Author Archives: Andrea McCaulley

Seedlings are near ready . . . is Spring?

 

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We are excited to grow our Organic Chef Gardens.  It appears that we will not bypass Mud Season as we did last year when Vermont ushered in an unexpected heat wave in March, giving a blast of 80 degree heat to the soil creating dry warm beds for the seedlings.

Thinking this year we will have wet chilly soil beds after todays hail, ice and snow squalls.  Nevertheless still excited about planting our Organic Chef Gardens.  Peaches show no early sign of blossoms like last season due to the heat wave, but we still have through May to escape the danger of frost.

This year peaches might make a tasty FuzzyPeachGelato with BourbonPecans Brittle.  We are up to 4 peach trees this year, hoping that each will bear fruit.  These trees sprang forth after Harry plunked the stones into the ground years ago . . .  with the champion of trees bearing over 65 pounds of peaches. Juicy Delicious Peaches.

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Culinary Harvest Extension

IMG_3496Backyard Bounty: It’s that time again to start seedlings and plan those Culinary Gardens.  What are you planting?  What are you planning to do with all your crops?   

 

HarvestMoon SalsaToo many year end garden tomatoes hanging out?  Than it is time to make a Slow Roasted Hickory Smoked Salsa with a kick of Jalapeño and Lime!

Seems like it has been centuries we have eaten ‘zucchini bread’, the go to recipe for the veggie we can not even give away. Let’s change it up. Chocolate Zucchini Bread is delicious.  This recipe offered up by Jaime.

Overrun by Green Tomatoes?  Try macerating thinly sliced green tomatoes, lemons, onions and brown sugar overnight.   Preserve by method of jamming and enjoy all year round.  Each time I get a hankering to use this Colonial Jam I open a jar and tweak it to my craving.  Before glazing a turkey thin the Jam with balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and jalapeño.  Wait for it.   The golden crispy skin and the pan juices are delicious.  Did you says Tarts?  Yes, bite size flaky pastry crust filled with this jam makes great appetizers.  Chicken? Certainly.  In a black pan saute strips of chicken and fresh pineapple in toasted sesame seed oil, a dash of tamari and Colonial Jam.  Reduce until the glaze is finger licking, serve on orange ginger scented rice.  So easy, and it is all from those pesky over abundant Green Tomatoes that you almost left to compost.