A Time to Give Thanks

Sunshine Squash

This weekend, Canadians around the world will celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Along with a feast and giving thanks surrounded by friends and family, it is time to put the garden to bed. With rain in the forecast this weekend, I have had a few very busy days to wrap up the yard and garden for the season. The lawns have been mowed, delicate plants have been moved closer to the house or into the greenhouse for when the temperature dips too low, the winter squash are in and the garden has been cleaned out, mulched and put to bed.

Butternut and Sunshine Squash Harvest 2014

I grew only two varieties of winter squash this year but the fruits are heavy and large. One of my favorite autumn recipes is 'Curry Roasted Squash' from my cookbook, 'For the Love of Food'. I double the recipe below and transform the leftovers into soup.

Curry Roasted Squash ~ Yield: 6 servings
1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. curry powder
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
3 pounds butternut or buttercup squash
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley 

Peel the squash and remove seeds. Cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes, set aside. Preheat oven to 375F. In a small saucepan over low heat; combine oil, butter, curry powder, pepper flakes, salt and pepper; heat 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
In a shallow roasting pan, toss squash with curry mixture until coated. Roast squash at 375F for 30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasoning, sprinkle with parsley.

Now that the rain has begun, it is time to change gears to indoor work, in particular, time to start working on the chocolates and truffles for Christmas. More on that subject with photos in the weeks to come! 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your encouragement and support.
Till next week, Bon Appetit and Happy Thanksgiving! 

Photos ~ Winter Squash in the garden and 2014 harvest ~ by Sally Rae

Strawberries in October

While most of Denman Island looks forward to the Apple Festival this weekend... I was in the garden today picking and savouring sweet, juicy strawberries. Yes, you read this right! We have had little to no rain this month and with warmer temperatures the berries continued to ripen. My Seascape Strawberries were still loaded with huge green berries and flowers that would never reach maturity. Rather than let the plants use more energy, it was time to cut them down in preparation for their winter straw mulch. With rain predicted for all of next week, the berries would begin to rot and mold anyways. 

Fresh Denman Island Strawberries for Thanksgiving!

In the past, I have tried to ripen the prolific fall crop of berries to no avail. It is always sad to pick and discard half a pail of unripe fruit. This is the first year that I have had a successful, ripe harvest this late in the season and it is nothing short of spectacular!

Photo ~ Fresh strawberries from my garden on Denman Island ~ by Sally Rae

The 'Perfect Pickler'

Since reading an incredible little book titled 'The Cultured Cabbage', I have been inspired to produce and consume fermented vegetables. These lactic acid-fermented vegetables are not only tasty but highly nutritious and low in calories. Research shows that lactic acid-fermented foods stimulate digestive secretions, detoxify and activate the intestines to prevent constipation. They support the body's immune system, eliminate disease causing 'bad' bacteria and reintroduce friendly 'good' bacteria which are necessary for healthy digestion.  

First test... day one, just brine and cauliflower

My initial search was for a fool-proof crock, specifically a German-made Harsch Stoneware Fermentation Crock. The price and shipping costs were discouraging to say the least. Then I found information on a small, jar top, single batch fermentation system called 'The Perfect Pickler'. 

Not an easy find locally, but I managed to get one at Buckerfield's in Nanaimo. My first test was a quart jar of organic cauliflower. It took four days to complete fermentation at the specified temperature, then I promptly devoured the quart within the next few days. 
I was hooked!
Since February I have made a few recipes from their 'Instruction CookBooklet'; Garlic-Pepper Sauerkraut, Hot and Mild Euro-Kimchi, Full Sour Garlicky Dill Pickles, Dilled Cauliflower, and recently (see below) a 2 quart jar of Euro-Kimchi and red & green cabbage Sauerkraut. Just a few days ago, my final harvest of Cool Breeze cucumbers were transformed into Full Sour Garlicky Dills with daikon radish slices.
The Perfect Pickler System fits onto any size of wide mouth canning jar. It is quick and easy to use, making fresh cultured vegetables at home.

Euro-Kimchi ~ Red and Green 'Kraut ~ Dills with Daikon

I had a conversation with Gloria about stocking this item at Denman Hardware and am thrilled to say they are now listed as a retailer on the website at www.perfectpickler.com 
If you are interested, contact Gloria at Denman Hardware (250) 335-2400.
Till next week, Bon Appetit!

Photos ~ February and October 2014 ~ by Sally Rae

Heirloom Tomato Bliss

Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes

I love the intense color and flavor of heirloom tomatoes. I have saved seed from my three favorites for the past 10-25 years; Yellow Hawaiian, Aunt Ruby's German Green and Outdoor Salsa. To save seed, carefully select seed from the best fruit and plants season after season. You can define 'best' to be the characteristic you are after. To prevent cross pollination either isolate each variety by a large distance or hand pollinate and place a cloth bag over the cluster of flowers. Mark this cluster for seed saving with a ribbon or tag.

An example of selecting a specific characteristic is my 'Outdoor Salsa'...for 15 years I have saved seed from only 'meaty' specimens with minimal to no seeds and very large, heavy fruits.
This year I broke my previous years weight record with a huge Outdoor Salsa tomato weighing in at 1 lb. 10-1/4 oz.... Unfortunately I was so excited when I served it with burgers for supper, that I forgot to take a photo of it sliced. The ginormous tomato slice totally concealed the Quinoa Burger Patty underneath and extended beyond all edges of the burger bun! Delicious!

Now for an unfortunate twist...

Outdoor Salsa Tomato ~ 1 lb. 10-1/4 oz.

Three years ago I was informed that one of the major problems attributed to nightshades is arthritis. If you are not familiar with the term nightshades, it is a plant group that includes tomatoes, potatoes, all types of peppers and eggplant. 
If you want to know if nightshades negatively affect you, take a minimum 1 month challenge, (most suggest 3 months). Avoid all nightshades for 1-3 months. Be careful to note the complete nightshade list (you can find it on the web) and become a label reader. You may be surprised that many prescription drugs, homeopathics, over the counter drugs as well as many processed foods contain nightshades. 
After 1-3 months, reintroduce one nightshade at a time. Take note of any aches, pains, stiffness, loss of energy, headaches or any other symptoms. You may find as I have, the quality of your daily health dramatically improve after eliminating nightshades from your diet.   
*This is not meant to be medical advise, please consult your doctor regarding health symptoms.*
As a Chef I truly miss using nightshades in my daily meals but I have found substitutes. I am cautious about adding nightshades to my diet. When I do, I pay the price with arthritic symptoms. My most difficult time of year is when the Heirloom tomatoes are at their peak. So why do I continue to grow something I should not eat? To save their precious seed and sustain these beautiful varieties for future generations.
Till next week, enjoy this recipe with the bounty of your harvest.

Panzanella ~ Rustic Tomato-Bread Salad    
             ~From 'For the Love of Food' by Sally Rae~
This is a visually stunning salad when made with the colors of Heirloom tomatoes and a fabulous addition to a potluck dinner because it does not need refrigeration.
 
6 medium to large fresh ripe tomatoes, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 large red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup thinly sliced (or torn) fresh basil
4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
6 cups day old, dense, crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

Combine all ingredients except bread in a large bowl; let stand for the flavors to develop, about 10 minutes. Add bread, toss well to coat. If the bread seems dry, sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of water.
Salad will hold several hours at room temperature before serving.

Bon Appetit! 


Photos of Heirloom Tomatoes from my garden and greenhouse 2014 ~ by Sally Rae

A Little Bit of Everything

Summer is coming to a close; evenings and mornings are cool and damp, leaving dew on the ground and encouraging powder mildew in the garden. The alder and maple leaves are falling, there are plenty of grasshoppers in the parched clearings and the breeze is cool... although today the thermometer topped 25C. A trip to the garden still brings in a little bit of everything; tiny cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, summer squash, sugar snap peas, scarlet runner beans and kale. A lovely selection to feed a small household and still usually more than we can eat immediately. 
This is the time of year that I make notes of what worked, what didn't and lists of seeds needed for next year, so I am not caught off guard when the seed catalogs show up in the mailbox.

2009 Winter Squash Harvest

 I grew the 'Cool Breeze Cucumbers' (see previous post September 7th, 2014 ~'In a Pickle') next to a fence this year so they would be on a trellis and easier to pick. That may work in cooler years but with our high temperatures and summer drought, I had many dried up, dead little fruits and minimal to harvest. I stopped watering and was going to pull the plants last month but decided to remove the stakes and let them grow on the ground. Today they are thriving even through my neglect... the new growth is green and the six remaining plants produced enough for a small jar of pickles. 
The broccoli I grow is called 'Packman'. Once the main head is harvested the plants continue to produce side shoots well into the early fall. Today's harvest had a few larger shoots, a welcome surprise. The winter squash is not quite ready to bring in but they are looking great with very large, heavy fruits. This year I grew only two varieties; Sunshine and Butternut. 
The tomatoes have produced well so far, nice large fruit. I grew 5 varieties this year; Big Beef, Sweet Million and three Heirlooms; Yellow Hawaiian, Aunt Ruby's German Green and Outdoor Salsa. I will discuss more about my Heirloom varieties next week.

Big Beef greenhouse tomatoes

The Seascape strawberries (see my previous post August 1, 2014 ~'Man, Look at Those Strawberries!) are still producing a small harvest but many of the ripe berries are laying on the straw, half eaten by the time I get to the patch. Hmmm, not wasps, maybe slugs? Anybody else having the same problem? 
I have a lovely fresh assortment of veggies to accompany supper tonight. Time to hit the kitchen. Till next week,
Bon Appetit!


Photos from my garden and greenhouse ~ by Sally Rae

Food Recall Warning

Voluntary Recall on Product

I just received a letter from Costco stating there is a Voluntary Recall on 'MaraNatha Almond Butter', sold in a 737g jar, Costco #616049. This recall is due to the possible presence of salmonella in the product. The affected best before dates range from 2014DE08 to 2015JN20.
The letter reads, "If you have a recalled product, do not consume it. Those who have the affected item should return the product to Costco Wholesale for a full refund. 
For more information, please contact nSPIRED Natural Foods, Inc., at 1-800-716-8962 (9am-9pm ET, Mon-Fri)." 

Since sharing this info with friends and family, an interesting website was brought to my attention... the CFIA - Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The link below will take you to their page of Food Recall Warnings. You can 'Subscribe to e-mail notifications' of  high-risk food recall warnings and classes of warnings for allergens.  

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recall-warnings/eng/1299076382077/1299076493846

The person who sent me this information received a warning through the CFIA by e-mail almost a week before I received my letter from Costco. In the case of severe allergies this could be a life saving link!

Photo by Sally Rae 

In a Pickle

I have grown numerous varieties of pickling cucumbers over the years and have finally found one that I absolutely LOVE! 

Cool Breeze Cukes ~ one days harvest from 8 plants

 'Cool Breeze' is an exciting French cornichon type of pickling and salad cucumber that sets fruits 4-5 inches long without cross pollination. The hybrid plants thrive in cool or warm temperatures and can be grown on the ground. To save garden space grow in a cage or on a trellis, allowing one foot between plants. They produce high yields of dark green, crunchy-sweet, small-spined, seedless fruit. Keep them well watered and pick the fruits promptly. 

I harvest the fruits when they reach the size of my baby finger, then pickle them in small jars with fresh dill weed and garlic. These tiny gems are then used as hostess gifts or Christmas stocking stuffers for my family. 

For my small batch 'Quick Dill Pickle ' instructions and a variety of three different 'Dill Pickle Brines' see my cookbook, 'For the Love of Food' page 228.

Happy gardening~Bon Appetit!  

Photos from my garden and kitchen ~ by Sally Rae