My Kitchen Table
My kitchen table is currently littered with canning supplies and a surplus of veg from the garden and the farmer’s market. It is the season for preserving summer’s bounty for those long dreary winter months.
I’m not a big fan of canning, but I do love the delicious food all winter long.
What methods do you employ to preserve summer’s bounty?
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Harvesting Beans
Remember those pole beans I planted in June? I’m harvesting them now. The Dragon Tongue beans are quite lovely and the Kentucky Wonder Pole beans are quite tasty.
In the winter I like my green beans with bacon, onions, and garlic cooked till their soft, but in the summer fresh beans need only a little steaming and a drizzle of olive oil.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy green beans?
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Homegrown Celery
This year I decided to grow celery. My sole reason for growing it was for my tomato soup (our favorite canned item by far). I bought some ‘Tendercrip’ celery seeds from Baker Creek this spring and I started the seeds in February. They took a while to germinate, but when they did, every single one germinated. I ended up with 24 celery plants. I gave some to my mom and planted 12-14 in my gardens.
I’ve been waiting for my tomato harvest to pick up so I have enough for a batch of soup, and I was hoping my celery would be ready in time. I was pleasantly surpised when I went out to harvest a celery plant yesterday and I found this lovely one, weighing in at 1 lb 10 oz – WOW.
I didn’t blanch them, I happen to like the green celery. Those leaves will come in handy as well, they will add excellent flavor to my soup and to chicken stock and soups this winter. Another plus in my garden is that nothing eats celery. Since I have deer, rabbits, chipmunks and groundhogs that eat a lot of other things, anytime I can find a plant that will do well in the back without animal threats I’m one happy gardener.
Have you ever grown celery?
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The Simple Things
Sometimes it’s the smallest things that catch make us smile. Earlier this week I harvested some tomatoes and brought them into the house and placed them on the dryer by the back door. I ran in to get something and when I came back into the laundry room I had to run and get my camera.
I don’t know what it was about the basket of tomatoes sitting on the dryer by the back door, but for some reason I had to take a photo of them. I love the light coming in the door, the graininess of the photo because of the dark room, and the blurry basket. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that bring us much joy.
What simple things bring you joy?
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A Little Fun
Who said canning wasn’t fun? Last year I introduced a friend of mine the joy of pickled beets. He now loves them and always helps us pollish off jar after jar of them. I decided while canning some this year I’d make some just for him. Since he’s a fan of the The Office, I figured I’m make his with a special label.
Do you share your harvests with friends & family?
