Garden Porn: Bounty Abounding...Still!!!

We had another amazing bounty this past weekend at the Eric Waller Community Garden. More delicious green beans, butternut squash, eggplants galore, Swiss chard, herbs and some hidden beets. We took down the sad looking tomato plants and harvested what was left of them. We all raved about the magic of using mushroom compost in our beds and once again talked about food as we worked.

If you are thinking of starting a vegetable garden next year we all highly recommend amending your beds soil with mushroom compost. In Maryland Hollins Organic is a great supplier.

Spicy-Sweet Beet Relish Ferment and Savory Vegetable Ferment

This spring I planted about 200 beet seeds. Chioggia and Detroit Reds. We ate the thinning's first followed by roasting the baby beets, then we boiled and skinned the big beets for salads and tasty snacks when they were at their peak. This past weekend I pulled the rest out to make a Spicy-Sweet Beet Relish ferment. Not really having a game plan other then the fact I had about 8 pounds of beets to use up and about a pound and a half of hot peppers. With those two as my base I decided to go for it...Now one interesting thing happened while I was prepping this ferment. I also had a hot water bath rolling for some pints of tomatoes and a pint of tomato juice left over from the canning workshop the day before. As I was putting the pints into the bath I stopped before putting the tomato juice in. It was giving off the recognizable sound of a fermented "hiss". Sure enough I opened it up and it was bubble-city. I took a sip and OMG! I just made tomato soda. No way was that going into hot water! It tasted SO GOOD!!! So I decided I would add it to my Spicy-Sweet Beet Relish to give it a sweet kick and jump start the ferment.

Spicy-Sweet Beet Relish Ferment
Makes about 2 quarts or 1 quart and 3 small jars

You will need: about 6-8 pounds of beets, boiled with the skins removed, allow to cool and chop into bite sized pieces. Two apples, cored and chopped to the same size as the beets. Three hot peppers, sliced into rings, seeds removed and toasted in a hot skillet until slightly charred. Remove from heat, cool and chop finely. Optional: a half cup of red grapes (I used organic seedless since they are in season right now) cut into quarters. Combine all into a large bowl with about a teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix and beat them around a bit until they start to give up some of their own juices. Then pack it into your jar, pack a bit press down, pack in more and press down, do this until you are about an inch and a half from the top. The goal is to remove as much of the air as you can and to cover the mixture with its own juices to create the anaerobic environment for the good bacteria to take over. Once it is packed you can finish it off with a small bit of salted water or fermented tomato soda, leave about an inch at the top. Cover with a lid. Set your ferment in a bowl to collect the juices that will inevitably pour out once the ferment gets to bubbling. Enjoy after the first three days then transfer to the fridge or cool cellar to store. Make sure you date it! This ferment tasted like magic after about 36 hours. Try it with a roasted meat dish or with fish. Or on its own!

How to make Tomato Soda: Juice 6 tomatoes, remove the seeds, pour into a jar with a lid, let it sit out for 24 hours, after that time it should be fizzy and ready to drink or use.

Savory Vegetable Ferment: Eggplant, Leeks, Swiss Chard, Peppers with Caraway and Cucumber
Makes about 2 quarts or one large jar

You will need: One large eggplant, cut up into bite sized pieces, 2 leeks washed well and sliced into thin rings (try to use as much of the leek as possible, greens too!), a medium sized bunch of Swiss Chard chopped into small pieces, stems too, 2 medium sized peppers chopped (I used 3 small chocolate peppers and one green pepper), combine into a large bowl with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, mix and beat up until the vegetables give up their juices. Add about 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds to the mix. Stuff and pack the vegetables into your jar until the juices cover the vegetables. Then slice about 3/4 quarts of 1 medium sized cucumber and layer them over your vegetables pushing them down to weight the ferment when you have used up all the slices take the end piece place it in the middle and close up your ferment. Set your jar in a dish to catch the overflow of liquid. Taste at the three day point. You can move it to the fridge or keep it on the counter to eat from, remembering to transfer into subsequently smaller jars to keep the air from ruining it.

XOMC

Garden Porn: Biggest EVER

Wow. I'm sure Google will bring many confused internet surfers to this post with that title...they may be a bit disappointed. This weekend was prime-time for the Community Garden and putting some food by. We had our biggest harvest yet to date this past Saturday; eggplants, butternut squash, green and red peppers, jalapenos, watermelons, beets, tomatoes, herbs, romaine and butter-crunch lettuce, Swiss chard and leeks. I also harvested the rest of my beets from the front yard garden to make room for my fall cabbages and kale. With all the delicious food-stuffs piling up in the kitchen there was much to can and ferment this weekend. Saturday after the garden three garden members came over to learn the basics of hot water bath canning. Each brought over about 8-12 pounds of garden tomatoes, already skinned. All together we canned 7 quarts and 9 pints of garden fresh tomatoes in their own juice. It was a lot of fun showing others how to can; its a relatively easy thing to-do, but its helpful to see the steps and how it works before venturing out on your own. I will post the How To and basic recipe later on...






















This weekend was also spent with a good new friend drinking Cherry Kombucha outside and making plans to take over the world (which is always easier to do with a buddy). We sipped our hot-red elixir from some fun little vintage Playboy Bunny glasses outside. It was such a perfect weekend for indulging in fortunate bounties of food and friends. I hope yours was just as wonderful....XOMC

Indian Runner Ducks

What is is about poultry? Throughout history humans have kept ducks and chickens close at hand, for food, manure and pest control in the garden. They also make wonderful companions and educational resource for children and young adults. So how did this relationship come to be?  And what is it about the come back of raising poultry in urban gardens?
One aspect to consider is the current movement of not only organic food but local food and people wanting to have more control and say over where their food comes from, how it is grown and transported. A recent study has started a ripple effect in the growing community that has separated consumers into two different groups; those who buy organic for its supposedly nutritional benefits and those who purchase local/organic for community, society and environmental benefits. The study recently conducted by Stanford University found organic food has no nutritional advantages over conventionally grown food. Take what you will from the study, but I think for most people that choosing organic produce and meats over conventional is also a matter of choice concerning the environment, keeping antibiotics out of our families bodies, how the farmer treats their land, livestock and the chemical companies they choose to NOT support and the workers they hire. By keeping it local we are reducing our carbon footprint and keeping the economy within our community. Its not just about eating well its about making the right choices that in turn effect our environment, health and welfare of our community. Also, growing our own food and raising our own poultry keeps us connected to our land and agricultural roots. Secondly, don't we want to be self-sufficient and sustainable? To rely on ourselves to grow healthy fresh food for ourselves and the community? I would like to see a study that shows the benefits of visiting the farmers market, meeting up with your NSA (Neighborhood Supported Agriculture) every week to garden together, having a connection with urban poultry, nature and the pride in growing your own food.
Back to ducks...at our NSA we decided to keep ducks to help maintain our dedication to not using pesticides to control bugs like the harlequin beetle, stink bug, cucumber beetle and bean beetle. Ducks also produce wonderful manure that they automatically add back to the soil through walking and foraging deeply with their bills. The water they bath in can be directly applied to crops for an immediate fertilizer boost. Not only that but they lay delicious rich eggs, containing high levels of Omega 3's and vitamins foraged from the garden; not from medicated feed in cages. Ducks, unlike chickens, are easy to train and herd; show a duck once or twice and they will remember! One example is in southeast Asia; Indian Runner ducks in the thousands are herded from rice paddy to another by the community of farmers to eat bugs, lay manure and eggs. Then herded to the next paddy and finally to a large outdoor pen for the night. This has been done for centuries. At our garden not only will we be using them for pest control but also to educate our community at large the benefits of using ducks in the garden and possibly partnering with local public schools to teach children about the ducks, how they "work" the garden and the act of growing your own food. Being a NSA we have a responsibility to educate and share with our community about locally supported agriculture and being kind to the environment. Mostly I think the recent lure to raising and keeping poultry in the urban garden is a longing to have a connection to our food once again.  Along with the knowledge of chickens being raised in confining cages, fed antibiotics and the waste created by big factory farms. After all isn't the food we produce and consume as a society reflective of who we are, what we find to be important and fulfilling? Urban farming and homesteading is on the rise because we know that it is the right thing to do for our health, for our community and environment.
Just in; article about homesteading in the New York Times 

Fawn and White Indian Runner Ducks in the garden by P. Allen Smith

The Color Red: New Kombucha Flavor & Lots of Tomaters

We had a busy weekend around the house...lots of sanding, painting, installing new bathroom and closet doors and finishing up the bedroom. All the little things are adding up and its starting to look really nice! Now with the ducks happily in their garden home we can relax a bit and get the rest of our home projects completed.
I wanted to share with you some of the flavors that appeared in our kitchen over the weekend; red was the default color of choice!
One of which is a new kombucha flavor that I am wild about. Cherry Chia with Yerba Mate (as opposed to black tea). The Yerba Mate gives the kombucha a less over the top tea flavor and instead allows the fermented flavors to sing. We are enjoying this batch of 'buch quite a bit; in fact I think it may be my best in a very long time. To make Cherry chia; add 1-2 teaspoons chia seeds to your bottle, remove the cherry stones from about 6 ripe washed cherries, cut into quarters, add the cherries to the chia and fill with brewed kombucha, swirl a bit of kombucha around to get the chia seeds wet, then fill to the bottom of the neck of your bottle. Cap and date...the cherries and chia become active really quickly (like minutes); burp your bottle the first couple of days and refrigerate for a couple days before you open; it's powerful!!!

The next flavor this weekend was tomatoes...lots and lots of juicy red-ripe tomatoes from the Eric Waller Community Garden and our front yard garden. I am letting them ripen just a tad more today before I can them whole tonight. We will have lots of delicious and local/organic tomatoes for winter stews! Yum!

XOMC

Moss Transplant Update

In June I transplanted moss from the far corner of our lot to the area around a walkway next to our house. It's been way over a month (about two in fact) for a follow-up. I am pleased to report that the moss has taken! Albeit not without some help from lots of rain this summer, more like down pours and derechos. 

Sometimes the area looks a bit dry and brown and I think to myself "Crap! I killed it!" then I give it a heavy drink of water and presto! Its green and fluffy again. I am hoping next year it will be fully rooted and in place. Now that I know it works (dirt splash-up problem SOLVED) and the mossy areas I transplanted from have replenished, I plan to do more on this side of the house. After we replace the windows...

No rest for the weary!

XOMC

Sauerkraut

If you have never done a wild ferment before because you are afraid of  Botulism or mystery deadly bacteria and or stinking so bad that you scare away your friends and family, I am here to say; get over it.  It's so easy and risk free. Your gut will thank you and most importantly your taste buds will go wild! Not to mention your friends curiosity will be piqued with interest...you're doing what???

Be the envy of your agrarian social circle; make 'kraut.

How to make Sauerkraut 101...

You will need:
A Crock or other vessel like a large glass pickle jar, or large mason jars.
A plate that fits inside your crock/vessel that you can remove, or a root plug, which is a disc you can cut from a beet, turnip or even cabbage. This is used to place on top of your kraut to press it down so the brine covers it. A weight to place on top of your plate or plug like a jug or small glass jar filled with water, a zip-lock filled with water or salted water, a big cleaned rock. A towel to cover your kraut and a big rubber band or string to secure it.
You can make sauerkraut with one large head of cabbage or 20+. It all depends on the size of your fermentation vessel. We had 3 large heads of cabbage from the garden, we used our 5 gallon crock and it was only a third full. Salt; any salt without iodine will do, we always use Real Salt and some kosher salt. We also added whole caraway seeds and four apples, both are optional, in my opinion they add a nice balance to the cabbage. Shred your cabbage and apples with the blade attachment of your food processor, or your mandolin, or grated by hand or sliced by hand. We like ours thin. You may like it more chunky. There is no right or wrong way! Dump your beautiful cabbage-apple confetti into your vessel; start with a sprinkle of salt over it and massage the mixture with your hands. The goal is to break down the cellular walls of the cabbage to release its water content, the salt will help pull more water from the cabbage throughout the whole fermentation process, your hands are just getting it started. Optional, but a lot of fun, is if you have an old wooden baseball bat or pounding mallet, use that if your hands are tired or if you are fermenting a ton of kraut, clean it and pound away.

The goal is to create enough brine so when you place the plate or plug and press down the brine covers the kraut. Now taste test your cabbage, you want it just salty enough, kinda like how sea water tastes...too salty? Add some fresh water, let it set for a bit then drain, but the goal is to taste as you go and add, you don't want to lose any flavor by diluting it with extra water. Once the flavor is right add in some caraway, mix it in, then cover and press with your plate or plug. Enough brine? Good, add your weight, towel and secure it. Place in a cool area like your basement. Ferments will develop faster in the heat of the summer and should be consumed instead of stored for the long haul. In the fall you can put up kraut for the winter, it will ferment slowly and you can keep it in the vessel and take what you need.
In a couple of days taste it. There may be some white sheets on the surface of the brine, this is mold and is totally normal. Remove the weight and skim away the mold, if you don't get all of it, not to worry, go under the brine and pull up some kraut for your taste test. Mix in the mold, the anaerobic and lactic acid environment you created will kill it. Our Kraut took about 6 days to come to the flavor we liked, I could tell it was done when I could smell it. We skimmed off the mold and packed it into four quart sized mason jars. We will eat one now and place the other three in our cellar-like environment in our basement, dated for later use. If you don't have a spot like this in your house the refrigerator is the best place. Or give some away to your friends and have a bratwurst party!

Heres to your happy gut!
XOMC

Indian Runner Ducks: Week Five

As the Runners grow taller and fuller they require more nutrients than what their starter feed offers. This past week we have switched up their feeding routine to mimic their upcoming garden schedule.  Ducklings more than chicks require an ample amount of Niacin (B3) and Calcium in their diets. You can simply give them a water soluble "multi-vitamin" or you can supplement their diet using whole foods. Tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, carrots and nutritional yeast are just some of the niacin rich foods that ducks can eat. Without ample niacin ducks can experience a lack of growth and have a difficult time metabolizing their feed for energy which in turn gives them weak muscles, especially in their legs. Calcium is also an important addition to their diets right now so we have been giving them a treat of yogurt with live cultures. As they grow older niacin and calcium are important supplements for egg laying as well. Their daily "duck-feast" is a mash-up of dry pellet starter feed, a large ripe tomato, 4 scoops of Nutritional yeast and a green leafy vegetable, mixed with some water, yogurt and feed. They LOVE it.

These ducks (the ladies) and drakes (the gents) grow up fast and as they await their entry to their home in the garden I can't help but be a bit sentimental. Just this morning I was remembering the first night we had them - so small and vulnerable! - their little chirps and leg stretching, first swims and first feathers, quacks and individual personalities. A.J. is still the biggest and is most definitely the flock leader (pictured above in the pool in the middle) and Ressie is in the front on the right. Also on the Duck Front we will begin construction of their new home "Fort Knox" over the next few days. We are very excited to have them part of our garden community and community at large, we know that they will make a wonderful addition not only to the garden but for educational purposes within the community as well. Many people inside and outside of our garden community have offered their support (from vet care to solar heating!) and have volunteered their time to care for the ducks. It takes a village after all! And we are one committed village...

XOMC

Purslane: Portulaca oleracea

Sometimes we find things in our flower beds and vegetable gardens that we didn't plant; we call them weeds. And more often those weeds are a constant nuisance, poking up around our beds like a grade school bully. There is one such "weed" that is not really a weed at all, in fact you may already know what it is from seeing it snake over sidewalks, cascade over rocks or the pretty yellow flowers it sends up towards the end of its growing cycle. Purslane, pigweed, hogweed or verdolagas is commonly eaten in Mexico, Europe and Asia. It has a lemony flavor with a succulent like crunch. Purslane also has a mucilaginous quality that makes it a great thickening agent for soups and sauces. The leaves of the plant are also an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids and medicinally the leaves can be made into a tea and used to treat stomach aches and as a poultice to treat insect stings and earaches.

Its a free garden gift that appears July through September. Harvest up until it flowers. Dry the leaves and keep in your pantry for use in winter stews or for tea. But use it in its raw state for as long as you can! My favorite way to use Purslane is chopped, stem and all, then tossed into a simple tomato-cucumber salad with fresh mint or the leaves in a Caprese. Keep it simple, the summer is too hot for complexity. 

A word of caution however, be careful not to pick Purslanes look-a-like, Euphorbia, you will know it by the milky liquid it exudes when picked as well as having thinner stems.

This article from the New York Times from a couple years back offers a interesting recipe for Pickled Purslane. Urban Forager, From Sidewalk Cracks, a Side Dish

Enjoy!

XOMC

Ferments: the first of Summer 2012

Omne vivum ex vivo

Yum to the yum! Fermenting is where its at! Easy. Extremely low on energy consumption. Tasty. Healthy. Crunchy. Salty. Dilly. Garlicky. Bubbly. Aids in digestion and its a quick and easy way to put food by. This summer I did my first ferments when we had no power on the Fourth of July and a week later they were tasty and ready to be eaten or placed into cold storage. I have stored fermented foods for over a year and they are crisp and delicious as the day they were jarred, albeit with a much different and alive flavor. Fermenting is a little bit of magic and a little bit scientific. A fermented food relies on the surrounding environment and the microorganisms that exist within that environment. By creating an anaerobic environment using salted water and fresh vegetables, lactic acid is formed and thus helps to begin the breaking down of the food causing that pungent, sour and fizzy flavor we associate with fermented foods.

Fermentation Equation
 
Or simply; fermentation is the conversion of sugar molecules into ethanol and carbon dioxide by yeast.


Paradoxically Louis Pasteur (the handsome dude above) who made great discoveries and contributions to modern medicine, vaccinations (rabies and anthrax) and the invention of Pasteurization, discovered how fermentation spontaneously "happened". He concluded that fermentation is the result of the growth of micro-organisms and growth of bacteria in "nutrient broths" is due to bio-genesis. Bio-genesis is the belief that "All Life is From Life". Now the paradox; he is also the fore-father of our modern day "War on Germs". 
Recently the New York Times published in the Opinion Pages an article about Dirtying Up Our Diets. I find this discussion very timely given the abundance of hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial soap and our over industrialized food industry. Read it....I'll get off my educational soap box now.

Simple Ferment

Salty Solution: 3 tablespoons sea salt (I love this salt) to one liter of filtered water. Make as much salty solution or as little as you like; it all depends on how much you are fermenting. If you don't use all the salt water, store it in the fridge for later.
Veggies like green beans, cucumbers, beets, radishes, turnips, zucchini fresh heads of dill and whole cloves of garlic
Pint size to quart size mason jars or any glass jar with a metal lid

Process:
Make salty solution
Clean and dry your jars
Wash your veggies
Peel your garlic and smash with the side of your knife
Add garlic and dill to jars
Add veggies to jars and leave at least 1.5 inches of head space
Press veggies down with your hand
Pour in Salty Solution and place lid on jar
Date the top and wait!

You will hear your jars "talking" after 24-48 hours, I usually "burp" mine by releasing the lid just a bit then tightening it. After three days I taste one and usually start eating from that jar. You can place the jars in the refrigerator after a few days but I usually eat them too fast to make it to the fridge. If you taste your ferment and like the taste place it in the fridge and that will slow the ferment way down so you keep that flavor. Each time you ferment the flavor will be slightly different... that's your micro-organism world speaking to you!

Enjoy!
XOMC

Garden Porn- Crowns of Green Heads of Purple

This third year in the garden I planted my first Red Cabbage and Broccoli. Our community garden had extra plants so I purchased two red cabbage plants and four broccoli plants. I Planted them in the same raised bed as my Detroit Reds and Chioggia Beets. Since I planted the cabbage and broccoli sort of late I did a couple of things to speed up the growth; I added fresh compost and a row cover. Before we left for Minnesota I fertilized again with Plant-tone, crossed my fingers and bid adieu to my garden. 
When we returned home the crops were practically exploding under the cover, sure enough, their growth had tripled in only a week and a half. I removed the row cover and waited. And waited and waited some more for the broccoli to crown and the cabbage heads to form. Nothing. Meanwhile at the Eric Waller Garden we were harvesting beautiful heads of Cauliflower, Cabbages and Broccoli. 
Now there is something here to consider. The Eric Waller Garden gets about 3 more hours of sunlight then my garden does, so in general my crops tend to be slower growing. Which is fine because then we enjoy two cycles of the same vegetables. We also planted these crops a lot earlier and in super rich mushroom compost. So sun and nutrients. 
Again I added more compost and Plant-tone to my beds and water, water and more water (its been very hot and dry) and then BAM! I have crowns! I have cabbage heads for the crowns! This weekend I will be harvesting my first crowns of Broccoli and next weekend I will harvest my first heads of Red Cabbage and the rest of my beets. 
Now the question is...what do I plant next? Beans? More beets? Both? Can you juice broccoli leaves? Suggestions and ideas welcome!
XOMC

Garden 2012

This is the third year of our front yard vegetable garden. We have definitely learned a lot about growing vegetables. Such as soil and nutrient requirements, using compost and controlling pests (squirrel's who boldly steal heirloom tomatoes!) and maximizing food production in two raised beds. And the added component of  growing food in the front yard where you inevitably engage with your neighbors, children, dogs and friends while out tending to the growing things. Being involved with the Eric Waller Community Vegetable Garden definitely helped obtain working knowledge and skills as well as becoming UME Master Gardeners (we are still in the "Intern" stage). But as Shane and I worked in the yard this past weekend, establishing our very new perennial beds; we agreed that the best way to learn is by doing and asking a lot of questions!

The first year we installed our raised beds we had a few raised eyebrows; folks thought that food gardens should be relegated to the backyard, that they are "unsightly". Well I think we dispelled that "rule" because from my front window, every morning, I can observe walkers slow down in front of our garden to take in its beauty; and frankly I'm pretty darn proud of that.

What I have planted now:
French Breakfast Radishes
Little Marvel Peas
Bloomsdale Spinach
Rainbow Chard
Lacinato Kale
Onions (from last fall)
Leeks (just harvested!)
Red Cabbage
Detroit Red Beets
Chioggia Beets (red and white stripes!)
Broccoli

What we planted last year that is part of our edible landscape:
Blueberry bushes (Highbush and Jersey)
Pear Tree
Asparagus
Strawberries

Herbs:
Chives (I planted three years ago by seed)
Fennel (a perennial that will return as well)
Chamomile (also a re-seeding perennial)
Basil
Dill (that I seeded last year and grew one tiny measly plant and this year BANG! I have 10 healthy plants)
Nasturtiums (edible flower and tasty greens)

Coming up: Soon the radishes and spinach will be done and this weekend I will thin my kale plants and move them and the chard to the front bed along the sidewalk to make room for the tomatoes. I will let the beets, cabbages and broccoli finish out their cycle and plant in Black Zucchini (that I've started from seed) and Bush Beans (also from seed). This year we will grow the pickling cucumbers on a inverted V trellis. When my zinnias and marigolds are ready they will go into the flower pots and perennial beds.
So much to-do but so much fun! This growing season is off to a very good beginning.

Vegetable Gardening Timing Tip: this weekend plant your green beans by seed and your tomato plants!

XOMC

Spring Soup Carpenter Style

The Carpenters love soup (I am now an official Carpenter!!!) and using up everything in the pantry. Nothing goes to waste; we compost it or Earl gets it (lucky boy). Last year we stuffed our freezer with kale, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, pesto, stir fry mix of cabbage, collards and kale; all from our gardens and a generous gift from Baltimorganic. And have thankfully feasted on it all winter long!
                           

We are nearing the end of our stash and just in time too! The garden is beginning to supply us with radishes, spinach (wintered over), kale, beets, lettuces, arugula and leeks. So its time to clear out the fridge of root veggies and use up some random food items. I adapted this recipe from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions  cookbook.    
                     
Spring Root Vegetable Soup

2 Tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter)
1 Bunch of fresh or dried Thyme (tied with kitchen string)
2 Large Spring Onions sliced into rounds
4 Medium Carrots sliced into rounds
4 Medium potatoes diced
2 Large Yams diced
1 Large Turnip diced
6 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cayenne or Hot Chilies chopped up fine (Optional...I added in one of my hot red chilies!)
Hand held blender (optional)

Melt the ghee over medium heat. When melted add the spring onions and saute until tender. Then add the rest of your roots. Cook the roots until soft ( like to call this "sweating" I cover the pot and let them steam together for about 10-15 minutes). Once the roots have had a good sweat add the chicken or vegetable broth and thyme. Bring to a boil them simmer for 45 minutes on low. After 45 minutes season to taste and add your pepper of choice or a pinch of cayenne. Simmer on low for another 15 minutes and taste again. When to your liking remove from the heat, remove the thyme and blend with a hand blender until smooth. Serve with a swirl of yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh thyme if on hand and hunk of bread.

Enjoy! XOMC

Violet Flower Jelly (for Doris)

Violets. Rarely ever do you hear someone complain about the path of violets taking over their yard. The welcoming swath of color that appears late in March and April provides eye-catching color and reprieve from the long grey winter months. Our common garden violet actually belongs to the Viola genus and is commonly referred to as Viola odorata. And she is edible! I came across this unique idea on the Grow It Eat It Blog. I love a recipe that incorporates an ingredient (or more!) that can be foraged locally for free. As long as you have a little time to dedicate to harvesting Viola blossoms (and quickly before they disappear!) you should make this jelly, which I call a "novelty jelly" because frankly it doesn't taste like Viola odorata, but it is how I imagine the color violet to taste.

Violet Flower Jelly

First find a large swath of Viola odorata's that have not had chemical application. Pick a packed quart sized jar, preferably JUST the blossom tops, no stems or leaves. The darker the Violets and the more you pack in the darker your jelly!

Wash the blossoms to remove bugs, dirt and the like. Re-pack them into your jar. Boil 2 cups of water and pour over the blossoms, using a spoon press down on the blossoms to make sure the water is distributed evenly throughout. The color will appear right away! Cover and let rest over night.

IMPORTANT! Before making the jelly:

Gather and wash/sterilize 5 half pint or 8 quarter pint jelly jars with rings and lids and all ingredients listed below. I did process my jelly in a hot water bath for 8 minutes. You do not have to do this step, however if you don't I suggest you give your jelly away as gifts and/or refrigerate. Either option you pick DO have your jars hot when you add the jelly as well as your lids and they will probably seal on their own.

The next day carefully strain out the Violet water until you get 2 cups (you may end up with more than 2 cups, keep the extra Violet water for coloring eggs, cocktails, Violet Water Perfume and making syrup).

Pour the Violet water into a large pot

Add the juice of one lemon

Add your pectin (I used Pomona Pectin, but was not happy with it) I would suggest using Sure-Jell (one packet)

Bring to a boil

Once its boiling add 4 cups of sugar, stir and bring back to a boil. Boil hard for one minute. Then reduce your heat to low, constantly stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn off heat.

With your readied and HOT jars ladle the jelly in one at a time leaving about a 1/2 of head space. Lid and ring. Repeat until all the jelly is packed into the jars. Process or let cool and refrigerate. When you give these as gifts peoples faces light-up! Who knew? They'll say... and you are immediately the coolest chick on your block; with Violet lips of course. Hors d'oeuvres idea: Violet Jelly with Manchego or a Buttermilk Blue Cheese.

Enjoy! XOMC

Fried Zucchini & Squash Blossoms

Hi! I have a confession.......

This summer I've been craving burgers and things fried in beer batter. Not only have I been craving these delicious fatty food stuffs but stuffing myself with them. Maybe its the 5 milers 4-5 times a week, all the fresh garden air or just a robust 30 year-old appetite, but I crave hardcore and once that taste settles into the giant part of my brain that's obsessed with food it does not leave until it's in my belly. On a personal food politic side note I have given up eating beef, I've gone back and forth with vegetarianism, veganism and back to all out carnivore, and oddly enough stopped consuming soymilk in exchange cow's milk or goat milk. In the end it came down to what it should have been in the beginning, cows are too damn cute and CAFOs are wrong. Now strangely enough I still think turkeys, lambs, goats, fish and chickens are cute but I still eat them...we'll tackle Swine on another day. Maybe that will change in a year or two or never, but I do know that my body needs animal protein to function properly. So when the urge strikes for it, I honor it, but I never let that big food part of my brain allow me to overdo it.
So! Back to vegetables. Last night I made the first fried young zucchini, with their blossoms as well as some young spaghetti squash with their blossoms. This year I planned on planting extra squashes exactly for the purpose to fry them. So happy I did! Seeing as I also planted a ton of basil this year I thought...how yummy would basil tops be fried? How good? Food orgasm good. It's a good thing I'm a runner...
You can fry just about any veggie, but there is something so enchanting about consuming a fleeting blossom in the middle of the summer picked moments ago from your garden. You can find blossoms at your local farmers market, get there early and plan to prepare them that day. You can also ask your favorite grower if they have any coming up and make a special request. Definitely ask for the young squashes, the size of your pointer finger, with the blossoms still intact, they taste like the most decadent vegetable entity on the planet.
Fried Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash Blossoms with Basil in Beer Batter
Gather enough small squashes and blossoms to allow for each guest to have 4 each (two small squashes with blossoms and two blossoms, OR if you have a ton make 'em all and have a party!)
You can use big basil leaves and basil tops to. The tops are the most tender however...to properly pinch off a basil top you want to take just below the first set of leaves where you see the split for the second set. Pinch flush with the new set. Big leaves take from the middle of the plant and save and inch or two of the stem.

Beer Batter*

1 cup beer (I like to use National Bohemian, Pabst or Labatts)
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt*
3/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or less or none depending on your personal relationship with heat)
1 cup floor
1 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Peanut oil or canola oil for frying

In a medium size bowl whisk the egg really well. Add the seasoning, whisk. Measure and incorporate your flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.
Gently rinse your squash and blossoms, set aside in a colander.
Heat up a 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet. While the oil is heating up pre-heat your oven to the warm setting, place a baking sheet in the oven, paper towels are optional (no towels will keep the fried deletables crispy). Arrange your batter and blossoms close to the fry pan. Tongs prepared. Kitchen fans on, windows open...
Ready? Now incorporate your flour/baking powder mixture with the beer, whisk well until smooth. Using a basil leaf as your tester dip it into the batter like you would a floppy paint brush, let the excess drip off and lay it in the pan. It should sizzle, once sizzlin' repeat the process with the rest of your blossoms and basil.
Done-ness: Like pancakes the pieces will puff up, the blossoms will expand like balloons, flip, when you have reached side two they are done when they can be pushed around. Transfer to the sheet in the oven. Repeat until all are done OR serve immediately to your drooling friends. Making sure to save some for yourself. Drink with the beer you made the batter with.
Dips: yogurt, mayo or nothing. They are that good.
*you can use half of the salt if your watching your sodium intake, but then again why are you making this if your "watching" anything?

Welcome to the dark side....
XOMC

......summer......

After summer solstice I become nostalgic for summer's past...swimming at the Clay Hole, catching fireflies, late languishing dinners, itchy sunburns, warm tomatoes from the garden, my Dads coleslaw and burgers, beautiful boredom.....Then I snap back into the now moment and take into account of all that is summer around me; our new home, vegetable gardens, fireflies and foxes, dinners on our back patio/hideout as the sun sets, the relentless mosquito's, Earl's constant fox patrolling, S's euphoric rucus rides around the 'hood.
Relishing in the moment I decided to make two cold salads with the intention to make them last for a few meals. Which is ideal if your going to make your long summer evenings last...meaning not in the kitchen (at least not all the time). Well they were delicious...and I forgot to take photos, but do you really need photos? I mean they're salads...coleslaw and pasta...
I can't take credit for this coleslaw...one of my favorite cooking blogs Smitten Kitchen came up with this one...and it's the coleslaw to end all coleslaw's. So instead of writing it all out just go here.Deb at SK is my new kitchen hero, and there are good pics too! I would imagine you could substitute the parsley for fresh cilantro and if your feeling it some toasted walnuts for garnish. This literally took no-time to whip up and it makes enough for at least 6 people as a side dish. Plus the dressing (incredible!) makes enough for a whole other slaw. I used the raw milk blue cheese crumbles from Whole Foods for the dressing. It was perfect.

Pasta Salad with Basil, Soft Boiled Eggs and Preserved Lemons

Inspired by S's post yoga meal the night prior...I used leftover pasta which made this dinner a snap.

1/2 a box of Conchigliette
3-4 soft boiled eggs
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
Generous handful of green beans cut into diagonal 1/2" pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 of a preserved lemon (or more!) minced with a bit of its oil (about 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoon's ghee
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

At the same time prepare your eggs and pasta.
Pasta: cook until al dente, rinse with cold water, drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Toss with a 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 pepper and the minced garlic; set aside...
Eggs...bring a pot of water to boil. When boiling, gently add your eggs and boil for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes turn off your heat and let them sit for one minute more. Run under cold water and let them sit in cold water until ready to use.

Chop your basil and green beans, set aside. Mince your lemon, set aside. In a large skillet heat your ghee on medium heat, its ready when a test green bean sizzles...
Add your green beans and saute for 1-2 minutes, add your pasta mixture and saute 1-2 minutes on medium heat, add the lemon and its oil, saute a few more minutes then transfer back into the serving bowl. Toss with the basil. Peel the eggs and slice into 1/4" over the bowl, toss, salt and pepper to taste. Let the dish sit for about 15 minutes to allow for the flavors to meld. Serve at room temperature.

XOMC

Beans, Beets and Sweet Potato Salad with Flax-Maple-Dijon Dressing

It's hot. REALLY HOT (yesterday's heat index 108!). And I STILL get hungry in the heat, but the last thing I want is to sweat over my stove. This is the summer of cool salads that are light enough for the heat, but substantial enough to be a meal. Last night I made this using up some canned beans and a large sweet potato; the last of the "winter" food stuffs. To round it out I added some beets along with romaine and beet greens from the Eric Waller Garden. To really make it yummy I whipped up a Flax-Maple dressing. Delicious!

Flax-Maple-Dijon Dressing
1/2 cup flax oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon Dijon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (dried will work too)
1 clove garlic, pre-minced
generous pinch of sea salt
Place all ingrediants in a blender and blend until well combined.

Beans, Beets and Sweet Potato
Bring a large sauce pot to boil with 1 teaspoon of sea salt
Wash and peel one medium/large sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Wash beets and boil the sweet potato and beets together for about 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork
*If you are using large beets peel and quarter. Small beets, under 1.5 inches place with skin on into the pot of boiling water.
Meanwhile drain a can of garbanzo beans and black beans, wash the beans under cold water, drain and place in a large serving bowl.
When the beets and sweet potatoes are done drain and rinse with cold water, drain, add to the beans. *Don't forget to pop the beets from their skins!
Chop up and tear some romaine lettuce along with the beet greens. Wash and spin.
Fetch your dressing and add it all to the beans, beets and sweet potatoes. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes take your mixture from the fridge, stir it up and serve on top of the romaine and beet greens. Serves 2-4

XOMC

Collard Rolls

For three weeks in a row our community vegetable garden,The Eric Waller Community Vegetable Garden , to be precise, has harvested an abundant crop of collards. Collards are a cruciferous vegetable and can boast about their high nutritional value here. Amazing huh? Cancer fighting, detox and anti-inflammatory. Lets grow more collards!
As the members of our flourishing garden stood around the leftover pile of kale and collards contemplating whether or not to take on the challenge of preparing the often over looked green, recipes started to fly. Personally I love collards, they're tough, flavorful and hold their own in any menu situtation. I hope we plant a late summer crop for the fall (hint, hint).

One of my favorite ways to eat collards, especially when you have giant collard leaves like we harvested this weekend, is to make Collard Rolls.
Its a fairly simple recipe, open to numerous interpretations, but the key is to not over blanch the collards!

I like to serve mine with a yogurt sauce mixed with fermented beets/turnips/onions, along with fresh French radishes from my front yard garden and mung bean sprouts to accompany the meal. Lets just say you'll feel like you can fly after eating this!

Collard Rolls
Serves 2-3 adults

You will need:
A large pot of boiling water
A large ice water bath
6-9 big collard leaves, washed, patted dry and the thickest part of the stem removed
Filling: (this is what i used)
1 cup brown rice
2 cups washed and chopped kale (from the community garden)
1 chorizo sausage cut into small pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
Generous dash of paprika
1/2 of a squeeze of lemon

Saute the chorizo in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat until brown, add onions and saute until translucent, add a generous dash of paprika and lemon juice, saute 1 more minute and add the kale, saute until the kale is bright green and remove from heat, add the rice.
Prepare to blanch your collards. Using your tongs and one leaf at a time, dunk it into the water, count to 20, remove immediately into the ice bath (it helps to have this bath near your stove) transfer to a cutting board and proceed with the others until done.

Similar to spring rolls, roll em' up until you have enough for a meal (one adult can eat about 3). Serve with yogurt, fresh garden veggies and sprouts. Eat! *see pics above for rolling techniques...

Some things I've been making...

Breakfast: Kale (from my front yard garden!), chopped and lightly saute in butter with minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Pour some whipped eggs with salt and fresh cracked pepper, cook like an omelet. Enjoy with toast spread with St. Andre cheese and fruit preserves.

Perfect summer evening meal; Spring rolls with rice vermicelli, baked tofu, shredded carrots, saute greens in coconut oil and peanut dipping sauce.

Baked tofu: one block of firm or extra firm tofu, squeezed of its water. Preheat oven to 350, cut tofu into bit sized rectangles, place in shallow roasting pan and brush with tamari/shoyu or Braggs, bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil (big enough to accommodate spring roll wrappers) when boiling turn off and let sit. While the water cools a bit prepare your vermicelli, drain toss with a bit of sesame oil and place back in pot, cover. Grate 6 medium carrots, saute some chopped greens in coconut oil over medium heat (bok choy, kale, collards etc).

Peanut Sauce: 1 glass jar with lid, 1/4-1/2 cup of crunchy peanut butter, 1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger, 1-2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon tamari, shoyu, Braggs, 1/4 warm water. Place all ingredients in jar, stir and then shake it. I like to make a lot to keep on hand for spring rolls or pasta. Please note, make sure your stir then shake, and use caution when opening, heat tends to cause pressure and a mess. I never measure so adjust according to your personal taste.

Making spring rolls:

Using tongs take one wrapper and dip in the water bath for 3 seconds (hint: you want the wrapper to still look firm, it will soften quickly!) place on a dry cutting board. Near the last third of your wrapper place a bit of all your ingredients roll up like a burrito. Make enough until you have a meal. Eat.

If you make enough fillings you can store everything in your fridge for a quick meal during the week. All you need to do is boil some water and assemble.

The Eric Waller Community Vegetable Garden

I'm not even going to begin by apologizing for my lack of posting. It's been far to long and too many other things (amazing things!) have been in my way. No more excuses however!

The Eric Waller Community Vegetable Garden of Mt. Washington

Since about mid-February S and I have been involved in a truly amazing community force which had its official beginning this past Saturday with our first harvest. Each family took home a glorious bounty of Romaine lettuce, butter crunch lettuce, broccoli, radishes, kale, spinach and collards. 29 families are participating this inaugural year and many more on the wait list...I hope we can expand next year! We also donated the rest of the veg to Our Daily Bread. It felt so good going home with a heavy bag full of greens and knowing that we fed fresh local and organic food to hungry people in our city. You could feel the empowerment in the air as 20 people harvested vegetables that they grew, some of them for the first time. Knowing that you can sustain yourself is a powerful drug!
On a similar note:
S and I are not participating in a CSA share this season because we are suddenly spoiled! With the Eric Waller Garden plus two plots in our front yard; which we have already been eating spinach, kale, bok choy and radishes from since April. PLUS two plots of onions, carrots, tomatoes, spaghetti squash, beans, peas, cucumbers and zucchini the Mt. Washington Community Veggie Gardens (which S is not the manager of!)...LOTS of fresh, organic and super-local foods.

Pictured from the top down Left to Right:

Set 1:Mina, neighbor and happy participant/receiver of vegetables, Naomi-the instigator and driving force behind the garden, wheelbarrow full of butter crunch (each family took home TWO heads!)

Set 2: The start of laying out the bounty: Romaine, butter crunch, broccoli and radishes.
Set 3: Larry Kloze; our visionary master gardener and teacher who has graciously volunteered his time and extreme generosity to showing us all to be farmers, Me! My spinach from my front yard garden

Set 4: Radishes from my front yard garden. Romaine (another crop for next week!) and a growing Celebrity tomato plant.