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Grilled Asparagus with Hatch Green Chile Ricotta

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Coyote Café’s Chef Dakota Weiss takes grilled asparagus to the next level with handmade green chile ricotta.

American author Thomas Wolfe suggested, wistfully, that you can never go home again––that the experiences that serve as brick and mortar to our memories are sometimes best left in the past.

Think then about the faces and lives in a restaurant kitchen. About a chef who came alive to the food world through endless prep work, marathon doubles, and an avalanche of brunch rushes. Consider that those repetitive acts led to jobs in esteemed restaurants across the country, appearances in national cooking shows, ownership of a restaurant empire across California, and accolades too numerous to count.

Think about Dakota Weiss, executive chef at Coyote Café, the storied Santa Fe restaurant where she staged after culinary school and now leads through its latest iteration of Southwestern cuisine? Just this once, Thomas Wolfe may have gotten it wrong. She’s come home again––with fresh, imaginative and palate-tingling results.

Because Dakota’s signature voice brings worldly nuance to our local food scene, we asked her to choose local ingredients and present us with three recipes. On one recent early morning, we watched her in the calm and quiet of Coyote’s kitchen as she brought these ingredients to life in ways that are as grounded in memories (does anyone remember the youthful thrill of 1970s Pop Rocks candy?) as they are alive and relevant in the present. coyotecafe.com

Grilled Asparagus, Hatch Green Chile Ricotta, Bitter Greens, Truffled Mustard Vinaigrette, Brioche Croutons

Serves 4

For the asparagus:

  • 1 bunch extra-large asparagus

  • Pinch sea salt

  • Pinch black pepper

  • 2 tbsp EVOO

Instructions

  1. Cut the bottoms of the asparagus to get rid of the woody stems.

  2. Toss the asparagus with the salt, pepper, and olive oil

  3. Grill on high heat until lightly charred. The asparagus should still be crunchy.

For the Hatch Green Chile Ricotta Cheese:

  • 1 gal whole milk

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • ½ cup lemon juice

  • 2 tbsp distilled vinegar

  • 2 cups hatch green chile, roasted, peeled, and diced

  • ½ tbsp kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Add the milk and cream into a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil.

  2. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and vinegar.

  3. Stir a few times until you see the milk start to curdle.

  4. Slowly pour the contents of the pot into a bowl that is lined with cheesecloth. Let the whey completely drain out of the curds.

  5. Gently scrape the curds off the cheese cloth and put into a bowl.

  6. Chop the green chile finely and stir into the curds.

  7. Season the cheese with salt to taste.

For the Truffled Mustard Vinaigrette:

  • 2 shallots

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 2 tbsp whole grain mustard

  • ½ cup lemon juice

  • ½ cup rice vinegar

  • 1 cup EVOO

  • ½ cup white truffle oil

  • Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

Using a hand blender, add the shallots, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, and rice vinegar into a large jar and mix well. Slowly add the two oils to emulsify and then season with salt.

For the Brioche Croutons:

  • 1 cup brioche, cut into micro-small dices

  • ¼ cup EVOO

  • Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Sauté the brioche in the oil until golden brown and season with salt. Pour onto a sheet tray lined with paper towels to soak up extra oil.

For the salad:

2 red endives

2 yellow endives

2 tbsp chives, chopped

Kosher salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Toss the endives with the truffled vinaigrette, chives, salt, and pepper.

Building the plate:

Pipe the Hatch Green Chile Ricotta Cheese into a long rectangular shape. Carefully place the endive, alternating the red and yellow, into the ricotta at an angle. Place about 5 grilled asparagus lying next to the endive. Sprinkle the croutons all over. Drizzle a little of the truffled vinaigrette over the whole dish.

 Story by Gabe Gomez/ Styling by Keith Recker / Photography Gabriella Marks

Try Chef Weiss’s other locavore recipes:

Grilled Quail

Buttermilk Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Pop Rocks

Don’t miss a single delicious thing:

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine New Mexico here!

Summertime Souvlaki and Tzatziki

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Fresh, summery flavors come forward in this easy-to-make dish.

Are you looking for an easy to make lunch or dinner that will also be a crowd-pleaser? Look to the simple, straightforward Greek tradition of souvlaki and tzatziki. Their freshness and appealing flavor will be a surefire hit!

SIMPLE SUMMER SOUVLAKI RECIPE

1/3 cup olive oil

2 lemons, juiced and zested

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 tsp oregano, dried or fresh

1 tsp dill

10 cloves garlic, chopped

1-1 ½ lb  fresh chicken tenders

1.     In a nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the fresh chicken tenders.

2.     Add fresh chicken tenders and toss until coated. Cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator.

3.     Remove from refrigerator about an hour before grilling. As soon as they have reached room temperature, space them generously on the grill over medium flame.

4.     Cook for 4 minutes on each side and check for doneness.

5.     Once cooked through, serve immediately with grilled pita bread, chopped tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and peppers, fresh herbs, olives, and homemade tzatziki.

SUMMER TZATZIKI RECIPE

2 cups grated cucumber, skin on

2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

3 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 pinch of ground cumin

1.     Grate the cucumbers by hand on a box grater. Using your hands, squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the grated cucumber, and place in a mixing bowl.

2.     Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir well to combine.

3.     Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, but preferably overnight. Stir again just prior to serving, and garnish with additional chopped mint.

4.     Serve as a condiment to souvlaki, grilled lamb or grilled pork, or as a dip for fresh crudites.

STORY BY KEITH RECKER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE BRYCE

Try some of TABLE’s other grilled treats:

Grilled Porch Chops with Grilled Pineapple

Skirt Steak and Scallion Salsa

Faith in BBQ

Don’t miss a single delicious thing:

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Campo Lamb Birria

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The Lamb Birria at Los Poblanos’ restaurant Campo is a classic.

This campo lamb birria recipe is very much measured by handfuls and feelings. The tortillas are the Sonoran wheat tortillas from Los Poblanos with the rendered lamb fat from the braise. The lamb itself comes from the Manzanares family’s Shepherd’s Lamb label, which raises the only certified-organic lamb in the state.

What is Birria?

Birria is a traditional Mexican dish, originally from the state of Jalisco. It typically consists of tender meat, often goat or beef, marinated in a flavorful blend of spices and chilies. The meat is usually stewed until it’s very tender, often served in a rich, savory broth. You can enjoy birria in various ways: as a soup, in tacos, or even as quesabirria, where you make the tacos with cheese and serve them with the broth for dipping. Birria has complex, deep flavors and is often enjoyed at celebrations and gatherings.

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The Lamb Birria at Los Poblanos’ restaurant Campo is a classic.

Campo Lamb Birria

  • Author: Los Poblanos
Print Recipe

Description

A hearty Southwest meal.

Ingredients

Scale

For the birria: 

  • 300 g sifted Sonoran flour from Southwest Grain Collaborative
  • 300 g AP flour
  • 15 g baking powder
  • 25 g salt
  • 50 g lamb fat (We use the heavily spiced and flavorful lamb fat that comes from the lamb braise for this dish. You can use any fat you choose.)
  • 400 g warm water
  • Spice Mix (See below)

For the spice mix: 

  • Guajillo, árbol, Pequin, NM red, and cascabel chiles
  • White, green, pink, and black pepper
  • Allspice, clove, bay leaf
  • Oregano, garlic, coriander
  • A little bit of cinnamon
  • Fresh garlic

Instructions

For the birria: 

  1. Mix the dry ingredients together, cut the fat in with fingertips, add warm water and gently combine using a spoon. The mix will be sticky so try not to get too much on your hands. Let rest for 30 minutes or so, then portion to desired weight. We use 75-gram portions at the restaurant. Let rest for anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight. They are best rolled out 12-36 hours after being portioned. We roll them out about 2 mm thick and grill them directly over the grill here at Campo.
  2. The hominy is processed here from New Mexico blue corn out of Tamaya and Mexican June white corn from the Schneiders in Santa Fe (Southwest Grain Collaborative). We nixtamalize the corn the night before we need it. We rinse and cook in fresh water with garlic, bay leaf, and salt until tender.
  3. The vegetables are seasonal, but usually include turnips cooked in butter along with the hominy, and a grilled vegetable such as asparagus.
  4. Our team butchers the lamb into portions that can carefully braise and stay as one chunk for the final dish, instead of shredded like most birria-style dishes. The lamb is marinated in chiles and spices, seared, and braised in other aromatics and stock (lamb, chicken and/or beef)

For the spice mix: 

  1. Pulverize all of these spices and fresh garlic into a fine spice mix
  2. Then, use it to marinate the lamb before roasting, searing, and braising gently.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Try a Delicious Southwest Cocktail, Too! 

Recipe by Los Poblanos
Photography by Mary West

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Summer Outdoor Dining Guide

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Dining al fresco near the ‘Burgh. Photo Biergarten - Photo credit: Laura Petrilla

It’s the height of patio season here in Pittsburgh. As if al fresco dining wasn’t already an enjoyable experience, we’ve fallen even more deeply in love with eating in the open air over these last couple of years.

While many local establishments already offered outdoor dining as an option, the pandemic restrictions forced others to pivot in order to keep themselves in the food and beverage arena. New expanded models came into play and are here to stay. Many operations were granted permission to use sidewalks and curbside spaces to serve their patrons, and they have since chosen to make these options permanent — and Pittsburghers are loving it!

We’ve put together an outdoor dining guide of a few places around the ‘Burgh to experience. Now, go enjoy a meal outside. Not because you have to, but because you want to.

Girasole

An authentic Pittsburgh Italian restaurant tradition, Girasole is located in the quaint neighborhood of Shadyside. Dine Italian style surrounded by rustic stone walls as if you are in the wine cellar of a villa, or sip and savor delicious offerings on the deck or front walk.

Farmer X Baker

This picturesque cafe is outdoor seating only. Located along the Allegheny River in Aspinwall’s Allegheny Riverfront Park, Farmer X Baker offers a veggie forward menu with several gluten-free options. Owner Jen Urich sources many of the café’s ingredients from her own local farm, Root and Heart, as well as other farms in the area.

Bigham Tavern

Classic pub food with a twist! Known locally for their award winning wings (available in over 30 flavors), Bigham is a neighborhood pub that prides itself on being an extension of home within the community. The staff aim to consistently serve top-notch food and drink, a tradition that has taken place from this same location for over a century. Feel the breeze on the tented patio at this Mt. Washington watering hole.

Hal’s Bar and Grill

Hal’s Bar & Grill is a local family-owned and operated bar and restaurant with a comfortable “down home” feel located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. Whether you’re looking for a casual date night, a meal with the family, or the perfect hang out with friends, Hal’s outdoor patio space is a neighborhood favorite you’re sure to enjoy. They take pride in featuring a wide variety of local beers and breweries as well as a vast menu with everything from fried pickles and nachos to ahi tuna and pork ossa buco.

Libations Winery

Welcome to Libations Winery, a festive experience you cannot miss. Libations Winery is a destination winery located one minute from the Grove City Outlet Mall. They offer a complete variety of delicious wines produced and made from their own local vineyard/orchards. Enjoy signature house-made menu items such as wood-fired pizzas. They feature weekly live entertainment and have three venue options available. Stop in and enjoy over 25 varieties of wine, a cold craft beer, or one of their signature specialty drinks. There’s a beverage for everyone. Pets are welcome on both of their patios and expansive grounds!

Luke and Mike’s Frontporch Grille

A charming restaurant located in Aspinwall, Luke and Mike’s Frontporch Grille welcomes its patrons to sit — you guessed it — on the front porch. They offer a dog-friendly side porch, too. The beautiful atmosphere and all-American menu will make you feel right at home. Sip a refreshing summer cocktail and enjoy a satisfying meal at this quaint spot. You’ll settle in so well that you’ll need to remind yourself not to overstay your welcome.

Biergarten

Located on the 9th floor of downtown Pittsburgh’s trendy Kimpton Hotel Monaco, is an open-air space perfect for an evening of cocktails and small plates with friends. Their menu offers German-influenced bar bites like the BG Pretzel, a giant soft pretzel served with beer cheese, as well as a smoked & aged cheddar cheese spread, bar nuts flavored with rosemary, cayenne and brown sugar, and a handful of other tasty bites. In addition to refreshing cocktails they offer an exhaustive list of European beer. Sit and enjoy the breeze or play a supersized game of Jenga with a view.

Vivo Kitchen

Casual dining in the heart of the Sewickley village, Vivo Kitchen is nestled among the boutiques, art galleries, and specialty shops that line Beaver Street. A seasonal menu of eclectic American cuisine is presented in a modern, airy venue with a contemporary vibe that flows outside into the charming courtyard.

Poulet Bleu

Poulet Bleu is a French inspired, American bistro by chef/owner Richard DeShantz located on Butler Street in Lawrenceville. Menu items like steak frites, French onion soup, and soufflés are among some of the more popular selections with regular visitors. They have recently expanded outdoor dining to include a rooftop space. While the outdoor patio at the restaurant’s entrance is by reservation, the rooftop is seated first-come, first-served.

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STORY BY STAR LALIBERTE /PHOTOGRAPHY LAURA PETRILLA

Forging Forward: Healthy Start

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Chaundra Cunningham with her 2-year-old son, Tré, at the Healthy Start offices in Pittsburgh. Chaundra came to Healthy Start as a patient when she was pregnant with her son. Now, expecting a second child, she is an outreach director and educator at Healthy Start. Photo and caption by Jeff Swensen

Forging Forward 2022 is a series of six articles about organizations helping our region make progress on the significant issues challenging our friends and neighbors. The series is presented with the generous support of The Pittsburgh Foundation.  

The #ONEDAY Critical Needs Campaign, a day of online giving to organizations doing vital work, is on August 9: mark your calendars and plan to be part of something great!

DOESN’T EVERY BABY DESERVE A FAIR AND HEALTHY START NO MATTER THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN? ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HEALTHY START, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1991 BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, HAS BEEN WORKING TOWARDS REDUCING THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, WITH A FOCUS ON IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY.

And that is a tall order. Because of deep-rooted systemic racism, Black babies under the age of one in Allegheny County die at a rate more than five times that of white babies. Black women in Allegheny County have nearly twice the number of preterm births and more than twice the number of low-birth-weight babies compared to white women.

Ending these disparities is the responsibility of the entire community. With that in mind, Healthy Start and its partnering organizations have launched the Allegheny County BIRTH Plan For Black Babies and Families. Its goal is to battle inequities and realize transformational health outcomes.

“We serve the broader community by serving as an advocate for centering the lived experiences of Black women and others we serve, as well as by supporting the Black birthworker community as a complement to our traditional medical system,” said Jada Shirriel, CEO.

The action plan centers around the voices, experiences and leadership of Black women and community members in the region. Partners sought out broad community input and incorporated what they learned into a plan that includes key action areas which all seek to improve maternal and child health.

Shirrel is hopeful that through the lens of equity, Black women in Pittsburgh – who die from pregnancy and childbirth related complications at a rate higher than 97% of similar cities – can be significantly reduced, saving and improving the quality of more lives.

“We approach our work through the lens of the social determinants of health,” said Shirrel.  This approach acknowledges that our health is largely impacted by the context in which we live — economics, education, social and community context, neighborhood and built environment, as well as health care. “Because our work is rooted in a focus on the Black community and childbirth, race and gender come into context,” she added.

In this politically charged time, with states banning abortion and restricting care to pregnant people, Shirrel recognizes the urgency and necessity of this work. “I have never met any person that has said they want strangers to control their most important and deeply personal decisions. I want people to understand that you can maintain your personal values without coercing, controlling or oppressing others. Public policy should not be destructive,” she said.

Constructive care matters, with Healthy Start focused on programs that provide support to both parent and baby, targeting supports for mental health, fatherhood, child development, nutrition, prenatal care and more.

“Foundation support is key,” said Shirrel. “The support is critical to our ability to be innovative and responsive to evolving community needs,” she said.

On August 9, you can be a part of supporting the great work of Healthy Start, all of the amazing programs to support maternal and infant health, and all of the bold initiatives to reduce racial and gender disparities in these spaces. Join the Pittsburgh Foundation’s ONE DAY campaign to provide support to Healthy Start. Together, we can create a healthier and more equitable world!

Get to know Healthy Start here, and support its work to address our neighbors in need.

Read about other organizations doing vital work to help our neighbors in Western Pennsylvania by reading more in our Forging Forward series, presented with the support of The Pittsburgh Foundation:

Tech 25: The Future is Now

Outreach Teen and Family Services

Neighborhood Legal Services

Fishes and Loaves

Build the Community Center

Healthy Start

Health Education Intake and Outreach Coordinator Chastity Everett first came to Healthy Start in 1992 as an expectant mother who gave birth to her son, Deshawn, prematurely, had it not been for Healthy Start’s role in her live then, Deshawn would not have survived. She now instills her personal experiences into to all the work she accomplishes at the Healthy Start offices in Pittsburgh.

Photo and caption by Jeff Swensen

Jeremy Lumpkins and Constance Parrish meet with Health Education Intake and Outreach Coordinator Chastity Everett at the Healthy Start offices in Pittsburgh.

Photo and caption by Jeff Swensen

Chaundra Cunningham with her 2-year-old son, Tre’, read a book about breast feeding and infant health at the Healthy Start offices in Pittsburgh. Chaundra is an outreach director and educator at Healthy Start.

Photo and caption by Jeff Swensen

STORY BY NATALIE BENCIVENGA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN MERRIMAN

Don’t miss a single fascinating thing!

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine.

Pittsburgh Foundation: Critical Needs Alert 2022

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Morning fog lifts over the Bloomfield neighborhood. Photo courtesy of PittsburghFoundation.org

Give August 9 to #ONEDAY and move our region forward! Also on August 9th, tune into our #ONEDAY Live Stream Event on Instagram, hosted by Natalie Bencivenga, who will interview local community leaders and discuss a variety of issues ranging from food security, health care, and much more. 

Nearly every year since 2013, The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Critical Needs Alert online giving campaign has raised much-needed operating support for the region’s nonprofits. This year, the novel coronavirus continues to place unprecedented financial and staffing stress on organizations that provide critical human services. To help them meet the increased demand, the Foundation will host a one-day Critical Needs Alert online giving event Aug. 9 to raise operating support for the region’s nonprofit safety net. All donations of $25 and up are eligible for a portion of $578,000 in giving incentive funds provided by the Foundation and its donors.

Under the hashtag #ONEDAY, this year’s Critical Needs Alert will benefit organizations in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties that provide basic needs, including food, housing, employment, child care, and physical and mental health care. The Foundation with its affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, and their donors, will provide incentive funds that will be distributed to all nonprofits participating in #ONEDAY to maximize the impact of public donations. In 2020 and 2021 the #ONEDAY campaign raised record sums for the nonprofit sector.

As the region continues to recover from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Pittsburgh Foundation is organizing a Critical Needs Alert online fundraising event backed by an incentive pool of $578,000 to bolster charitable giving from the public. Funds will be raised for 200+ nonprofit organizations that support basic needs in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.

The Critical Needs event, under the #ONEDAY banner, is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. It will take place through the Foundation’s PittsburghGives.org donation portal. Every donation of $25 or more will trigger additional funding from the incentive pool.

When developing the list of organizations asked to participate in this year’s #ONEDAY campaign, the Foundation placed special emphasis on including nonprofits led by and serving Black and Brown people.

“We are continually impressed by the resilience of the nonprofits in this region, particularly those serving Black and Brown people, which have been disproportionately harmed by the pandemic,” said Pittsburgh Foundation President & CEO Lisa Schroeder in announcing this year’s #ONEDAY giving day. “Our hope is that this campaign will provide a much-needed boost of operating dollars to support these nonprofits’ missions.”

The $578,000 incentive pool includes $50,000 that will be divided among 27 Westmoreland County nonprofits.

The five priority areas for this year’s Critical Needs Alert are:

  • Child Care – Programs providing child care for infants and children up to age 6. (Those that provide only before- or after-school programming do not qualify.)

  • Food and Nutrition – Organizations such as food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens that provide food to those who don’t have the ability to meet daily needs.

  • Eviction Prevention and Housing – Organizations that provide direct shelter to individuals and families in crisis. Also includes organizations that provide financial assistance, landlord-tenant mediation, and other related services that assist individuals and families to stay safely in their homes.

  • Physical and Mental Health – Organizations providing clinical physical and mental health care.

  • Employment – Organizations providing employment-related services such as job readiness, job placement, and job retention programs; training or education; and support services such as transportation, tools, or clothing to enable individuals to work.

The catalyst for 16 hours of giving: The #ONEDAY campaign will prorate payouts from the incentive pool based on the total raised by each organization. The goal is to encourage public giving over the full 16 hours of the Critical Needs Alert. While donors can give as much as they like, incentive funds will be capped at $1,000 per donor per organization to ensure that funds are distributed across as many organizations as possible.

“Since the beginning of this pandemic, we’ve been amazed by the willingness of our donors and the public to step forward with operating dollars that help nonprofits provide a strong safety net for this community,” said Kelly Uranker, vice president of the Foundation’s Center for Philanthropy. “There has been a marked shift away from project support to operating dollars, which we believe shows the degree to which our population trusts and values nonprofits.”

The Foundation’s previous eight Critical Needs Alerts have raised a total of $10 million, including incentive funds, and each has targeted a specific area of need – food insecurity in 2013 and 2018, housing insecurity in 2014 and 2015, and basic needs – child care, food, housing, mental and physical health care, and transportation – in 2017, 2019, 2020 and again this year.

An additional $794,000 was raised for the #LoveIsStronger campaign following the Tree of Life shooting in November of 2018, which benefited eight organizations.

Critical Needs Alert giving events align with the Foundation’s mission of improving the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.

By supporting the Forging Forward series, the Foundation hopes to draw attention to the nonprofit leaders and workers who are innovating and finding ways to do the impossible in the midst of multiple crises. In the weeks ahead, TABLE Magazine will bring you stories of a few  of those grounded leaders who are helping our neighbors get access to healthy food, safe and affordable housing, transportation and mental and physical health care. We urge you to visit the Critical Needs Alert website, www.pittsburghgives.org, between now and Aug. 3, to learn about the organizations that will benefit from the #ONEDAY giving event. And, if you have the resources to do more, consider establishing a fund at the Foundation to enable your family or company to give back generations into the future.

Details at www.pittsburghfoundation.org/giving.

The Forging Forward 2022 series:

Tech 25: The Future is Now

Outreach Teen and Family Services

Neighborhood Legal Services

Fishes and Loaves

Build the Community Center

Healthy Start

Peak Peach Season

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Everything’s coming up peaches during peak peach season! Photo by Kelly Neil

It’s been another challenging year for Pennsylvania peaches. A late freeze that many Pittsburghers will remember as a destroyer of magnolias and daffodils also took a substantial percentage of peach blossoms with it.

As reported recently on lancasterfarming.com, this spring freeze damaged orchards in the northern and eastern areas of Pennsylvania, leaving the south and west portions of the state relatively unharmed. It’s peaches from the southern counties that make Pennsylvania peaches famous, so perhaps this summer and fall will find us eating juicy stone fruits as happily as always.

Of the countless types of peaches available in Pennsylvania, Chambersburg peaches, designated not by their variety but by their growing location, are perhaps the most sought after. The flavor is rich, sweet, and unlike any other peach. It’s a flavor Dwight Mickey of Shatzer’s Fruit Market, one of the few remaining Chambersburg peach growers, says “you’ll never forget.”

The secrets lie with the soil and climate. Chambersburg, a part of Franklin County, the second-leading source of peaches in Pennsylvania, has a unique climate – hot summers and mild winters – and rich soil. According to Dwight, that’s the perfect recipe to produce high-quality peaches.

“We just grow a good peach in this area,” says the farmer. “You get away from here, and they’re just not as tasty. It’s because of the soil. Georgia grows a lot of peaches, but they’ve got such sandy soil, they don’t have the taste.”

We have the soil that makes great taste, but do we have the weather needed to foster the fruit in its earliest stages? “Apples, you have better or worse crops,” says Calvin McConnell of Aliquippa farm McConnell’s Farm & Market, known for their peach harvests. “But with the peaches, one cool night can crush you for an entire year. Around here, they’re not as reliable… I can’t be dependent on them because some years I’m going to have zero.” Challenges notwithstanding, McConnell’s website promises peaches from August into September this year.

We will be heading out to farm stands and farmer’s markets for the next few weeks, looking for the perfect peach. Why? We have plans for these delicious, tree-ripened, locally grown delights. Here are a handful of recipes we will be choosing from:

PEACH COCKTAILS

Farm to Happy Hour!

Grilled Peach Smash

Peach Bourbon Smash

PEACH DINNERS

Ripe for enjoyment

Pork Chops and Peaches

Tomato Peach Salad

PEACHY KEEN

Blue-ribbon desserts to finish a great meal

Forging Forward: Impact Matters

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Bringing hope and security to under-resourced and undervalued communities, like Homewood, is the mission of the Build the Community Center (BTCC), a 501c3 nonprofit which has served the community for twenty-five years. In the photo: Left, Melissa “Missy” Terrell, also referred to as “The Garden Lady,” is the project manager for “Planted in Homewood.” Right, Janet Ward of BTC. They stand in front of a dilapidated vacant home adjacent to their garden. Photo and caption by Jeff Swensen.

Forging Forward 2022 is a series of seven articles about organizations helping our region make progress on the significant issues challenging our friends and neighbors. The series is presented with the generous support of The Pittsburgh Foundation.  

The #ONEDAY Critical Needs Campaign, a day of online giving to organizations doing vital work, is on August 9: mark your calendars and plan to be part of something great!

Sustainable, constructive community change often comes from the very people who live, work and dream within their own neighborhoods. Bringing hope and security to under-resourced and undervalued communities, like Homewood, is the mission of the Build the Community Center (BTCC), a 501c3 nonprofit which has served the community for twenty-five years.

A small organization with a limited budget, the mission of BTCC is to support the residents of the communities it serves, through programming and services which lead to more equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities. BTCC serves residents who are marginalized and underserved, primarily located in Homewood, East Hills, Lincoln-Lemington, Larimer, Wilkinsburg, Belmar, and other surrounding neighborhoods.

At its inception, the organization focused on critical needs identified by community members themselves – including computer classes for all ages and counseling to support mental health and address substance abuse at a satellite site in the former St. Francis Hospital. Quickly realizing the needs of the community were diverse and ever-changing, BTCC began distributing prepared meals to its community members once a week.

As Covid shook the foundation of so many non-profits, BTCC resolved to evolve, sharpening its focus on healthy living programs such as educational webinars, a monthly food pantry, community gardens, and computer classes for people ages 50 and up.

The pandemic caused the organization to realize the need for residents to have computers and the know-how to participate in virtual programs and gatherings as well as the ability to find information that is readily available on the internet so that they could stay connected and socially engaged during such uncertain times.

“What continues to surprise me most about the neighbors we serve is their resilience despite facing difficult challenges found in everyday living,” said Monica Reese, executive director.

Some of these challenges include the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, socioeconomic difficulties, and community trauma from gun violence. Other traumas that residents face include intersectional issues like discrimination based on race/ethnicity, poverty, food insecurity, disability, mistrust of the medical community and vaccinations, and various setbacks from other adverse circumstances.

“Despite this, our community has bonded together and perseveres with the hope of a better tomorrow,” she added.

With programs like BTCC relying on community support in order to keep serving individuals and families in these spaces, Monica hopes people will recognize the need and give so that the organization may keep doing the good work.

“There is much work to do in disadvantaged communities. Foundations play an essential role in providing the fiscal support needed to assist nonprofits that often have limited resources. Working with a community focused and community-based nonprofit is the best way to effect change,” she said.

Be a part of Pittsburgh Foundation’s ONE DAY program to support organizations like Build the Community Center continue the good work of uplifting and centering the most vulnerable among us. We rise together! .

Read about other organizations doing vital work to help our neighbors in Western Pennsylvania by reading more in our Forging Forward series, presented with the support of The Pittsburgh Foundation:


Tech 25: The Future is Now

Outreach Teen and Family Services

Neighborhood Legal Services

STAT

Fishes and Loaves

Build the Community Center

Healthy Start

Janet Ward of BTC grew up in Homewood and moved away to Boston. When she came back, she started working to transform Homewood through BTC, Inc. Photo and caption by Jeff Swensen.

Melissa “Missy” Terrell, also referred to as “The Garden Lady,” is the project manager for “Planted in Homewood,” created by BTC and supported by The Pittsburgh Foundation. Terrell has transformed vacant lots on the corner of Race and Sterrett Streets into a garden that provides fresh vegetables to the area community. She would like to expand the program to replace dilapidated vacant homes adjacent to the garden. Photo and caption by Jeff Swensen.

Melissa “Missy” Terrell gives tomatoes to area resident Thelmika Griffin. The tomatoes come from the garden created by BTC, supported by The Pittsburgh Foundation, and managed by Terrell. Photo by Jeff Swensen

Get to know other organizations doing vital work to help our neighbors in Western Pennsylvania by reading more in our Forging Forward series, presented with the support of The Pittsburgh Foundation:

Tech 25: The Future is Now

Outreach Teen and Family Services

STORY BY NATALIE BENCIVENGA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF SWENSEN

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Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple

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Pork, pineapple, and peaches on the grill make for a sweet summertime meal.

This recipe from our friend Chef Jackie Page of Jackie Kennedy Catering comes together quickly and saves you from heating up the kitchen on a hot summer day.

Using your grill to cook pork chops makes short work of the task. But keep in mind that when grilling pork it is always a good idea to choose chops with a little fat on them in order to yield a more tender and juicy result. And using your grill to caramelize the sugar in the pineapple brings out added sweetness that is very complementary to the pork chops.

Serve with Jackie’s Grilled Peach Salad (recipe below) to make this a complete meal.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE RECIPE

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp olive oil

Fresh Pineapple slices

Sliced red bell pepper

Instructions

Season pork chops with salt, pepper, paprika, and olive oil.

Place on a pre-heated grill.

Grill pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Move chops to indirect heat, flipping once until they reach an internal temp of 165°.

Grill pineapple and red bell pepper slices until they have nice grill marks on both sides.

Serve pork chops with grilled pineapple and red bell pepper slices on top.

GRILLED PEACH SALAD

Ingredients

4 Peaches

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp. Cinnamon

4 tbsp Olive oil

Mixed greens or lettuce of choice

4 oz. Goat cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic glaze

Instructions

Cut peaches in half and remove pit.

Season the halved peaches with a little cinnamon, olive oil and brown sugar.

Grill in a grill pan or on outdoor grill until seared with good grill marks.

Put lettuce on a platter, arrange peaches, and dollop with goat cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Serves 8

RECIPE BY JACKIE PAGE / STYLING BY KEITH RECKER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF SWENSEN / STORY BY STAR LALIBERTE

Try these other recipes from TABLE Magazine:

Fried Chicken

Summer Veggie Sauté with Ravioli

Skirt Steak and Scallion Salsa

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Chicken Caprese

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Chef Jackie Page serves summer on a plate with this fresh and delicious easy-peasy Chicken Caprese.

It doesn’t need to be complicated to be delicious. That is why we love this recipe from our friend and TABLE contributor Chef Jackie Page of Jackie Kennedy Catering.

Some very tasty dishes are often those that are the easiest to prepare. This is especially true when you take advantage of the full and subtle flavors of fresh ingredients. For a burst of summer’s finest flavors, serve this dish alongside Jackie’s Grilled Peach Salad (recipe below). From start to finish you’ll have this dinner on the table in under an hour.

CHICKEN CAPRESE RECIPE

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

2 tbsp olive oil

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2 medium burrata balls

8 fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Roast chicken and tomatoes in a shallow dish in the oven for 30 minutes.

After cooking, top chicken with tomato, cut Burrata in half and place on top of chicken and tomatoes, and finish with torn fresh basil.

GRILLED PEACH SALAD

Ingredients

4 Peaches

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp. Cinnamon

4 tbsp Olive oil

Mixed greens or lettuce of choice

4 oz. Goat cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic glaze

Instructions

Cut peaches in half and remove pit.

Season the halved peaches with a little cinnamon, olive oil and brown sugar.

Grill in a grill pan or on your outdoor grill seared with good grill marks.

Put lettuce on a platter, arrange peaches, and dollop with goat cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Serves 8

RECIPE BY JACKIE PAGE / STYLING BY KEITH RECKER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF SWENSEN / STORY BY STAR LALIBERTE

Try these other recipes from TABLE Magazine:

Fried Chicken

Summer Veggie Sauté with Ravioli

Skirt Steak and Scallion Salsa

Don’t miss a single delicious thing:

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine here!

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