California Prunes Partners with Renowned Chefs for California Farmer and Farmworker Month

ROSEVILLE, CALIF (October 3, 2022) – October is California Farmer and Farmworker Month – a specially designated time to recognize the remarkable contributions of the people who power California’s food and farming community. Consider this: California supports 1.2 million agriculture-related jobs and produces 400 different crops, roughly 50 percent of the overall U.S. produce supply, and nearly all domestically grown prunes.

To help celebrate the hardworking farmers and farmworkers of the Golden State, California Prunes is partnering with a line-up of accomplished chefs around the United States to showcase the delicious, dried fruit that is grown by about 600 California Prune growers in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. The chef partners are featuring a range of California Prunes dishes that consumers across the country can enjoy, including:

  • Aliza Sokolow of This is What I Eat is an accomplished food stylist and author based in Los Angeles, Calif. Sokolow regularly bakes for charitable organizations and for the first part of October she will offer Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Prunes that can be enjoyed when ordered directly through the This is What I Baked Order Form (proceeds donated to California Farmworker Foundation).
  • Bronwen Wyatt of Bayou Saint Cake in New Orleans, La., offers a Chocolate Walnut Chiffon Cake with Prunes and Chicory Cream available for New Orleans residents throughout October. Local ingredients are a mainstay of her Instagram-famed cakes. California Prunes are not only local for those in New Orleans since California supplies the country’s prunes, but the premium fruit also adds depth of flavor to the other California-grown ingredients, like California Walnuts. Additional California Prunes recipes from Wyatt include a Prune Upside Down Cake and Almond Cake with Prune-Raspberry Butter.
  • Kat Turner of Highly Likely Cafe in Los Angeles, Calif. has come to love California Prunes in several recipes and currently features A Good Turkey Sando with Prune Mostarda on the menu at the Los Angeles eatery. The Prune Mostarda recipe is an incredibly versatile condiment that anyone can make at home and use for sandwiches, grazing boards, or to elevate a variety of proteins.
  • Mica Talmor of Pomella restaurant in Oakland, Calif. will feature California Prunes that have come from orchards in the surrounding area in her Chicken + Prune Tagine menu item all month long.

“As a chef, coming from Wisconsin to California – with its surreal year-round growing season – it’s like winning Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket,” said Chef Kat Turner, Highly Likely Café. “And, thanks to the tireless efforts of farmers and farmworkers, we have wave after wave of delicious, healthy, gorgeous food grown right here in the state, including those sensual, premium quality prunes whose flavor can truly transform a dish with their uniquely craveable taste, texture, and versatility.”

In addition to featuring California Prunes on their menus, the chefs will also serve up tasty California-grown ideas and inspiration on their respective social media platforms throughout the month.

California is the ideal place to grow prunes due to its alluvial soils, abundant sunshine, and the fresh water that runs off the nearby mountains. The multi-generational farming families who grow California Prunes have honed their craft for more than 100 years and are dedicated to cultivating their orchards with sustainability in mind for the next generation.

“We honor the contributions of growers who work so hard to ensure we have delicious, healthy food every day,” said Kiaran Locy, California Prune Board, Director of Brand & Industry Communications and Buy California Marketing Agreement board member. “It’s inspiring to partner with chefs who use locally and responsibly sourced ingredients and appreciate the versatility of California Prunes because prunes are good every day in so many ways – from delivering exceptional nutrition that supports a healthy gut and bones – to adding big flavor and natural sweetness.”

Always in season, California Prunes ideas and inspiration can be found anytime @CAPrunes on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter and at www.californiaprunes.org.

woman looking at camera
Aliza Sokolow of This is What I Eat offers her Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Prunes
Local ingredients like CA Prunes are a mainstay of Bronwen Wyatt of Bayou Saint Cake’s creations

woman standing in front of building

Kat Turner of Highly Likely Cafe features A Good Turkey Sando with Prune Mostarda on the menu at the
Los Angeles eatery

woman with food smiling
Mica Talmor of Pomella restaurant features her Chicken + Prune Tagine menu item in October

 

 

 

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA PRUNE BOARD
Created in 1952, The California Prune Board aims to amplify the premium positioning and top-of-mind awareness of California Prunes through advertising, public relations, promotion, nutrition research, crop management and sustainability research, and issues management. The California Prune Board represents approximately 800 prune growers and 28 prune, juice, and ingredient handlers under the authority of the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

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For more information, contact:

Kiaran Locy, Dir. of Brand & Industry Communication
California Prune Board
klocy@californiaprunes.org
916-749-3442