The freezing temperatures continue, but I really wanted to do something in my garden. So I decided to clear some of the plants that were left over from last season. I had kale and bok choy. The bok choy were all brown and not edible, but there were several kale leaves that were still green and delicious looking. I harvested the leaves that looked alright and decided to cook them up for lunch. I didn't think this was anything worth blogging about, but when I took a bite after blanching it...oh my goodness. These kale, were the sweetest and most delicious kale I have ever tasted. I immediately ran to get my camera to show how green and beautiful they looked.
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| Super sweet kale - both curly kale and Italian kale |
I now regret pulling them out. I've read the cold boosts the production of sugar in greens, but never thought kale could be quite so sweet.
My gardening obsession is really starting to pick up again too. I went to walmart and couldn't resist walking through the gardening department. I found this:
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| Potato bag |
Initially I was really excited, but after some time it came to me that I can just use a compost bag. After a quick search, it looks like a lot of people do this. So now, I am debating if I should return the potato bag. I'm going to think about it some more...but I guess this means that I will be growing some potatoes this year.
Also, I recently purchased a worm bin! I'm really excited about being able to make my own worm compost at home. My first year, I tried making a small compost bin, but it ended up just being a stinky mess. Hopefully this project will turn out better than my first composting attempt.
I'm so glad you finally have a harvest!
ReplyDeleteGrow sweet potatoes, they are more prolific than regular. And for something exotic try growing Okinawa Purple, or Cuban Boniato. Toss them in your worm bin and you will soon see slips.
I have a question about sushi rice, I don't like rice vinegar, can I substitute with ponzu with sugar, or mirin with a pinch of salt?
I think I will go to the grocery store and try to figure out which potatoes I want to grow. Thanks for your recommendation. I like sweet potatoes but I don't eat too much of it and prefer regular potatoes so you have any ideas of prolific non-sweet potatoes?
DeleteFor sushi, I think ponzu would work. Mirin would be too sweet - but again, I've never tried it. If you don't like rice vinegar specifically, you can use regular white vinegar with sugar. If you don't like vinegar at all, then you could always try it without anything on it or maybe a little bit of sesame oil - kind of like the korean style sushi rolls...I think they are called kim bap or something like this. Good luck!
The potatoes I've grown have not been too prolific I've grown plenty of red potatoes, they just for ME don't grow to well they just give me a handful. Purple potatoes are more prolific yet don't give enough for a small side dish. Maybe up north where your at they will grow better and give you more.
DeleteFor sweet potatoes they grow way to fast covering everywhere
with vines and get root bound with tubers which are more than
enough. I don't eat the greens. Boniatos are not sweet yet tasty, the Okinawas are beautiful they are used in desserts. There is a yellow fleshed which are creamy and Murasaki 29 the red ones from the Asian store they are bouth nutty flavored. You could try growing taro, they taste great and melt in your mouth. I suggest that you grow the round type of taro Its the best tasting. the skinny and the deformed looking ones are not as tasty. Oh and they are the same plant that you were not sure what it was back in Japan. Try Google it.
And thanks for the suggestion about sushi rice.