Haricots Vert Si Vous Plait!

I adore green beans! I am particularly fond of the french fillet bean the Haricots Vert. This thinner and more delicate bean variety lends itself well to simple preparation and excellent taste. This is the first year I have grown this variety, some of you will recalll that I tried out a trellising variety (normally the French fillet are bush beans). The vines are not quite as hearty as their more generic cousins, but once established, they really produced! I have gathered quite a few beans already...some to enjoy (as in the recipe below) and some to blanch and freeze so that even in the depths of winter I can have the invincible summer...I mean invincible Haricot Vert!

Hericots Vert Lyonnaise

Ingredients

16 Cups of water

1 tablespoon of sea salt

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 clove garlic crushed

1 large red onion, slived in rings

1 pinch dried thyme

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

freshly ground black pepper(to taste)

freshly ground nutmeg (to taste)

1 tablespoon finely minced parsley

In a large pot, bring slated water to a boil. Carefully drop by handfuls, green beans into boiling water. Return water to a boil for 5 minutes. Immediately drain and shock the beans in ice water for 5 minutes. Drain and wrap in a clean cloth; set aside.

In the same pot, heat the butter and lightly brown the garlic. Remove from heat and set aside for 20 minutes.

Remove the garlic from the butter and discard it. To the butter add onions and thyme. Cover the pot and braise the onions over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft and transparent. Increase the heat to medium high and remove the cover to caramelize the onion.

Stir in the green beans. After 1-2 minutes, deglaze the pot with the vinegar. Season to taste with salt pepper and nutmeg. Sprinkle the parsley over the beans and serve.

Happy Gardening!

Cue the Angelic Choir! The Tomatoes have arrived!

GLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOORRRRRRRIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOUUUUUS! Well that is the only angelic line I know...from Angels in America...but I heralded the arrival of the first tomatoes of the season last night. Four tomatoes came from my heirloom plants. One, an Amish Paste tomato, a plum style variety that makes excellent sauce. and the others I picked were Orange Russian, an orange, lower acid tomato. The other two plants (German Pink and Brandywine) have not ripened yet, but will any day now. I am very pleased with the production of these varieties and will definitely try them again in next year's garden if their yeild is sufficient!

To celebrate, I am having a traditional french baguette for lunch with Camembert Cheese and one of the tomatoes sliced up!!!

Happy Gardening!

Whomp Whomp Whomp

I came out to the garden last night to find both of my summer squash plants almost dead...I think the eradic weather (hail last month, record heat and horrific thunderstorms this month) may have had something to do with weakening them as well as the opportunistic sunflower that grew right between them. I had to pull them both out as well as the sunflower. The sunflower will supply some black oil seeds for the birds for the next day or so...it isn't a total loss.

I went to the nursery today and bought (on a good sale) some Italian Cocozelle zucchini seeds which are fast maturing (45-50 days). With a warm fall, I should be able to eek out a few to freeze for the winter. I am unhappy about the plants not lasting until the end of the season, but I did manage to get quite a few squash off the plant over the last few weeks so I can't be too displeased.

Happy Gardening!

Using Herbs: Herbed Jelly

I am waiting patiently for the glut of summer harvest to start. The cucumbers are coming along although I am not sure about this variety...they don't seem to be doing as well as I had hoped. The squash plants have essentially taken over the garden and are producing, but the tomatoes, eggplants and peppers are still a week or so away. What is coming in strong are the herbs....the herb garden I planted in the spring is going like gang busters and I couldn't be more pleased.

One of the ways that I use herbs and also preserve them for later use is to make herbed jelly. Many people have experienced the nasty green mint jelly that was paired with lamb...not that mint jelly is bad, it just needs additional flavors to make it less harsh. One of my favorite jelly recipes is for rosemary jelly...this versative condiment works well with roasted meats and vegetables. This year I added another flavor to the jelly with garlic. I thought the two flavors together would bring out the best in my roasted food.

3-4 lbs of tart apples (granny smith)

4 cups water

5 cups sugar

1 large handful of rosemary leaves (removed from the stems)

6 large cloves of garlic.

Cut the apples in halve (do not peel) and place in a large non reactive pot. add the water and cook until the apples are very very soft (35-40 minutes). Mash the apples into a pulp. Strain the mixture through a jelly bag or fine cheesecloth for 6-8 hours to remove as much liquid as possible.

Rinse out the pot and return the juice to the pot. Add the sugar, rosemary and garlic and stir over a medium high flame until the mixture reaches jelly stage (I use my grandmother's candy thermometer for this...I think it might be the oldest one in existence).

Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Check for jelly setting by placing a spoonful of the mixture on a chilled plate (the jelly should set up quickly). Ladle into sterilized warm jars and cover with a lid until the jelly cools and sets.

Remove the lids and add either a disk of waxe paper or melted beeswax over the top of the jars and replace the lid. This jelly will keep 6-8 months. Refrigerate after opening.

Happy Gardening!

Using Herbs: Healing Salves

There are so many uses for herbs; culinary, medicinal and cosmetic. Another product I like to make for myself and to give as gifts are healing salves. Herbal salves have a cosmetic effect on the skin by softening it and perfuming it with the essence of the herbs used and essential oil. Salve also heals minor bumps, bruises and scrapes. For those of us who work in the garden, kitchen and around the house, these salves save our hands so we don't look like we have been mining with our bare hands!

Salves are not difficult to make, they simply take a little patience and the herbal knowledge to know what herbs to use in your potion.

This morning, I wanted to make salve for myself, a friend and to put in a basket being auctioned off for charity, so I gathered self heal, lemon verbena and lavender plants. I cleaned the herbs and placed them in a double boiler over simmering water. To that I added two cups of an oil combination (grapeseed and extra virgin olive oil) and allowed the herbs to infuse the oil for 45 minutes to an hour. You can use a slower method to infuse by packing the herbs in a jar, adding the oil, sealing and leaving in the sun for a week.

While the oil was infusing, I grated a small block of beeswax into shavings and collected 8 tablespoons. Once the oil was finished infusing, I strained the herbs from the oil (and put the herbs in the kitchen composter) and put the oil back in the pan, added the wax and 20 drops of lavender essential oil for fragrance and to add a little more healing power to the salve.

Once the mixture was complete, I poured the potion into prepared tins that I purchased on sale from a container supply store. These tins will be allowed to cool for at least two hours before covering and being allowed to cure.

This is a very economical way to provide yourself with skin soothing products and great gifts for your friends. Per tin, between the oil, wax, essential oil, herbs and tin the investment is around $1.50. I checked online and for organic gardener's salve (in smaller tins mind you) the price ranged anywhere from $10-$17. I will make more of these as the harvest continues to provide myself with a supply and for gifts for the winter holidays, birthdays, host gifts, etc.

There are so many reasons to have a garden, particularly an herb garden, this is just one more fantastic one for the list!

Happy Gardening!

The Summer Harvest: Cucumbers

The cucumbers have started to mature and ripen and I collecting one or more every day now. I think (and hope) that that yield will increase as the next few weeks pass. I grew a new variety this year and I am uncertain I will grow them again.

These are an English Chelsea pride cucumber. English cucumbers are the longer, sometimes thinner cucumbers you see in the grocery store wrapped in plastic and they are usually quite a bit more expensive than standard cucumbers.

Perhaps it is my lack of familiarity with this variety and their preferred growing habits, but the plants are not vining up the trellises like I had hoped, instead they are bunching in vines…this leads to cucumbers that bend and twist as they grow, not what I was hoping for…the flavor on the other hand is marvelous so perhaps I can adjust they way I grow them next year…that I will decide on later.

Last night I determined I had enough cucumbers to eat for a few days so I decided to use the extra and make freezer pickles. I could have canned some, but these are equally good on burgers and as relish (sweet) if they are frozen and keep for more than 6 months which will get me to February of next year with cucumbers from this year’s harvest. I may can a few jars up for friends and to extend until next summer, but for the most part, the cucumbers will be eaten fresh or made into these crisp, delicious chips!

Freezer Pickles

2-3 cucumbers sliced medium to thick on a mandolin (I like my Japanese Benriner for this job)
2 shallots or 1 small onion (also sliced on the mandolin)
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
½ cup cider vinegar
1/8 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of ground turmeric
Pinch of celery, dill or mustard seed (or a combination)

Slice the onion/shallot and cucumbers into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and mix. Cover the bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 2 hours to draw out water. Drain and rinse the cucumber onion mix and rinse in a colander or sieve. Rinse and dry the bowl.

Return the mix to the bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar and spices and mix to ensure that the sugar has dissolved. Cover the bowl and allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Transfer the pickles to smaller containers (serving size or slightly larger) and freeze. Allow to thaw to room temperature before serving and use within a week of thawing.

Happy Gardening!

Using Herbs: Soapmaking

Part of growing herbs is using them, earlier I posted some of the medicinal uses of herbs; but today I am going to talk about using them in cosmetics, specifically soaps. Everyone uses soap (or at least they should…you know who you are), but most people buy these chemically scented harsh soaps that do more damage to skin that care for it. I prefer a more gentle and natural approach.

Yesterday I made two small batches of soap from herbs from the garden. I started with an all-natural goat’s milk soap base…I hope one day to learn how to make it, but for now, I purchase it from Soap Molds and More http://www.soapmoldsnmore.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=673

Goat’s milk is nourishing and soothing to the skin and makes a wonderful base for soap. Once I have my base, I add magic from the garden.

As I said, I made two varieties of soap yesterday. The first with Irish Steel Cut oats combined with dried spearmint from the garden ground to a medium fine consistency. This combined with the soap base to make a soothing green refreshing and nourishing blend!

The second variety is what I call “Three C” soap. It contains Calendula, Chamomile and Comfrey. Calendula is known for its skill healing and soothing properties. Chamomile is relaxing and comforting and comfrey is a skin healing herb. Both soaps are marvelous for every day use but for those who have dry, sensitive or irritated skin, these soaps can provide much needed relief!

I made about two pounds of each variety, poured them into my molds and let them cool. Once cooled and released from the molds, I “wash” the soaps in heavily salted water which allows the outside of the soap to cure and makes the bars last longer.

These beauties will be stored for my own use as well as be made into gifts for friends and family!

Making your own soap is just one way to use the bounty of nature that we cultivate in our gardens.

Happy Gardening!

Patty Cake, Patty Cake...um..ooops Pattypan!

Patty Pan squash is a summer squash, notable for its small size, round and shallow shape and scalloped edges, somewhat resembling a flying saucer. While some might be tempted to toss them around like a frisbee, they are best for eating!. The name Pattypan derives from" a pan for baking a patty", in French, it is Patisson which is a Provencal regional name for cake.

I am growing a seed variety that is supposed to produce yellow, green and white although all I have seen thusfar is the white.

I decided to make squash soup with these beauties that I picked this morning along with some summer squash I picked the other day. I am going to can it for use later as well as give as gifts. I left the squash on the vine a little too long so it is too big to cook whole as the squash is most tender when it is relatively immature.

The pattypan squash is a powerhouse of nutrition in a little package; rich in magnesium, niacin and vitamins A and C. And it is light on the diet with a cup of squash containing only 20-30 calories with NO fat!!!

Happy Gardening!

Discovering the Genius of Thomas Jefferson (Part 5): Homesteading

It is a novel concept in this day in age with city life, modern conveniences and 24X 7 available services but in the 17th and 18th and even into the 19th and 20th centuries there have always been people who live off the land. Sometimes by necessity (particularly in earlier days when there were no grocery stores, gas stations or any sort of services), others by choice who learned to sustain themselves in an ecologically respectful way that emphasized self-reliance, low waste and ingenuity.

Homesteading has experienced a renaissance over the last 20 years and in particular the last 10. With skyrocketing costs, corporate greed, dwindling natural resources and appalling food quality people have turned back to basics to produce their own food and supplies free from chemicals, with low carbon and petroleum footprints and also the manage and maintain their home and life with a do it yourself lifestyle.

This is something I have been extremely interested in for some time (although to do this with a modern and stylish twist of course). Once again I am drawn to the lessons I learned at Monticello.

The gardens of course are first in my mind. Both the garden plane as well as the enslaved people’s gardens provided all of the produce consumed by the residents of the mountain. The fruit orchards provided fresh fruit, fruit for preserving and consuming and the vineyards provided both grapes for fresh consumption as well as the raw materials for much of the wine consumed at Monticello. Before it was fashionable to have microbreweries and home brew, even before commercially available beer, the people at Monticello created their own.

Preserving food was also of primary importance at Monticello to sustain the population over the long winter months. Meat and game were preserved primarily by smoking in a smoke house built beneath one of the promenades of the house. Grain cellars also stored wheat and other grains for use. The ice house, a particularly interesting invention was packed with ice from the river below the mountain as well as snow, packed hard and surrounded with straw to insulate. Ice was then used to keep food refrigerated and the run off was used in making beverages as well as drinking as there was a lack of water on the mountain.

Let’s be clear, the kind of homesteading at Monticello is on a grand scale, but the value is in the creative ideas and the ability to adapt the principles to a more modest home like yours and mine. It is also perfectly acceptable to use modern conveniences to help along the way as long as they are used with moderation and respect for their immediate and far reaching costs.

I could go on and on about the lessons learned at the magnificent place about sustainability, homesteading and returning to a gentler and self-sufficient way of life, but this is a blog and I will post my experience as I go along this path!

Happy Gardening!

The Summer Harvest Season Has Begun!

I always think this day will never get here and then I am always taken by surprised and delighted when it does.

I have enjoyed the spring crops of lettuce, radishes, beets and the like, but I am always gratified when the summer crops arrive!

The summer squash have started to bear copious amounts of delectable vegetables (sometimes two or more mature squash per day). Obviously there are too many to eat so I will be slicing a portion of them up and freezing them so I can enjoy this harvest well into the winter.

I also harvested the first of the beans. As many of you will recall, I planted a French fillet variety that grows on trellis (like a pole bean) rather than the traditional bush variety. After a tenuous start where I thought I might lose one of the plants, they have proliferated and started bearing their fruit. I only harvested a small amount today and I hope that in the coming weeks and months I harvest more for the table and to blanch and freeze!

Also I am just a couple of weeks away from harvesting the first of the leeks, the garlic which will then be cured and braided and hopefully the bumper crop of potatoes. Now that we are two to three weeks away from harvest I will withhold watering the potatoes much to allow them to cure in the ground and develop a thicker skin. This will help preserve them longer in dry storage (the new pantry) and I will also shred and rice some blanched potatoes, then store them in the freezer in puck form for hashbrowns or other processed potato recipes!

Happy Gardening!

Decisions, Decision

I hate being plagued with doubt, but I find myself just that over my new garden bed. After my visit to Monticello last month, I was certain that I was going to place a round bed in the grass space to allow for more planting space and for an interesting shape to the garden.

Well this morning while cutting the grass to its center, I left a space that was more rectangular and followed the shape of the garden and I thought that this might be the ideal shape for the new bed.

At this point, I cannot decide and it is maddening!!! I thought I would let my readers and facebook friends weigh in on the choice...it may make it easier...I mocked up the two options in the yard and took pictures (above). Let me know what you think!

Happy Gardening!

My, How Quickly Things Change

It has been two months since I expanded the perrenial border and look how quickly the new plants have settled in and begun to take over the new three foot wide space. I planted Lavender for luck, some creeping flox for early color. Cinquefoil and lemon balm for aromatic and medicinal purposes and some annual chinese brocoli for delicious stir fry's this summer. When my shipment of bulbs come in from the Netherlands in the fall, much of this space will be used for bulb planting, but I thought you would like to take a look at it in its summer glory!

Happy Gardening!

A Few Snaps Of Jurasic Park

I stepped out into the garden this morning to take a few snap shots of the growth of the garden over the last month. I took some pictures at the end of May/Beginning of June and posted them. Even I was surprised at the growth of the plants...particularly the squash plants...they have gone completely nuts!! SQUEEEEEE!

Oh, and follow me on "the twitter" at http://twitter.com/#!/kwright1970

Happy Gardening!

A Proper Pantry

Part of the joy of creating and tending a garden is the bounty of the harvest. I am hoping for a bumper crop of many of the vegetables I am growing this year. The lessons of frugality and not wasting things are those that were taught to me by my grandmother, but sadly I have not always lived by those principles. As I get older, I find those lessons come back to remind me that I need to follow them....and I am, but I am doing it with my own twist and style.

While shopping at Sur La Table today, I came across my favorite Italian canning jars, I absolutely love the shape and style of these jars and to my delight, they were on sale...combined with my culinary professional discount (I still teach cooking periodically), the jars were the same price as buying standard Ball Jars (which I love too). I may save my pennies this summer to purchase some French jam jars and some German Weck jars as well so my pantry looks as beautiful as it is functional. For a selection of spectacular canning jars, visit Sur La Table's Website http://www.surlatable.com/search/searchContainer.jsp?q=italian%20canning%20jars&s=tru or if you have a store in your area, pay them a visit

Anyway, enough with my canning geekiness. I am really fortunate to have a pantry space already in my basement, but alas it has been neglected and used as a haphazard storage room for 8 years. This morning, I was determined to clean it out, clean it up and get it ready to stock my garden bounty and that is just what I did. I cleared everything out, gave it a good sanitizing washdown and stocked it with containers to root cellar the potatoes when they come in along with onions and other dry goods. I also left space for canned goods (both home canned and those gourmet items from the store when they are on sale). I also put in some modular wine racks to hold the overflow from my butler's pantry rack.

Gardening not only impacts the outdoors, but it even helps you indoors!

Happy Gardening!

Healing With Herbs

My interest in natural healing is common knowledge. I believe in western medicine, but I also believe we rely too heavily on it. Western medicine (in my humble opinion) is best when used to treat chronic or severe illness. Many pharmaceuticals are really really effective in curing disease, but they also come with significant side effects. Traditional medicine is a gentler and more natural approach to staying well and has been relied on for millennia to treat the every day bumps, bruises, colds, infections, etc.

Now for the disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only and in no way substitutes for qualified medical advice or treatment. The statements regarding the herbs have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please consult your medical professional before using treatment, including herbs and spices for possible side effects.

I am growing a lot of herbs in my garden, many of course are for culinary uses, but many are grown for medicinal purposes. Several of the culinary herbs have medicinal properties as well. I would like to share with you some of the herbs I am growing and their uses.


Angelica: The licorice like stalk can be boiled in sugar to create soothing lozenges as well as in oil to treat canker sores.

Basil: basil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and contains a wealth of nutrients, including beta-carotene and magnesium. Simply chewing on some basil can release its restorative powers.

Dill: Dill is about the best digestive aid herb there is. Chewing the leaves or the seeds can relieve gas and bloating and aid in other digestive upsets.

Lavender: Just the scent alone relaxes me. I use an infusion of the lavender flower that I make for a bed linen spray, I put lavender flowers in with other herbs to create skin healing and relaxing baths. Lavender oil also has healing qualities to minimize surgery and other scars.

Lemon Balm: Lemon Balm can be used for a variety of ailments including fatigue, cold sores, and stomachs

Lemon Verbena: while being fragrant and delicious Lemon verbena has awesome anti fungal properties when added to oils or other treatments for fungal infections for the ladies. It has also been made into a tea, then cooled and used as a mouth rinse and gargle for those with thrush.

Peppermint: while delicious infused in vodka, made into candies, or other food products, the oil from peppermint can balance your mood. Peppermint and eucalyptus, are believed to be stimulating and uplifting. It also helps with headaches

Rosemary: While delicious as a culinary herb, the oil from rosemary was a lifesaver for my former partner. He used to suffer from debilitating migraines to the point of needing injections for relief. While reading an antique botanists journal I found that it was an effective cure for “the headache” which was the common term for a migraine associated with women’s menstruation. I followed the instructions to make a tea infusion and sweetened it with a little honey and had him drink it during his next migraine attack. The headache was completely gone in about 20 minutes and he uses this remedy to this day, no longer needing medication or injections for headache relief.

Sage: The perennial Thanksgiving favorite herb, Sage can tackle a nagging cough when made into a tea or gargle. It can also help reduce bloating due to menstruation or other causes.

Self Heal: Just what the name implies. This herb is particularly good in infused oil or directly applied to injuries as a poultice.

St. Johns Wort: this herb is associated with mood elevation and balancing. I use it combined with lemon, lavender and peppermint in a tea whenever I am feeling blue

Thyme: The primary ingredient in most cold and flu remedies is thymol, which is the primary volatile oil from the thyme plant. This can be added to cold remedy teas along with Echinacea and Ginko for a feeling of well being and speed healing! You can also combine Thyme, Oregano and rosemary into a steam for your respiratory system when you are congested!

Yarrow: This is a multi use herb, but it is mostly known for its long history as a powerful 'healing herb' used topically for wounds, cuts and abrasions.

Happy Gardening!