Recipe - Lemon Verbena Sorbet

So truth be told I'm much more of a cook than a gardener. While I'm excited to learn about how to garden, I'm ALSO excited about the fruits of our labour. So why am I so excited this morning? I came across this lovely vegan recipe which uses Lemon Verbena!

Lemon Verbena Sorbet

- 15 grams (about 2 cups) fresh lemon verbena leaves, rinsed and gently patted dry
- 180 grams (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons) unrefined cane sugar (the soft kind, not granulated)
- one large organic lemon, scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon limoncello (optional, but a bit of alcohol helps keep sorbet smooth)

Makes about 750 ml (3 cups); the recipe may be halved.

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, combine the lemon verbena leaves and the sugar. Using a vegetable peeler, shave three strips of zest from the lemon, and add them in. Process until finely ground.

Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the juice of the lemon, the limoncello if using, and 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) cold water. Whisk to combine, cover, and let this mixture steep in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

Strain through a fine sieve to remove the little flecks of leaf (teeny bits may remain, but that's okay), and churn in the ice cream maker. Serve with hazelnut cookies, very ginger cookies, or some of those heart-shaped gingerbread cookies you bought the other day because who says there is a season for gingerbread cookies?

The texture is best when the sorbet is freshly churned. If you have leftovers, apply a piece of plastic wrap closely to the surface to prevent crystallization. Let the sorbet soften for 20-30 minutes in the fridge before serving.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can make this as a granita. Prepare the mixture in the morning. Strain it 2 hours later, pour it into a freezer-safe container (preferably glass or metal), and place in the freezer. An hour later, remove the container from the freezer, scrape and draw the sides in with a fork (the mixture will set from the sides in), stir vigorously, and return to the freezer. Repeat every hour. The granita will be ready by dinnertime.

The recipe can be found at the link below with some commentary from the chef/blogger.
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2009/07/lemon_verbena_sorbet.php

Garden shots: July 20th, 09

This is my first time sharing photos through gmail's Picasa Web album.

Here it goes! Try this link.

Pummmmpkins!

Not only good for jack-o-lanterns, here are some fun facts about pumpkins:

A pumpkin is really a squash. It is a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash, watermelon and cucumbers.

Pumpkins are grown all over the world on six of the seven continents, with Antarctica being the sole exception. They are even grown in Alaska.

The self proclaimed "Pumpkin Capital of the World" is Morton, Illinois.

Planting Pumpkins:
Pumpkins can be planned directly into your garden by seed or with transplants. If you’re growing your pumpkins in mounds, plant the seeds about 1 or 2 inches deep, in groups of 5. Plant pumpkins in rows with 2 seeds per hole and about 2 to 3 feet between each hole. If you want your pumpkins to mature by Halloween, it’s a good idea to plant them by May or June, but make sure to keep tabs on the soil temperature. Wait to plant your seeds until the risk of frost has past.

Whether you choose rows or mounds, make sure you give your pumpkins plenty of space. It’s preferable that they are surrounded by bare ground without other crops growing. After you’ve planted your pumpkins, frequent weeding is important to keep your pumpkins healthy as they develop.

Also note that you should avoid planting pumpkins where you’ve recently had other vine crops such melons. It’s a good idea to wait at least two years before planting pumpkins in these areas.

How Much to Water Pumpkins:
Pumpkins prefer soil that isn’t too wet, so you should water them infrequently. However, make sure that each watering is a good, deep soaking. A soaker hose or drip irrigation are ideal ways to water your pumpkins. These methods are also helpful to avoid certain common diseases such as powdery mildew. Most pumpkins begin to bloom around late July, so pay close attention to your watering habits during this time. 1 to 2 inches of water a week in recommended, depending on where you live. As the pumpkin fruit starts to develop, reduce watering.

[How to Grow Organic Pumpkins info from: www.pumpkingrowingtips.com]

Health Info:
Pumpkins are rich in Vitamin A and potassium. They are also high in fiber.

Here's some stats on what's in one cup of pumpkin puree:

• Calories: 80
• Carbohydrates: 19 gram
• Cholesterol: 0
• Fat: less than 1 gram
• Potassium: 588 milligrams
• Protein: 2.4 grams
• Vitamin A: 310% of RDA
• Vitamin C: 20% of RDA

Recipe: (obviously a baked good because i LOVE baking!)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola or corn oil
1 cup pureed pumpkin (this is easy to do: cut top off pumpkin, hollow out seeds, then cut pumpkin into quarters. grease a cookie sheet with oil, then place pumpkin cut side down on sheet and bake at around 400 for 30-45 minutes, or until soft. time will vary depending on size and thickness of pumpkin)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Position a rack in the middle of the oven . Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the chips.

Scoop batter onto baking sheet, and bake until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 16 minutes. Cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Eat Beets! (Tara says so)

Beets are great because they are two-two-two foods in one! Well, sort of. They are one veggie, but the roots and the leaves can be used separately to different effect. The leaves (especially if picked early, and tender) can be used in salads, and just need to be washed. If you don’t feel like a salad, then go right ahead and cook them! This is especially useful if the leaves are larger and maybe tougher. Just sautee with some oil and garlic and maybe some chopped onion. You can treat it much like spinach. It can also be added to a stirfry, and I think it might be yummy in a pasta. Perhaps with some goat cheese and toasted pine nuts?

The roots (the beets themselves) are wonderful roasted. No need to peel, just wash, coat with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and wrap in some tin foil. Bake at about 400 for about an hour. The skin should come right off. Be warned though, they will stain, especially the red beets. Last time I roasted beets I waited until they were coolish, and then peeled them wearing (clean) dishwashing gloves. The gloves were stained pink, but my hands were A-Ok. Word on the street is that you can also steam beets, but I have never done this myself.

And here is a very yummy sounding recipe for a roasted beet salad:

Romaine and Roasted-Beet Salad with Creamy Roquefort Dressing

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Romaine-and-Roasted-Beet-Salad-with-Creamy-Roquefort-Dressing-4270

Beets!

Beets

Beet Facts

Beets are from the Chenopodiaceae Family and are called Beta vulgaris subsp. Esculenta in Latin.

Beets, like carrots and some other root veggies, prefer soil that has not been recently manured or composted. Forked roots can result.

Beets are compound seeds: if you look closely at a beet seed you will see a number of seedlets fastened together into one “seed.” (Chard is the same.) This means you will often get more than one beet from a seed.

How to Grow Beets

1. I like to soak the seed in hot water (bath temperature) for about an hour before planting.

2. Choose a site in full sun and sow when the soil has warmed a little. Space seeds a little farther apart than you’d think—2 inches is fine—because you will usually get two to four (or even more) “seedlings” from each seed. They should be planted in rows that are spaced thirty to forty-six centimeters apart

3. Cover with about 1 centimetre (0.5") of soil, then tamp down very lightly with your palm.

4. Seeds will germinate in 5-12 days depending on soil temperature (sun and warmth).

5. When beets are about 1.5 inches high, carefully thin them out. This is best done in the morning or in the early evening, when the sun is not shining brightly. Thinned beets can still be eaten for the greens!

6. Beet seeds can be planted as soon as the soil is able to be worked at the start of the growing season. Planting them every two or three weeks would provide a continuous harvest into the fall.

7. The ideal pH is between 6.5 and 7

8. Once the seeds are planted, it is suggested to cover the soil with a little mulch to protect it during rains and dry periods.

Arooooogula

I've been doing a bit of research on arugula. The first thing you should know about this leafy green is that it's considered an aphrodisiac. Who knew, right?
Plant seeds 1 inch apart, ¼ inch deep in rows, or broadcast alone or mixed with other greens. Gradually thin to 6-inch spacings using thinnings for salads.
Prefers rich humusy soil with pH of 6 to 6.8, but will tolerate wide variety of conditions. Evenly moist soil will help slow bolting. Growth is low and compact until heat causes plant to bolt.
Forms a rosette of deeply lobed leaves. Plants become erect when heat induces bolting.
The white flowers that grow when it's mature are indeed edible, and have a creamy taste.
Arugula reseeds often itself - but it's self sterile and needs insects to help it procreate. It can be harvested multiple times throughout the season. (I reseeded arugula myself last summer after harvesting it for the first time in early July.)
You're supposed to avoid planting arugula after other cabbage family crops. (I'm not sure what "after" constitutes here, I'm guessing "in soil previously used for cabbage family crops" ...but if someone's got a better idea, please feel free to share it.)

I got a lot of this info here.

Ok, here is a recipe that I tried last year (with parsley and arugula from my garden) and lost my mind because it was so good.

Arugula-Parsley Pesto

1 cup arugula
1 cup parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup toasted nuts (I used walnuts, but I bet pine nuts would be even better; the original recipe calls for almonds)
2 squirts of lemon juice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional, definitely not necessary)

Blend the arugula and parsley (probably best in batches) with the olive oil and lemon juice, adding the garlic and then the nuts in small batches until a paste is formed.

Use the pesto in pasta, on pizza, as a body rub, etc...

Enjoy!

Robyn

heirloom carrots: fun, nutritious, and in vogue!

http://www.thestar.com/article/666247

Fennel Datasheet

Ideal soil & weather conditions:
- sun to partial shade
- average water needs; prefers well-drained soil

Growing guidelines:
- start fennel as early in the spring as possible; it is better for the bulb to develop in cooler temperatures than in summer heat
- best to plant directly from seeds; sow after last frost, 1/4 inch deep
- fork 2 to 3 inches of compost into the soil before planting; in heavy clay soils, plant fennel in a raised bed.
- once plants come up, thin to 18-24 inches apart
- plant seeds into rich soil & keep bed moist for two weeks, or until first leaves appear, then give it average water
- too much or too little water can cause the plant to "bolt", i.e., go to flower too early and become tough
- when bulb is the size of an egg, pile up soil around it so it continues to grow away from the light; this blanches the bulb and makes it more tender
- feed every two weeks with diluted fish emulsion
- fennel plants are believed to release a chemical that impairs the growth of other plants and should not be grown close to beans, tomatoes or members of the cabbage family (yikes!)

Pests:
- competes poorly with weeds; hill soil and add mulch to prevent such competition
- aphids can cause some damage, otherwise no pest problems

Harvesting:
- you can snip fennel leaves throughout the growing season
- you can harvest any time by cutting through the root, just below the bulb

July 5th Photos

Brad's elven eyes are dreamy....

Marco slays several of the pumpkin juggernauts.

Potato madness!

Potato flowers means the first tubers are present; yay!

The first pea harvest.

The first BIG harvest!

Oh...my...goodness! Foooood? So good!

Thanks so much to Claudia's mother (and her helpers)

for such an awesome dinner. Yum!

Garden Map

The first garden inventory is taken electronically with machine-like accuracy. Behold; the following is an inventory focused map of the garden as it was recorded on July 5th (almost all icons represent an individual plant).

Click the Pic!