The oyster mushroom gets its name from its cap which, some say, resembles an oyster. The stem of the oyster mushrooms is perhaps more distinct; it unfurls something like one of those old-time paper lady's fans. The oyster mushroom has...

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July 2008 Monthly Archive

Plums

There are all different, shapes, sizes, and colors of plums to be tried. Ripe plums can range in texture from firm to slightly soft. They can range in flavor from deliciously sweet to tasty tart.

Plums can be pink, red, scarlet, purple, blue-black, green, yellow or amber skinned. Their flesh can be yellow, green, pink, red, orange or a rainbow of the five. Plums can be round, oval, or heart-shaped and can range in size from as small as a grape to nearly as large as an apple.

Plums can be eaten fresh out of hand as a snack or dessert. They also can be stewed or used in jellies, jams, sauces, puddings, and crisp, cobblers, cakes, and tarts. Plums can be poached or baked like pears and peaches. Some plums can be dried and served as prunes.

The first plums of the season are ready for harvest in mid summer and the last plums of the season are harvested nearly at the beginning of autumn.

There are more than 2,000 varieties of plums, some are pure bred, the majority are hybrids. Most plums can be traced to three important plum species: Japanese plums, American plums, and European plums.

Continue reading "Plums" »

Harvest to Table's New Encyclopedia:
The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide

A practical vegetable and herb garden encyclopedia

From the soil to the plate, The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide is exceptionally penned and easy to follow. It provides answers to basic and in-depth growing questions. It includes how to plant, how to grow and care for crops, how to harvest, how to store and how to prepare vegetables and herbs. From asparagus and beet greens to Belgian endive and strawberries, this book helps readers organize a small garden close to the kitchen that offers their favorite, fresh-picked-at-the-peak-of-ripeness small crop-and the template on how to orchestrate the effort.

Blackberries

Blackberry.

Brambleberry, dewberry, boysenberry, loganberry, marionberry, olallieberry.

Blackberry is the collective name for a large group of fruits in the same genus. Blackberries are also called brambles and brambleberries, particularly in England.

The boysenberry, loganberry, marionberry, and ollalieberry are common names for popular blackberry varieties or hybrids 'Boysen', 'Logan', 'Marion', and 'Olallie'.

Dewberries are almost indistinguishable from blackberries. The two are close cousins.

Ripe blackberries are sweet and very juicy. They can be eaten uncooked or cooked. Blackberries are a featured ingredient in tarts, pies, ice cream, fruit salads and compotes, crisps and cobblers, pudding and preserves.

Fresh uncooked blackberries can be eaten fresh out of hand or topped with milk or cream and sugar as a breakfast dish, snack, or dessert.

Blackberries are sweetest after they turn from bright red to blackish red and then black. Blackberries are extremely fragile and do not stand up to refrigeration for more than a day or two let alone travel or shipping.

The blackberry, dewberry, boysenberry, loganberry, marionberry, and olallieberry can be freely substituted for one another or combined in recipes.

Here's how these berries compare:

• Blackberry. There are more than 30 varieties. Medium to large round to oblong berries from 1 to 1½ inches long and about ½ inch in diameter. Black when ripe with a soft, juicy, sweet flesh.

• Boysenberry. Blackberry-raspberry hybrid with fruit to 1¼ inches long or more. Dark red to purplish-black skin and a delicate sweet-tart juicy flesh. Suggestive of raspberries. Developed in California in the early twentieth century.

• Dewberry. Not a blackberry but closely related. Large purple to black berries reminiscent of raspberries and sweeter than a blackberry. Popular in Europe. Eaten raw or used in cobblers and jams.

• Loganberry. Large, cone-shaped fruit to 1¼ inches long. Dull maroon skin with a firm, very juicy flesh that is tart until fully ripe. Use for preserves and pies. A blackberry-raspberry hybrid developed in California in the late nineteenth century.

• Marionberry. Medium to large blackberry-raspberry hybrid. Black skin and medium firm fruit with excellent wild blackberry flavor. Favored for canning, pies, and jams.

• Olallieberry. Large blackberry-raspberry hybrid, bigger than the boysenberry. Black, glossy skin with fragrant sweet fruit. Great in pies and made into preserves and jams.

Clearly, blackberries and raspberries have several offspring in common. If you sometimes get blackberries and raspberries confused, here's the way to tell them apart: when a blackberry is picked it comes off the plant with its receptacle, the solid center, in tact. When a raspberry is picked, the fruit cluster comes away but the receptacle stays behind.

A blackberry is botanically speaking not a berry but an aggregate fruit, a clump of individual fruits, called drupelets. Drupelets contain a tiny seed.

The blackberry or bramble is a prickly deciduous shrub or vine that can grow to as tall as nine feet. Boysenberries, loganberries, marionberries, and olalliberries are more trailing than upright. Brambles thrive in regions where the summers are not too hot and the winters are not too cold.

Blackberries are native to Europe and the Mediterranean region where they have grown wild for several thousand years. The wide cultivation and cultivar development of blackberries began both in Europe and North America just about 150 years ago.

Local season: The peak harvest season for blackberries is early summer to late summer. The peak season for boysenberries and marionberries is late summer.

Amount: One pound of blackberries equals about 4 cups.

Choose: Select firm, plump, glossy full colored berries. Avoid overripe berries that are soft and may be moldy or leaky. If the hulls are still attached, the berries are immature and were picked too early. The flavor of immature berries will be tart.

Store: Blackberries are best used immediately. They are very perishable and do not stand up well to handling. Do not expose them to sun or leave them at room temperature for any length of time. Refrigerate blackberries unwashed, lightly covered and preferably in a single layer. Use refrigerated blackberries within 1 or 2 days.

Blackberries do not continue to ripen after picking.

Prepare: Rinse blackberries just before using. They absorb water so it is best to not wash them in advance. Place berries in a bowl of water and swish to remove dirt then lift and gently pat dry with a paper towel.

Freeze blackberries whole or puréed with the seeds removed and with or without sugar. Spread blackberries in a single layer on a cookie sheet to freeze. Once frozen solid, store them in an airtight container.

Cook: Make blackberry jams and preserves adding tart apples to increase pectin content.

Serve:

• Add to fruit salads, crêpes, and tarts.

• Makes a tasty topping for hot or cold breakfast cereal.

• Serve with ice cream, yogurt, or fresh cream and add brown sugar.

• Purée with a little sugar and serve raw as dessert sauce for fruit tarts or ice cream.

• Use to make jam, jelly, preserves, syrup, juice, wine, and brandy.

• Use to make tarts, pies, compotes, shortcakes, crisps, cobblers, and puddings.

• Blackberry coulis can be used as a garnish or as a topping on cakes, puddings, ice cream, sorbets, and custards. Blackberry coulis is prepared by puréeing the berries in a food processor and then passing the mixture through a sieve in order to remove the numerous seeds.

Flavor partners: Blackberries have a flavor affinity for cream, custard, lemon, lime, mint, pork, rose, sour cream, sugar, turkey, walnuts, white chocolate, and yogurt.

Nutrition: Blackberries are high in vitamin C. One cup of blackberries has about 85 calories.

The botanical name for the blackberry is Rubus fruticosus. The botanical name for the European dewberry is Rubus caesius.

Pictured above: Blackberries in stages of ripening.

Savory Zucchini Muffins

Have you gotten behind on eating your way through the zucchini? Ran out of neighbors?

There are plenty of ways to get the most out of summer vegetables like zucchini that keep on giving and giving (and giving).

This recipe for zucchini and cheese and herb muffins is not just an excuse for cooking away zucchini; these morsels are a great savory addition to your muffin repertoire. I say morsels because I bake these up on the smallish size and set out a basket full with the likes of spaghetti or chili or cold pasta salads. You can even serve these muffins with a main dish--yes, main dish--of hot mixed grilled vegetables.

I would say a zucchini muffin should be served warm with butter and salt, or even dipped in olive oil, but I know at least one person (name withheld to protect the ever-hungry) who swears by these muffins at the breakfast table with a drizzle of honey and scrambled eggs.

Now, this recipe includes cheeses and herbs, but Anna, my baking-always friend, says she is modifying the recipe to add sun-dried tomatoes and bringing them over tomorrow night. Yes, that is what friends are for!

Beefsteak Tomato

Alas, beefsteak tomato season.

Go off to your farmers' market and there they will be. You can rarely get a beefsteak tomato in a supermarket. The beefsteak is what grocery and produce retailers would call a destination item, IF they could get them to market and keep them safe before sale. But, they can't; the beefsteak is too big and too much trouble keeping in one piece for tomato picking machines, supermarket truckers, and grocery handlers. So it's off to the farmers' market for the beefsteak tomato.

The beefsteak is more than variety of tomato; it is many varieties (dozens) and a class of tomato. Beefsteaks are one of the largest varieties of tomatoes growing. You might find one beefsteak--that's one tomato--plumping in at more than 2 pounds (1 kilogram). I just brought in three small to medium-sized beefsteaks and they weighed in at just a bit less than 3 pounds.

But the beefsteak is not about poundage, it's about eating. Beefsteak tomatoes are meaty and tasty in an old-fashioned tomato flavorful way. The beefsteak is the tomato for your tomato sandwich, BLT, or picnic-sized hamburger. The beefsteak is perfect for your stand-alone tomato side dish: slice, lightly drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle to taste with sea salt and shredded basil, and serve.

The beefsteak tomato comes in a rainbow of colors: red, pink, yellow, orange, green, and purple-black for starters. Beefsteaks aren't round; they're fat and saucer-shaped in a squatty sort of way, or weigh. Obolate might be one descriptor for the beefsteak.

Slice a beefsteak and you will find a tomato filled (filled!) with lush seed cavities (many). There's no core like you might find in smaller slicing tomatoes. The beefsteaks' seedy interior maze is Byzantine but an architecture of amazing strength. The beefsteak is made for slicing and eating raw and staying together.

What beefsteak to buy? Well, taste around until you find the one or ones for you. 'Big Beef' is a great beefsteak, flavorful and consistent. The heirloom beefsteak 'Brandywine', pink or yellow or purple-black tops many tomato flavor lists. 'Cherokee Purple' and 'Black Krim' are purple beefsteaks of the tomato pantheon. 'Basinga' and 'Hazel Mae' are yellow and mild flavored.

'Beefmaster', 'Big Bite', 'Heavy Weight', 'Goliath', and 'Watermelon' are descriptive names of beefsteak varieties. 'Celebrity' is a popular beefsteak. Of course, the best beefsteak for storytelling is 'Mortgage Lifter.' The story: During the Big Depression, a West Virginia farmer by the name of Mr. Byles was about to lose the farm. Farmer Byles crossed several fat beefsteaks until he came up with a new beefsteak variety so big and so flavorful that his tomato sales paid off the mortgage, the 'Mortgage Lifter.' Now, that's a tomato!

Look for beefsteaks that are firm but give to gentle pressure and are smooth-skinned. Avoid any tomato that is too soft, wrinkled, has a broken skin or is blotchy colored. The beefsteak does not need to be refrigerated. If it's a tad green, it will ripen on the counter at room temperature.

Size is not the end all with beefsteaks. A flavorful beefsteak that is easily managed is palm-full and will weigh 8 to 12 ounces.

Eat the beefsteak raw and sliced on sandwiches and hamburgers. Dice the beefsteak for salads or salsas or to top chili. The beefsteak can be broiled or grilled or stuffed or used in stews or casseroles or gumbos and jambalayas.

As for growing: the beefsteak requires upwards of 90 days to maturity; yes, that's a quarter of a year, so the beefsteak is not a short-season crop. Tomatoes demand warm to very warm weather with the optimum temperature between 65ºF and 85ºF. Get a jump on the season, by starting beefsteaks indoors 10 to 12 weeks before planting out. The soil must be fertile and well drained; work in plenty of well-rotted manure and compost to the planting bed in the fall. Keep the soil moist during the growing season; don't over water or water from over head. When your beefsteaks are ready, use a garden scissor to harvest them, give them a light rinse, and serve.

Green Beans Wearing Bow Ties

Yes you could call this "butterflies and beans" which is pleasantly alliterative in a garden sort of way, but I have to go with "beans wearing bow ties" which is the name my small friend Sophie calls this dish. Sophie knows when beans are dressed up, and I guess she's right in this case.

One swoop through the summer herb and vegetable garden and you'll have almost everything you need for this colorful and fresh garden pesto-pasta salad. Basil, parsley, chives, spinach, and garlic come together for this fresh pesto. If you add a third or fourth clove of garlic, you can kick this pesto up a notch. But if subtle is good enough then just follow the suggested ingredients here.

Green beans are easy pickin' in summer. I have six bushes of the French haricot vert that just love to deliver a cup or two of beans nearly every other day. These slender, delicate beans are a good match to the small farfalle--"butterflies" or is that "bow ties" pasta.

Get this salad on the table while it's still hot--moments after you bring the steamed beans together with the still hot farfalle. This just might be enough for lunch, but it's a great match with thin sliced prosciutto or ham for dinner, too.

Nopales

Nopales are the tear-shaped, hand-sized leaves or pads or "paddles" of the prickly pear cactus.

Nopalitos are nopales (pronounce no-PAH-les)--cactus spines removed--cut into bite-sized squares or strips.

To make nopalitos en salsa verde, steam or boil nopalitos until tender crunchy then re-cook in a sauce of puréed tomatillos, onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño chiles boiled and simmered. Wrap the mix in a tortilla or serve with chips.

Nopalitos sautéed or steamed are a favorite served in omelets.

Grill nopales brushed with olive oil until soft and slightly charred, about 10 to 12 minutes on each side, and serve as a side vegetable with grilled steak or chicken.

Nopalitos cut into strips can be rolled in a flour or cornmeal batter and deep-fried like potatoes.

Nopales have the flavor and very subtle tartness of asparagus or green beans with a chewy texture. Young, thin pads are the most succulent and delicate flavored.

Nopales are popular in the cookery of the southwestern United States and Mexico, dating back to the time of the Aztec and Mayan peoples. The pads can be harvested with the slice of a knife from several species of the prickly pear cactus which range in size from low and sprawling to tree-like, more than 20 feet ( 6m) tall. The prickly pear is native to warm, dry regions of Mexico. Nopal means cactus in Spanish.

Besides nopales, the prickly pear fruit--which can be red or orange or an array of bright colors and is about the size of a large plum or pear--is also edible and often used in desserts.

Nopales can be covered with "eyes" and cactus spines and prickly hairs called glochids. These must be removed by hand or singed away with fire. Some cultivated varieties of nopales are spineless.

Season: The peak season for nopales is spring through late fall.

Choose: Select smallish nopales paddles that are no larger than hand-size, about 8 inches or less in length, and not too thick. Thicker paddles will have lost their sheen and be less tender and can be stringy. New, tender growth will be pale to medium green, crisp-firm, not dry, limp, soggy, or wrinkled. Cultivated nopales have a prickless pad

Store: Nopales are best used fresh in a few days. They can be kept nearly crisp for a few weeks in water in the refrigerator.

Prepare: The "eyes" and stickers of nopales must be removed before serving. Use a swivel peeler to remove the spines. You can also brush away the spines. Be sure to wear gloves. After the spines are removed, shave the rim of each pad and trim off any dry or fibrous areas and rinse thoroughly before serving or cooking. Keep as much of the nopale's green skin as possible.

Cook: Nopales can be simmered, boiled, sautéed, deep fried, or grilled. They are best served with a tender crunchy texture. Over-cooked nopales will have a slimy texture.

To avoid the slippery texture, rinse cooked nopales and drain in a colander, cover with a damp towel to keep the pads from drying out, and let stand about 30 minutes before slicing or serving.

Serve: Here are some nopales serving ideas:

• Sauté nopalitos in butter or oil and serve.

• Grill until slightly browned, slice into strips and toss with a squeeze of lime and a little bit of olive oil.

• Dice and cook in an ungreased pan with chunks of onions, one or two cloves of garlic until no longer slippery, about 5 minutes, then rinse.

• Grill or boil, dice, and add to salsa or salads.

• Sauté with scrambled eggs, diced onion, chiles, and tomatoes.

• Sauté bite sized pieces in butter for about 5 minutes then add eggs and cheese to scramble.

• Cool for 15 to 20 minutes in boiling salted water; pour off the water and rinse in cold water; use in salads, stews, or as a vegetable.

• Boil, drain and wash with cold water; serve with finely diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeños, season with vinegar, salt and lime juice.

• Grill and serve with grilled Portobello mushrooms.

• Dice and sauté bits with chili pepper and sausage or grated cheese in tortillas.

• Cut boiled, cooled strips and combined in a salad of tomatoes, onion, oregano, cilantro, chilies, oil and vinegar.

• Stir squares into soups, about 10 minutes.

• Stir diced into chili or beans in last the 15 minutes.

• Slice the pad and sandwich to enclose cheese, then dip in a light egg-flour batter and deep fry.

• Steam, dice and add to scrambled eggs.

• Toss with tomato, onion and vinaigrette.

Flavor partners: Nopales have a flavor affinity for chiles, cilantro, corn, eggs, lemon, lime, onions, sweet bell peppers, tomato, tortillas, tropical fruits egg, cheese, onions, cilantro, scallions, oregano, and salsa.

Nutrition: Nopales are an excellent source of vitamin A and C, and also contain vitamin B and iron.

The botanical name for the prickly pear cactus and nopales is Opuntia fiscus-indica.

Peach Soup or Soupe Aux Pêches

Is this soup or dessert? Yes, it is!

You can fancy up the name of this dish, but don't expect it to be around for more than one sitting.

Ripe peaches are hard to beat eaten out of hand, but sometimes it's fun to give fresh harvest a new twist. This recipe will take just a few minutes to come together. The hard part is the 3 or so hours of chilling in the refrigerator that makes this soup perfect for a summer evening.

I picked up ripe peaches at the farmers' market and set four aside for this soup; I mean dessert. I chose yellow peaches; these were 'Flavorcrest' which are large and round with a smooth textured flesh.

Now, this recipe calls for cardamom, a relative of ginger, which you no doubt know is a bit pricey. Cardamom comes originally from subtropical India and its fruit--nut-like pods--do not ripen at the same time thus requiring hand harvesting. If cardamom is a bit much, you can substitute ground cinnamon to taste. By giving up the cardamom, you'll lose its lemony-flowery undertones.

Peach Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

Here is a quick and tasty lunch or dinner salad that combines the best of summer flavors. Sweet just picked butter lettuce and ripe peaches are perfect with this light, nutty, walnut-flavored vinaigrette. You'll find the flavors gently bounce off one another.

For this salad, I picked an heirloom red butter lettuce from the garden and matched it with ripe yellow peaches from the farmers' market. The lettuce was full and buttery and the peaches were dripping sweet.

The vinaigrette features walnut oil. Walnut oil is quite delicate, light colored with a rich, nutty flavor. Dab some oil on your finger for a taste and smell ahead of time. Walnut oil is best in cold dishes and salad dressings where you will easily recognized its flavor. Used in cooking, walnut oil can be a bit bitter.

The red butter lettuce I used here is called "Yugoslavian Red Butter". It is said to have come years ago from the former Yugoslavia, now Croatia. This lettuce is blushed red along its leaf tips and spotted red below across its deep green leaves. It's a pretty lettuce and a great color match for unpeeled peaches.

This recipe serves 4.

Lemon Grass

For a distinct lemony flavor and fragrance, place two lemon grass stalks inside the cavity or underneath a fish or chicken and steam. To make the flavor and fragrance more potent, bruise or pound the stems with a pestle before steaming.

Lemon grass has the floral aroma of lemon and lime peel and fresh-cut grass. One stalk will impart a rich aroma to a quart of stock.

For a healthful tisane or herbal tea, bruise the top of two lemon grass stalks, combine with a quart of water, bring to a simmer, remove from heat and cover for 15 minutes before straining and reheating or chilling and serving.

Only the tender part of the bottom third--a tightly packed bulb--of the lemon grass is edible. This part can be sliced or pounded after the tough outer leaves or layers are removed. Once the fibrous inner stem is finely, finely sliced, you can add it raw to salads. Bruised or pounded any part of the stem can be added to the cooking pan to release its fragrance.

The stalks of lemon grass are what you will most certainly find at the farm market. The top part of the lemon grass--coarse, broad and sometimes sharply edged leaves--are most often trimmed away and discarded since they are inedible.

Lemon grass is a member of the grass family that grows to nearly 3 feet (80 cm) tall. The stalks are yellowish-gray-green and look a bit like beach grass. The lower 8 inches of the stalks resemble a miniature leek, a tightly packed, cream-colored bulb.

Lemon grass is native to Southeast Asia, probably Malaysia but can be grown wherever the climate remains moderately warm year-round. A stalk of freshly cut lemon grass will root in water and grow on in a sunny garden location with regular water. Lemon grass is a perennial herb.

Lemon grass is sometimes called "fever grass", so named for its use in treating malaria in western Africa and Southeast Asia.

Choose: Select stems that are full, green and not wilted or bruised. The bulb ends should be firm. Trim away the leaves and keep the bottom 6 to 12 or so inches.

Store: Lemon grass will keep in the refrigerator, wrapped in foil or plastic for 2 weeks. If you plan to use the stems soon, you can stand them upright in a glass of water. Sliced lemon grass can be kept in a plastic bag in the freezer.

Prepare: Use only the tender part of the lower bulb portion of lemon grass. Peel the tough leaves or layers away to get to the tender part of the inner core. This part can be finely sliced crosswise like a scallion and added raw to salads or soups. The outer layer and upper portion of the stems are stringy and not edible, but can be used to flavor stocks, sauces, soups, stews, fish, poultry and herbal tea; discard after use. Pound the leaves just before cooking to release the volatile oils.

Serve: Lemon grass most flavorful fresh rather than dry. It is most popular in Southeast Asian cookery. Use it to season soups, vegetables, curries, poultry, shellfish, fish and marinades. Use lemongrass to make herbal teas.

• For a lemon grass seasoning paste for marinating fish, chicken or pork: cut a lemon grass bulb and stem into 1-inch pieces and combine with a piece of fresh ginger peeled and cut up, 3 medium garlic cloves sliced, 2 medium shallots sliced, 1 or 2 medium chili peppers seeded and diced (choose pepper varieties according to your tolerance and taste), 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro stems, and salt to taste, combine these and chop fine in a processor or blender, add 2 tablespoons of corn oil and purée. Pour into container and seal with 3 additional tablespoons of corn oil, cover and refrigerate.

Flavor partners: Match lemon grass with ginger, chile, coconut, garlic, shallots, and green peppers.

Nutrition: Lemon grass contains geraniol and citral which give it its lemony flavor and fragrance.

The botanical name Cymbopogon citrates.

Tomato Growing

July is time for tomato love.

First, if you live in a region with long, warm summers, now is the time to plant a second, late-season tomato crop. This is easy to do, now that your first tomato crop is established you can cut several healthy 8-inch-long suckers from your existing plants and get them started in containers.

With a bit of shade so that they don't scorch and plenty of water, these tomato suckers should be ready for transplanting into the garden in about two weeks. When the time comes, strip off all but the top set of leaves of your new plants and bury them up to just below the leaves in the garden. A second harvest of tomatoes will arrive in late summer.

Now, as for your tomatoes already underway, you have already seen the yellow flowers and you may have fruit on the way. For your best crop ever, remember tomatoes need even moisture and regular feeding. One more time: tomatoes need even moisture and regular feeding.

First: Water your tomatoes deeply but infrequently. The soil around the roots or your tomatoes is best evenly moist. About 8 inches from the base of the plant, put your finger into the soil. 4 or 5 inches down; there the soil should be moist, not dry or wet--it's too wet if your finger is glistening. Water your tomato bed once a week for every five days at the height of summer. Water from the bottom of the plant, directly on the soil--don't let water sit on the foliage or fruit; also water early in the day.

Second: feed your tomatoes. This is especially important if your tomatoes are growing in poor soil. Water each plant with 1 cup of fish emulsion solution (1 tablespoon per gallon of water) from planting time until the first blossoms form. After the blossoms are on board, you can add a cup or two of compost tea to the base of each plant weekly.

Now here are few more tips to love your tomatoes in July:

• It's not too late to support your tomatoes. They are probably putting on some pretty good growth right now. If you don't have a cage in place, you can corral your tomatoes by placing stakes at the end of the row of plants and weave twine in figure-eight fashion around the plants and stakes. You can also place a stake near the plant and loosely support plants with string or twine.

• Give tomatoes partial shade if you live in a hot summer region where sunscald to leaves and fruit could be a problem. Blossom-drop can also happen if plants aren't protected from hot sun.

• If pests like tomato pinworms have been a problem this year or in the past, cover plants with a floating row cover to protect them. Covered plants will need a daily light shake to ensure good pollination (tomatoes are usually wind pollinated).

• If you've had bacterial spot infections in the past, use a copper spray on your tomatoes as soon as the fruit forms.

Finally, pick your tomatoes when they are fully ripe. You've loved them for a couple of months, now enjoy their flavor at the very peak of ripeness. That's what it's all about!

Peaches in the Kitchen

Syrupy sweet tasting white-fleshed peaches; the sweet peach-scent of golden clingstones: it must be peach season!

The harvest season for peaches is late spring through late fall with the peak peach harvest just a month away from mid- to late-summer.

You've probably already had some peach choices at the farm store. Here's what I look for during peach season:

Choose peaches that are sweetly fragrant, unblemished, and not too hard. A ripe peach will be soft to the touch. Look for peaches that are yellow or cream-colored at the stem end with a well-defined crease or partition line. A peach with a pronounced partition line will split easily.

The color of a peach--such as a crimson blush--indicates variety, not maturity.

Avoid green colored peaches. A peach with green shoulders on the stem end will not be ripe. Avoid peaches with large flattened bruises or shriveling skin.

One pound peaches (3 medium-size or 2 large) yields 1½ to 2 cups sliced fruit.

Ripe peaches will keep for 3 to 4 days at room temperature, slightly longer in the refrigerator. Refrigerate peaches unwashed, in a paper bag. Do not pack them too closely. Peaches will spoil rapidly if bruised. Allow peaches to return to room temperature before eating.

Ripen peaches at room temperature in a loosely closed paper bag. Place the stem end down. When the peaches are fragrant they are ripe.

Whole peaches can be frozen or canned, but it is best to remove the stone first to be sure there is no bitter taste. Ripe peaches can be frozen as a compote or purée.

Wash the fruit before eating. To easily peel a peach, cut an X in the end opposite the stem and then dip the whole fruit in boiling water for 10 to 30 seconds. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and cool quickly in cold water to stop the effect of the heat, then peel.

Peach flesh will oxidize and turn brown if it comes in contact with air. To avoid browning, sprinkle the flesh with lemon juice.

Cut clingstone fruit away from pit in quarters or slices.

Cook: Peaches can be baked, grilled, poached, and sautéed. Peaches do not gain flavor when cooked but they do hold their shape. Peaches can be used in recipes calling for nectarines.

Baking. Peel, halve, and pit peaches. Glaze and bake until hot (about 25 minutes).

Grilling. Peel, halve, and pit peaches. Coat all sides with lemon juice. Grill until hot and streaked with brown (6 to 8 minutes).

Poaching. Peel, halve, and pit. Coat or sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Simmer in poaching liquid until tender when pierced (5 to 7 minutes).

Sautéing. Peel and pit peaches; cut into ½-inch-thick slices and sprinkle with lemon juice. Sauté until hot (3 to 5 minutes).

Serve: Use peaches fresh, cooked, dried, candied, or frozen.

• Serve peeled and sliced with cereal, pancakes, and waffles.

• Add to fruit, ham or poultry salads.

• Serve with savory dishes such as seafood, poultry, and pork; first drizzle with vinaigrette.

• Sauté, bake, or grill and serve alongside grilled or roasted poultry.

• Serve slices with sour cream and brown sugar.

• Serve with raspberry sauce and ice cream to make peach Melba.

• Spoon slices over shortcake.

• Add slices to tarts, crêpes, soufflés, yogurts, ice creams, and sorbets.

• Use to make jelly, jam, marinade, juice, compote, liqueurs, and brandy.

• Drop peach halves in glasses of sparkling wine.

Peaches have a flavor affinity for almonds, apricots, champagne, cherries, cream, ginger, honey, pistachios, plums, pork, poultry, red wine, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, walnuts, and white wine.

July Garden in the Southern Hemisphere

July means winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Winter wherever you are is one the prime seasons for citrus. At the farm markets in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile this month look for kumquats, grapefruit, limes, early mandarins, oranges, and tangelos.

Other winter fruits ready for harvest include late apples, avocadoes, and olives. In more tropical regions, the July fruit harvest includes bananas, guavas, feijoa, kiwifruit, and late passionfruit.

Vegetables ready for harvest in July in the southern hemispere are beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, celeriac, Chinese cabbage, corn salad, kale, lettuce, parsnip, peas, purslane, radish, rutabaga (Swede), spinach, turnips, and witlof chicory.

July may be the middle of winter in the cool, temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere but that doesn't mean there is nothing to do in the garden.

Root crops can be planted in the garden now: kohlrabi, carrots, parsnip, potatoes, and garlic. If you get your garlic in the ground now, you will be enjoying it come mid-summer, just a short six months from now.

Cabbage family crops--broccoli, Chinese cabbage, and cauliflower--can get started indoors this month. If you don't have a greenhouse, a sunny windowsill will do.

If you want to get another harvest of broad beans before the winter is through, sow them now.

July is the month for pruning. Fruit trees that have lost their leaves and gone dormant as well as roses can be pruned this month.

If you are ready to get a jump on early spring, here is a July planting guide for the kitchen garden the in the Southern Hemisphere:

Temperate regions. Vegetables: artichoke suckers, asparagus crowns, beets, broad beans, cabbage, carrots, chard (silverbeet), cress, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onion, parsnip, peas, potato tubers, rhubarb crowns, salsify. Herbs: chamomile, garlic, marigolds, and parsley.

Cooler southern regions. Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus crowns, broad beans, cress, garlic, lettuce, onion, peas, spinach, turnips. Herbs: garlic.

Tropical and subtropical regions northern regions. Vegetables: asparagus crowns, beans, beets, broad beans, buckwheat, cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum, carrots, celery, Chinese cabbage, choko, cress, cucumber, endive, fennel, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, parsnip, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, salsify, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, spring onion, sweet corn, strawberry runners, sweet potato, tomatoes, zucchini. Herbs: angelica, basil, borage, caraway, chamomile, celeriac, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, garlic, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, and thyme.

Pictured above: kiwifruit.

Kitchen Garden Almanac for July

July is a busy month in the kitchen garden. This month you are caring for the summer's crops and beginning their harvest, and you are preparing and planting the fall and winter garden.

Beets, turnips, kohlrabi, carrots, and zucchini are ready for harvest this month. Don't be tempted to grow the biggest this or the greatest that. Pick these crops when they are still young and tender; if you do, you'll still be remembering their taste next winter.

Garlic and onions you planted last fall should be ready now. When the leaves of these plants turn yellow, lift them gently and leave them in the sun to dry. Later you can clean them up. Save the best of the small bulbs for planting next spring. The same goes for spring planted shallots which are ready for lifting now.

By the middle and end of July, later summer and winter salad crops, root crops, and spring cabbage can go into the garden. A list of winter crops for planting now follows.

Summer weather conditions will prevail in all growing regions during July. Here is a kitchen garden guide for growing zones 2-11 for the month of July:

Harvest. Pick runner and green beans as soon as they are ready. Freeze while they are still tender. Ripen onions by lifting them gently and leaving them in place for a couple of weeks. Continue to lift early potatoes. Cut back artichokes after they bear, to produce a crop next spring.

Succession planting. Warm-weather vegetables can still be sown directly in the garden in most regions. Continue to direct-sow bush beans, French beans, pole beans, lima beans, beets, spring cabbage (in cooler regions), winter cabbage, cantaloupes, carrots, late cauliflower, collards, sweet corn, cucumbers, leeks, lettuces, okra, southern peas, rutabagas, spinach, summer squash, watermelon, and turnips. Plant pumpkins and winter squash in a shady spot, but where the vines will run into the sunlight. Set out more sweet potato slips. In regions where the weather remains warm well into autumn, you can sow eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes now for the fall garden.

When transplanting vegetables during the hot season, set the plants carefully, watering each one and then shading them with paper for at least three days.

Fall and winter garden. Cool-weather crops can be started in the garden during the second half of July; don't wait until late summer or early fall. Direct sow chicory, endive, Chinese cabbage, Asian greens, lettuces, mustard, and spinach in the shade of taller crops. Direct-sow bush beans, beets, chard, snap, snow and shell peas, radishes and daikons late this month. Start seedlings of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, calabrese, and cauliflower to transplant out into the garden in 3 or 4 weeks. Plant potatoes to harvest as "new potatoes" this fall; use sprouted potatoes from your kitchen. Sow onions for an early crop next year.

Celery is a good fall and early winter vegetable. Start by transplanting small plants in mid-July so that you will have succession bunches for the table.

Tomatoes. Feed tomatoes regularly. Remove side shoots and yellowing leaves from tomatoes regularly. In desert areas, prune back tomatoes by two thirds. Use shade cloth or an old sheet to protect tomatoes and peppers from sunburn.

Herbs. Continue to sow chervil, dill, and parsley seeds. Gather and dry basil, mint, and other herbs before they flower. Harvest lavender flowers before they fade for drying; dry lavender on a tray in airy shed or attic and then store in an airtight container. Cut back bushy herbs and take cuttings of perennial herbs to start new planting.

Water, mulching and weeding. Continue to water crops regularly, especially those that bolt or fall if allowed to dry out. Don't let the leaves of beans and tomatoes get wet, as they easily mildew. Mulch after light cultivation of the soil to conserve moisture, keep down weeds, and maintain coolness around plant roots. Weed or hoe regularly between crops. Solarize empty beds where weeds or diseases have been a problem: water the empty bed, then cover with clear plastic for at least a month.

Maintain. Continue to thin vegetables sown earlier, before they grow large enough to compete with each other. Remove spent plants. Check the supports on tall and climbing plants. Mound soil around celery stems and tie together. Pinch out the growing tips of runner beans they reach the top of their support. Give afternoon shade to leafy crops.

Tree fruit. Thin the fruit on heavy-bearing trees, and pick up dropped fruit daily. Support branches on heavily laden fruit trees with stout forked stakes. Complete the thinning of apples and pears now; dispose of fruit showing signs of pest infestations. Water fruit trees regularly and thoroughly. Place netting around developing fruit to protect them from being attacked by birds.

Summer prune apples and continue to prune cherries, plums, apricots, nectarines, and peaches. Control woolly aphids on apple trees and spray against codling moth caterpillars. Summer prune the mature shoots of espalier fruit if not already completed to prevent excessive growth toward the wall or fence. Tie in replacement shoots on wall-trained espaliers. Pinch out the tips on fan-trained espaliers.

Brambles: Pick berry fruits as they ripen. Cover ripening berries with netting to protect them from birds. Mulch brambles and water deeply if the weather is dry. Prune summer-fruiting raspberries after harvest; cut canes that have just fruited back to ground level, and tie new canes to supports. Layer brambles to start new plants.

Don't let first-season raspberries ripen fruit this year because of the weakening effect of the process. The best plan is to snip off the flowers as they open. Next year will bring a big harvest.

Currants to be used for jelly are best picked when slightly under ripe, fully ripe if used for jams.

Strawberries. Remove netting from strawberry beds where plants have finished fruiting; Remove bedding straw from around plants and cut away old leaves and unwanted runners. Top-dress strawberries with compost after harvest. When new plants form at tips or runners, pot them in rich soil in peat pots and sink the pots near the parent plants without cutting the runners. In a month or two, these new plants can be separated from the mother plants and set out. Discard strawberries that are more than three years old.

Where blossoms have been kept off newly planted everbearing strawberries, it is now time to permit the plant to set fruit. Keep strawberries even and regularly watered in hot, dry weather; they like abundant moisture as long as the site is well drained.

Melons. Remove all but three to four fruits on melon plants to insure full, ripe plants at harvest.

Citrus. Prune citrus in the summer and remove suckers around the base of trees.

Container Gardens. Harvest vegetables and herbs from container gardens. Weed and fertilize container plants regularly with compost tea. Water containers as often as needed and make sure friends water your plants while you are away on holiday. Discard or replace plants that are past their best.

Greenhouse. Add extra shading to the glass if necessary. Keep a watch for pests and diseases. Spray promptly or use a biological control for greenhouse pests. Pot up and pot on seedling pot plants as it becomes necessary. Pick greenhouse cucumbers and tomatoes.

July Garden in the Northern Hemisphere

July is the seventh month of the year, but it was once the fifth month. Julius Caesar was born during this month. When he remade the calendar during his rule of ancient Rome, he moved the start of the year from March 1 to January 1. He then added a month, gave it 31 days and named it for himself: July.

July is usually the hottest month of the year in most countries in the Northern Hemisphere.

Vegetables, fruits, and flowers thrive in the heat of July. July is a month full of life north of the equator, and there is much to be done in the garden this month.

Here is a list of vegetables and fruits ready for harvest in the northern hemisphere during July: Vegetables: beans, beets, carrot, chard (silverbeet), early corn, apple cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, turnip, zucchini. Fruits: apricots, cape gooseberries, cherries, gooseberries, grapefruit, lemons, loganberries, nectarines, oranges, passionfruit, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries.

And here is a planting list for July in the northern hemisphere:

Cool northern regions--Zones 3-6. Vegetables: beans, broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard (silverbeet), chicory, cress, endive, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, spring onion, parsnip, radish, rhubarb crowns, rutabaga (Swedes), salsify, Swiss chard (silverbeet), shallots, spinach, turnip. Herbs: basil, boarage, chamomile, chervil, chives, coriander, hyssop, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.

Temperate Regions--Zones 7-9. Vegetables: beans, beets (beetroot), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard (silverbeet), chicory, cress, cucumber, eggplant, endive, leeks, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, spring onions, parsnip, peas, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, salsify, squash, sweet corn, tomato, zucchini. Herbs: basil, borage, celeriac, chamomile, chervil, chicory, chilli, chives, fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.

Subtropical and Tropical Regions--Zones 10-12. Vegetables: artichoke suckers, beans, broccoli, cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum, celery, Chinese cabbage, cress, cucumber, eggplant, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, okra, spring onions, potato tubers, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, Swiss chard (silverbeet), squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini. Herbs: fennel.

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July 2008 Monthly Archive

Harvest to Table's New Encyclopedia: The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide

A practical vegetable and herb garden encyclopedia

Harvest to Table's New Encyclopedia:
The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide