Winter squash keeps so well over the (duh) winter season that I am still using very well preserved squashes that have been mellowing in my (cold) basement since November. I’m astonished at how well they’ve survived, particularly the very large green Hubbard squash that I just roasted. At the cusp of the seasons, the combination [...]
Archive for April, 2011
Ginger Squash Soup with Mango-Kumquat Jam
Posted in Preserving, Soup, Stone fruit, Winter squash, tagged Ginger Squash Soup, Monica Bhide Kumquat Mango Jam on April 29, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Candied Violets
Posted in Flowers, Preserving, tagged Making candied violets on April 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Candied violets are such a Victorian conceit, sweet little nuggets that deserve to be ever so sweetly and delicately placed on little cakes or lemon tarts. I couldn’t resist exploring my lawn this spring, having already made dandelion salads, dandelion jelly and violet jelly, all absolutely delicious dishes free for the foraging. It turns out [...]
Violet Jelly
Posted in Flowers, Foraging, Preserving, tagged Cooking with flowers, Violet jelly on April 27, 2011 | 10 Comments »
What a coincidence, the week of the Royal Wedding. A perfect combination of tradition and today’s idea of the environment. Violet jelly: I transformed sprightly flowers into a glistening substance with a jewel-like violet-magenta color, and an incomparable honey-like flavor of lush flowers, subtle, slightly sweet. Astonishing, actually. The just-picked flowers are gently shaken in [...]
Foraging for Gold: Dandelion Jelly
Posted in Foraging, Herbs, Preserving, tagged Dandelion jelly on April 24, 2011 | 3 Comments »
I love free stuff. Think about everything that’s free to the gardener: rainwater, sun, breeze, soil, seeds, and weeds. We’re so lucky. Even many of the plants thought to be weeds are edible. I weeded my garden of chickweed and made dinner. Lambs lettuce will be coming along soon, and purslane. Not to mention ramps [...]
How to Eat Your Lawn: Wilted Dandelion Salad
Posted in Foraging, Greens, Salad, tagged Foraging your lawn, Wilted dandelion greens on April 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Early in the season, when the dandelions first arrive to take over our lawn, we can weed and feed at the same time. Actually “lawn” stands for a patch of green under a great big black walnut tree between our house and the street. There is some grass in the mix, but we affectionately think [...]
Alternative Easter Basket
Posted in Greens on April 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Happy Easter! Look what the Easter Bunny brought us: mixed salad greens growing in a great big pot of soil. Ready to “cut and come again,” this will last for quite a while, at least until the greens in our garden are ready to harvest. And yes, we also had jelly beans and chocolate eggs.
Kumquat Mango Jam
Posted in Citrus fruit, Preserving, Stone fruits, tagged Kumquat Mango Jam on April 23, 2011 | 5 Comments »
It’s still mango madness at our local organic produce store where I went to search for end-of-season organic kumquats. Lovely yellow “champagne” mangos in great stacks. So tempting. I was planning on poaching kumquats in the heavy syrup left over from the spiced mangos that I canned last week and was considering a mango chutney [...]
Dill Corn Sticks
Posted in Cornbread, Herbs, Spice Rack Challenge, tagged Dill corn sticks on April 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Savory corn sticks are perfect little accompaniments to soup and chowder, and also make good breakfast bread served with tangy jam. I’ve been experimenting with dried dill weed and seed for the Spice Rack Challenge, with less success than snipped fresh dill, which is readily available (even organic) all year round. I have my own [...]
Roots Stew with Cabbage and Dill Seed
Posted in Beets, Cabbage, Herbs, Kohlrabi, Spice Rack Challenge, tagged Dill seed as a spice, Roots stew will dill seed on April 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The Spice Rack Challenge this month features dill, in honor of the coming spring season. The challenge in general is supposed to focus on dried ingredients. However, I like dill as an herb only in its fresh form but appreciate its dried seeds as a spice. Seasonings are often lumped together colloquially as “spice,” but [...]
Dark Days Last Course: Sorbet and Ice Cream from the Pantry
Posted in Dark Days Challenge, Sorbet, Stone fruit, tagged Vanilla peach ice cream on April 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I know the dark days are over when I can pick fresh mint from my garden to garnish the ice cream made from the last jar of vanilla peaches in the pantry. So, for the last course, I thought I’d offer one of the quickest and most clever uses of my pantry stock. Jewel-like jars [...]
