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 »
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 »
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 »
ARE CUCUMBERS PILING UP ON YOUR KITCHEN COUNTER, TOO? I planted just four seeds of the heirloom ‘National Pickling’ variety back in July, and these have produced an overwhelming parade of fruit. I’ve already made several jars of Super Easy Refrigerator Pickles (these are heaven on earth); other cukes I’ve pureed for Refreshing Cucumber &… Read more »
RECENTLY, while pruning a row of paste tomatoes, I noticed a strange-looking worm (above; click to enlarge) on one of the plants. What this worm is, why it has white projections on its body, and why — if you ever see such a thing in your own garden — you should leave it alone: A… Read more »
WHO’S THE STAR OF MY VEGETABLE GARDEN JUST NOW? Definitely Amaranthus hypochondriacus. I planted this ‘Golden Giant’ as an experiment back in June. So far, it has not disappointed. Not only has the plant achieved a height of nearly 9 feet in just 8 weeks’ time, it is flowering right on cue, too. Pictures of… Read more »
I START MY FALL VEGETABLE GARDEN no later than the first week of August. This gives seeds and plants (like the turnips above) time to grow and mature before Jack Frost checks their progress. If you want to avoid the supermarket this winter, or if your summer veggies didn’t live up to your expectations, you… Read more »
