1859 Sept | Oct 2018

farm to table
Home Grown Chef
Kiwis … in Oregon?
written by Thor Erickson
photography by Megan Morse
BEFORE I TALK about kiwis, I need to
be completely honest. When the editors
of 1859 Oregon’s Magazine proposed that
I write about kiwis, I though they had lost
their minds.
Kiwis? In Oregon? Really? I went home and
binge-watched “Flight of the Conchords”
while I did some research. After a healthy
dose of Bret and Jemaine, I soon found that
kiwis do grow in Oregon, and are becoming
quite popular.
Kiwi berries (also known as hardy kiwi,
grape kiwi or cocktail kiwi) are smoothskinned
and much smaller in size than their
furry cousins from New Zealand. I drove out
to Dundee to HB&K farms to pick a few for
myself. The strawberry-sized kiwi berries,
or Actinidia arguta, are not genetically
modified minis, but their own perennial
vine, native to Japan, China and Russia.
Kiwi berries have a short growing season,
typically September and October. As I filled
my pail, I sampled a few of these sweet little
fruits. They do not require the peeling of
the furry skin that we are used to doing to
prepare kiwis. “Just pop ’em in yer mouth!”
one of the farmers recommended. In doing
so, I tasted the sweet, acidic balance that
kiwis are famous for. My head started to
flood with ideas of how to use these little
beauties—salads, jams, pies. … I know, I just
roasted grapes in the last issue, but seriously,
roast these kiwis and serve them warm over
vanilla ice cream. You’re welcome.
Picking kiwis in the hot sun is a lot of
work. Time for a cocktail!
The Oregon Kiwitini
Thor Erickson
MAKES 1 COCKTAIL
3 ounces vodka
3 Oregon kiwi berries
2 teaspoons simple syrup
Ice
In a cocktail shaker, muddle
the kiwi berries with simple
syrup to release the fruit’s
juice. Add ice and vodka.
Shake well, then strain into a
well-chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a couple kiwi
berries on a cocktail pick.
42 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018