I HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOU. When I bought 'Early Girl' tomato seeds back in 2010, I unwittingly voted for a corporation I vehemently oppose. Which corporation? Why, the evil empire known as Monsanto. Here are a few facts about this loathsome company, along with a few ways to keep it out of your veggie patch: Read more » Vegetables
Keep Monsanto OUT of Your Veggie Patch
February 6, 2012
I HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOU. When I bought 'Early Girl' tomato seeds back in 2010, I unwittingly voted for a corporation I vehemently oppose. Which corporation? Why, the evil empire known as Monsanto. Here are a few facts about this loathsome company, along with a few ways to keep it out of your veggie patch: Read more » My Favorite Seed-Suppliers…& Yours (2012 Edition)
January 4, 2012
AS I’VE SAID BEFORE, I rarely buy annual, perennial or vegetable seeds from local vendors. Why? Because their selections are limited to what will fit on a rack. Take, for example, petunia seeds. The local big-box store might sell 3 basic varieties (if you’re lucky). But visit an on-line seed specialist like Summerhill, and you will find 61 petunia varieties, including the delightful ‘Shock Wave Rose,’ pictured above. The following seed-sellers get most of my business: Read more » Onion Soup Gratinée
October 26, 2011
IF ANY SOUP can transport me to a dimly-lit cafe in Paris (I'm partial to this one) it is French Onion Soup. This is a fragrant -- and admittedly boozy -- brew of thinly-sliced, caramelized onions suspended in a vermouth-enhanced beef stock. Of course the cheese-embellished croutons which float atop the soup are swoon-worthy, too. How I make this sensual Soupe à l'oignon gratinée: Read more » My Garlic Sowing-and-Growing Guide
September 28, 2011
YOU’RE PROBABLY BUSY planting tulips, hyacinths and daffodils right now, but don’t forget that garlic, too, is an autumn-planted bulb. I’d nearly forgotten to plant my own crop of Allium sativum until thoughts of vampires jostled my memory. Read on, and I’ll show you how to sow, grow, harvest and store the bulbs: There are… Read more »
Your Veggie Garden, in Hindsight
September 18, 2011
BECAUSE AUTUMN IS AROUND THE CORNER — it begins, in fact, this Thursday at 5:05 AM — I think now is the ideal time for a rear-view look at our vegetable gardens. Who achieved, at summer’s end, the harvest they dreamed of back in Spring? (Not me!) Who over-planted potatoes but under-planted peppers? (Guilty as… Read more »
Tip: Keep Piperade in Your Freezer
September 11, 2011
Piperade — an aromatic saute of bell peppers, onions, garlic and fresh herbs — is probably the most sensible thing I keep in my freezer. Why? Because it transforms everyday foods into something special — for practically no effort at all. I use handfuls of piperade to add color and flavor to omelets, pasta dishes,… Read more »
Tomato-mania!
September 7, 2011
HAVE TOMATOES SWALLOWED EVERY WORK-SURFACE IN YOUR KITCHEN, TOO? I planted 16 heirloom varieties back in June, and now, after months of careful watering and some decent weather, I can hardly keep up with the produce. (Pictured above is at least 10 lbs. of fruit I collected just this morning, in the rain.) Can you… Read more »
