Brassica Shoots

It's getting a bit late in the spring for cool season veggies, but they are still doing ok. One thing I've really been enjoying are the shoots - the flower stalks - of the Ho-Mi Z mustard. They are sweet and crisp/tender, sometimes with a hot aftertaste - they are a mustard after all. The purple peacock broccoli is about done, and truth be told it did better in pots at home than it did in the garden, but the little side shoots that came in after the main head was harvested have been tasty. Note that I don't have a relationship with the farm I'm linking to, I just like their stuff, their philosophy, and the fact that they are from my hometown. Let me know if you'd like some seeds in the fall, I have some extra.

Ho-Mi Z

Purple Peacock Broc

Loquat Upside-down Tassajara Gingerbread Cake

EPIC. There are a ton of ripe loquats in the garden right now, so went looking for a recipe. This lady made a loquat upside down cake that looked amazing so I wanted to do that, but used the gingerbread cake from the Tassajara Bread Book instead of her cake, doubling the recipe to make a birthday-sized cake. The only thing I'd change is I only had 27 loquats on hand when I was baking it, it needed more, maybe double that. But otherwise it was great. Amazing with some freshly whipped Straus cream.

Loquat upside-down Tassajara gingerbread cake:
more than 27 ripe loquats, halved and pits removed
1 stick butter
6 oz sugar

~1 lb (4 1/2 C) sifted whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1 t sea salt
1 t soda
1 t ground cloves
2 t powdered mustard
2 t ginger
2 t cinnamon
1 c oil
2 c molasses
2 eggs
2 c hot water

350 oven. butter and sugar in a 13x9 pyrex pan throw it in the oven for 5-10 min till butter and sugar are happy. Lay loquats cut side down on the mixture.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt.
Mix soda, and spices into oil. Put into a bowl, add beaten egg, then mix in molasses.
Add flour mixture and hot water to wet ingredients, alternating as you go. Beat well.
Pour over loquats.
350 45 min.

What to do with Rutabaga

On my cooking blog I have a couple of rutabaga recipes using rutabaga from my garden plot. I highly recommend this winter vegetable, let me know if you want some seeds to plant in the fall.

What to do with Fava beans

Another bit from my cooking blog, fava beans sauteed in butter, with homemade ricotta cheese.

May 15th Garden Workday

The first one with Seth and Sara as Garden Managers. The goal was to have a presence in the garden all day as there was an event nearby and we didn't want people from that messing with the garden. We were there from 8-2 with some people, and then more people came later. We made a poster of potential tasks to give some ideas for when we weren't there. Worked well, but I think the next one we'll target a narrower time range...

Free food

weeding the cracks

baby carrot, from one of the cracks

greenhouse nice and tiny
Lizzie
airing out Lizzie's bed