Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages: please refresh your browsers. I am pleased to report that the site has been redesigned! All of the praise goes directly to Davin Risk who is wholly responsible for the work that has been done so far, including the gorgeous illustrations and hand drawn type. In the coming …
Nothing should ever be touched with one’s fingers. This was one of the principles behind Victorian dining etiquette and it resulted in a plethora of highly specialized utensils and serving pieces, including the Tomato Server, a decorative slotted/pierced spoon designed specifically for serving slices of fresh tomatoes. Think on that a moment. Someone invented a …
Barbie Doll Watermelons, that’s what I call them, because, well… that’s what they look like. Their real name is Mexican Sour Gherkin (Melothria scabra), but they also popularly go by mouse melon, cucamelon, and sandíita (meaning little melon in Spanish).
In the “How to Harvest” chapter of my book, Grow Great Grub, I explain why it is important to pick certain veggies such as zucchini, beans, and… ahem… cucumbers when they are young and immature. Whoops. I try to stay on top of rogue fruit by checking all around leafy plants, but alas, occasionally one …
It’s the height of the harvest season, and while I know not all of you are into growing food, it’s practically impossible to be a gardener without growing at least one edible plant: a special variety of mint because nothing else will do in a mojito; hot peppers because their diversity fascinates you (this is …
My friend Uli Havermann has the most inspiring garden. [Note: you might remember Uli from the community greenhouse and this incredible succulent pot.] She manages to bring a passion for foliage and a love for vintage metal and terra cotta together in a way that is visually mind-blowing. I first met Uli when I visited …
Canning jars are everywhere in my home. There are jars in the fridge and freezer, and populating the cupboards and shelves in my kitchen. Many are bursting with dried goods of all sorts and others are filled with assorted and sundry floating in acidic and syrupy liquids — an apothecary of deliciousness. There are other …
If you’ve read my books or attended my presentations, you’ve probably heard this one by now. This method of storing freshly harvested, edible blossoms over the short term is a miracle worker and has completely altered my ability to keep and use them more effectively.
I’ve been thinking a lot about diversity in the garden. As I wander around, observing everything that is growing, the beautiful diversity within each family and genus, and even within the same plant amazes me. I don’t have anything super profound to say about this right now, it’s just something that I am appreciating in …
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) is a Mediterranean tree whose leaves are most famously used as a flavour boost to soups and stews. I bought econo-sized bags of scentless bay leaves for years before I was converted by my first experience with the real thing. Bay has a sweet and heady perfume with a spicy nutmeg …
Over the last few years I haven’t been growing enough cucurbits (namely squashes and cucumbers) to meet our eating demands, so last winter I resolved to dedicate more garden space to a range of types in the 2013 growing season. This meant cutting back a bit on my beloved tomatoes, but alas… While I was …
Hello. Just peeking my head out after a long weekend. I’ve decided to skip this instalment of the Grow Write Guild bi-weekly garden writing prompts. It’s mid-summer and if you’re like me, you could probably use the break or some time to get caught up. This is where I admit to you that while I …