Locally Carei: Childhood job brings U-Pick experience to life
I was tempted to let you know how I applied my culinary chops to the cicadas, but I think I will wait another 17 years. However, I was just recently talking to Andrew Duda about the U-pick strawberries at their farm. This brought to mind memories of the Joe-pick days when I worked at the farm owned by the family of my childhood friend, Anthony Russo.
The summer of my junior year of high school, I worked for Russo’s farm in Tabernacle, New Jersey. It gave me an appreciation for the hard work of farmers and set up my work ethic for 25 years in the restaurant business. Little did I know, it was the start of my approach to food. I received a 7-week, 12-hour-a-day, 6-days-a-week training program on the farm as part of farm-to-table concepts.
My day was typical farm work. Every day, we packed corn. It was the heart of the farm. I would work along the side of the Puerto Rican farm hands, listening to their stories and learning Spanish; mainly curse words. The highlight was our morning break, which was wonderful. Mrs. Russo would bring us juice and her homemade baked goods like cinnamon rolls, cookies or her awesome strawberry rhubarb pie.
After the corn was packed and loaded, we headed off to the fields. As a farm hand, my chores were varied, planting crops, hauling vegetables, driving tractors, getting water for the workers, and, of course, picking. We picked green beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers, peaches and the most memorable watermelon. Joe-pick watermelon was done in a line of three or four guys and we would throw them to each other assembly line style, from the field to the truck. I found out the hard way to make sure you do not look away for a second. My dislocated jaw was clicked back in place by Anthony. Something tells me I wasn’t the first person to do this, nor the last.
I learned more in those seven weeks then any other thing that I did in life. It set the groundwork for all that I do today. If you wish to recreate my experience, just a few hours, I have listed some u-pick farms in the area.
A re-creation of Mrs. Russo’s strawberry-rhubarb pie that I used to serve in Caileigh’s Restaurant follows. A revengeful recipe of watermelon salad is also featured. To get recipes and farm tips from Russo’s, visit Anthony’s wife Melissa’s blog at www.Thefarmgirlgabs.com.
So if you want to get the feeling of working the local farm, you can visit these farms for a u-pick experience. Be sure to call ahead to see if you need reservations.
Duda’s Farms, Brownsville. You pick strawberries in late May and June.
Trax Farms, Finleyville, 412-835-3246 for strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins.
Simmons Farms, McMurray, 724-941-1490 for berries, flowers, peaches, apples.
Bednars farm, McDonald, 724-926-2541, includes hayride out to pick your own vegetables. Crops subject to availability.
Morris farms, Irwin, 412-370-3206, variety of crops.
Hillside, Mount Pleasant, 724-547-2693, strawberries.
TM Organic Produce, Saltsburg, 724-496-5509, variety of crops.
If you are in the traveling mood: Russo’s Farm Tabernacle, New Jersey, 609-268-0239
Strawberry rhubarb pie filling
1 1/2. cut up young rhubarb (about 1 pound)
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
陆 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon Juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 quart sliced fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces
1 egg white plus 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons sugar
Toss rhubarb, sugar, cinnamon and flour in a bowl. Stir in strawberries, lemon zest and juice and vanilla. Place in pie shell. Dot with butter. Cover with second crust, make vents in crust. Brush crust with egg whites beaten with water. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Pie crust recipe
2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
戮 cup shortening or butter
录 cup cold water
Sift flour and salt. Pull aside 1/3 cup and add to water.
Cut shortening into remaining flour until little beads form. Place water mix into middle of dough and pull in with fork. Don’t handle too much here.
Roll in ball and cut in half. Roll out first half by rolling pin to 10 inches. Place in bottom of pie pan. Roll second half for top of filled pie.
Watermelon and pickled
onion salad
Medium red onion sliced(1/2 slices or julienne)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
戮 cup vinegar
Half of a seedless watermelon
录 pound Feta or goat cheese crumbled
录 cup aged balsamic or reduced balsamic vinegar
Fresh pepper
Heat up vinegar and add sugar and salt, stir until dissolved. Add to the onions in a bowl or jar. Press onions so liquid is over onions. Let sit overnight in fridge. Cube or melon ball watermelon.
Toss with onions (drained of vinegar), pepper, and goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic.