baking... who knew..

In one of the many stories of infant loss that I've read lately a simple story about potatoes has stuck in my mind. I wish I could link to it, but I've lost the story in links - when I find it I will. This mother wrote about trying to make mashed potatoes some time after the death of her infant daughter..., she peeled the potatoes then stood there staring at them wondering what to do next.
That really summed it all up.. use it as an analogy if you like, something so simple as making mashed potatoes, and not 'forgetting' what to do..but just not even understanding what you're doing - in the middle of doing it.

We decided sometime in November that if we didn't host our Christmas party - which had been a hot topic since we bought the house..., well, since the last Christmas party... We couldn't imagine a quiet house over Christmas. The house was already too unusually quiet. It still bothers me if the kitchen radio isn't on 24/7.. silence makes me crazy. I feared if we didn't jump back in and do what we wanted to do.., that we never would. I think Rohan and I would have been okay with never participating in life again, but we couldn't do that to Hannah. 

I knew well enough not to take on cooking much. Erinn was contacted immediately for baking, Maltese for their awesome trays of everything, Rohan - all too eager to be distracted by cooking meat over fire, and me..., I thought I'd bake a bit. maybe make a pan of spanakopita. Which people might think I accomplished.. but, no... no, no. no...

The meltdowns in the kitchen the week prior were something off Jerry Springer. I could not for the life of me understand what 1/4 cup meant. Cup of what?!?! What the heck is a 1/4? It was like reading Chinese. Worse, these were recipes from my own blog, recipes I've done so many times that I've decided to record it.. (the foremost reason being for Hannah, her virtual cookbook of her family favourites, for when she moves away..which is coming sooner and quicker every day..)

I couldn't work my way through a sugar cookie recipe, I burned anything that got in the oven (I don't even know if any of the baking actually did - that was just dinner..).. Truffles. People might think truffles are challenging, but to any baker we know these things are actually stupid-easy: melt chocolate, cool chocolate, roll chocolate, dip chocolate... The failed attempts at this process are embarrassing, the successes were triumphant. No one ever knew of the tears that went into the 100 or so truffles that survived my shaking hand. 

I haven't followed a recipe for my 'standard pan o' spana' in years, but the night before the party there I was downloading recipes, not understanding, crying, ..and if it weren't for Rohan helping to translate we never would have had any of it. 

I used to love cooking, trying new recipes, trying my own experiments - in baking and cooking.. It's not something I've ever found difficult. Stressful sometimes, challenging in all the ways I love, but never difficult.

So to be stumped by a 1/4 cup was ...I still don't even know the right word. It's the closest I can come to understand someone with a brain injury - trying to re-learn a language.. How do you learn something you've known forever but have never seen before?

Since then I've had months of digestive upset, lack of appetite, lack of interest in food.. I've tried to cook - boiled down and burned chicken bones, burned sweet potatoes, burned toast, burned rice, ...I made pancakes one morning - messy by applauded for flavour... burned more toast... I've managed to heat frozen things, and I made banana bread once. That's about it.. 

Then come garden season, which (to me) ties in so closely with cooking. We're planning our vegetable beds, and the addition of a wood fired oven ...and with that came searches for bread recipes, and sour dough starters. Then I imagine the herbs we grow being added to those breads and baked in the backyard...and suddenly I'm reading as many recipes as I am garden blogs, 

and what comes of that..?!?!

Today, out of nowhere, I get the urge to bake, and a  Butter Pecan Cake and my favourite bread soon appear on my stovetop..neither of which I should consume right now with my tender system, but Hannah will enjoy them, (and R too...). 

The Butter Pecan Cake was posted by

Brule Creek Farms yesterday. 

Andrea's recipes are incredible...they're always successful, and full of flavour. I don't even want to eat cake right now, but this recipe make me want to bake cake. And I freaking did! I still can't believe it. Granted, it's still cooling on the stove, and it's a little toasty...but damn, I baked, and I didn't burn it to an inedible crisp. 

It was hard to not think of baking bread when reading the Brule Creek recipes. My sour dough starter will use their rye flour, so.. I made some bread. It hasn't been baked yet, so it could still be added to the burn list, but today's efforts are about the most I've accomplished in the kitchen in months, so I'm going to give the dough some hope.

Turkey Garden Soup & other recipes

late summer Rudbeckia
my favourite harvest flower

One of the tastiest things I've come up with to do with zucchini has been a snack: a round of zucchini topped with jalapeno havarti and wrapped in philo dusted in a little olive oil & butter. Baked until golden with melted cheese and crispy baked zucchini...yum. I've made a recipe-to-remember double chocolate zucchini cake, came up with another great recipe for Zucchini Pineapple Walnut Spice Cake, made a crustless quiche, muffins... 

I'm not tired of zucchini yet, especially not the pineapple spice cake.

I made more tzatiki than we can eat or give away. I think it's time for pickles.

The jet lag has really got me beat this year. I still feel groggy and off schedule nearly two weeks later. ::excuses, excuses:: Summer has gone by in a blur of gluttony and wine; and it's been wonderful. I always start the season with intentions - good intentions - of documenting the growing, photographing the product, following it all to the kitchen. I thought about that a lot while I baked and ate the zucchini (the Spiced Zucchini Walnut Pineapple Cake mostly to myself). It doesn't help that I left the garden to its own devices for more than a month, but also... I haven't been giving it as much attention on my devices since we returned. I've been too busy eating it and playing real Scrabble (not online!) with old friends. I really have to give it to those people who can stick to updating regularly. 

With its bursting tomato plants and a beanstalk wall, our edible garden is a bit of a mess - at first sight. I've taken out the remains of the peas, spinach and radishes, cleaned a few containers, made room for some fall planting. There are still some weeds, and the unsightly grassy patch which needs a mow - and lord know the dogwood needs to be pruned..but, the bees are indulging and so are we, so a few unsightly edibles doesn't bother me. There are little bits of beautiful everywhere.

a bee favourite

Butterfly Lavender

Tonight leftovers from our recent barbecue turkey dinner are being boiled together with garden herbs, carrots, kale, chard, and beet tops, onions, leeks ...and celery from the store. Turkey Garden Soup. Our little kitchen Bay Laurel supplied some lovely leaves to the pot, along with tarragon, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

Though I hope I'll get around (sooner rather than later) to updating my food blog with my recipes and results, for now this will have to do. As I enjoy the last slice of Zucchini Spice Cake with Pineapple and Walnuts, I nod out the window to the garden and say, thanks.  

Fresh Garden Salsa

from our garden
27 September 2011

Today's harvest. I think I'm making some salsa tonight! 

I'm making things up as I go, using standard salsa ingredients:

8 tomatoes, coarsely chopped 

2 jalapeño, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced 

4 green onions, finely chopped 

2 capsicum (any colour), finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 white onion, finely chopped

I might add some red onion also, and more garlic to taste. We have some nice looking orange capsicum in the fridge, which I'll add - and whatever else of interest I might find in there. Results to follow....

Dear Garden Diary

We've been eating a lot of tomatoes.
R's been experimenting with homemade ketchup recipes,
which become experimental barbecue sauce recipes, for testing on our guests invited to Porkfest(s).
I've got salsa plans for the next abundant harvest; and, you know, nothing says welcome home like having our favourite tomato, basil, and feta salad fresh from our backyard since we've returned from Australia.
Garden, you've been tomatolicious this year.

Three weeks ago I saw my first Aussie bees.

lavender, Barbara's garden
Mildura, Victoria

Yesterday, R saw his first hummingbird.
It was beautiful as it hummed in and out of the blooms below us.
We had been standing on the back balcony, enjoying
(and sharing with the dogs)
some beans that have climbed to balcony floor.
(Any stalks that dared to go beyond that has been chewed loose by a dog.)
We were discussing the garden,
and its future plans,
when the hummingbird flew in to enjoy some scarlet runner blooms and thriving nasturtiums.

semi-double blossom
Mounding Nasturtiums
Buttercream

 As wonderful as it was to see, I felt a little sad for the little bird - because of what he could have enjoyed. Leaving the garden at high season makes keeping on top of things very difficult. There were a few Nicotiana blooms left, which he did find, but I know what he could have had - a hummingbird version of Porkfest. Without deadheading and feeding, most of the potted plants are overgrown and exhausted. It was a hot dry summer, and new plants suffered a little stress. There should be so much more still blooming.

I'll take what I can get though, especially the Nasturtiums. They've rambled their way under and through R's newly constructed back deck and make me smile.

The nasturtiums pop up everywhere in the garden, and make up a great deal of the jungle. The heaping, heavy tomato plants make up the rest. Peas went to the dogs, and apparently carrots now too...

Clifford enjoys a carrot.

The tomatoes remain ours, so far safe from the four legged family members.

As for the garden's future plans: they mostly involve finding new and better ways to separate human space and gardens from dogs. The dogs require space, and deserve some places of their own to run and play outside. The dogs need grass, and more than our downtown yard provides - well, the yard space would be plenty for the dogs if it weren't taken up by so much garden. We can't share it, and have to reclaim some clean human grass.
Strangely, our plans are to create even more garden space. There will be less human grass space, which will be fine: I just want some place to sit in clean grass, and smell my garden, not the dogs. Garden photography has been a precarious activity this summer, as the dogs have had free roam while the dog run is under construction (holding all the soil we had delivered in the early summer).

In the end, a new fence and a new construction project for R - and possibly some new tools. A sod cutter will be brought in to remove what's there, new soil will be added, the garden beds will be created and treated, composted and lasagna(ed) for the winter, and will be full of tomatoes, peppers, and rambling zucchini next year.
To make way for a much longed for wood fired pizza and bread oven, the Caragana will move to the new garden gate, and face the clean human grass. To make way for the garden gate the Potentilla and oat grass will be removed. Another garden gate and small fence will close off the side of the house and protect the side garden, currently full of blooming foxgloves.

The dogs will have a full grassy area within the dog run, and while we all love the basketball court it is sadly under-used - the dogs need that space more than we do right now. They'll also have free run of the newly named "dog forest" which will be lighter on junipers, allowing for great for leaping and dodging dogs. R also wants to widen the path to the dog run by moving all the rocks that line the dog forest back toward the fence. I think he's crazy, but will stand by my man.

Got Rhubarb?

our rhubarb (a dog toy) and some ferns
south west garden 15 June 2011

It was a monster of a thing, our rhubarb, and I wanted to eat it.

The landlord next door was working on the shed just beyond the fence near our rhubarb plant yesterday, while his wife cut the grass.. . both watching me as I came charging out of the house with the largest knife we have. I earned a few worrisome looks while I took the photos, but once I started chopping the plant they went back to their business.

The rhubarb was taken down stalk by stalk.

I was going to make my mother's "Rhubarb Crunch" ~ a recipe she got from a 1970's Yankee magazine, and made for us regularly, a fond childhood memory. I followed the recipe, but I altered it slightly; the calls for canned cherry pie filling - I don't really like canned filling, so I decided to just add a couple cups of frozen raspberries into the simple syrup (sugar, water, cornstarch, and vanilla boiled) instead. It worked wonderfully (though I made and added way too much raspberry syrup to the rhubarb and crumble - not that anyone complained..).

Four cups diced rhubarb with plenty extra :)

Equal parts rolled oats, flour, and brown sugar. 

I grated in frozen butter rather than cutting it in, or melting it to form a crumbly dough. Half is used for the bottom, half is reserved for the top. (I like a crumbly crumble, so I always make extra.)

After filling the pan with the diced rhubarb, and pouring over the raspberry syrup, it was topped and baked for one hour at 350F. We served it with real whipped cream with vanilla.

yum

For more on RHUBARB check out:

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

SERVES 6 - PREPARATION TIME 1:30

          FOR SOUP

          3 TABLESPOONS shallots, finely chopped

          1 TABLESPOON freshly chopped thyme 
             (or 1/2 TSP dried)

          1 TABLESPOON butter or olive oil  
                 (or a combination of both)

          12 red bell peppers (capsicum), 
              roasted and chopped

          3 CUPS broth (chicken, 
             or for vegan: vegetable)

          1/2 CUP heavy cream (optional)

          fresh lemon juice to taste

          salt and pepper to taste

Rohan discovered this recipe in the griller's manual that came with his barbecue. More than a manual, this glorified pamphlet has proved itself invaluable in our home. Simple, well thought recipes make up more of it's content than cook settings. It's brilliant. We were immediately drawn to this red capsicum soup recipe, and have been known to make a few substitutions along the way. The recipe posted above is my edited version.

We've often included a variety of hot peppers from our garden.

PREPARATION

Preheat barbecue on HIGH heat.

Place capsicum on grill and char on all sides, turning as needed.

Remove from barbecue and cool.

When cool enough to handle, peel off the blackened skin, remove stem and seeds, and chop the flesh of the pepper.

Using the side burner (or in our case, directly on the grill), melt butter in a large pan over low heat. Add the shallots and thyme, and stir until softened. 

Add the bell peppers and broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, until the peppers are very soft (about 15 minutes).

enjoy a glass of Sauvignon Blanc while you wait

Using an immersion blender (or food processor) puree the mixture until smooth. Return the mixture to a clean pot and (if desired) whisk in the cream. 

Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

The recipe also suggests a butternut squash and grilled leek version of this soup, opening up he garden gate to endless combinations of grilled vegetable soups. 

Enjoy!

Basil

Botanical: Ocymum basilium (LINN.)
Family: 
N.O. Labiatae

Sweet Basil

Ocimum basilicum

greenhouse 2008

Belonging to the Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae) (mint) family, Basil in our region is an annual plant, with broad leaves ranging from green to purple, depending on the cultivar, with flowers range from white to lavender.

The aroma of basil, often compared to that of cloves, lemon, anise to cinnamon, and of course sweet, makes it ideal for any herbal garden especially an aromatic herbal garden.

Preferring a sunny location with at least six hours of bright light per day, Basil thrives in moist, well drained soil. It is quite sensitive to dry conditions, so it is important to watch it closely during hot weather.

Basil self-sows by producing many dark brown seeds in the many small florets.

The word Basil is derived from the Greek basileus, meaning "king," although to the ancient Greeks and Romans the herb was a symbol of malice and lunacy. They believed that to successfully grow basil, one had to yell and curse angrily while sowing the seeds. In French, semer le basilic, "sowing basil," means ranting. (source unknown)

• Basil attracts bees and is usually considered for a garden for honey bees.
• Basil has traditionally been given as a good-luck present to new homeowners.

Planting Seeds
For transplanting, start basil seeds indoors in small pots in mid-to-late April (bottom heat helps), moving plants outside when the temperature is warm (late May or June) or sow the seeds directly outdoors once all danger of frost is past.

It is important to keep the surface of the soil dry to avoid damping off, so water from below and use a fast-draining soil mix. Basil plants have large roots, so transplant carefully.

Planting Out
As basil is frost sensitive, set plants outside after no risk (in the last few years here in Thunder Bay that has been late June, sometimes even early July). Transplanted seedlings need to be hardened off before planting out.
Basil needs real warmth and regular fertilization. A manure rich soil, I find, grows the largest leaves. Worm and compost tea, and cold coffee in my office seems to keep my basil plants happy.

Space basil 30cm (12") apart in full-sun.

Companion Plants
Pepper, Tomato, Marigold
When planted next to tomato plants, it wards of the white fly, which plagues the tomatoes.

There are more than 50 species of Ocimum and more than 60 varieties of Ocimum basilicum. A selection of basils, from Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, is as follows:

Ocimum basilicum / Sweet Basil
Ocimum americanum (tender perennial) / Lemon Basil
O. basilicum 'Anise' / Anise Basil
O. b. 'Cinnamon' / Cinnamon Basil
O. b. 'Crispum' / Lettuce-leaf Basil
O. b. 'Green Ruffles' / Green Ruffles Basil
O. b. 'Minimum' (tender perennial) / Bush Basil
O. b. 'Nano Compatto Vero' (tender perennial)
O. b. 'Piccolo Verde Fino'
O. b. 'Purple Ruffles' / Purple Ruffle Basil
O. b. 'Purpurascens' / Dark Opal Basil

O. b. 'Thysiflor' (tender perennial - used in Thai                                                cooking)

O. gratissimum (tender perennial) / Clove Scented Basil

O. kilimandscharicum (tender perennial) / Camphor Basil

O. sanctum (tender perennial) / Holy Basil

Diseases & Pests
Diseases to watch for are Botrytis cinerea, Black spot, Damping off, Fursarium wilt.

Occasionally pests such as aphids, flea beetles, and Japanese beetles will feast upon Basil plants. Rinse off aphids with a garden hose to prevent infestations. To prevent beetles from munching, cover the crop with fabric row cover (which can also keep heat in). If slugs are a problem on new transplants, try a barriers of copper flashing, egg shells, or coffee grounds.

Fusarium wilt of basil, first identified in the early 1990s, arrived via infected seed imported from Italy. Symptoms include sudden wilting and leaf drop, accompanied by dark streaks on the stems, usually in weather above 80°F. If you notice these signs, quickly dig up the infected plant, along with all soil around the roots, and discard it. Avoid spreading the disease by moving soil around on your tools or tiller.(source unknown)

Basil is also susceptible to a few bacterial rots that show up on stems or leaf clusters, usually in cool, wet weather, often late in the season (or in our case, June). Keys to control include planting in well-drained soil, spacing plants so they dry off after rain, and removing infected plants from the patch.

Consider growing your basil in containers.

Medicinal Uses / Homeopathy:

Basil has medicinal, culinary, magical, aromatic, cosmetic and ornamental properties. It's medicinal properties include: diuretic (increases urine flow), antispasmodic, carminative (expelling gas), stomachic (stimulating the stomach), antimicrobial.

It's many medicinal uses include for bad breath, constipation, vomiting, stomach cramps, whooping cough, wounds, bites.

• A teaspoon of dried basil leaves in 1 cup of boiled water is said to relieve cramps, vomiting, constipation and headaches caused by nerves.
• Basil tea is considered so calming, that it is used for upset stomach, spasms and in particular whooping cough.
• In massage oil it is a nerve tonic and helps to ease sore muscles.
• According to some, basil oil in a diffuser will relieve mental fatigue.
• Fresh leaves can be rubbed on the skin as an insect repellent, or chewed as a mouthwash. (It is a mint after all.)

According to Anne McIntyre's book Flower Power, Basil is revered for its ability to open the heart and mind, to engender love and devotion, to strengthen faith and compassion and clarity.

Culinary Basil

Basil contains calcium, fibre, iron, potassium, riboflavin and high amounts of Vitamin C.

Although identified readily with Mediterranean cuisine and Italian pesto, basil is a native of India where it is regarded as a sacred herb dedicated to the gods Vishnu and Krishna. Some species of basil will grow as perennials in the south Asian regions.

Basil is a very versatile herb with a variety of possible uses. It is excellent in tomato-based dishes, spinach, and all types of squash. It is great in soups and stews, but don’t add it until the last thirty minutes of cooking. Cooking alters the herb’s flavour and tends to make the minty side of basil come to the forefront.

It can also be used on sandwiches, dips, and pasta dishes. Basil is very important in Thai, Laotian, and Vietnamese cooking.

Speaking of Thai cooking, harvesting fresh leaves is easy for us; Rohan and I can demolish a pot of basil in one days meals. Frequent harvesting will prolong the life of the plant. Basil leaves have the best flavour just before the plant flowers, and if you plan to preserve some of your basil or make a big batch of pesto, this is the best time to harvest. (Flowering can be delayed by pinching or clipping off new flower buds.)

The later in the day you harvest basil, the longer it stays fresh. In a perforated bag kept at around 60°F, it will keep for 10 to 14 days. In contrast, refrigerated basil only lasts two or three days. You can also store stems in a vase in your kitchen, close at hand for cooking.

Tear basil rather than chop with a knife because when you chop the oil stays in the leaf and does not properly flavour your food.

Basil is best fresh, but can be preserved by drying or by freezing. To do this, tear the leaves into small pieces and freeze small batches of them in ice cube trays with a little bit of water. Once frozen, the cubes can be saved in zip-lock bags and can preserve the fresh flavour of basil for up to four months.

For a large harvest, you can cut off as much as a half the plant at once.

Of the countless species of basil the favourite in the kitchen is Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum), with its close relative Genovese Basil being preferred for making pesto. Also, the lemon basils with their citrus tang, are excellent for desserts, soups, tea, lemonade and for cooking with fish and chicken.

Pesto
1 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
2 tbsp pine nuts or walnuts
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp grated romano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1 lb egg or plain noodles

Sauce: puree all ingredients except the oil and pasta. Add the oil slowly until the sauce is creamy. Prepare the noodles. Drain and add the sauce.

Greek Summer Salad
3 to 4 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1-1/2 tbsp vinegar
2 cloves chopped garlic
3 tbsp fresh oregano
1 tbsp fresh basil
1 tsp salt 1/2 cup feta cheese
1 head of lettuce olives (optional)

Cut up tomatoes and cucumbers and put in a large bowl. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, basil and salt together and pour over vegetables. Refrigerate. At serving time, add lettuce, torn to bite size, and cheese crumbled into small chunks. Olives optional.

*Baked, Grilled or Barbecued Vegetables

*Add several fresh basil leaves to slices of zucchini, onions and tomatoes and bake, grill or barbecue until done.

To best maintain the flavor of dried basil, store it in the freezer. To quick-freeze basil, dry whole sprigs and pack them in plastic bags with the air pressed out. To dry basil, pinch leaves off the stem and spread them out in a shady, well-ventilated area. Check in 3 or 4 days, and if they don’t crumble easily between your fingers, finish drying in the oven; otherwise the leaves may turn brown or black in storage. Use the lowest heat possible with the door slightly open, turn leaves for even drying, and check them frequently.

Another method is to make pesto (or even basil processed with olive oil), pack it into containers or ice cube trays, and freeze it. Once cubes are frozen, you can pop them out of trays and into plastic bags for easy storage.

*Cinnamon Basil does not cook well, but contributes an interesting piquancy to stewed tomatoes.

*Thai basil, with its pronounced anise-licorice aroma and flavour is excellent with green curries and stir-fry dishes. Look for "Siam Queen".
*Opal Basil has dark, purplish leaves and is particularly good in herb vinegars and dressings.

Spinach and Basil Soup
3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves
2 bunches fresh spinach leaves, washed & with stems removed
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3 cups herb or vegetable bouillon
1 cup milk (or milk substitute)
Dash cayenne
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
¼ cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Sauté the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Lightly steam the spinach with just the water clinging to the leaves and add to a pot with the cooking liquid, sautéed onion, basil leaves and herb or vegetable bouillon. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, and then add the milk, cheese, garlic (crushing the garlic is unnecessary as it's bound for the blender), cayenne and nutmeg.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender, then return to the pot, re-heat and add salt to taste. Serve hot.

As a member of the mint family, basil is sometimes recommended as a digestive aid. Try an after dinner cup of basil tea.

Sage Garden Herbs

a Winnipeg nursery specializing in culinary, medicinal and sacred herbs.The greenhouse is located at 3410 St. Mary's Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Putting Peas By

Peas

"Prepare. Shell...
Blanch. In boiling water - for 1½ minutes. Cool immediately, drain.
Pack. Leave ½ inch of headroom.
Seal; freeze."

To determine when to pick shell peas, check the pods by eye and feel. If the pod is round, has a nice sheen, and is bright green, it is ready. If the seeds have made ridges on the pod and the pod is a dull green, it's past its prime.

You can pick snap and snow snap peas at any time, but they're tastiest when the pods still have some play around the peas when you squeeze the pods.

Pick snow peas before the peas start to enlarge in the pods.

Frequent harvesting increases yields. Pick every other day to keep the plants in production. Pick any pods that are overly mature; if left on the vine, yields will diminish.

Peas keep best in the shell, so don't shell them until just before cooking.

1/2 CUP OF COOKED SNAP PEAS:
Calories: 34
Dietary Fiber: 1.4 grams
Protein: 2.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 5.6 grams
Vitamin C: 38.3 mg
Iron: 1.6 mg
Potassium: 192 mg
Magnesium: 21 mg

Putting Food By
ISBN-10: 0452268990
ISBN-13: 978-0452268999
My edition was published by the Stephen Greene Press © 1973.
Edited by Janet Green, authors Ruth Hertzberg (New England Home Economics teacher and County Agent), and heirloom American recipe creator and writer, Beatrice Vaughan advise on everything from root cellaring to recipes for plain Dandelion greens and corn omelets.

There's been a lot of talk lately among the FSRN about ways we can teach ways to "extend" our growing season. Preserving, to take full advantage of everything grown an obvious direction. The basics are simple, but the possibilities for personal touches to recipes are inexhaustible.

The Anglo-Saxon word for peas was 'pise' or 'pease' as in the nursery rhyme, 'pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold.'

red fife wheat

bread from the history books Maclean's Magazine

Perhaps it's the alligator bread baker in me that's so interested in wheat. Gators of late have been made of rye and wheat bran.

Red Fife Wheat, soybeans, oats, quinoa can be planted through the NW of the garden. Yukon gold potatoes too.

more on red fife:

http://dp.biology.dal.ca/wheat/

http://www.grassrootsolutions.com/heritage-wheat/

The Garnet Wheat Controversy, 1923-1938
by Jim Blanchard Winnipeg Manitoba History, Number 19, Spring 1990
Press Reports and Other Writings on Halychanka (Red Fife) Wheat
from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

From the Ministry of Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs, fact sheets on organic farming in Ontario, field crop fact sheets.