There’s a freeze warning for tonight with a low at 31 degrees Fahrenheit. The garden here is pretty protected, but I’ve taken the precaution to cover everything anyway.

But before I did, I managed to get some shots this weekend of the current status to share with you.

I have most of the garden installed but there is still much to do.

The Garlic is up and doing well. Only a few more months till harvest.

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are in but covered to protect while they are young and vulnerable. The low row cover works perfectly.

Radishes and arugula are in need of thinning. They are alongside some shallots.

And the lettuce looks happy. Romaine and butter crunch. I’m try to space the harvest so I do not have the glut of lettuce I had last year.

Potatoes, carrots, squashes, and about half the peppers are all waiting on warmer weather. I hope I was not premature. I’ll be up early checking on the plants. I hope this is the last freeze of the spring.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well.

*UPDATE – Unfortunately when I got home it appears two of the tomatoes and all five of the eggplants got burnt. We’ll keep an eye on them for a week and replace them if needed.

It has been a long winter followed by a drought-ending deluge. Now we’re supposed to hit the mid-80′s by Wednesday?

All things green are starting to pop, and though I’m worried about a fast forward spring and heading directly to summer, for now it is spring and that means the arrival of ramps.

Also known as wild garlic, wild leek,  and wild onion, the Latin name is Allium Triccocum. This pungent plant is edible, whites and leaves alike. While it is too early to forage for morels, last year I had spotted a small patch of ramps near my mushroom hunting spot and if there is a small patch, perhaps there is more.

So this morning I went over to the area where I’d seen them and I was excited to discover multiple spots I harvested a small amount. I’m careful not to take too many from any one spot, I want them to continue to flourish.   As I walked, it struck me, there are no ferns in these woods yet the ones in the garden are at fiddlehead stage and….. wait a minute!

I’ll combine them to make a spring dish. I can’t take too many of the fiddleheads but I can use them for color and accent.

I’ve adapted an adaptation (?) of Fragrant Onion Tart from “Vegetable Literacy” by Deborah Madison. I don’t own her cook book but it is on my wish-list.

Ramp and Fiddlehead Tart

Serves 4 as entrée and 8 as a starter

Ingredients:
For the filling:
4 ounces (120 g) fresh ramps washed trimmed and sliced
1 ounce (30 g) fiddlehead ferns – about a dozen  (blanched and shocked) - you could substitute asparagus
3 ounces (90 g) bacon lardons (optional)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter
1 heaping teaspoon (5 ml) fresh thyme or two pinches dried
3 eggs
1/2 cup (125 ml) sour cream
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
2/3 cup (150 ml) grated aged Gouda
1/3 cup (75 ml) grated Parmesano Romano
Salt and Pepper

For the crust:
5 ounces (150 g) flour
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (90 ml) cold butter cubed
3 tablespoons (45 ml) ice water

Method:
Make the crust:

1. Put flour, salt, and butter into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
2. Turn mixer to low and mix until butter has broken down and flour/butter mixture looks mealy
3. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is shaggy or starts to come together
4. Remove dough from bowl, shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate

While dough chills,

Make the filling:

1. In large sauté pan over medium heat cook the bacon lardons until rendered
2. Remove cooked bacon with slotted spoon, pour off all but 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fat
3. Add 1 tablespoon butter to hot pan, swirl until melted. Reduce heat to low
4. Add the sliced ramps, a pinch of salt and cook stirring often until very soft – about 30 minutes



5. Remove from heat and allow to cool, taste and season with salt and pepper
6. While ramps cool, whisk eggs with sour cream and milk
7. Stir in cheese, cooled ramps, bacon and thyme

Assemble the tart:

1. Heat oven to 400F (200C or Gas Mark 6)
2. Roll out dough to fit tart pan, drape dough into pan, trim to fit. Place it on a baking sheet pan
3. Pour egg, cheese ramp mixture into tart pan
4. Arrange fiddleheads on surface in attractive pattern
5. Put tart on sheet pan into oven and bake until top is golden, and browned in spots – about 45- 50 minutes
6. Cool to warm or room temperature before cutting into portions and serving

The long slow cooking of the ramps takes out most of the pungency, before they were cooked their, uh, perfume was filling the house, and that is only from a small bunch. Once cooled this onion and cheese tart is perfect for a brunch or light dinner.

The finished dish is so good, I promptly ate two slices, the ramps were mild and the fiddleheads subtle. I’m looking forward to having some for breakfast!

As a side note, yesterday as promised I sent out the notebooks to those of the first 100 subscribers who took the time to send me a postal address. It was great to hear the encouraging words from subscribers as they relayed their postal addresses. The nearest one lives only about 15 miles from here and the furthest one I sent was to South Africa! I’m curious to how long it will take to arrive. If you think of it, and you’re expecting a notebook, please let me know that it arrived safely and in good order.

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

This video is making the rounds but if you haven’t seen it, it is worth while. I love the concept that we are the soil of the community. How we go, so goes the community.

Be inspired!

I’ve been pretty busy with work, and the great flood of 2013 has put a damper on getting outside. I was feeling a bit crispy around the edges so I scheduled a three day weekend.

I could not have picked a better time.

The rain finally stopped Thursday night, and though we took a little water in the basement it was not bad. Saturday was booked as a brother was in town from California, and five of the ten kids got together. It was a nice visit.

But Sunday and Monday were glorious. Sunday I screened compost, which always makes me happy.  I hoed, smoothed and composted some of the raised beds. They look ready! I also cleaned out the peony bed.

Today I dropped the Accountant off at work, went to the home improvement store, puttered for a few hours then finally came home.

It was warm in the sun, and as I type, I know my neck is sunburned. I couldn’t be happier!

I was rooting around in the garage and found some old fence pieces I  had saved after the great storm of 2012. I knew I was going to make something but wasn’t sure what. In just an hour or so, I had put together two little plant boxes that fit a 3.5″ pot perfectly and a rustic fence shelf thingy shown at the top.

I didn’t make any cuts, just a few nails and a couple of screws and these were done.
I think I’ll bring them to the garden club meeting to donate as door prizes!

Reduce, reuse, repurpose in the sunshine with only the breeze and the spring birds to keep me company.  A really great day. An ice cold beer and firing up the grill are next on the agenda.

Happy Monday/ Earth Day!

Until next time, Keep Digging and Eat Well!

If you subscribe to the newsletter you already have this recipe, but you got to check out these pictures.  One  picture doesn’t do it justice.

This vegetarian torte would make a super brunch menu item or is great for a light supper, or perhaps my favorite, inspiring  envy in the corporate lunch room.

I made this from butternut squash from the 2012 harvest, canned Swiss chard, garlic conserva as well as some fresh ingredients. It’s pretty to look at and delicious!

You can make this in a square casserole dish but a 9” spring form pan makes for a more dramatic presentation and you don’t have to sacrifice the first piece to the knife.

Ingredients:

1 lb (500 g) onions, thinly sliced. Use a mandolin or a sharp knife and steady hand
1 tablespoon (15 ml) + 1 teaspoon (5 ml) oil, divided
1 butternut squash, top portion only, peeled and thinly sliced. Use a mandolin or a sharp knife and steady hand
2 large potatoes washed peeled and thinly sliced. Use a mandolin or a sharp knife and steady hand.
1 lb (500 g) ricotta cheese
5 ounces (150 g) cooked drained and chopped Swiss chard – substitute spinach
1 egg
2 – 3 cloves of roasted garlic or garlic conserva
6 ounces (180 g) button mushrooms roughly chopped
6 stalks asparagus blossom end only
3 small (1’ – 2.5 cm diameter) tomatoes halved
Salt + Pepper
3 ounces (90 g) hard cheese, grated, Parmesan, Romano,  or Asagio
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) dried basil

Directions:

Line the bottom of a 9” spring form pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, heat until hot.
Add onions, reduce heat to medium low, and cook very slowly – stir often until onions are very soft and caramelized. This can take up to an hour. When finished remove from pan and set aside to cool.

While onions cook, make the ricotta filling.
In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 egg, roasted garlic, and chopped spinach, mix well with a fork.   Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking, set aside.

Using the same pan that you cooked the onions, add 1 teaspoon of oil over medium high heat.
Add mushrooms to the pan, reduce heat to medium cook, stirring often and cook until lightly browned – about 7-10 minutes. Add to onions.

Preheat oven to 350*F (180*C or Gas Mark 4)
Place a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan in the oven.

Assemble the Torte
Layer butternut squash slices in the bottom of the pan, you can cut some of the slices to fill in any gaps.
Add ricotta-chard mixture, smooth evenly over squash slices.
Layer potato slices over the ricotta mixture.

Spread onion-mushroom mixture over the potato layer.
Add another layer of butternut squash on top of onion-mushroom mixture.
Arrange tomatoes and asparagus on the top in a star pattern. Alternate spear and tomato halves.
Sprinkle oregano and basil over the top.

Cover with foil and place on sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

Carefully remove from oven, remove the foil, top with grated cheese and return, uncovered to oven.

Bake another 30- 40 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Remove from oven and allow to cool until just warm or room temperature.

Remove spring form, slice into 6 wedges – each wedge gets a tomato half and a asparagus spear

This is an elegant vegetable dish, that is sure to please you, you family or guests!

I finally got out in the garden this past weekend, and besides the bed rebuilds, I turned and watered one of the compost piles. I dumped out it onto a tarp, gave it a thorough turning, scooped it back into the wire bin, adding a little water.

I took the temperature and it was about 60 Degrees Fahrenheit. The next day, I took the temperature again, 100 degrees!

Now the compost thermometer looks like a really long meat thermometer because well, it’s a really long thermometer. About a foot long.  Anyway, when I got home tonight, I approached the pile, thermometer in hand.

“Excuse me Mr. Heap, you’re going to feel some discomfort.”

With that, I stuck it in the heap and watched as the needle swept, not crept, past 100, 110, 120, finally coming to a rest just north of 140 Fahrenheit!

Wow! It’s amazing what a little air and water can do to a winter stagnant compost pile.

The fact that it is heating up is pretty cool, but what’s happening in the pile that causes this dramatic change?  So here is an explanation of what’s going on in the pile. It’s an excerpt of a much longer article on Composting I’m working on, but it seemed right to post it here as I am so impressed by the dramatic reaction right outside the kitchen door. It’s a little geeky as there is science involved, but I dig that. Pun intended.

Put simply, composting works because bacteria break down organic material in multiple stages. I’ll compare it to a multi stage rocket. During the process,   the bacteria are activated by the carbon, and they use oxygen to break it down into usable forms – leaving heat (an exothermic reaction)and carbon dioxide (bacterial flatulence?) in their wake.  Bacteria, like plants are not created equal. Just like plants, different bacteria have conditions that are most favorable for them to thrive. Composting takes advantage of these differences to break down your organic waste to usable humus.

In the first stage, mesophilic bacteria (literally “middle lovers” as they survive and thrive at a temperature between 70F – 100F (21C -  38C))  work to break down the easily digested materials. Their reactions are the ignition that causes the compost pile to heat up before handing off to the second stage bacteria, the heat-lovers.

After the first stage has achieved lift-off, the second stage begins. Thermophilic bacteria thrive at hotter temperatures ranging from 113 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (45C  – 71C). This temperature range (above 130 F), kills many unwanted seeds and disease-causing beasties. Fats, proteins, and cellulose ( the fibrous component in plants) break down at this temperature as well.

Just as rapidly as a pile may heat up, once the food supply or conditions are less than optimal, a compost pile will begin to cool.  By turning, watering or activating you can spur spikes in activity (measured by heat) but eventually the pile will no longer get hot. It may stay warm for some time indicating there is some activity, but it will not get hot again. At this point, you can screen the compost using what you need, and return the bigger bits to the pile or you can let it sit and it will continue to break down slowly.

The third stage then begins. Think of this as the rocket coasting through space. It may not be as exciting as the first two stages but that doesn’t mean you aren’t going somewhere! Just because the thermophilic bacteria are no longer heating and thriving in the pile, doesn’t mean the pile is not active. In fact, the next wave of bacteria (and fungi) prefers cooler (70-75F or N to N C) temperatures. They arrive and hang around breaking down the most stubborn materials. This coasting stage can stage can last months, even years.

But I usually don’t wait that long. I screen out the dark compost and add the rest back to the pile.

So, when your compost pile is steaming in the morning, now you know why!

A few weeks ago, I posted about plans for the garden including bed rebuilds and re-orientation.

Here is a quick recap, condensing about 3 hours of work into less than a minute.

It may seem odd, but spring really hasn’t sprung yet, but I’m looking forward to fall when  can put the cold frames to use. Oh, I suppose I could knock them out now, but I’ve got enough to do for the moment.

And I have to say, I’m pretty sore from all the work. Being a desk jockey isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

I hope you all had a good weekend!

I was talking to someone the other day; we were talking about vegetable gardening and I mentioned that I grew really great broccoli last year – more than 10.5 lbs on just 2 plants.

She asked me if I grew them from seed.

Uh no, I bought the plants as starts from the garden store.

She gave a me a funny look and said “Oh, well I suppose that’s pretty good.”

When I went home, I started to think about that exchange.

Should it bother me that I didn’t nurture the plants from seed to harvest? Am I less of a gardener because I bought a plant start? Indeed, am I less of a person because of my gardening habits?

I lay awake in bed thinking that maybe, somehow I wasn’t worthy of being called a gardener. After all, a gardener puts seed to soil, coaxes soft tender green out of a hard stone.

When I awoke it had resolved itself.

The way I figure, you’re a gardener the minute you say you are. There is no more intrinsic value in someone who grow prize winning roses than someone who plants petunias by the mailbox.

If you have the skill to grow great produce from a seed, good for you. If you have the ability to take a tiny start, provide the correct care and feeding to produce a bountiful harvest good for you too!

Never let someone tell you or make you feel that what you’re growing doesn’t have merit.

The simple act of transplanting a start, watering, weeding and cultivating until you may finally harvest makes you a gardener!

Be proud of yourself! I think more people should grow their food!

I wonder if she cures her own bacon?

Pssst…..  Hey Kid…. kid! Yeah you….. C’mere…. Look here,  I’ve got some radish seeds….

Seems there are some folks that lament children don’t eat their vegetables, and are more interested in video games, texting and Instagram than in gardening. Their worried the younger generation is  losing the connection with thier food. For those frightened folks, I have a suggestion.

Radishes…. 

Yes radishes. They are the perfect gateway veggie for beginners and neophytes. With easy-to handle seeds, sown in the ground or  in a pot,  they are easy to plant and easy to grow. Radishes can be started very early in the spring, and  reach maturity in as few as 21 days.  That’s nearly instant gratification for a gardener!

Besides besides being pretty to look at, these crunchy jewels are delicious in salads, or served thinly sliced with buttered bread and a sprinkle of salt.

What better way to introduce a potential gardener to the thrill of planting, nurturing,  and finally eating home grown veg than the reliable radish?

Who knows, perhaps that neophyte radish grower will turn into an avid vegetable gardener and maybe, just maybe, will introduce someone else to the joys of vegetable gardening.

Spread the joy!

Until next time, Keep Digging and Eat Well!

Funny how the weather is. Last year at this time it was in the low 80′s. This week, in the 20′s and 30′s. The garden is still drab and frozen, so while thoughts have turned to spring, the weather has yet to.

I am really looking forward to the cooler salads of  summer,  but for now I still want something warm on the plate. Taking advantage of the current craze for quinoa, plus the addition of home grown food (the shallots, garlic, and pickled pepper) this recipe doesn’t require a special trip to the store unless you don’t have quinoa in the pantry, in which case you could experiment with other grains or maybe couscous. 

My first attempt was a miserable failure, the mixture was far too loose to form into cakes, let alone roll in panko crumbs. Even when I added the crumbs as a binder, it was still too loose. So I popped the mixture into the freezer for 15 minutes. That did the trick!

These cakes are crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside. Serve two cakes as an appetizer – a stack as an entree.

Cheesy Quinoa Cakes

Makes about a dozen cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 ml) cooled cooked quinoa
1 egg lightly beaten
2-3 oz (50-75 g) goat cheese in little pieces – room temperature
1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced celery
1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced shallot – you could use onion
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced sweet pepper
Small pinch of salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon (.5 – 1 ml) freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) panko crumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil

Small tossed salad

Method:

1. In small saute pan, heat 1 teaspoon (5 ml) oil over medium high heat until hot
2. Add celery, shallot, garlic and sweet peppers and small pinch of salt
3. Reduce heat to medium, and sweat the vegetables, stirring often until soft and fragrant – about 3 minutes – don’t burn the garlic
4. Remove vegetables from heat and allow to cool to room temperature
5. In a small bowl, gently combine cooked quinoa, cooled vegetables, goat cheese, pepper and one beaten egg – do not mix vigorously or the quinoa may turn to mush.
6. Add the bread crumbs and gently mix again
7. Put mixture into the freezer for 15 minutes
8. Remove mixture from freezer and form into balls – about 1.5 inches (3 cm) in diameter
9. Heat two tablespoons oil in skillet over medium high heat
10. Place quinoa cheese balls into pan and press down lightly to form a patty
11. Cook until golden brown. Turn carefully and brown second side
12. Repeat with remaining mixture, you may need to add more oil

Serve over a small salad. Garnish with pickled cherry pepper – or roasted red pepper.

It’s not spring, but she’s coming. And I can’t wait!

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging.