This September, PBS will air brand-new episodes of Chefs A' Field - Kids on the Farm, following chefs and their children search for fresh ingredients and unique local specialties. I, along with my daughters, Miranda and Hannah will be featured in one of these episodes. Show creator Heidi Hanson, from Warner Hanson Television, invited us to spend the day with Mark Toigo of Toigo Orchards. We spent eight hours at the orchard, collecting produce and creating new recipes.
The following morning, Miranda and Hannah donned their chef whites and spent the morning cooking with me at Blue Duck. Together, we prepared local chicken with fire roasted garlic, peaches and herbs, as well as an heirloom tomato salad with goat cheese, nectarines and donut peaches.
The girls loved every moment! The time we spent at the orchard created a fabulous learning and eating experience for them. Mark has over 21,000 trees devoted to fresh market apple production, 41 acres devoted to peach production, while also growing plums, apricots, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, melons, pears and Asian pears. Just the number of peach varietals that he produces each year is staggering to the mind while the amount of knowledge that he throws out in a conversation is sometimes a bit hard to take in!
The fruit from Toigo is always a warm welcome sight after the harsh winter. At Blue Duck, we employ his fruit in our ice creams, pickles, jams and preserves. For those who enjoy eating fresh fruit straight from the basket, Toigo Orchards can typically be found at the DC area farmers markets, including Dupont Circle on Sundays and Penn Quarter on Thursdays.
A very special thank you to Mark for his generous hospitality and time, and for producing such a high quality product. Also, thanks to Heidi for inviting us to be on the show and for getting the word out on sustainable agriculture. I'll keep you posted on the show's upcoming air date.
Comments