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Preserving the taste of Summer
Late summer signals the beginning of what I call ‘preserving the taste of summer’ time. Tomato ripening is hastened by the unrelenting heat of August. Whether your garden produces enough plum/’roma’ tomatoes to jar or you purchase them at a local market in 25 or 50 pound crates, canning is worth the effort. At my house, we make it a family endeavor – it has to be since this is a LOT of work. The bulk of which is spent preparing the tomatoes; some for sauce and others will be jarred whole. Preparation is key and this is what I’ve honed as my system. All large, deep stockpots come out…
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Beauty with Epsom Salts
Epsom salts were discovered over 400 years ago in nautral springs located in the town of Epsom, Surrey England. Comprised of magnesium and sulfate, Epsom salts have been used by generations of folks around the world. As a soak for sore muscles, tired feet and as a way to ease irritated/itchy skin. Today, we also pair beauty treatments with Epsom salts. Spa Foot Soak I love to treat myself to an at-home foot spa. It’s easy to put together and does so much to relieve achy, tired feet. My secret ingredient is magnesium sulfate aka Epsom salts. If your feet are prone to cramping, you may want to give an…
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Fava Beans
Fava beans are hidden gems – the beans within the huge outer covering are delicious, full of fiber and vitamins. They are well worth the prep work. The first thing that most people want to know is how do you select fava beans? The photo below shows them at their peak of ripeness: glossy, bright green and firm. It would, however, be rare to find them like this at market. This is not necessarily a bad thing as the important part of picking the beans is the condition and size of the bean inside. You want the hull to be full, I mean really full with at least 3-4 large…
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The Summer Garden
The summer garden is thriving in the early July heat. Though there has not been any substantial rain, the vegetables and herbs seem content with my deep, but infrequent watering schedule. Tomatoes that I seeded outdoors in early June are now setting fruit. I am still feeding once per month during the active growing season with Dr. Earth organic fertilizer. Note: I do not receive any compensation for mentioning Dr. Earth fertilizer, it is just a product that I have used and like. After two years of having little to no pears, I am hopeful for some harvest. Even with a bit of fruit drop due to an excessively wet…
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Victory Gardens
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Sweets to a Sweet and Flowers to a Flower
What I remember about Sweets to a Sweet and Flowers to a Flower comes from two people who were deeply in love and remained that way for their entire lives together. A man was a man and a woman, a woman. No confusion, no illusions. Their example sets the relationship bar high -impossibly so. They came from a time that which each passing year, sadly fades further into the distant past of the early 20th century. I can’t help wishing for a life and love like theirs, even with all the hardships they faced: a depression, world war and separation. ‘Sweets to a sweet and flowers to a flower‘ aptly…
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The Importance of Play
The importance of play is grossly under stated. School recess, lunch time recess and after school, each is an essential and important part of children’s need for play. Face to face interaction without the confinment of a classroom or structured environment. This brief, daily period allows children to ‘blow off steam’, run around and release pent up energy or boredom from lessons. For generations of children, this welcome break provided a healthy outlet during the school day. Recess during lunch and you ran around like a rabbit. Free for a little while! Why is outdoor recess rare today? Worse still, why is physical education not being offered in many areas?…
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Hummus
I first tasted hummus when I was invited to dinner at the home of Lebanese friends. I was hooked by the taste, of course, but also by the entire presentation of the meal- lots of fresh vegetables, marinated and grilled chicken, lamb. A veritable feast, and a healthy one at that! Here is the way I was taught to make hummus. Soak one pound of chick peas/ce ci/garbanzo beans in fours cups of water, overnight. Drain and add the soaked beans to 5-6 cups of boiling water. Cook until soft. Reserve several tablespoons of the cooking water. -or- Use (2) 15-16 oz cans of chick peas. Do not drain all…
