartlett. If that sort of thing a-peels (see what I did there?) you might want to try the Pear Bourbon Smash. You’re welcome.
On other matters:
- Since many of you have asked: Potato Homestead will return later this fall.
- While the season is closing on sweet corn…
- …melons are still going strong. September is prime time for those dark green and incredibly sweet little Sugar Babies. Look for one with a good-sized yellow to brown spot on the bottom.
- My House Cookies is on vacation…they will return in two weeks.
Meanwhile…
In the Music Tent: Last Chance with Jack Scott and Ingrid Rosenback. Folk-roots fusion. Don’t ask me to explain…grab a snack and a chair at the Landing and just enjoy.
Artist of the Week: Arthi Aravind Art Arthi, who has a studio in our own Utility Works, is a world traveler whose flora and fauna, worked in mixed media and stunning colors, threaten to jump right off the canvass. Better bring your biggest bag.
Health & Beauty: Love Naturally skin and bath products
You can find all of the vendors for this week and the rest of the season by visiting our website or FaceBook page.
Also, pay a visit to the LEDC website to catch all the other happenings going on in ‘Downe not Dale.
BTW: Those eponymous tees are currently on sale at our Manager’s Tent…and more will be available at:
Arts on the Avenue on Sept. 22. Lansdowne’s annual and always fabulous festival. This year, our event is just one of the art events happening around the county, so also check out:
Delco Arts Week (Sept 21 – 28).
Finally…and final notice: Next week, Sept. 14, is Doggie Day! Parade your pooch with panache. Get there by 10:00 to get your place in the lineup.
See you there!
Terry Baraldi