We are in our clover harvest, a bounty from our lawn. We used the ground flowers in our bread, which makes the dough lighter. Click on the image for a larger view.
Tag Archives: Kitchen Garden
Blackberry Blossoms
Our blackberry canes are in blossom. The white flowers can be quite striking against the monochromatic foliage of summer. These are probably our most productive plants and give us almost a year supply of fruit, from the fresh berries at the end of the summer to the pies and smoothies we make from frozen berries throughout the rest of the year. Click on the image for a larger view.
Wild Strawberries
The first fruit we can harvest every year is wild strawberry. Not a very larger fruit, about the size of the tip of your little finger. This plant is found throughout our garden, woods, and meadow. It is also a favorite of the chipmunks. Our Newfoundland dog Kai also loved these berries and would sit out with us as we gathered them. We only get a few handful of strawberries each year—they are time consuming to harvest in any quantities, but they are fun to snack on when we are in the garden. Click on the image for a larger view.
Dandelion Roots and Coffee
The roots of the dandelion can be used in soup or stir fried with vegetables. We like to roast the root as a coffee substitute. Click on the image for a larger view.
For coffee, we harvest dandelions older than three years for the size of the roots. We do this in the spring as we can also use the leaves for cooking. You can also harvest the roots in the fall, but the leaves will be bitter.
- Wash the roots and chop them finely.
- Dry them in a oven at 250°F for two hours. Stir them occasionally to prevent burning.
- Finish roasting the roots at 350°F. You will need to check them frequently so they do not burn. (You can also roast them in a frying pan over low to medium heat as well.)
- Grind just before use. One and a half tablespoons of grounds are good for one cup of coffee. We usually simmer the ground root in water for ten minutes.
Dandelion Flowers
The dandelion flowers have a myriad of uses. The entire head can be used in fritters, tempura, and soup. We add the petals to bread, muffins, vegetable burgers, smoothies, salads, and omelets. This year we are trying dandelion wine. We took some ideas from a variety of recipes and decided to try the following: Continue reading
Dandelion—Edible Weed
Probably one of the most common plants around the world, the dandelion can be named by even the most botanically-challenged person. A perennial symbol of summer and childhood—cut a flower stalk and use the milky sap at the cut to tattoo your skin with small brown circles; or blow the seeds from a mature head and make a wish like you do with candles on a birthday cake.
While many gardeners spend a huge amount of time and effort in trying to eliminate this “weed,” we transplanted a few specimens to a section of our lawn when we arrived. Beyond its natural charm, the dandelion is actually versatile crop—the entire plant can be eaten. The leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants, but are better harvested young before they become too bitter. We use leaves raw in salad, sauté them with other vegetables, or add them to a smoothies. Click on the images for a larger view.
The Violet Harvest
We have been out collecting violets from the garden. The flowers and leaves of the Common Blue Violet, Viola sororia, are a good source of vitamin A and C and can be used fresh in salads or cooked. The flowers can also be dried for tea. We intend to make violet honey from these blossoms. To remove excess moisture, simply let the flowers wilt before adding them to the honey. Click on the image for a larger view.
Evening Primrose Seed Bread
This week, Naomi baked one of our favorite breads with the seeds of the Evening Primrose, Oenothera biennis. These seeds make a great substitute for poppy seeds. If you roast them in the oven for 15–20 minutes, they can be used as a substitute for pepper. We collect the seed pods in the fall: these are also a favorite of the Goldfinch, an aggressive competitor that peels back a pod like a banana. We hang the pods to dry before we hull them. Click on the image for a larger view.
Blackberry Pie
Naomi made blackberry pie this week. The blackberries were gathered on our land at the end of last summer. We have been using this fruit in our vegetable smoothies and, naturally, pies. Click on the image for a larger and more mouthwatering view or continue reading for the recipe. Continue reading
This Year’s Tomatoes
We are going through the annual ritual of starting the garden. With the short Maine summer and unpredictable spring, many plants need a little help. With about one hundred tomato plants, it gets crowded in the house as they grow and need replanting. However, it is well worth the effort as they give us a year’s supply of their wonderful fruit. Click on the image for a larger view.
