June is garden delights month…

Tags

garden, home, life, spring flowers, Spring Garden Delights, Virginia

Below are a few images of my June garden delights here in central Virginia.
Following a hard winter, the garden now rewards with color, texture, and edible feasts.

Sunny rose in first flush, Red Hot Poker, Oakleaf Hydrangea, clematis, all in bloom this week. Nice!

up close and personal with the Red Hot Poker! Merely its second season in my Virginia gardens.

Sunny Knock Out Rose makes me look like a rose guru! This is her second year in my gardens.

O’Neil variety of highbush blueberry. Three plants deliver all the berries I can eat (and share) in one season.

tasty, plump morsels…once the wild birds are fed, my early, daily ritual includes a visit to the blueberry bushes. Can you just taste them? I cover the plants with row cover to keep the birds away…they can have sunflower seeds and currants!

This is the tiniest floribunda…she is recovering from a transplant last fall. I estimate she is forty years old and struggled for years under the flourishing dogwood. I finally mustered the nerve to move her last fall. Half died during the winter, yet today she shows a bud…and soon, she will flourish in the full sun bed. Yeah! Note she is merely six inches tall today, yet still produces a bud. Go Girl! If you squint, notice the teeny bud near the top. I am so excited! In a few days I will add a photo of the first bloom…

a bit closer to bloom time on this teensy floribunda transplant…I’m like a bird on her nest…too bad a young bunny tasted all these buds just after this photo was taken. Now surrounded with wire screen, I wait for Tiny’s next effort.

the stonecrop sedum is showing her stuff in the herb bed planter. I think she resembles a candelabra, don’t you? Lots of bang for the buck, this plant.

a few Siberian Iris were gifted to me two years ago and now flourish anywhere they are planted…a garden thug? Time will tell.

can you smell the sweet perfume of this Little Gem?

looking for a vine to replace the Concord Grape on this split rail, voila! Arctic Kiwi manifested. I cannot wait for this fruit next year!

male planted on one side of post, female on the other.

everyone knows Lambs Ear. A classic in any garden; sometimes a thug, yet when that happens, I dig clumps and sell them at the farmer’s market to eager gardeners… the bumble bees also adore the blooms.

this variety of clematis lived on the property when I bought the place in 2001. It survived years in deep shade under a tree, and now thrives on a slick tuteur in the deep shrub border with her feet heavily mulched and her height in full sun.

I cannot forget to mention the sweet, edible, most popular plant, the viola or Johnny Jump Up. I am convinced this plant parties at night, as thirteen years ago, seed was planted in the front garden and every year since, I find it growing all over the entire half-acre…

quite an edible feast: beautiful salad greens and edible flowers from the garden this week. The arugula was especially nice.

Spring weather of 2014 was spastic. 40F degrees one night and 60F the next.
Daytime highs have swung from 40F to 90F numerous times, and rapidly humidity of summer builds.

Yesterday I rose early to add more mulch, river rock in wash areas, and to tidy the beds for the summer ahead. Finding garden solutions is a never-ending challenge.
Rewards arrive in the hues of spring color, tastes of flavorful edibles, and in the humbling glow of accomplishment.
Striding alongside nature while sharing the garden’s beauty/bounty is a legacy of unnamed bliss.

Gardening in Virginia has its challenges; with humidity comes powdery mildew, which I plan to attack with fresh abandon.
The peonies suffered terribly in the past two years with this fungal disease, thankfully following bloom time.
Since peonies are an important cash crop every May, I want to coddle my twenty-nine plants and avoid the ugliness of mildew.
Stay tuned…

over 400 peony stems went to market last month.

selling my garden bounty at the local farmer’s market in May…

I hope you enjoyed my June Garden Delights Tour today.

Comments are always appreciated.

Now back to the kitchen to finish that order of Key Lime Pies.

At least views from the workbench allow glimpses of my garden sanctuary and the adored wild birds.

May your June be bountiful and beautiful.

Copyright © 2014 by Diane LaSauce  All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

the powerhouse herb…chives!

Tags

chive artichoke pesto, chives, easy recipes, edible flowers, herb garden, nourishing herbs, pesto, quick meals

There are many presumptions regarding herbs—chives in particular.
Many see them as a garnish, and push them aside.
Yay whoa, let me share the reasons why this little herb belongs in your belly.

First off chives are:
Low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium
High in dietary fiber, vitamin A, C, K, B6, Riboflavin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, Manganese, Thiamine, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Phosphorus, and Zinc!
So there!
Ready for a tasty, nutritious, signature recipe for chive artichoke pesto? OK!

When I bought my first patch of land back in 2001,
one of the first plants chosen for the herb garden was chives!

humble chives harvested and rinsed and ready for a spin.

edible flowers first thing in the spring!

cut rinsed and spun chives into 2″ lengths–easier for the processor to handle

drain and rinse canned water-packed artichokes

Rinse and spin equal amounts of curly parsley and pack the bowl of your processor with equal portions of chives and parsley. Top with one cup of raw walnuts, cup of drained artichokes, 1 rounded teaspoon kosher salt, juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon, and 6 glugs of virgin olive oil. Process until smooth, scraping bowl a couple of times during processing. FYI, a glug is a free pour out of a spouted olive oil bottle, counting up to six as you pour. My food processor bowl is 7 cup size, so make allowances if yours is larger…

finished pesto divvied up into 8 OZ deli containers, ready for chill down, then freezer for up to six months. By the way one 8 OZ container dresses one pound of pasta beautifully–just add a touch of hot pasta water, 2 T sweet butter and pepper of choice.

You may be saying, “where’s the cheese?” Most of my pestos are sold, therefore
I do not add cheese now as it does not freeze well and many of my patrons are lactose intolerant.
Cheese may be added when preparing pasta or when using as a spread in a sandwich.
When using this pesto for the base of pizza crust, no cheese is necessary.

after processing all the herbs, if you have a bit of pesto, say 3/4 cup, left over in the processor, add a peeled, seeded ripe avocado, spin then use as a dip! Deelish!

Have I convinced you to grow/eat chives?
As I frequently say, “there is more to life than basil pesto!”

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

just a snack between views

Tags

butterfly, chevre, crunch crunch, food, garden, home, lavender flowers, photography, quick recipes, toast, zebra swallowtail

Recovered from the snake drama for the time being, a much prettier view manifested for me in the garden today. For the first time in eleven years fluttered a zebra swallowtail. I could not believe my eyes and grabbed the camera. A very shy beauty, this zebra dotted and dashed as I failed many shots. This one is not perfect, yet will convey the splendor of this fine flutter-bye..

Back in the kitchen, I decided to splurge on brunch, and pan fried two slices of my signature bread, Rustic 21 in butter until golden. Two wedges of chevre topped with sliced almonds then drizzled with local honey finished this scrumptious snack. Of course the second the photo was snapped, the cherve was mushed onto the hot bread and crunch, crunch, crunch. If I could sell it this way at market, I would charge a king’s ransom…

This kind of light meal does not occur often, as I rarely return home from market with an unsold loaf. Today…Yum!

Fresh lavender flowers would be a nice garnish.

Copyright © 2012 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

too tired for pasta

Tags

cannellini beans, chive flowers, deelish, food, grilled salmon, healthy food, quick recipes, steamer basket, vegetarian

Today I wanted a quick evening meal. Out in the garden, I cut spinach. From the fridge I pulled kale, and from the pantry a 15 OZ can of Cannellini beans.

I began by rinsing the kale and spinach. Into the steamer went the torn kale for three minutes. Then, on top of the kale, went the spinach for two.

Meanwhile drain the can of cannellini beans.

Next I removed the steamer basket from the pan and chopped the veggies coarsely.

In the same pan empty of water, I placed three tablespoons each of sweet butter and olive oil over medium heat to melt.

Then I plopped in the beans, chopped veggies, sea salt and heated them briefly.

Immediately placed in a small serving bowl, I added fresh chive flowers, sliced almonds, and a couple chunks of cherve. Deelish! Serves two.

(The butter makes a smooth creamy little sauce.)

I enjoyed this as a humble, healthy meal, yet it could make a handsome side for those who eat larger meals aside a slab of grilled salmon.

Bon Appetit!

Copyright © 2012 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

another day in the berry patch

Tags

fast food, feeding backyard birds, flea beetles, food, garden, healthy food, quick recipes, red pepper flakes, sage flowers, sustainable living, Virginia

Word is out—the local berry patch is open for business. Each spring locals await the news. I like to attend opening day, as the first two rows of O’Neils are the best blueberries ever tasted. Donning long pants, shirt, and gnat netting I head out. This year’s gems did not disappoint. In just under and hour I plucked nearly four pounds of fruit.

Any berries found with worms went into my breast pocket for the back-yard birds. There are numerous fledgelings on the ground this week and they are so funny when tasting morsels for the first time.

When checking out, I always stock up on the limited edition berry patch honey produced by a local bee man. Yummy.

Heading home with pastoral views galore, I again am filled with gratitude for living in this rural paradise.

Back home I placed the berries in single layers on sheet pans in order to allow them to fully ripen at room temperature over the next twenty-four hours. This is a valuable tip, passed on to you—lessons from the grower.

Never cook or freeze blueberries.

This is sacrilege.

This fruit is perfect from the bush, and should only be eaten raw out of hand during season. Processing destroys the overall integrity of this prized fruit.

So much for jam, man!

Therefore, after twenty-four hours on the counter, these yummies go into a storage bag, unwashed, then into the fridge drawer. Only when I grab a handful, do I rinse what I eat. When the bag is empty, I then dream of next year’s harvest—another binge satisfied.

Try this berry zinger iced tea with blueberries. YUM!

(brew double strength and add agave while hot)

For lunch today I strolled the garden and found some lovely spinach, Black Seeded Simpson lettuce, and beautiful sage flowers.

Flea beetles are at bay now, so produce thrives.

Back in the kitchen, I began water for pasta and gently washed kale and a large handful of spinach. I steamed the kale for three minutes then added the spinach for another two. When the pasta was al dente, I rough chopped the greens and mixed both into the hot pasta then added a splash of olive oil, a dollop of sweet butter, sea salt and red pepper flakes. When this dish is cold, it will make a nice salad for tomorrow’s lunch. I will add my favorite dressing to it then.

If you have never tasted fresh sage flowers, you must. I promise a grand surprise. The subtle yet clear flavor is outstanding and memorable. These flowers usually never make it to my prep table, as they are wonderful eaten in the garden. I must create a few recipes—say sage flower infused vodka or sage flower ice cream.

OMG, if you have sage blooming in your garden, go taste now!

OK, this blog is complete.

Thanks for visiting and following—your comments are always appreciated. Have a happy and safe holiday weekend. Virginia is headed for her first 90-degree temps of this year. OMG!

Copyright © 2012 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

eat your edible flowers!

Tags

chive flowers, edible flowers, food, hot pasta, New York Minute, quick recipes, vegetarian

I just finished a simply delicious lunch—pasta with blanched kale and chive flowers.

Most folks forget to forage for delectables in their gardens during spring. Johnny Jump Ups, sage and chive flowers fill my garden now—each wonderful as a garnish for deserts, salads and entrees, providing any dish unique color, flavor and beauty. I pick them for market (and attempt to educate shoppers) and dine in luxury at home with these beautiful works of nature.

Read on and see two simple recipes I created in a New York Minute…and remember to glide your mouse over the images for further description.

Desire a quick meal in minutes? Here are two recipes…

Two Pastas with Blanched Kale and Chive Flowers

Cook your two favorite pastas according to directions. Three minutes before pastas are al dente, rinse and tear kale (organic please) and drop into boiling pasta water. Poke leaves down so all kale pieces blanch evenly. Drain this quickly in a strainer then return to pasta pot, leaving pasta wet. Sprinkle with olive oil and perhaps a generous dollop of sweet butter and sea salt. Plate hot pasta and top with chive flowers (to taste), gently pulled from the stem. Serve with a generous amount of grated cheese of your choice. EAT WHILE HOT!

I cook 1/4 box of each pasta in this recipe. Serves three or me three separate times!

Crispy Tortilla with Diced Egg and Chive Flowers

Heat a 10″ skillet over medium heat. Add 1 T. olive oil. Place in a tortilla and toast until golden/crispy then turn to toast other side. This only takes a minute, so watch the pan! Have two diced boiled eggs ready, tossed with mayo or olive oil and sea salt. Place crispy tortilla on a plate and top with egg mixture and add additional chive flowers. May be folded when consumed. Violas are a pretty addition too! Enjoy! Serves One.

See, I told you these were easy, yet how luxurious. Now if I could only find the patch of trees with the morels.

NOTE: Chive flowers store well in the refrigerator in a closed container. Violas are best picked just before consuming, rinsed gently.

Bon Appetite!

Copyright © 2012 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved