Citrus continues to be the star ingredient at farmers markets, which means bakers are looking for ways to incorporate it into their desserts. This weekend, pastry chef Sasha Piligian is using the blood and cara cara varieties of oranges for an upside down citrus cake that'll raise funds for the Gather for Good bake sale. The event is co-sponsored with Beyond Borders, which raises money to support immigration rights. Proceeds will be shared between the ACLU and No Us Without You, a charity that provides food relief to hospitality workers.
Sasha's yogurt and olive oil cake is a balance of tangy and sweet. To remove it from the pan without tearing the fruit, she runs a spatula or knife around the edges and says you need to "flip with confidence." Sasha also uses Meyer lemons in hand pies that are sold at Canyon Coffee and other spots across town.
Nathan Mardigian visits the market from Northern California, where he and his brother produce olive oil from fruit grown in a 135-year-old grove. He explains that olives are harvested in December, then cold-pressed. When the oil comes out of the mill, the chlorophyll gives it a bright "almost a neon green, Jolly Rancher color," says Nathan. As the oil ages, the color dissipates to a yellow shade.
Fresh olive oil will have a clean, vibrant flavor that is pungent on your tongue and bitter in your throat. Once the color turns orange and feels thick and greasy on the palate, the oil has become rancid. Nathan recommends late harvest oil for cooking and first pressed oil for finishing and in dressings. Want a Sicilian breakfast? He suggests drizzling olive oil over grapefruit.