Edibles '11 chapter 2

i made a huge batch of pesto marilyn - i frozen to pint size containers, have another in the refrigerator, a small one for my in-laws, and a small half filled one. I think it was two years ago i made up a big batch and we just finished it. cindy has been on a pesto cooking kick here the last few weeks and cleaned us out and even bought some. neck is still sore from picking standing for what seemed like an hour picking off the leaves. will probably make another batch late in the season.

we have two different basil's - italian and mamouth leafed - the mamouth leafed has a stronger, maybe spicer smell than the italian. i mixed them up this time - will make sepaerate batches in the fall.

Thanks, Celeste!

Picked 20 Jalapeno's this morning and now I am off. Salsa is enroute.

Pulled the last of the beets yesterday -- greens were bitter but the roots themselves were sweet and delicious. I have not-too-long to decide what to plant in their place -- they were in my sole raised bed and I like to put roots there, but I really miss garden lettuce about this time of year.

I pulled an entire squash vine - whatever's gotten it has gotten it good. One vine remains, and it's future remains to be seen as well. It looks healthy, but...

I get 3 or 4 cherries every day, enough for a tease, tons of green maters on vines. Pole beans are coming in and the bush beans are slowing down.

Through a random stroke of brilliance I planted a spare cuke under the pea trellis and it has now taken over - peas are all but done, I've cut and extricated most of the vines and now the cukes are growing up one side and the baby eggplants (coming in hard) are leaning on the other. I actually lost a full branch off the baby eggplant because it was overloaded.

Crucifers are a hot mess in the back of the garden. Weird year, they should have been done by now and haven't even grown heads yet. They're starting now. A season-long fall crop. Still waiting on potatoes, melon, celery, and carrots.

The corn is filling out and we're anxiously anticipating beating the critters to the harvest. I had a dream last night that I sprinkled the silks with crushed red hot pepper flakes to deter them. Has anyone ever tried that?

I think I prefer waiting for seedling to emerge to waiting for veggies to ripen on full-grown plants.

Ingrid

I wasnt kidding. Here it is with the 26 states MA, PA and NC are the close ones.

http://foodpoisoning.pritzkerlaw.com/archives/salmonella-ground-turkey-salmonella-outbreak-in-26-states.html

Jumper is from OH I belive.

Round one canning done. 9 pints of salsa. Not hot but has a good bite.

Bill, that pesto sounds good....I have 3 basils this year, Italian, Thai, & purple...will also have to make pesto. Ingrid, your garden sounds like it's coming along.....my DH used to grow about a hundred hills of corn, but we never used the red pepper....coons used to get into the patch, but there was enough to share....Sherrie, that salsa sounds wonderful!

This message was edited Aug 2, 2011 10:45 AM

Thanks for the list, Sherrie. I hadn't heard about this yet. You are correct, I'm in OH.

For the third year our most productive crop has been these sweet gold tomatoes from Renee's Garden. They never make it into the salad. What we don't give away we eat straight off the vine. The warmer the weather the sweeter the fruit.

Cathy those matos look perfect, don't blame you for picking and eating. ^_^

It's time to start the HARVEST! ^_^ ^_^ ^_^

This message was edited Aug 3, 2011 6:35 AM

Let me just say one thing - CUCUMBERS!

Same here Yank, 13 on Sat. , 24 on Monday. Plus the boc. & cauli seem to be loving the rain and cooler night time temps.

not too many here thanks to the animals and no squash at all..........................

Few squash....just enough to keep on top of them....

Celeste - any good recipies for cucumbers other than salads?

Don't you make pickles, Memory?

I don't as I eat very few pickles. I make tomato sauce and jelly and jams.

I eat cucumber sandwiches..ALOT! LOL Little mayo, cukes, salt and pepper and im a happy camper. :) So to answer your question...no, not really. ^_^

The Brits like that!

Cucumber & cream cheese on crackers.....or slice a cuke thinly, & shave a piece of fresh ginger on it....very refreshing!

I made these for community time at church...YUMMY...Everyone liked them
Cucumber cups
INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber peeled
1/2 cup peas*
1 tablespoon horseradish mustard
1/4 cup sour cream, reduced fat
1/4 cup hummus

1 sprig fresh dill, separated into 12 sections

* I used no-salt added canned peas, but you could also use thawed frozen peas.

DIRECTIONS
Cut the cucumber into 12 rounds about 1 1/2" . Scoop out the inner flesh being careful not to scoop out all the way through to the bottom. Place the slices on paper or cotton towels to drain.

Puree the peas, mustard, and sour cream using a blender or immersion blender, or mash with a fork until smooth.

Fill each cup with 2 teaspoons of hummus, then fill to the top with the pea mixture. Garnish with a dill sprig.

One filled cup per serving, betcha can't eat just one!!!!

Number of Servings: 12

They do sound good!

"Horseradish mustard."

You had me at "Hello."

Horseradish mustard is the best there is! You can buy it or make it. You can even put a spoonful in tuna salad.

Ever have horseradish cheese? One of the best I ever had! Got it in Lancaster.

I had that once - 20 years ago. Our local butcher gets in different stuff.

I have horseradish to harvest this fall. 3 or 4 years ago a friend gave me 3 plugs what ever you call them. He said stick them in the ground and forget them. It aint 3 now its like 33. This will be a new experience.

I have a patty pan squash thanks to Celeste who sent me seeds when I couldn't find them.

^_^

Sherrie, make the horseradish OUTSIDE.....my parents tried to make it indoors once, & we had to leave the house! Yeah, it really spreads....Oh, & they cut the fresh horseradish with grated beets....I just bought horseradish cheese a few weeks ago...yum.

I heard the chemical warfare is as nasty as hot peppers.

Sherrie, you can make the grated horseradish in the food processor—but still outside.

Habanero flashbacks!!

no bhut jolokia = almost the hospital

The "new" hottest pepper
Naga Viper
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/12/naga-viper-vs-bhut-jolokia

where the Bhut Jolokia(ghost pepper) is over a million on the Scoville heat scale the Naga Viper is 1.359 million!!!!!!!!!

Don't you dare grow that one, Sherrie! Cucumbers are starting to mature like crazy, today will be a pickling day.....

I am game but I dont think its totally proven yet? When they get into the hotness how do they test it?

2 more peppers have been put on the scoville "KILL ME" scale. What I get is they are still trying to prove it. The Naga Morich and the Bhut Jolokia have been on the scale for years.

This took place in March.

The Naga Viper was created in England by chilli farmer Gerald Fowler of The Chilli Pepper Company, based in Cark, Cumbria. It is an unstable three-way hybrid produced from the Naga Morich, the Bhut Jolokia and the Trinidad Scorpion (some of the world's hottest peppers). Due to its hybrid nature, it is unable to produce offspring exactly like the parent.

They are trying to get the seeds for sale anytime but in the same token the seeds will not be guarenteed to produce what they say they are.
If you want seeds you have to get on a waiting list. http://www.chilefoundry.co.uk/2011/03/08/naga-viper-seeds-availability/

http://www.horseradish.org

Dirty ol' root! It should be arrested!



This message was edited Aug 5, 2011 10:07 AM

Trying to say horseradish is hot? :-)

If you like 'em tall and lanky...

A waiting list for seeds??? and not guaranteed to have some hotness as the parent??? hmmmm I think I'll pass.

I have a horseradish plant in a pot, haven't had a chance to research it yet thanks for the link