McClendon's Select

Bob answers your questions…

August 9, 2009

Since Bob gets asked many of the same questions over again at the Farmers’ Markets, we thought it would be a good idea to answer them all in one spot.

Here are some of the top questions he is asked. We will continue to post more of your questions and the answers moving forward.

Do you grow everything at the markets?

Depending on the season we bring in certified organic fruits and vegetables that do not grow in the Phoenix area such as apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, potatoes, and strawberries. We always try to use Arizona grown organic produce as first choice and turn to California grown organic as a backup. However, during our peak growing season more than 80% of the fruits and vegetables sold from McClendon’s Select are grown locally at our farm.

Where do you grow all of your produce?

The McClendon’s Select farm is on 25 acres located in Peoria in the Northwest Valley, about 20 miles from the Town & Country Farmers’ Market. We grow more than 150 kinds of produce and fruit.

Can we come and visit the farm?

Due to our seven day-a-week work schedule we are not open to the public; however, we plan to post a virtual tour of the farm on the website and blog for you to visit.

Do you sell from the farm?

No – we are not set up to sell to the public from our farm. We make our organic produce available to the public through the Town & Country Farmers’ Market and the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers’ Market during the season.

When do you start doing farmers markets every year?

Every year we start back at the Town and Country Farmer’s Market in October and the Old Town Scottsdale Farmer’s Market in November. The Town and Country Market runs until the end of June. The Old Town Scottsdale Market runs until the end of May. Please refer to the website for the exact dates and times for this year’s markets.

Do I need to wash my salad greens?

It is advisable to wash all types of produce before you eat them, but wash them only right before you eat them. Do not go home and wash your produce right away and then store them, because the washing will start the spoiling process.

All of our cut and washed greens like baby spinach, arugula, lettuce mixes are washed in a sophisticated Italian-made greens washer. This system provides a very clean, high quality product that removes excess water from the greens through centrifugal force (spinning). This equipment is designed to do minimal physical damage to the leaves.

Do you sell to local restaurants?

Yes – we sell to a number of local restaurants in the Phoenix, Flagstaff and Las Vegas areas. We plan to profile the chefs and restaurants we work with and show how they prepare our organic produce on the blog. If you are interested in the restaurants we sell to, ask Bob at the markets for a current list of restaurants that are serving McClendon’s Select organic produce.

How did you get your start in growing organic produce?

When I was a young child my grandmother put some squash seeds between two paper towels on a plate for a few days and showed me how seeds germinate. This sparked my curiosity as to how things grow. I was fascinated with how the combination of soil, water and light worked to nurture and grow plants.

Later while I attended the University of Arizona Pharmacy School, to become a Pharmacist, my education rekindled my interest in the study of plants. Pharmacognosy, the study of how medicines are derived from plants, was a required part of my education. I did greenhouse work to learn how to grow plants that were useful in the making of drugs. During school I also worked as a research lab assistant in the USDA Honeybee Research Lab in Tucson. This is where I learned about honeybees and their importance in agriculture.

When Marsha and I married and moved into our first home in the Phoenix area we had two acres. It was just big enough for a garden and some livestock. Gardening became a part of our lives and has remained ever since. Our gardens have grown exponentially throughout the years as we moved to homes with more land. We moved to our current home in 1975 where we now have 25 acres.

Over the years I have started and owned a number of medically related businesses. During this time, I would bring the abundant produce that we grew, and give it to our employees twice a week.

Around 2000, I saw a growing interest in organically grown fruit and vegetables. People were starting to become more aware of how their produce was grown and from where it was originating. The more I read about the benefits and the science of growing organic produce it seemed to marry my two passions of farming and the medical sciences. I started to study the microbiology of soil chemistry and the concept of nurturing the soil through using natural elements that were beneficial for the plants rather than adding harsh nitrogen and chemicals that would destroy the microbiology of the soil. What I learned was, that if I took proper care of the soil I wouldn’t have to worry about feeding the plants because the soil would do it properly for me.

We made the decision to transition to organic farming in 2001. In 2002, the United States Congress passed the National Organic Program. This legislation created a system for certifying and defining organic produce. The USDA oversees this program to regulate the standards for organic food production, processing, delivery and sales.

While I was learning about organic growing, the health benefits of eating organic started to emerge in scientific literature. I read time and again about the number of people with cancer who were seeing remarkable results in their prognosis due to a change in their diet. Eating organic foods was eliminating the chemicals from commercial growing from their diets. This raised a huge flag to me that said there was something significant and substantial about the link between diet and diseases. I saw through my own study and work with organic growing I could help promote the benefits of eating a sound, healthy diet. As both a pharmacist and now farmer, this drew on all areas of my life’s work.

Have you had Burrata?

August 6, 2009

by Kate McClendon

A few years ago I was introduced to Burrata and I haven’t been the same since.

Claudio Urciuoli of Prado at the MonteLucia InterContinental Hotel served us his version of the Caprese salad using Burrata instead of regular mozzarella years ago and I obsessed about it for days. Bob finally called Claudio on my behalf to inquire more about it. Since then we serve Burrata for special occasions in our home or use it to make ordinary occasions into something special.

Burrata is a hand-pulled mozzarella that comes filled with a ricotta-like cream. The outside of the Burrata is a thin layer of mozzarella curd that gives way to a soft, rich center. It is silky and slightly sweet and about as far from your normal pizza topping mozzarella as you can get. It comes in a large ball, packed in salty water and is quickly perishable once opened, so be prepared to enjoy it immediately. Since that first magical introduction, I have seen Burrata show up on a number of menus around town and I order it every time.

The best version I have had is from the Gioia Cheese Co. out of Los Angeles. This is the version that Claudio served. It is expensive and hard to find but worth the effort. The A.J.’s at 44th Street and Camelback is the only place I have found it. Trader Joe’s recently started carrying their own version of Burrata, which is good and much more reasonably priced, but not quite as flavorful.

I have used Burrata many different ways, but Claudio had it right that first time, it is hard to beat when served with a few ripe heirloom tomatoes, some fresh basil and a little olive oil and salt. I am still obsessed, but I have learned that Burrata is best when shared.

Your own French love affair…

August 4, 2009

by Kate McClendon

Chef Eugenia Theodosopoulos of Essence Bakery Café makes the most amazing Parisian Macarons. Do not confuse these with their stateside coconut cousins. These beautiful cookies hark back to 18th Century French courts. They come in a pastel rainbow of colors and are filled inside with flavors like Caramel Cream, French Chocolate, Hazelnut, Espresso and Pumpkin Spice. My favorite is Raspberry-Rose. Sean favors Chocolate Mint, but we will devour them all equally. She uses McClendon’s Select grapefruits for the Pink Grapefruit macaron, which all of us love.

Eugenia makes each cookie by hand at her bakery in Tempe. She learned her art while studying and living in Paris, and it truly is an art. If you have never tried an authentic Parisian Macaron, you are missing out. These meringue sandwich-like cookies are decadent. They are elegant enough to be a centerpiece all on their own or would make for the perfect hostess gift. But be warned, they are hard to share, so make sure you get enough to keep some for yourself.

The Essence Bakery Café serves both breakfast and lunch and has a pastry case filled with Eugenia’s Macarons, along with other wonderful French confections. I have also tried her Luscious Lemon Chiffon Cake, which I highly recommend.

You can also order her Macarons online at www.essencemacaron.com. They come in both large and small sizes and trust me it will be the perfect gift whatever the occasion. Go try one for yourself. It is quicker than a flight to Paris!

Essence Bakery Cafe

www.essencebakery.com

825 West University

Tempe, AZ 85281

480-966-2745

Nobuo at Noca…

August 1, 2009

by Kate McClendon

I was distraught when I heard that Nobuo Fukuda was closing his restaurant SeaSaw earlier this year. For seven years Nobuo created dishes that surpassed description and won a James Beard award in the process. The dinners we enjoyed at SeaSaw were an adventure. Nobuo created his dishes in the tradition of a Japanese Omakase menu. Omakase leaves the selection to the chef and is presented in a series of inventive and imaginative plates. Sitting at the bar watching Nobuo at work was like an artist during the moment of creation. Dinners at SeaSaw were a special event and I feel fortunate to have dined there.

Nobuo has teamed with Eliot Wexler and is presenting a dinner series at Eliots’s Noca on 32^nd Street and Camelback. Last night was the second dinner in this series. He prepared the menu in the Omakase style once again. For those of you who are also mourning SeaSaw this series is not to be missed.

The next dinner of the Nobuo Dinner Series at Noca will be on Thursday, August 27^th. The Omakase menu will change, but to get an idea, here is what Nobuo presented last night. I would call for reservations soon, I am sure fans of Nobuo and Noca will be flocking for a seat.

First Course – Sashimi Tuna-Marinated in Fermented Soybean Sauce Kanpachi-Jasmine Tea Poached, Sea Salt Fluke-Wrapped in Cucumber / Kelp Cured, Ayu Fish Sauce-Torched Sara’s Salmon-Wrapped in Pickled Daikon, Salmon Roe paired with Ginga Shizuku “Divine Droplets” Junmai Daiginjo

Second Course – Karei Fried Baby Black Sole-McClendon’s Blood Orange Vinaigrette, Red Pepper, Red Onion, Crispy Bones paired with Messmer Burrweiler Altenforst Gewurztraminer 2005

Third Course – Foie Gras Duo Chawan Mushi-Organic Duck Yolk, Foie Gras Seared-Cherry Compote, Black Cherry Gastrique, Brioche Crouton paired with Grande Maison “Cuvée des Anges” Monbazillac 2004

Fourth Course – Four Story Hill Farms Sweetbreads Port Poached Fig, Mache, Pickled Shallots paired with Lucia Vineyards “Lucy” Rose 2008

Fifth Course – Duck Seared Breast, Nectarine & Arugula Salad, Maple Gastrique paired with Hirsch Vineyards “Bohan Dillon” Pinot Noir 2007

Dessert – Cherry Bombe Cherry Semifreddo, Chocolate Cremuex, Tapioca in Young Coconut Water, Guava Coulis paired with Bisol Brut Rosé NV

Dates to remember…

July 30, 2009

by Kate McClendon

Starting October 7th McClendon’s Select will be at the following Farmer’s Markets for the season:

Town & Country Shopping Center

October 7th, 2009 – June 23rd, 2010

Wednesdays from 8:30am to 2:00pm

4881 North 20th Street

Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Old Town Scottsdale Farmers’ Market

November 7th, 2009 – May 22nd, 2010

Saturdays from 8:30am to 1:00pm

Located on the Southwest corner of 1st Street and Brown in Scottsdale. Brown is one block East of Scottsdale Road. 1st Street is two blocks South of Indian School Road.

A new pizza Parlor…

July 30, 2009

by Kate McClendon

Have you been to The Parlor yet? It is a new pizza place in town and it’s wonderful. Located on Camelback west of 20th Street, it is in the old Salon de Venus building. It has the same 60’s retro bricks of the salon, but a beautiful modern interior. Our favorite pizza is the Smokey. There are several great pizzas to choose from or you can build your own.

The best news is that they are across from Town & Country… which will be fun for lunch once McClendon’s Select starts with the Farmer’s Markets again.

View from the top…

July 24, 2009

by Kate McClendon

Do you know where your food comes from? Here is a view of McClendon’s Select from up above. Yes – in case you were wondering, one of the fields used to be a race track for horses. It doesn’t get more locally grown than this.

I heart New York…

July 22, 2009

by Kate McClendon

Sean and I love New York. More to the point, we love eating in New York. We decided to introduce New York to Aidan this summer. We wanted him to experience everything we love about the city. Sean asked one of his favorite New Yorkers for some thoughts on dining in one of the world’s greatest restaurant cities.

Charlene from Scottsdale’s Rancho Pinot offered some wonderful suggestions. She had a great list that offered a mix fine dining and fun food. We weren’t able to try everything, but we are keeping her list for future trips.

Lupa

170 Thompson Street

One of her top picks was Lupa, a Mario Batali creation in the spirit of Roman trattoria food. When Chris Bianco seconded this suggestion we knew we had to go. You don’t get a better endorsement than that!

Lupa surpassed our hopes. Warm and intimate from the moment we walked through the door, we were taken immediately from Greenwich Village to Italy. I ordered the Lamb Shortribs after spying them on the table next to ours. Sean went with the Linguine Clams with Fennel and Sopressatta. Both of us were in heaven, although it was Aidan’s Spaghetti con Pomodoro that stole the night. It was a simple and yet incredible. Fortunately Aidan couldn’t finish it, so Sean and I were more than happy to help.

Balthazar

80 Spring Street

From the Roman trattoria to the French bistro, our next dinner was at Balthazar. Again we left the city behind, this time for a 1930’s Parisian world complete with distressed mirrors, tiled floors, a pressed tin ceiling with tufted booths. We worried about how receptive they would be to our bringing Aidan, but they could not have been more welcoming. He even charmed the waitress into sitting with him and helping color the butcher-block paper on the table.

Without so much as scanning the menu, Sean immediately ordered the Le Grand Plateaux de Fruits de Mer which is a tower of seafood that took up most of our table. Aidan’s only request was that it came heavy with crab legs. We took this picture to make Bob jealous back in Arizona.

Reservations are a must, and we were grateful we had called ahead. Although I wouldn’t have complained about the wait once I saw (and smelled) the Balthazar Bakery next door.

Charlene’s New York Dining Suggestions:

Here are some of the other places we are hoping to hit next time. If you are planning a trip to New York soon, take this list along and bring your appetite.

Pearl Oyster Bar – 18 Cornelia (Between Bleecker & West 4^th Street)

August – 359 Bleeker Street (Between Charles and West 10^th)

2^nd Avenue Deli – 162 East 33^rd Street

Veloce Pizzeria – 103 First Avenue/Seventh Street

Rice to Riches – 37 Spring Street

Inoteca – 98 Rivington Street

Porchetta – 110 East 7^th Street

Doughnut Planet – 379 Grand Street

To market, to market…

July 21, 2009

by Kate McClendon

Sean took this time lapse video at one of the last Town & Country Farmers’ Markets. It is actually a series of photos taken one every 15 seconds during their time there. Good things go fast!

Cafe Bink

July 19, 2009

by Kate McClendon

Kevin and Amy Binkley invited us to a special evening at Café Bink. It was a dinner to highlight McClendon’s Select produce and to toast the end of the heirloom tomato season. Once again the talented Binkleys created an amazing menu and a wonderful evening.