A Tale of the Spider and the Bee…

Another glorious day in the garden has come to an end.  I didn’t think that I would be ready for the end of summer…but I am.  I can’t believe that I am actually excited to think about Broccoli.  Now don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean I won’t miss my new favorite tomato (Yellow Oxheart), I will, but I am happy for the change in seasons none the less.

I am looking forward to sweating less…the crispness of the cool morning air…and my evenings in front of my fireplace with some dark chocolate and a glass of port (a little bit of heaven).  Today was a day like any other.  I still don’t like dirt under my finger nails and I’m not a huge fan of bugs…I know, what kind of gardener am I?  But it wasn’t an ordinary day by any means.

I was happily working away, trimming leaves, pulling dead plants and looking for those ever elusive veggies.  I had just gotten done with making a huge pile of leaves and picked them up to throw them away.  After I threw them in the new bigger pile, I turned around to walk right into a huge spider web.  Now, I have spent the summer getting used to my new garden friends…much to Deborah’s amusement…but this wasn’t an ordinary web.  OR maybe it was, but the fact remains it was wrapped around my head and there was a horrible buzzing sound coming from my bun.

Now, as you can imagine, I didn’t keep my composure all that well.  In fact, I quickly proceeded to swat at the top of my head, while jumping around and going…”aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh”.  If things weren’t bad enough, I couldn’t get my bun undone right away and I wasn’t too happy about that either!  If only there were somebody there to record it for posterity….oh, I didn’t mean that…what I meant to say was…thank goodness no one was there to see that and fall over laughing and scrape a knee or something.

SO, because of today’s events, I have decided that the days of gardening with a bun are now over!  No more buns and hopefully I can keep my head out of any more spider webs for the duration of the summer.  Please.

Now as if that weren’t enough for the day.  Later on, in another garden, I was happily minding my own business, when along comes a Bee.  Now, I am not a big fan of bee’s either, but this was one of those really cool big black ones.  They are just fascinating to me and not the scariest of all the bees in the world.  I actually enjoy having them around.   : )  I think word must have got around that I had previously been intimidated by a tiny little creature and that it would be fun to mess with me.

So, he decided to fly right towards me.  Not usually a problem except he didn’t stop.  He flew right at me and bumped my leg.  It was as if he was rubbing it in and taking his sweet time flying in for the nudge and back out again.  I turned and looked at him and yelled at him…”What did you do that for?”  He just lazily flew away and completely ignored me and my scowl.  Not funny I tell you, not funny at all.  I certainly think that anyone watching me would have got a kick out of that.  Who yells at a bee anyways? Like they give a rat’s patutty about me and what I think about them.

Because of this wonderful day…I decided to treat myself to dessert. I made the most amazing homemade vanilla pudding that I have ever had.  And I made it with goat’s milk and goat cheese.  Boy are you in for a treat!

Here is the recipe….from the July issue of Food and Wine  : )

Goat Cheese Pudding

2 c milk (I used raw goats milk)

3/4 c heavy cream

1 vanilla bean split

1/4 c honey

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 c sugar

2 tbsp corn starch (I used tapioca flour)

1 c fresh goat cheese softened (I used my fresh made chevre from this morning)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tsp fresh lemon juice (from the lemon you just zested)

1/4 tsp salt

fresh raspberries for serving (I used blackberries)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and cream, vanilla bean, honey and lemon zest. bring to a simmer and remove from heat, cover and let sit for 30 min.  Then strain the milk and discard the zest and bean.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and cornstarch until smooth.  Slowly whisk in the warm milk and then return it all to the saucepan. Bring it to a boil over med-high heat, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, and when it boils, whisk for one more minute until thick.

3. Transfer to a blender and add the goat cheese, butter, lemon juice and salt.  Blend until smooth and then pour into custard cups (about 8) and refrigerate until chilled (about an hour).  Top it with berries and a light drizzle of honey.

P.S.  If you are worried about a skin forming on the top of your custard, just put saran wrap on top of it so that it touches the top of the custard all the way around and remove it just before you serve it.

P.P.S.  I had to put mine in the freezer to get it thick enough.

P.P.P.S.  I just thought I would add one more for fun.  I was going to make a whole bunch and then see who got to the bottom and offer a prize…but I decided not to.  I’ve decided to go to bed instead.  : )

Ouch…that hurt.

I really should be talking about the fact that I’m pretty sure squash doesn’t have any natural predators to speak of…so why do the leaves have to be so sharp?  I typically end a harvest day looking like I took a sandpaper bath…not really something I enjoy.

But I’m not going to talk about that…instead I am going to talk about how much I hurt after joining the gym on Monday.  You might assume that it is because I worked out so hard I can’t figure out how to wash my hair without raising my arms (for those of you who don’t know me…I used be a competitive body builder…having actually won an overall title…and I HAVE had to wash my hair without lifting my arms…it can be done!)…but that’s not how I hurt myself.

Instead, I pulled a neck muscle while reaching for a zip lock bag in my top kitchen drawer.  I know…are you kidding me….how in the world does that even happen?  I have NO idea…I would have rather been lifting a 50 lb box of that silly freaking spiky squash.

So, now I am tasked with trying to figure out how to make dinner when it hurts to even think about moving my right arm too high or turn my head in either direction….I think I have figured it out…

Stir Fry tonight!

1/2 brick of extra firm tofu

1 lb of green beans…or there about

2 small bell peppers (red, yellow or orange)

5 stalks of chard (leaves removed…you can chop and add the leaves if you want to)

1 large squash (any kind you like…I used round zucchini)

1/4 c of sauce (I used orange…you can use any you like)

1 tbsp soy sauce

I started with half a brick of extra firm tofu that I cut into chunks and the fried in toasted sesame oil until nice and chewy (I added about 4 cloves of garlic too).  If you want something delicious to do with the other half…just fry it a little longer and serve with a side of sweet chili sauce…and you have a fantastic appetizer!

So after the tofu is getting dark…add your harder veggies…I added my green beans, chard stalk and bell peppers.  I have my heat on medium high because I like to cook them fast and still keep them crisp.  After a few minutes I pour in a quarter cup of water and let it give the veggies a quick steam.  When all the water is gone and everything is almost done…I throw in some squash cut into chunks.  Finish it all up with your sauce of choice and the soy sauce.

You can put this on top of anything you like…I used organic japanese noodles…or you can eat it all by itself!  I want you to remember…this is a great way to use any veggies you have around.  Just be sure to start with the hardest ones and finish with the softest.  This way they all come out the right amount of “crispness” in the end.

Eat well, drink some nice wine…and don’t work too hard…not even if it is fun!

“Vo”

P.S. I even took the pics for you.  : )

You CAN eat molten lava…

So…I thought I would take a minute and share some interesting news with you all…you CAN eat molten lava.  “How” you ask?  Well, let me tell you.

It all started about an hour ago.  I just finished peeling and seeding about 50 roma tomatoes (to make sun dried tomatoes) and decided that I would fire roast some of my sweet peppers and peel them so I can preserve them.  Before I decided to roast them, I cut a little piece off of a couple of them to see how they tasted…FANTASTIC…so I cored and seeded them and put them under the broiler.

When they were properly charred…I started to peel the skin off.  I am such a huge fan of roasted peppers that I couldn’t wait to taste some…so I did.  Let me tell you something you really ought to listen too…

Just because the label on the plant says…”great fresh or grilled”, “sweet and delicious” or anything even resembling these two things…don’t mistake it for truth.

As I found out, the second I popped that pepper into my mouth, I had in fact just eaten molten lava.  Now I don’t want you to think that I am some kind of sissy lala…because I’m not…that being said…I proceeded to drink a half a carton of soy milk and then touch my eye by accident.

Neither of these are particularly helpful.  Trust me.

So…I just want my DeVoDa Family to know that you should really be careful when trying out peppers…there is no way to tell what it really is…until you try it!

Have a good night AND be careful in the kitchen my friends.  : )

Heaven is…fresh Marinara

So…I know I just posted…but I can’t help myself.  I am preparing to take my first vacation since my daughter was born (6 years ago Sunday) and cooking a bunch of food.  We are going to be on Shasta Lake on a houseboat for 3 days…YAY!!!

That being said…I have just made the best marinara I have ever eaten.  Made from fresh, organic, just picked, homegrown heirloom tomatoes…and I HAVE to share it with you.  As long as I am able, I don’t intend to ever buy another jarred sauce again!

I made the recipe up myself and I’m going to share it with you…

All of these ingredients should be organic if you can find them…

10-12 large heirloom tomatoes (I used Black Krim, Pineapple and Oxheart)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large red onion

8 mushrooms, chopped fine

1 can of tomato paste

1/4 c sun dried tomatoes (in oil or water…drained)

1 package of gimme lean sausage substitute (trust me on this one)

4-5 tbsp  very finely chopped fresh basil

3-4 tbsp very finely chopped fresh oregano

sea salt (coarse)

one large head of garlic

So…roast your head of garlic in the oven (30 minutes-ish in foil at 400) and then prepare the tomatoes.

Half of your tomatoes should be cut in half, seeded and roast in the oven…along with the red onion, peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch slices.  Roast until the onion starts to just brown.

Peel the skin off the roasted tomatoes, chop them up really good and place in a sauce pan. Then chop your roasted onion up and put it in the pan too.

The other half of the tomatoes should be dropped in boiling water for 2 minutes and then run under cold water.  Peel the skin, core and seed them.  Then chop them up really fine…and put in the saucepan too.

Using the olive oil, saute the onion, mushroom, garlic and tomatoes.  Then add the “sausage” sun dried tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer until it turns into a beautiful homogeneous pan of marinara heaven.  Add your fresh herbs and salt 10 minutes before the end.  Then you can add filtered water afterwards to get the consistency you want.

Serve it hot over whole grain pasta and topped with fresh grated parmesan!

And that is it…you have got to try it!

Enjoy!

Cucumbers Galore!

So…last night in our house was an Culinary Adventure!  There is certainly something to be said about having an abundance of produce around…you have to do something with it!  After another long day of harvesting and maintenance, in 95 degree weather, it was time to figure out dinner.  As you can well imagine…I’m not much in the mood for standing over a hot stove at the end of one of these days (although those of you that know me…know I LOVE to be in the kitchen).

That being said, I wanted to try some light, easy “snacky” food for dinner.  Thanks to Cherie…I had a recipe for cucumber soup (who knew you could make soup out of cucumbers?) and thanks to Sean Hughes I had a recipe for Okra (thanks!) and to top it all off…Deb said I should roast some Eggplant.  Let me tell you….the soup was AMAZING!  I had no idea that cucumbers could be made into soup…and a delicious one at that.  I was suprised to find out that okra is edible.  : )  It was even better after I put sweet chili sauce on top.  As for the eggplant…if it isn’t Baba Ganoush…I’m not really up for it….sorry Deb.  : )

On that note…here is a recipe for you to enjoy!

Cucumber Soup

1 red onion

1/4 C butter

3 pounds cucumber (any), peeled, seeded and chopped (I think I was closer to 4)

6 C water

7 bouillon cubes

4 tsp fine herb spices (I used Herbs de Provence)

2 TBSP fresh dill, chopped

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Saute the onion in butter until soft and then add remaining ingredients.  Simmer until cucumbers are soft.  Then run the soup through a blender or food processor until it is “soupy”.  Put it back in the pot and heat to a simmer.

Now if you want to can any of this…you can.  Just let it boil for 5 minutes at the end and put into jars (leaving an inch of head space) and cap it and pressure can it on high for 40 minutes…and voila!

Until next time…Bon Apetit!

Vo

If you only knew…

What am I going to do with ALL these awesome veggies…

So, in the last 5 days we have harvest about 50 pounds of unbelievable veggies…wait, did I say 50…I meant over 100 pounds (we gave 27 of those  to Silvina’s Basket alone).  I didn’t know there were so many delicious kinds of squash.  For anyone who thinks that squash is limited to just zucchini and crookneck…let me tell you!  I’ve eaten 4 kinds of zucchini, 3 kinds of patipan, 2 kinds of yellow something or other squashes in the last few days…and don’t even get me started on eggplant.  We have the most beautiful white eggplant that I have ever seen growing and it was fabulous in my new-found Baked Creole Ratatouille recipe I tried.

We have been putting in some long hard days in the gardens lately and I haven’t minded one bit.  I get to come home every night to beautiful and delicious veggies.  You don’t really realize how good dinner can be until you get to the end of a 12 hour day in 90+ degree heat and sit down to eat (after you stand over a hot stove mind you).  You are either ravenous from all the hard work…or too tired to eat…it all depends on the day.

I have discovered that the more you sweat the less you have to go to the bathroom. : )  If I work really hard and sweat a LOT…not hard for me to do…then I can drink a gallon of water and only go once.  I know, more information than you needed…just thought I’d share.  I do so love to share!

It is at the end of another long day and I have to figure out what to do with a deep red head of cabbage and a bag of fresh kale.  The last of the winter veggies and it is the end of July.  Who knew?  Man we eat good in my house!  Until next time…put on your sunscreen, drink a LOT of water and get out in the garden.

And as a treat…here is that recipe…and as a special surprise…an extra one…Both of them excellent!  Oh, and by the way…it came from the Moosewood Celebration Cook Book.

Veggies…Get Your Veggies Here!

With all these new gardens planted, we’ve got veggies galore!  Sign up now to have them delivered to your doorstep.  This season we’re not only offering monthly payments for our shares, but you can sample our produce by purchasing our new Improve Box.  An Improve Box is a single delivery of a regular share.  For more info. check out our new flyer…

Summer 2010 Flyer

Growing Local

Hello out there!  DeVoDa is still here, we’re just so busy out in the gardens we haven’t had much time to post for a while.

We’re excited to welcome 8 new gardens to DeVoDa this year, and we’re not done yet!  Interest in our services continues to grow & we have several more gardens in the works.  We currently have 13 gardens in Woodland & just finished installing our first 2 in Davis.  Here are a few of the new gardens at various stages…

Each garden we install brings renewed enthusiasm and validation to our efforts.  Our front yard gardens are especially rewarding for me as they continue to be a catalyst for community building & education.  People who pass by our gardens are often compelled to comment on the progress or stop to chat about gardening, ask questions or just make encouraging remarks.  Boundaries between people seem to dissolve when it comes to food.  We all have an inherent interest in it.  There is something about seeing a vegetable garden out in the open that attracts people’s attention.  Our front yard gardens tend to generate a lot of rubbernecking & double takes.  It still is something of a novelty to have a vegetable garden in the front yard, so maybe it’s a bit like getting a peek at something you’re not suppose to see.  Or is it the shocking affront to the iconic lawn that generates such notice?  Certainly we’ve found that some of it is the simple “Ah ha!  That’s what a broccoli plant looks like!” or “So, that’s where eggplant comes from!”  And it is this kind of response that helps to fuel our efforts.

SHARES…

We still have shares available for the summer.  A regular weekly box is $88 per month & a Lite (every other week) is $54 per month, delivered right to your doorstep.  To sign up call us at (530) 669-1441, email us at info@devodagardenscsa.com or just send your payment along with your name, address & phone number to DeVoDa Gardens CSA, SHARES 24 Lincoln Ave., Woodland, CA  95695.  We also accept PayPal.

 

Welcome back Mr. Sun!

What a wet and cold winter we are having…we love it and hate it at the same time. Our plants are taking their sweet time. We made the first harvest today, and what a lovely bounty it was. Visit our “In the Bag” page to see all that we have to offer the shareholders.

Photos to come….

It’s Been Awhile….

The women of DeVoDa have been busy…one is growing a baby, the others are busily planting in order to grow a bounty! 

Check them all out tomorrow morning on CW31′s Good Day Sacramento at 9am.