Pumpkin Engraving: Last day is Tuesday, September 1

U-Pick: Raspberries and Blackberries Open

If you've ever seen a passion fruit vine with its stunning flowers composed of white petals and purple and blue-colored corona filaments, you might believe that this fruit is named for romance. I had thoughts along those lines, but alas, how wrong I was! Passiflora edulis is native to Brazil, but long ago escaped its borders and traveled to other tropical parts of the world. But it was in South America that the fruit came to be known as passion fruit when Jesuit missionaries employed the vine's flower as a tool to teach about the crucifixion of Christ, known as the Passion. Each component of the flower came to represent an aspect of the passion story: the three styles represent the three nails, the five stamens the five wounds, the barbed corona is the crown of thorns, and so forth. Even the flower itself is known in Spanish as Flor de las cinco lagas, or flower of the five wounds in English.

When asked for a flavor description of passion fruit, I often fumble for words. It's both sweet and tart, tropical and citrussy, crunchy and syrupy, with a distinct aroma that leaves a tingling sensation of refreshment. Pretty unique, to be sure. Pictured above, you can see the passion fruit's seed-filled pulp is a vibrant orange wrapped in a dull purple shell. The easiest way to eat it? Cut your passion fruit in half and grab a spoon. Scoop out the pulp and deposit directly into your waiting mouth! (A grapefruit spoon works even better.) Additional options include spooning passion fruit on yogurt or vanilla ice cream. Others have used it in evening cocktails or with their morning granola. (See recipes below). In the end, however, it's not where you scoop it so long as you truly get the scoop on how delightful it is! Looking for a new treat? Look no further...passion fruit is it!

This week we'll be harvesting a new bed of corn - plenty for the stand. Radishes are still around but will likely sell out this week with an interlude before the next crop. We're growing a new version of green salanova with an oak-shaped leaf. It's still tender like a baby lettuce and long-lasting like all salanova heads. All the favorites will be in Tuesday: broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, and zucchini! Celery is beautiful right now, as is bok choy. We've got tomatoes galore! More apples to come from Cirone Farms. If you like tart apples, go for the Braeburn. Golden Delicious is much closer to sweet, yet with a little tartness for fuller flavor. Watermelons - big and small - are ripe and ready. Passionfruit is just beginning its season, and it's starting with a bang - gorgeous, tasty fruit pulp! You will continue to find murcott mandarins and juicy Valencia oranges. We should have a few grapefruit, to boot. Speaking of boots, why not get your boots on the ground and visit the farm?!

-Eileen

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Harvest Bag

all for $25

____

Fourth of July Tomatoes

Bok Choy

Red Cornitos Peppers

Green Beans

Radishes

Persian Cucumbers

Green Salanova Lettuce

Carrots

Blackberries

The Blushing Cuban: A Passionfruit Raspberry Cocktail

serves 2

Ingredients

• 3 Passionfruit
• 8 Raspberries
• 80 ml Golden Cuban rum (I like Havana Club Añejo Especial)
• 40 ml Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

To garnish

• 2 fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Slice each passionfruit in half. Scoop the seeds & pulp into a sieve placed over a bowl. Stir the fruit with a metal spoon to extract the juice
2. Add the raspberries to the juice and squish with a muddling stick (or the end of a rolling pin)
3. Put a handful of ice into a cocktail shaker and strain in the passionfruit & raspberry mixture
4. Pour the rum and raspberry liqueur into the shaker, put on the lid and shake well for 30 seconds
5. Pour into 2 cocktail glasses and garnish with a fresh raspberry
6. Serve immediately

Thanks to https://www.littlesugarsnaps.com/

Raspberry & Passion Fruit Greek Yogurt Granola

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 3-4 tbs of your favorite breakfast granola
• 2 tsp pistachio cream (optional)
• 1 passion fruit
• 10 raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tbs chopped pistachios

Directions

1. Put Greek yogurt in a bowl, add a few tablespoons of granola and a teaspoon of pistachio cream (optional!).
2. Slice open the passion fruit, scoop out the pulp and put it on the granola and yogurt. Add raspberries and a few chopped pistachios. Serve.

Thanks to https://www.vibrantplate.com/

Halcyon Farms | 1075 The Pike in Arroyo Grande | www.halcyonfarmsag.com