Sherrie-that's too funny!!!!
I love venison and water chestnuts.
I can't do hot foods.
Edibles - '08 - Part 2
David_Paul - that is so funny about your Mom's secret to her apple pie recipe.
Sherrie - also very funny about the pickle juice charade!
I'm not big on water chestnuts either......there's something sneaky about them.
As a kid, I thought water chestnuts were very exotic and grew in the ocean. But I never thought of them as "sneaky". Too funny. My 93 year old mom likes them a lot, but I am now rather indifferent to them.
Garden is starting to crank out lots of goodies. But only one red tomato yet. But several very orange good sized pumpkins already and acorn squash. Goofy. I really like the white cuke, 'The Pearl'. It is very crisp. I shredded some into long stripes along with carrots and green peppers to make a spicy peanut and sesame Asian slaw. Yummy. Patti
The stupid skunk that has been eating the cucumbers, squash and baby pumpkins got one of my 4 asian pears last night! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr We have exactly 1 pumpkin for the neighborhood kids this year. John and I decided that we will go to the store and buy a bunch of pumpkins and put them along the vine so the kids can still pick their pumpkins. I'm more than willing to share - but getting my asian pear really stinks!
I too liked the pearl cuc.... harder to peel though
:)
I'm with you on the peppers, David, they each have a unique flavor. I don't substitute one hot pepper for another when trying to be authentic. Jalapenos just don't work in Thai food.
Nice haul Patti. Means you can spend more time in the kitchen cooking.
AYankeeCat, how much so you think that skunk weighs by now? I like your plan of putting the pumpkins by the vines. Reminds me of when the kids were little and we'd make a big New Year's Eve party for them. Then every time they turned around we'd move the clocks up. They were in bed shortly after 9 p.m. (I mean midnight).lol
We're picking Georgia Belles (small with white flesh).
Laurel
Nice peach picture. Our peaches all swiveled up and died. But the tree has recovered from a sad period that it had early in the summer. It is a very young tree and this was the first year it began to produce fruit. I am hopeful for next year. Here is the before and after. Now the tree looks fine, but no peaches.
Laurel, next week I will be alone, so I will be eating out! DH does more cooking than me. But I will do make some pickles and freeze some Ratatouille for the fall which will take care of a mess of veggies that are ready to pick. I will also make pesto to freeze. I now don't add the pine nuts or cheese until I am ready to use it as I think it tastes better, so I will be just pureeing the garlic, oil and basil. I grew several kinds, but not crazy about the taste of the lemon one or the tiny leafed one.
Sorry about the skunk. Really stinks.
I had something, eat my cabbage. We sprayed with neem oil, but lost all the cabbage. I still have some good lettuce which I planted it late and in the shade.
I have done nothing today in the garden. I should take a look see. Patti
Patti, caponata freezes unbelievably well and for a very long time. I freeze and can very few things because the garden goes about nine months. We have several great international farmer's markets in Atlanta that make me think twice about growing anything at all. Anyway, about the caponata, you can freeze portions and use them to accompany those great antipasti (unexpected quests) or use it as a chicken/fish topper.
I need to make a true confession here. The peaches are about two inches in diameter because I don't thin them. lol But, they are delicious and plentiful. Considering that they get no fertilizer or spray and I cut out the wisteria that was choking them last Fall, I'll not complain about the bonus fruit. They're just the right size for brandied peaches in Winter.
Sorry about your "swiveled" peaches. Did they do the twist. C'mon baby.
L
No, but, my brain must be in backwards today. Got me! I so wanted to make peach chutney for the winter. Next year if my head is still swiveled on and I haven't drivelled on too long to notice that the peaches haven't shriveled, cause at least it drizzled, I might enjoy one, long last especially if it can be swizzled in brandy. Great idea.
I love caponata too. Anything with capers and olives. I have made it with smoked oysters and eggplant etc which I thought was great. One of my non fish eating friends was sure enjoying it before I told him the smokey flavor was oysters. He actually continued eating it. We are dining on left overs tonight. But good ones. Patti
Laurel those peaches look yummy!
Patti, sorry about your peaches but your 'Pearl' looks great!
Butternut Squash
This message was edited Aug 10, 2008 8:33 PM
Green Tomatoes
Cantaloupe
2 Sugar Baby's and a Crimson Sweet
Gosh, Celeste, it all looks luscious. I have not grown melons in years. Traded them in for winter squashes that can store for months. Your butternuts are very prolific! I'm only five for four with our terrible drought. Are those Walthams?
Patti, the caponota is especially good with scallops flamed in Pernod. Get your head on girl! :) We are dining on turkey carcass and garden veggie gumbo tonight.
I do can chutney, jerk and weird preserves for condiments. Makes Winter dinners so much fun. I pull out brandied peaches with a good ice cream and homemade biscotti in Feb... life is good.
L
Yes they are Waltham....I also have Blue Hubbard and another that escapes my at the moment.
Really awesome, Celeste. I'm jealous. I've not grown Blue Hubbard, but know they have a great reputation. They are on my "wish" list.
Laurel
What a stand-up line . . .
Sherrie, yes they can take a frost.
Just found this thread--I don't search much---but what super produce everyone is growing--will have to take some tomato pics later----also have some Macs ---they are unsprayed & tree is about 100 years old, but we find a few to eat, & many to make applesauce! The DEP told our neighbor to use mothballs in a can & rags soaked with ammonia to deter skunks--it worked! You heve to resoak rags after a rain, & this summer, that's every day!
Sherri--birds? They are not supposed to be affected by capsacin.
EYE spy a cattypillar!!
Thanks for the "hint," btw!!
I didn't read the whole thread, but got the answer. Try not to kill them. Just pick them off and put them out of the garden. The sphinx moth (or hummingbird moth) that the hornworm becomes is so beautiful.
L
Just be glad it isn't THIS one!!
http://newsdesk.si.edu/images_full/images/museums/zoo/Rainforest_Caterpillar/large%20caterpillar.jpg
I think I would have to do some laundry, too!!!
That one should come with a recipe tied around its neck!
L
Oh my gosh!! Birds could live off that thing for a year!!
Sherrie-love that "i love jalepenos" pic
That fellow is called the Hercules Moth Caterpillar
Cosinocera hercules
http://www.wettropics.gov.au/pa/pa_moths.html
Amazing things this planet holds.
Here is another site with some bigger pictures
http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~don/larvae/satu/hercul.html
This message was edited Aug 12, 2008 3:40 PM
Here are some of my tomatoes---they are pretty gross looking, but heritages aren't pretty--they just taste great! This is Mortgage Lifter just before we ate it.
And more on the vine--lots of tomatoes--no leaves!
Robin your lucky you have what you you got. The fungus is affecting a lot of tomats. I gave up, my freind has given up. It is too late to spray as far as I am concerned. In other words " I am not spending a ton of money on a spray that will not guarentee me my crop". Oh I am having a bad day, month, arghhhhhhhhhh
how do I know when a passion fruit is ready?
Ooh, sorry, Candyce about the tomatoes---even though the plants are ugly, we did get a good crop----Allison--never grew passion fruit, but I think they have to change color to be ripe. Here is another tomato---orange banana--kind of mealy & mild.
