What are you eating out of your garden?

sorry to hear that pirl - I still have seed, so let me know if you would like to give it a try again next year.

Thanks, Anita. Next May would be fine and I'd love to try again. You're sweet to offer.

Thank you for the Korean melon seeds, again, Anita. I'll keep them safe until next spring - I promise. You're very kind.

That's what neighbors are for! You are very welcome!

Monster cucumbers. I'm so desperate to do something with them before they take over the universe that I am going to try making cream of cucumber soup. I am that desperate.

What about cucumber salad? All you need are cucumbers, sour cream, fresh dill is best and vinegar.

I like them in rice wine vinegar - but there are just too many!

How many vines did you plant?

3 or 4 but I planted them in mt humus pile and they are huge.

Cucumber soup is easy- a little chicken broth, lemon, some salt and pepper, and a little plain yogurt thrown in at the end, and avocado mixed in gives a nice texture. Any herb will work in it. Unfortunately, I was the only one who wanted it in my family. I also cut up cukes and my daughter dips them in sugar. I know I probably shouldn't do that, but she will eat a lot more cucumber if I do! Tastes like watermelon when you dip it.

Pass the sugar, please. On another forum someone suggested making cucumber ice out of them. Basically frozen cucumbers and sugar whirrled together.

That sounds refreshing!! I googled that and found this..
Ingredients:
2 cups cucumber pulp and juice
5 cups heavy cream -- lightly whipped
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt


Here's one more. They both sound good to me.
Cucumber Vanilla Ice Cream
makes approximately 1 quart

1 cup half and half
2 cups heavy cream, plus an additional 1/4 cup
1 1/2 pounds peeled cucumbers, about seven 6-inch cucumbers, seeded if necessary. (I prefer the Persian variety for their pronounced cucumber flavor and thin, unwaxed skin.)
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (or 1/2 cup sugar plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract) (see NOTE)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoo. lemon juice
3 eggs

Combine the half and half and 2 cups of the heavy cream in a medium sized heavy bottom saucepan and bring to a simmer. Set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs with the sugar until well-combined. With mixer running, slowly add the milk to egg mixture in a stream. Return the egg/milk mixture to the saucepan and stir over low heat until it thickens and forms a custard. Be careful not to let it boil or the eggs will scramble. A double boiler also works well here: add the egg/milk mixture to the top of a double boiler and stir over simmering water.

Remove the custard from the heat, slick a piece of plastic wrap over the surface to prevent it from forming a skin, and let it cool. Strain the custard into a bowl through a sieve to remove any lumps. A metal bowl works well here to speed up the chilling process.

Puree the cucumbers with the lemon juice until soupy and free of lumps. Combine with the remaining heavy cream. Stir the cucumber/cream puree into the cooled custard and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. If you're in a hurry, you may place it the freezer for one hour, but stir it every 15 minutes and be careful not to let it freeze.

Churn it in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

This is best eaten when it is still soft but it may be kept in the freezer to harden. Allow the ice cream to soften for 15 minutes before serving.

This is wonderfully soothing after a spicy Thai or Mexican meal, served with a scattering of fresh blueberries and slivered, lightly toasted almonds.

NOTE: To make vanilla sugar: split two vanilla beans and stir into 1 pound of sugar. Cover and allow to sit for a few days. Vanilla sugar adds a subtle flavor to baked goods and rocks blacks tea, both hot and iced.

Made Cream of Cucumber Soup tonight for dinner and lunch tomorrow. Really, really good and quite easy. The texture of the soup is surprising because it has minute crunchy cucumber bits. I found the recipe in a regional cookbook for Connecticut.

Cream of Cucumber Soup (serves 4)

4 cups of pared, seeded, sliced cucumbers
1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 (4-3/4 ounce) can deviled chicken
1 cup light cream or milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Saute cucumber and onion in butter for 10 minutes or until transparent. Blend in food processor or blender. Add chicken, cream and seasonings. Blend 1 minute or until smooth. Chill at least 4 hours if serving cold. Can be served hot or cold.


This message was edited Sep 10, 2006 10:10 PM

'Sugar Baby' watermelons are in!

I've had cold cucumber soup in the summer and it is quite refreshing. Did you have it hot or cold?

Great Pirl - I'll be right out!

We just got some Sungold Tomatoes from last years seedlings. They had seeded into my daughter's little flower garden. They were quite beautiful mixed in with the balloon flowers, and she said she wanted to leave the seedlings in the garden, so we got a tasty treat.

We're here, Anita.

We could be eating the Sweet One Million tomatoes but they are nowhere near as good as the Sweet One Hundred. Won't make that mistake again! Such a disappointment.

I got the sweet million a few years ago, didn't care for them, and went back to the sungolds the next year. I will have to try the sweet hundred now!

The only reason I didn't plant the sungolds this year was that I was having my gall bladder out at seed starting time! Sure wish I had tried to start some.... they are sooooo good. Thank goodness for the farmer's market, where I buy them from this nice gentleman who sells the BEST tomatoes ever.

Ivy, You never let on that you had surgery! How are you feeling?

anitabryk2 I had the cucumber soup hot. I'm stopping at the store on the way home from work for another can of deviled chicken so I can make more soup tonight - it is that good and there are that many cucumbers!.

What can you do with Cantaloupe? I have a bunch.
Just kidding, I can find good homes for them, lol.
They are the sweetest little things.
Andy P

Lovely scene!

I found a recipe for Chilled Cantelope Soup.

..........with heavy cream?

I'm droolin'

Me, too. Maybe with a few blueberries on top?

I'm coming to your house for brunch. Those cantaloupes are so pretty- what variety are they?

I am feeling great, Dave, thanks. I had a rough patch there, after surgery. Percoset is evil. Another one to add to my list of drugs NEVER to take.

Ivy, they are "Little Sweetie" from Jung. As tasty as 'Ambrosia' but smaller and a bit quicker. I'll grow them again.
Andy P

Thanks! Any tips for growing?

Lots of compost, lol.
Andy P

Thanks to Andy and Ivy for the good information.

Ivy, glad to hear you're feeling better.

Ivy, Glad to hear you are on the mend!
Dave

Thanks! The operation really put a crimp in my gardening this year.

Just made a salad from German Striped tomatoes, fresh green beans and leftover organic steak from dinner last night. Threw some Balsamic vinegar and olive oil in and boy, was it delicious. The German Stripe is very sweet and mild. I feel the flavor is brought out by other foods. It was excellent.

Soy beans. I made a tiny handfull of edamame last night from my "crop" of soybeans. Unfortunatelly the ones from Trader Joe's are better. But it was worth a try and legumes are nitrogen fixers afterall.

the last of my tomatoes are in the fridge, so the salads go on, but not for long

Hey Yankee. I love edamame and wanted to try growing them next year. Would you repeat the crop?

We love edamame, too, and really like Trader Joe's. Any help in growing them would be appreciated.

Yes, I still have some seeds left - so I will plant them again next year. I have to look at the seed packet - but I think that I bought an edamame soy bean. I expected them to be bigger and have a higher yield - but I can always dream. They are a relatively attractive plant - nothing much in the way of flowering - but a tidy plant with a pleasing leaf. I just planted them at the last planting date for beans and peas and ignored them.

I think, when we grew them, we waited too long to harvest them.

I am so excited!! I didn't know you could plant Trader Joe's!