Sunday morning I trooped out in the oppressive humidity to pick blueberries at Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon. I picked just under a quart for $2.64. The effort took me an hour, a time I enjoyed. The boon of selecting your own means you get only the best and freshest berries at their peak of perfection, which makes a huge difference in recipes and eating by the handful.


Before dinner, I whipped up a peach and blueberry kuchen, a recipe from the All New Joy of Cooking. The recipe does not call for blueberries, but I figured I'd add a cup, because I like mingling the flavors of the two fruits. My original plan had been to make the dessert featured on the cover of August's Gourmet magazine, but I did not end up with enough time to make it, so I needed something that could be assembled more quickly.

When the kuchen came out of the oven, I could not resist sampling. I tell you I came damn near to swooning--that's how incredible it tasted. I called Ken upstairs and he, too, wanted to do backflips. This is definitely a dessert that should be eaten warm from the oven.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Skinnied-Down Eggplant Parmagiana, made with eggplant from Volante Farms.