cooking – hmcfarms

Thanksgiving With Grapes

Posted on November 11, 2021November 11, 2021 by Liz Piña

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, which kicks off the holiday season. Holiday traditions often revolve around food, and if we’re being honest, food is one of the things we look forward to most throughout the holiday season. At HMC Farms, we eat what we grow, and that means that our Thanksgiving table includes plenty of HMC Farms table grapes! In the spirit of our farm table, we’ve gathered some ideas for you to add to your own Thanksgiving table. Let us know if you try any of these by tagging us in your photos on social media, or leaving a comment here on our blog.

Holiday charcuterie

Charcuterie boards are popular for a reason, and we love the versatility of a block of wood piled up with all of our favorite snacks. We used a variety of cheeses, fruit, and other snacks in this charcuterie board-see the list below. Vegetarians or vegans can easily adapt this to their dietary specifications by ditching the salami, and swapping out the cheese for dairy alternatives. Nut allergy? Swap out the nuts for more crackers or some veggies. As long as you keep the grapes, we approve!

Here’s what we used on our holiday charcuterie board:

HMC Farms red seedless table grapes

Aged white cheddar

Habanero & jalapeño cheddar

Two types of salami

Pomegranate

Almonds

Pistachios

Fig crisps

Sprigs of rosemary for greenery

Stuffing with roasted grapes

Tired of the same old boring stuffing with that turkey? Try mixing it up with the addition of roasted grapes! This is a winning choice because you can keep the same exact recipe (or box of mix) you always use, and just stir the roasted grapes in at the end. An additional bonus here is that roasting is a great option for grapes that are getting a little wrinkly or soft. Roasting grapes is as easy as plucking them off the stem, rinsing, tossing them in olive oil and a little bit of sea salt on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and popping them in the oven. The process is very simple, and you can up the ante a little bit here by adding thyme or rosemary when tossing the grapes in olive oil.

Looking for more on roasted grapes? Check out this guide from our friends at The Produce Moms.

Baked feta with roasted grapes

Yes, we are recommending two dishes that contain roasted grapes because they are really that good. If you haven’t tried roasted grapes before, you are truly missing out on a versatile topping or ingredient that can fit into many savory or sweet dishes. If you are a feta fan, you’ve probably tried the trendy baked feta pasta, and we don’t blame you. Quick and easy recipes are perfect to include in Thanksgiving, since you’re already spending plenty of time and effort on everything else. Rather than the main course, this is a great appetizer or side dish, or even the perfect centerpiece for your charcuterie board. Serve it with crackers or rustic bread and thank us later. You can find our recipe for baked feta and roasted grapes on our Instagram page or check out the similar recipe that inspired us on the Grapes from California website.

Plumsicle™ BBQ Sauce Recipe

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Liz Piña

This recipe was created by The Produce Moms.
You can’t have a summer barbeque without the right sauce to go with it! A good BBQ sauce
brings warm weather and backyard fun to mind, no matter what time of year you enjoy it. There
are as wide a range of flavors of BBQ sauce as there are ways to use it – but nothing beats a
homemade sauce filled with fresh ingredients! Mix up this Plumsicle™ BBQ Sauce and give a
sweet new taste to a classic flavor.

How to Make Plumsicle BBQ Sauce
Sure, you can buy all kinds of BBQ sauce varieties in the store. But you won’t get the exact
flavor you’re looking for unless you make it yourself! Fortunately, this cookout essential is easy
to make in your own kitchen – and Plumsicle BBQ Sauce is no exception.

Featuring deliciously sweet Plumsicle along with garlic, red pepper, and other flavorful
ingredients, this BBQ sauce is a treat for the taste buds. Ketchup and brown sugar provide a
simple base for this sauce, but it’s the Plumsicles that give it a standout flavor.
Plumsicle BBQ Sauce starts in the blender. Chop the plums into smaller, blendable pieces
and add them to your food processor or blender along with the rest of the ingredients.
Homemade BBQ sauce has a bit more texture than the typical store-bought variety, but your
blender will make it smooth enough to slather on ribs, burgers, or pizza. Then just reduce it on
the stove, store it in a container (we used a canning jar), and serve it with your favorite summer
dish!

Ingredients
● 3 HMC Farms Plumsicles, pitted and chopped (skin stays on)
● 2 garlic cloves, minced
● 1/2 cup ketchup
● 1/4 cup brown sugar*
● 2 T Apple cider vinegars
● 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
● 1 tsp red pepper flakes
● Salt and pepper to taste

*Plumsicle is naturally very sweet. You may want to adjust the amount of brown sugar up or down, depending on how sweet you like your BBQ sauce.

Directions
1. Chop plums.
2. Put all ingredients in food processor or blender. Blend until smooth
3. Put in a cast iron skillet, reduce over medium heat. It should take about 10 minutes.

Savoring the Sweetness of Plumsicle
Want a new way to celebrate summer flavor? Plumsicle is just what
you need! This incredible plum variety is bursting with sweetness! It’s the perfect plum for
making tasty treats like these Wine Pops and Ice Pops or for blending into delicious sauces to
complement all of your favorite barbeque foods.

How will you know a Plumsicle when you see one? It’s one of the most eye-catching plums
around! Look for a yellow starburst of speckles dotting a deep, rich skin. Bite into one and you’ll
find juicy reddish-purple flesh that’s ideal for adding vibrant color to your recipes. And of course,
look for the HMC Farms logo! Look for Plumsicle at your local grocery store between
mid-June and late-July in one pound clamshells and two pound stand-up bags.
What did you think of this Plumsicle BBQ Sauce? Did it impress the neighborhood grilling
gourmand or your family’s cookout connoisseur? Leave a comment below, follow us on Facebook, or tag us in your plum-perfect photos on Instagram @HMCfarms and @theproducemoms.