Mid Summer Garden Abundance-Drying

Our summer gardens in this area are reaching their end, and we have a wonderful glut of veggies from the garden. There are so many choices for preservation. You may can, freeze or dry your harvest.
With hurricane season here, I shy away from freezing. In the past I have lost a large harvest of pecans, blackberries and blue berries after the electricity has taken it's time in returning after large storms.

So I have been trying my hand at drying some things. This little plastic tub of dried tomatoes was once a large bowl of Marzano paste tomatoes. A great benefit of drying is how little space produce takes up once it is dried, and these tangy tomatoes taste delicious as well.

Seasonings are easily dried and used. I dried all of the last glut of bell peppers. This large pile of peppers filled up a quart jar. Some things I have dried that dry well are peppers, celery, parsley, onions, pears, mushrooms, chives, and other various herbs. I simply thread and hang cheyenne peppers to dry in my kitchen. They look pretty and I just pull a few off when I need them. All the dried items are stored in glass jars with lids. Because of it's ease in preparation and storage, I believe I will dry as many things as possible in the future.

Here is a great site if you want to learn more, National Center For Home Food Preservation.

Last Heirloom Tomato Taste Test

If there were a Miss Pretty Tomato contest this tomato would win. It's a hefty little mama. Certainly a case where bigger is better. When ripe it is an orangy red with yellow stripes and the top is yellow. It's also quite soft when ready to cut. I imagine this is one reason why we don't see it in any grocery store. It's doubtful it could make the rigorous journey from field to shelf. Which makes it all the more delightful to grow and share.
You must click on this picture and see up close how beautiful the inside of this tomato is. Such gorgeous colors. Now for the most important fact....How does it taste? I must say it tastes as great as it looks. It's different than most tomatoes. It has a sweeter taste. I wish I had better words to describe things....I really need to improve my tasting words.....Maybe..."This tomato had the most delightful fruity sweet taste that tantalized the taste buds...all without any acidic sting....yet you still knew that you were certainly eating the tomato equivalent of manna"....No maybe that's too gushy, but it really is one of the best tomatoes I have ever eaten.

Did I mention it's name? It's a Pineapple tomato. Maybe I enjoyed it as much as I did because I waited so long for it to ripen checking each one carefully every day for any stray caterpillars or other pesky interlopers. It was the last of the tomatoes to ripen. Out of all the tomatoes I grew or tasted from others' gardens I preferred Pineapple and Cherokee Purple tomatoes. I suggest for a different and fun change in color and flavor you add both of these to your must purchase seed list. It's on mine just in case those seeds I attempt to save don't pan out.

Question Answered, The Invalid and Taste Test

This is a post I have been working on this whole week. Finally finished!
Poney and Petey asked:

"Hey Kristi...would you mind sharing your tomato preservation choice? Do you follow the Ball Blue Book? Hot water bath? Pressure cooker? Do you add lemon juice and/or salt?What varieties of tomato products will you can? Juice? sauce? salsa? diced? stewed with green peppers?Basically, share whatever is in your head about tomato preserving, if you have the time and are willing!!"

Hi Poney, Yes, I do use the Ball Blue Book. I also use Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. The extent of my tomato preservation in the past was whole tomatoes using the water bath method. I added citric acid to make sure they were acidic enough. Preserving tomatoes using the water bath method isn't recommended any longer because of the low acid levels in modern hybrids.

But, truthfully I'm not that experienced. Mostly because I've never grew any significant amount of tomatoes. Hopefully this year will change all that. Already I have quite a harvest and I am going to start trying some things soon. I'd really like to try salsa and sauce, and if I have enough maybe green tomato pickles and paste. I do intend on perusing my books and marking all the interesting recipes for tomatoes I find. When I do I'll share. So far we have been stuffing our guts with as many fresh tomatoes as possible! If anyone would like to share a tomato recipe please comment.

This is the Invalid.

Trust your mother's instinct. When I found out the camp I paid for and my two youngest girls wanted to go to was six hours away in north Mississippi, I had misgivings, but let them go anyway. I received the dreaded 3:30 am in the morning call last Saturday. Me in my optimism immediately thought, "Oh wow, they're calling me to let me know they're leaving early." Dumb.

"Um, Kristi? Um, don't be afraid....but we're bringing Talia to the hospital....Um, we're not sure what's wrong but she's having severe pain in her throat and stomach and we think she's sick....um, maybe strep throat, but the nurse thinks it may be something else and say's we should bring her to the clinic....possibly appendicitis..."

Thankfully two of her Aunts an Uncle and a lot of friends were with her. There was no way I went back to sleep that night. I would have been on the road immediately but.....of course I happened to have a wedding that night as well (I'm an event florist) and on top of everything it was my birthday. Thankfully my assistant and good friend Betsy came through in a pinch. I hurriedly rushed to finish the flowers for the wedding all the while waiting for the prognosis call. It was.....appendicitis. I'm not complaining. It could have been something much much worse. I'm actually thankful.

Betsy arrived and finished up the final details and delivered the wedding for me. She did a wonderful job! She even decorated her first wedding cake with flowers.

They brought Talia by ambulance from the little clinic where she was to the Children's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. On the way to Jackson I gave the Doctor via phone permission to perform surgery. When we arrived the nurse showed us up to the family waiting room where Talia's entourage from camp awaited. It was quite a group. Family, friends and ministers. It really matters in a time like that to know that so many people love you and care about what happens to you.

Finally a nurse peeked in and informed us Talia was in recovery and could have one visitor. Byron and I rushed to the door. You know who got to go. Me. Sorry Byron. I leaned over to a snoring Talia. She opened her eyes slightly and I said, "Talia, It's me Mommy. Can you see me? Can you see me Baby? Talia, Can you see me?" Talia gave a painful grimace and said, "For the third time Mommy. I can see you!" I knew Talia would be just fine.

She's up and about now, but enjoyed her metal bowl and wooden spoon as long as she could. I gave them to her to bang when she needed me. She made good use of it.

Taste Test

The Dr. Carolyn yellow heirloom tomato fared much better in my garden with the bugs. Maybe the light yellow almost white color fooled the stinkbugs into thinking they weren't ripe and they moved on to my brightly colored red tomatoes. It tastes very mild and the flesh is firm. Good, but not my favorite. Unfortunately, since it did so well.
This is my long awaited Purple Cherokee tomato. It is a dark smokey red color. Very sweet, juicy and yummy. Really worth the wait. The worms like them as well! Not so much stink bug damage.

The Italian Marzano paste tomato. You can see the stink bug damage on the side. I had a huge problem with end rot with these. I need to find out why these tomatoes had that problem and none of the other tomatoes did. I would think the others would have the same problem if it were a soil issue. Any ideas? It is has a nice flavor, but is definitely more acidic than the slicing tomatoes. Would these be good for drying? Hmmmm

This is the inside of the Cherokee purple tomato. See how fleshy and juicy it is? This is my favorite tasting tomato so far.

The bottom is the inside of the Dr. Carolyn. It is about the size of a small bouncy ball. It's really a pretty tomato and looks great mixed with red tomatoes in a salad or on a plate.

Pickles

A testament to persistence. After many years of trying, finally, I grew an actual crop of cucumbers! There are even extras.....enough to eat fresh, make sauces, make pickles, give away and feed to the chickens.
For these pickles I used one of the packets I received in the mail from Tipper at Blind Pig and the Acorn.
These pickles were very easy to make. Heat water, vinegar, and the seasoning packet, pour over the cut and prepared cucumbers, allow to return to room temp. Pack pickles in jar and then top with vinegar, water and seasonings. I didn't can these pickles. They'll be stored in the refrigerator. After a few days of setting, We'll give them a try.

Since I was a little girl picking cucumbers in my Grandmother's garden I have been eating pickles this way....Peel and slice cucumbers. Place cucumbers in a jar and add 1/3 water and 2/3 vinegar add some salt and pepper. Store in the refrigerator and eat with sandwiches, salads, dinner or as a cool snack. Byron and the girls gobble these up.

The peppery pickles in the two jars are made with cucumbers and peppers from the garden. I did can these. They were really good before I canned them. After canning them they became on the mushy side. Hmmmm.....I'll have to try something different next time. You can see the beautiful crop of heirloom tomatoes I am picking. The butternut squash are even getting ripe. I'm already starting to plant second crops in the raised bed garden. One blessing of New Orleans is the long long growing season.

Cherokee tomatoes ripening on the windowsill. I have to harvest most of the tomatoes just as the start to turn and allow them to finish ripening inside. If they are left to ripen outside the stinkbugs suck them dry. Ughhh Stinkbugs....the bane of the summer.

My First Crop of Heirloom Tomatoes

Finally....I'm picking heirloom tomatoes!

The first two varieties to ripen were Egg Yolk and Red Strawberry.

So a taste test as promised from an amateur! First thing I noticed was that the Red Strawberry tomato was extremely meaty and there were no slimy seeds or juice sliding out. Just very juicy meat. It was sweet but a little acidic....over all....very yummy! A true fresh from the garden taste.

The Egg Yolk is just as it's name promises...yellow and the size of an egg yolk. So, I just popped one in my mouth and chomped down......very very yummy. It was still warm from the garden and fresh and sweet tasting. I didn't notice any acidic flavor.

Both were dynamite. Everything I hoped they would be. I did notice that the Red Strawberry was very soft to the touch, and I couldn't imagine it lasting any amount of time in transit. So this is certainly a tomato you would have to grow at home if you wanted to try it.

I have some very large Cherokee purple tomatoes I'm expecting to ripen soon.

Here is five minute bread rising. I make this bread almost everyday. Store bought bread is a thing of the past in my family. If you'd like to try this really easy bread click here.

Bruschetta is a simple snack you can make from your garden tomatoes.

Simple Bruschetta

Slices of homemade bread

Slices of tomato

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Pour a little olive oil in a plate. Dip one side of each slice of bread in the olive oil. Place olive oil side up on a cookie sheet. Top each slice of olive oil bread with a slice of tomato. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Then broil until Parmesan is completely melted.

Peach Jam and Corn

My Mother-In-Law's peach tree finally produced a good amount of sweet juicy peaches. It is a white fleshed peach. The flesh is very sweet and juicy, but the skin was very bitter. Maybe that is just an attribute of that particular variety. One thing is certain.....

It made the yummiest peach jam ever! Just ask my nephew Brennen who informed me he "needed" some more! I'm working on it Brennen!

Here is another yummy bowl of peaches just picked. Maybe I'll have enough left over after the munching to make another jar or so of jam.

This year I planted the corn in February in a four foot by four foot square raised bed. That is the earliest I have ever planted it. Admittedly there were a couple of iffy times that frost threatened. Even so, this is the first time I have ever harvested any significant amount of corn. I'll continue to plant it early. I believe it does better here before the hottest weather hits. There were no significant pest problems. The ears developed before the caterpillars appeared. Only two ears had one caterpillar each in them and only at the tip. Maybe the ear developing early foiled the caterpillars?

The corn is perfectly sweet. We seem to have harvested it at just the right time. When a kernel is cut with a finger nail white juice sprays out.

Heirloom Tomatoes, Fig Trees, and Birds

The soil in my recently plowed garden is absolutely fertile! The tomatoes, bell peppers, butternut squash and sorghum is huge and beautiful. The land along the Mississippi River edge is said to be extremely rich because of years of the Mississippi flooding and depositing silt. I'm finding this to be true.

The heirloom tomatoes are doing well so far. This year has been the year of the caterpillar. Advice ranges from sevin dust to BT organic spray. One thing all the advice givers agree on is to spray early to catch the caterpillars just as they hatch and are most susceptible and spray often. Otherwise, NO TOMATOES. Tomatoes has been my bane! Never have I grown a serious crop of tomatoes in an area that's famous for it's "Creole Tomatoes". Hopefully this year will be different. One thing is certain, I've already learned A LOT!

My neighbor, with whom we are now friends after a rocky start, stopped today to offer advice. His family has lived here long before he was born and he is almost 80. His family is well noted in south Louisiana as excellent farmers. The Becnels, as they are called. That's their last name. He wasn't at all sure about the heirloom varieties I am growing. He was quite puzzled and asked why wasn't I growing the great new hybrids that beat all the old ones to heck.

Errrr.......Ummmm....??? "I'm curious", was the only explanation I offered. How do you explain to an elder that you want to save your own seed, see different colors and shapes and taste different flavors........that um......frankly aren't found in the newer varieties. He did offer me quite a bit of great advice and patiently answered all my questions (which I am always full of). He also explained how to grow trees from cuttings from a great old old old pear tree I have in my yard.

I was also told by a friend that heirlooms weren't a good choice in Louisiana because Dan Gill said so. Look Dan Gill I still love you and have a crush on you, but you ain't the say all end all! Now I hope to prove Danny Boy and everyone else WRONG! Hope I don't have to eat crow as my Mother-In-Law sez.

Marzano Paste tomatoes
Pink Accordion Tomatoes
Red Strawberry Tomatoes
Another variety of paste tomatoes.....I have many other heirloom varieties as well. I have high hopes for Pineapple (which I read was the tastiest of heirlooms), White Currant, Orange Banana, Cour Di Bue (I think), and Cherokee Purple.....If I could just get a few of each. I'll give a taste report if they make it through the rigors of Louisiana.

Here are the fig trees grown from cuttings. To everyone who would like to grow them.....This method works! They are growing beautiful with thick white roots protruding from the bottom of the pot. I'll have to put them into new pots or plant them.

This is a picture of the plant which contains a mommy bird and her four tensy eggs. The eggs are pale blue with brown speckles.
And here is my naughty errent Rosalina (as the girls named her). She keeps getting out of the backyard fence somehow. I think she's enlisting the help of our dog Camira. Come on Camira....give me lift!!! I'll lay an egg for you! Camira loves to eat eggs. Maybe that's why she's as wide as she is long!

Isn't this one ugly chicken? I don't care that Byron thinks she's pretty. She's ugly.

Berry Patch

My secret berry patch was overflowing this year. At least I like to think it's secret. Anyone if they wanted could stop and pick all the berries they'd like. How come the best blackberries seem to grow along the edge of a ditch on a busy highway? In some areas I could stand and fill a bucket without hardly moving a step. Big juicy berries dripping in clusters from thick canes.

I planted blackberries on my property this year behind the potager. They did produce a few big sweet berries, but are much to young to produce any in quantity. Maybe next year I'll have a different report...fingers crossed.

These are just a few of the berries from the side of the highway.

Homemade blackberry jam is the best. I never add pectin. The jam's flavor is more intense and tastes so much better without it.
Yes, My new stove did cook the berries a bit faster, but it is still a long process.
Here are some of the 18 jars of blackberry jam I canned this year. Worth every minute! Canning high acid fruit is very simple. If you'd like to try canning, this is a great way to start. The Ball Blue Book on canning has great recipes and most everything you really need to know about canning. I omit the pectin, add some lemon juice, and cook the fruit until it reaches gelling point.

Using The Garden's Bounty - Squash

It's that time! Zucchini and yellow squash are coming in by the bucket loads! Sometimes you just don't know what to do with all the bounty the garden gives, besides giving away so much people avoid you.

It wasn't long ago that I didn't know much beyond smothering it with onions on top of the stove. Still yummy, but not very creative. So before you resort to the proverbial stealth give aways at the neighbors doors and unlocked cars, try cooking them in a new way. Here are three recipes I love.
Zucchini Muffins

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup veggie oil
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl cream eggs, sugar, and veggie oil until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Add cloves, zucchini, nuts, and vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.

Fill muffin tins lined with muffin papers 1/2 full and bake until fork comes out clean. About 30 to 40 minutes.

Yellow Squash Casserole

1 lb peeled shrimp cut in halves

1/2 pack of Jimmy Dean Breakfast sausage

1 med. onion cut in thin strips

5 lg yellow squash cut in chunks

2 cups Italian bread crumbs

salt and pepper

2 tblsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large pan, fry sausage and onions in olive oil until sausage is done. Add shrimp and cook until orange. Add squash and cook a while longer. Until squash starts to soften. Turn off fire and add bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Transfer to an oven safe casserole dish and bake in oven another 30 to 45 minutes. I find this dish is even better then next day and makes a great lunch the next day. So make extra.

This next recipe is a dish my neighbor gave to me. I'm not sure if it has an official name, but I'll call it....

Summer Garden Squash and Veggie Bake (I know a little long!)

3 yellow squash cut in chunks

3 zucchini cut in chunks

1 red onion cut in lg pieces

1 Orange bell pepper cut in chunks

1 large tomato cut in chunks

salt

pepper

olive oil

seasoning blend (We like Tony Chacerie's Cajun Blend)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine yellow squash, zucchini, orange bell pepper, onion and tomato chunks. Spread evenly on cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Cook until warm yet still crunchy. Tastes great with grilled burgers.

If you have any yummy squash recipes please post them in the comment section!

Around The House and Gardens

The front garden is a profusion of blossoms and scents. Honeysuckle, Confederate Jasmine, butterfly bush, and Maid of Orleans are just covered with blooms that provide exquisite heady scents that lightly perfume the day and hang heavy in our humid nights.
Datura, roses, coreopsis, agapanthus, iris, lantana, Jasmine, ginger, bird of paradise, guara, hummingbird bush, snapdragons, begonias, gomphrena, hibiscus, Mexican heather, ruella, crybaby tree, bottle brush, society garlic, dahlberg dasies, coleus, sweet potato vine....and maybe some I've missed are all blooming their little hearts out in the front garden!

Here is one of my favorite flowers, Shell Ginger. It's such a striking dramatic flower and a whole clump of blooming shell ginger is a sight to behold.

For the highest of drama.....Giant Bird of Paradise. It is now quite a bit taller than my house and its blossoms are well over a foot long.

Here is one of the very large blossom stalks from my butterfly bush or buddelia I believe. It smells heavenly. In the back are pink and red Knock Out roses. Since these came out, landscaping is changing slowly in our area. Finally a rose that doesn't succumb to our extreme humidity. Roses unless tirelessly tended usually looked passable but mostly pathetic. Knockout roses seem to have no disease that threatens it and grows to huge heights totally covered with blossoms and gorgeous dark green foliage all summer long. People stop to admire my mother's roses that surround her 1820's home all the time.

A little lizard clinging upside down in the corn. I'm certain this is a good sign, because so far no problems with bugs! I also have a ton of lizards that scurry around the outside perimeter of my house. I accredit them with the lack of roaches in my home. I don't have to use any poisons. Roaches are almost family in the New Orleans area.

One of my white onions developing up fine.

The ears of corn are forming now.

This is a variety of zucchini called "Grey Stripe". It's supposed to be an Italian heirloom. So far none of the fruit has developed any stripes like the picture on the package, but it still tastes great stir fried in a little olive oil with onions. My mouth is watering.

These are some great new pots I bought at home depot! I filled them up with bright coleus and potato vine. I adore the bold colors. I find in the intense heat of our summers nothing but bright colors can compete.

Here is my mother's day present. One of the two retro lawn chairs Byron bought me. Slowly I'm getting seating to place around my garden so I can do the most important thing.....Relax and enjoy it!