"Carrion-On-The Grill" Saturday, September 22th - Boyce Thompson Arboretum - Thrillin' Grillin'

Dear Folks,

In honor of the BTA's annual Bye Bye Buzzard's day, I was asked to come up with one of my Thrillin' Grillin' menus.

So I will be dishing up samples of a Halloween-ish style menu in honor of the summer resident Turkey Vultures.

Bye-Bye Buzzards Day "Carrion-On-The Grill"

Carrion Con Carne
No-Kill Chili
True Grit Bread
Something Weedy This Way Comes - Salad

I expect the food to be ready about 11:30 depending on the grill :-)

Event is free with paid admiission.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

It should be a gorgeous day - so come out - lots of events that day.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Worth Repeating - 10 Reasons To Be Self-Sufficient

Dear Folks,

I've been really trying to get friends, family and others to understand that being flexible particularly in, during and after an economic challenge is THE KEY to maintaining not only your life style but also your sanity.  If you can grow some of your own food, have two possibilities for income (trade/skill and a 'profession') you can do more than merely survive - you can thrive.

I would encourage you to really think about this, not as a what-if-doomsday concept but really how you can better control some or many aspects of your daily lives.  In other words how can "you control" your resources.

As an intellectual exercise consider what you would not only need in a crisis, but also what resources (product or talent) would be needed by others.  Want some ideas?  Look at craigs list to see what people are selling or looking for.

Here is a nice list of 10 reasons for being self-sufficient, plus the link to the original article  -- Please share this with everyone.  You do not have to get property in the boonies to be self-sufficient and you do not have to do it all.  Even some aspects can dramatically improve your lives.

http://wakeup-world.com/2012/02/07/10-reasons-to-become-self-sufficient-10-ways-to-get-there/

10 Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient

1. Freedom from market manipulation – The traditional market-driven investment vehicles are more and more obviously controlled by traders and banking institutions.  The debacle of the private Federal Reserve Bank is just the icing on the cake to a previous decade full of Ponzi-type schemes.  Now, the institutionalized looting of retirement money is being planned.
2. Hedging against inflation – Have you noticed the price of goods lately?  Even Wal-Mart is silently raising its prices.  People might have a choice whether or not to buy stocks or gold, but people have to eat — the current increases in basic goods portend hyperinflation, and will not ease anytime soon.  Food shortages could make the problem exponentially worse.
3. 3. Increasing health and wellness – It has now been revealed that some “organic” items have been falsely labeled.  In addition, a host of “GMO-free” brands have been exposed as deceptive.  GMO food lacks the nutritional value of what can be grown in the average backyard.  GMO mega-corporation, Monsanto, has a sordid history and has continuously trampled on our trust.  It is time that we do the work ourselves.
4. Building community strength – We constantly hear people say, “I don’t even see my neighbors, let alone know anything about them.”  Of course not:  80-hour workweeks and grabbing meals-to-go doesn’t exactly promote community interaction.  With such little time to interact with our immediate community, it is no wonder why many people report feeling disconnected.   In these trying times, it is a local community that can offer the best support.
5. Working for yourself – Working hours are increasing, pay is often decreasing, and corporate executives are taking bigger bonuses than ever.  This is leading to a prevailing disgust, as people are being forced to admit that they are living lives of near-indentured servitude.  Even for those not working in corporations, working for someone else is rarely as satisfying as creating and working for something where every minute you spend is yours alone.
6. Having more free time – We have been taught to believe that life on a farm is arduous sun-up to sun-down drudgery where you collapse at the end of the day.  This is not so much the case anymore.  Sure, the setup of any farm or self-sufficient endeavor is often time-consuming and laborious, but new technologies and new skills of manufacturing food via permaculture and aquaponics are offering low-cost start up and minimal maintenance, as these techniques serve to create symbiotic systems that are remarkably self-governing.
7. Generating food and energy security – The planet is running out of food and traditional energy. Climate volatility, market forces, GM foods, and rising costs of harvesting and transporting food are all conspiring to create food shortages even in the First World.  This trend will not reverse.  And our oil-soaked way of life is being threatened by mounting evidence that the oil lifeline could be disconnecting rather soon.  We should be looking to the air, sun, geothermal, and wave power to wean us from the energy grid.
8. Acquiring an appreciation for life – As one gets closer to life-giving forces, there is a natural appreciation for how things come into being.  When you have created your garden, toiled there, selected the best for harvest, and have prepared that food for your family and community, the significance of what you have taken part in can be transformative.
9. Restoring balance – Nearly everything in our society is at a peak, or is drastically out of balance.  The systems and governments to which we have looked for balance restoration are missing in action.  We must take it upon ourselves to restore our own financial and environmental balance sheet.  The best way to do that is to reduce our overconsumption.
10. Becoming a producer, not a consumer – This is the best way to reduce your cost of living and increase your self-sufficiency.  In the U.S. over 70% of the economy is based on people buying things. This is a clear sign of imbalance and, by extension, it is not sustainable.  Furthermore, we also have seen corporations race to the bottom to find low-cost production on the backs of desperate people.  The exploitation of the Third World to clothe, feed, and entertain the First World is something that most people do not want to think about, but it is abominable. Again, new technologies are making it easier than ever to produce your own food, and even your own clothes.

I hope you find this helpful and encouraging - it is about the positive impact, not the negative.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

"Natural" Flavoring - Is Not Real - Updates

Dear Folks,

First, I have posted a newsletter on many opportunities to take a class, share some seed, or other topics of interest, so be sure and check out the list.  ***

Those of you who are familiar with my blogs on what is not natural about 'natural flavors' are aware of many of the points which need to be made.  A real natural flavor comes straight from the strawberry, for example, not from - get ready for gross - a beaver anal gland.

I could not resist this bit of satire on food marketing translations :-)

A 60 minutes story on a chemical food flavoring giant, really brings the point home that - the food manufacturing industry is focused on getting you hooked, addicted and otherwise passionate about their food through the use of chemical flavorings, salt, sugar, and fat.  In combination the result has been an American population on the verge of a national health crisis, if we have not already gotten there.

As with high fructose corn syrup claims, the chemical and food industries protest that their products do not create over-addiction to foods, but when you watch the 15 minute segment from the 60 Minutes show, you will hear them talk about the goal of the consumer "wanting more".  The flavorings are even formulated the disappear in intensity to trigger that 'wanting more' desire.

To my mind that means a dedicated goal of a type of addiction.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28/artificial-natural-flavors-givaudan_n_1116081.html

While they make the point in the video that addiction per se is not their goal and they did not mean to help the American consumer become fatter, they disclaim responsibility for the addiction as a 'side issue' and are now focused on how to make healthier (meaning less salt, sugar and fat) manufactured foods taste better.

The reality is that these flavorings are designed to make poor-value food taste better.  They would not have to use enhanced flavorings if the food was real and truly and naturally tasty.

The business of manufactured food is huge and an enormous part of our economy, jobs etc.

It is up to the individual and the responsible people in family groups to make the best decisions on food options to ensure real health.  Or, are you okay with beaver gland flavored wheat straw for breakfast?

*** Lots of interesting things happening in and around the Valley.  I'm doing a couple but there are lots more.

Check out my newsletter for listings.

Have a wonderful day, and be kind to yourselves,




-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

August 29th - More Herbs, Less Salt Day!

Dear Folks,

One of those ubiquitous national holidays which are sometimes hilarious (National Gorilla Suit Day! January 31st),  And, no one will worry about "National Chocolate Day" - chocolate is an herb, but many are wonderful reminders of special things or like today's post - think healthier reminders.

The challenge for many folks over the last 60 years (post WWII) is the replacing of the herbs and spices from the kitchen garden with manufactured meals where they added a whole-lot-of-salt to enhance the flavor.  And salt does a great job of lifting the flavor out of basic foods:  meats, vegetables and starchy foods like rice, pasta and potatoes.

We have taken a good thing (salt) and turned it into a bad thing (poor health in the general population).

Enter Herbs and Spices.

In honor of More Herbs, Less Salt Day I would like to suggest you do a challenge taste test with friends and family.   Baked or boiled potatoes, 3 ways.

1)  Plain
2)  Sprinkled with the tiniest squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkled with finely chopped rosemary, thyme, or marjoram, you can use dried.
3)  Tossed with just a hint of olive oil or melted butter or a combination of the two fats and a sprinkle of salt.

Taste test in that order.  The salt sample needs to be last because it would flavor the other samples if done first.   Use apple slices to 'clean the pallet' between samples.

The robust flavors of these kinds of herbs "lift" the flavor of starchy foods giving you the maximum flavor of the potato.

Do you know why celery and celery seed are used in many savory dishes?  Because both contain sodium, and the flavor enhances the food taste giving it the 'flavor of being salted'.

Here are some herbs and spices that contain natural sodium along with high to trace minerals and vitamins.

1 teaspoon of each contain the noted amount of sodium, plus.

Parsley fresh 1 mg - high in vitamins and minerals
Celery seed    3 mg - high in minerals
Celery fresh - 2 mg - vitamins and minerals
Fennel seed - 2 mg - high in minerals
Coriander seed - 1 mg - high in minerals
Cumin seed - 4 mg - high in minerals

Sodium in types of salt:
Fine Sea Salt (with anti-caking agent)  1 teaspoon = 2,360 mg
Kosher Coarse salt 1 teaspoon = 1,920 mg
Pink Himalayan small grain would be approximately the same as Kosher but with added minerals if unprocessed.

A low sodium diet recommends no more than 1 teaspoon equivalent of the sea salt, or as low as 1,400 mg per day.

So the real way to reduce salt without reducing flavor is to FIRST season with herbs and spices.  THEN taste.  You will find you need to add far less salt or no salt to enjoy the real flavor of the food you cook.


-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Edamame -- Grow and Eat!

Dear Folks,

Do you like Edamame?  I love it!  Besides being a super protein plant source, I love eating a bean that is more nutty than 'beany' in flavor and because of that it makes for a great addition to so many recipes.  Salads, pasta, etc.  I even used it in a vegetarian stuffed pumpkin recipe for Thanksgiving.

The other neat thing about this soybean is that it can be grown here in late spring into early/mid-summer when a lot of other favored veggies can't take the heat.

I planted seed on June 6th and harvested this plant on August 24th.  I was testing in a large pot because the critters got my plants last year before they even got going.

Some points about edamame.  I grew "Envy" Botanical Interests non-GMO.  I planted 3 seeds and one plant came up.

Soybeans ripen all at one time on the bush so it is best to plan on planting successively.  I got 4 ounces of weight in the pod off the one bush.  Some of them were not really large enough to be useable.

Edamame is harvested 'immature' meaning you want them fresh 'green bean' style, not matured and dry.

Just like the frozen kind, these boiled up in 5 minutes and were ready to pop out (bar-food style) for eating.  I did use salted water, but you don't have to if you want to control the salt.

Uses For Your Edamame:
--Make hummus, fun additions include artichoke hearts, capers, olives or roasted peppers - serve in cucumber cups.
--Cold grain or pasta salads become a whole meal with edamame
--fresh eating, I'm sure the children would enjoy popping straight into their mouths - I do :-)
--add to stews and soups at the last minute before serving, just to warm them

GARDENING

One of the things I do regularly in the garden is allow favorite items to reseed in place.  The plants that come up are the most vigorous.  Taking that one step further, how can this natural cycle be improved upon?  By choosing to let certain plants go to seed, selecting the healthiest or most hardy for reproduction.   Horticulturists and gifted amateurs have been doing this for centuries, resulting in wonderful and NATURAL selection for subsequent sowing.

One of the continuing dilemma's in the desert garden is the fact that cilantro and tomatoes do not grow at the same time -- outside of a greenhouse.  There are several 'slow-to-bolt' varieties available, but what if you could grow your own better seed?

Check out this very simple process and give it a try, not only with cilantro, but any crop you enjoy but would like to enjoy more or longer or earlier in the season.  It takes patience, 2 years at a minimum, but you would be on your way to creating a new stronger variety - name if for yourself - you have the right to do so as long as you start with heirloom seed (hybrids are usually already patented).

I confess to not pulling weaker plants and some of them obviously will go to seed.   After this reminder of just how simple the process is, I'm going to pay more attention and selectively encourage healthier plants in my gardens.


Grow better seed the horticulture way.  Click here

Look for my post on "More Herbs - Less Salt Day"

I'm off to a family reunion, back posting and blogging later.

Have a wonderful day,



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Jerusalem Artichokes - Update

Dear Folks,

Those of you have followed my writings and experimenting in the garden for a while, know I 'trial' things new to me to determine where they do best.  When I eat something for the first time and really like it, I decide if I want to try to grow it -- so this spring's experiment is Jerusalem Artichokes aka sunchoke, earth apple and other regional nicknames.  Helianthus tuberosus is a member of the aster family which includes sunflowers, and this is one of its happiest family members in the garden, I'm finding, but it has some preferences.

Reports of people growing sunchokes is that they are very invasive, so I decided to trial them in several locations where I could keep an eye on that factor.  My plan is to harvest them in late summer or early fall.

In the picture I have arranged so you can see from great response to not so great.  First is the flower which opened up on the tallest plant, which is the next picture.  The plant is in a pot on the south side of my gardens and is pretty much in full sun until about 5 p.m. or so right now (July 1st) - the plant is a good 6 and half feet tall and is watered on a timer every 2 days for 10 minutes - slow release head.

The next picture on the bottom left of the collage is the planting in what we refer to as our meadow garden.  This garden is in a forest of plants with only a north exposure this time of year and is watered every 5 days - about 20 minutes with spigot type heads in the whole garden area.  The plants are about 6 feet tall.

The last pictured sad looking sunchokes are in full sun all day in a tree well system which has been getting watered every 7 days (now just reduced to 6) and is the middle of a parsley/Greek oregano patch.  They are drooping when the picture was taken because they were right at the end of their maximum stress point for drying and the system had only just come on (6th day).  This patch of sunchokes wilted every afternoon from about day 4 on until the day it got watered.  When I first put the tubers in at this location, I added water half way through the cycle to ensure initially that it had sufficient water to sprout.

So some points:

At the beginning of the new year I got interested in sunchokes.  I was reading more about their health benefits (fiber not charbohydrates etc.) and found some for sale at Whole Foods.  Up until this point I had never tasted them.  I really enjoyed them raw, so with options for preparation I decided to plant many of the remaining tubers.  I was also pleased that they 'held' in my crisper for several weeks after purchase.  This is important for 'harvest-what-do-you-do-now' aspect.

On February 19th I planted the tubers in the parsley garden and the meadow garden - it was about a week later (I did not make a note of the actual date - silly me) that I planted the tuber in the pot.

Like most sunflower family members they like the sun and can take all you can give them, if you provide them with adequate water.  Despite the constraints of the pot - that plant is much bigger than either of the other locations so the conclusion is full sun and watering that does not have the soil completely dried out before watering again.  Pot watering was every 3 days going into spring and changed to every 2 when the temps stayed in the 100+ range.

The meadow garden sunchokes would be taller and happier if they had more complete and direct sun.  The 5 day watering cycle appears to be good for them as they never wilt.

The poor tubers in the parsley bed are stressed to the max with my choice to see if they will grow and produce with far less water.  It remains to be seen what kind of production I will get from that bed.

I will post when it looks like time to harvest. From what I can determine at this point they can be planted in Spring and fall for potential harvest twice a year.  If they are productive that will be a good crop to have for us and for some to be sold at the Farmers Market :-)

 

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Around the garden and Seed Swap Coming Up! & Monsanto At It Again!

Dear Folks,

Been busy with I can't even tell you what - just stuff - but I did get some pictures of happenings in and from the garden.

One evening as the sun was moving behind the fence and plants Deane caught one of our sunflowers backlit, giving it an almost neon glow - it was lovely.

On June 6th I harvested our purple potatoes and some pickling cucumbers.  I was a little later than I should have been for harvesting the potatoes, but got a nice crop.  Immediately made potato salad with wonderful eggs from "The Funny Farm" one of the farmers at the Mesa Farmers Market.  With the purple 'taters and deep orange of the eggs, this was a great salad.

The cucumbers I immediately started a new batch of lacto-fermented sour pickles (good old fashioned pickle barrel type made without vinegar).

Mark Your Calendars!!

Seed Swap July 6th, 9 a.m. to Noon at the Mesa Farmers Market, located south of University on Center on the east side grass area.

If you do not have any seed to swap, come anyway.  FREE!  I will be doing an ad hoc Q&A to help folks pick out seed and learn about sowing in the summer for fall crops.

To get your thinking - I've added these two posters.  I think they say a lot.  One the government used to encourage people to grow some or all of their own food.  And you have probably seen the reference to the fact that 40% of produce grown during WWII in the US was from backyard gardens.  To be sure, the government did all this encouragement during the first to world wars to send more food to troops and overseas, but the bottom line is it gave citizens control over a lot of their food choices.

The second poster is about the government paying more attention to what the big ag businesses and chemical companies want rather than what individual citizens want.  We want choices based on accurate and reliable information, not the FDA or USDA telling it is 'deemed' safe.

Two things on the political scene one just happened and the other is about to happen.  Recently the Senate considered amendments to the "farm bill" - one such amendment would have permitted states to require the labeling of GMOs and a State's right to pass such legislation.  Our two Senators Kyle and McCain voted against that amendment.  There were a lot of other things in the overall bill which had a lot of people worried, but to me the right to know was just voted down.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that the California Ballot to mandate GMO labeling passes and starts the ball rolling for other states to have similar laws.

The next up in the House is the FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations Bill in which a sly Section 733 (deceptively called the "Farmers Assurance Provision") has been tucked into the language which in essence allows GMO crops and plants to be planted with a waiver of rights to restraining orders, meaning XXX ag business with Monsanto's assistance can get a waiver from the government to go ahead and plant 'while' the challenge is being considered, and would deny anyone, group, or community from getting restraining orders. Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Oregano) has introduced a 'strike' to that section, but other representatives have to agree.

I would urge you to get in touch with your representatives to get them to support DeFazio in this.  Our Senators caved to Monsanto, let's see if our Representatives can actually stand up for our right to be able to block GMO bullying.

http://www.house.gov/representatives/

. . .

Temperatures - just a reminder as we move into the summer humidity and heat, watch your watering requirements.  You can actually overwater as the humidity rises (less evaporation) and we have (hopefully) a lot of rain.  Also, you plants may suffer chlorisis from the extra water necessary at this time of year.  Evidence is yellowing leaves where the green veins stand out.  Correct with green sand or ironite applied to the surface areas before watering and the problem will resolve in about 2 weeks after application.



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Garlic!

Dear Folks,

Our navel orange tree has some interesting looking things hanging around!  129 heads of garlic.

I was a little behind this year in cutting the scapes and getting the heads dug up 2 weeks later - got them all dug last night and then jumped in the kool tub (aka horse trough) to cool off.  Hung them this morning - I use metal hangers, mostly tying or using pinch clothes pins to hold them.  They should be hung in the shade.

Some of the heads are very small and probably won't form full cloves so I'm thinking 1) to dry them in the sun and grind for garlic granules, and 2) I think I'm going to relocate most of the garlic bed to another location this October.  The grapefruit tree is so huge it shades more now than it used to.

For garlic growing novices, you plant Oct 1 and no later than Nov 1st because they need the full winter cool to help form heads.  This hard-neck varieties (the kind you usually find in stores) put out a flower head called a scape, curling around and we cut them back (or should - I let them go a little longer than I should) when they reach the top of the leaves.  Then about 2 weeks later the leaves start to turn yellow and it is time to dig and dry the heads until the outside skin gets papery.  The whole cut scape, harvest heads and dry takes about 3-4 weeks from start to finish.  You can use them right away when dug, but the peel is harder to get off. Air drying allows for longer storage.  Depending on hour hot we are 1-2 weeks usually does it.  I generally save some of the heads in my crisper to replant next fall and I also order fresh from my supplier.

. . .

With Memorial Day Weekend coming up this is a great opportunity to use some fun ways with herbs:

At the Grill:

BBQ HERBS. With Memorial Day and July 4th coming up we all like to think about cooking outdoors. Some tried and true ways with herbs on the que:

BASTING BRUSHES: If you are basting foods, make a basting brush out of stiff pieces of herbs like rosemary, woody basil or thyme or savory. Allow the brushes to soak a bit in the oil or marinade before using.

SKEWERS: The stiff or woody sprigs of herbs make great skewers. Pierce food to be skewered first, for easy insertion of the herb. Soak herbs for 1 hour before using to prevent the herb from catching fire. Rosemary is frequently used, but try others (my favorite rosemary and pineapple). If the sprigs are a little too flexible, try using 2 or 3 sprigs at once.

HERB SMOKE: Soak the herbs for 1 hour before using and add to coals in the last 15 minutes of cooking.

HERB OILS AND MARINADES. Infuse any of your favorites in olive oil or make marinades with fruit juices. Allow marinades to "work" for 1 hour.

DRY RUBS: Rub herb mixes or make pastes out of the herbs with a bit of olive oil or melted butter, and pat or rub into food before grilling.

HERB WRAPS: A wrap is food encased in herbs and either grilled in a foil pouch or rested on the grill. If you don't have enough herb to completely wrap the food (like lemon grass leaves). Sear food one minute on each side and lay the herbs across the top and finish cooking without turning. Fish will work very nicely this way.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday folks, be kind to yourselves and one another,



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Sustainability and Seven Generations

Dear Folks,

What if . . .

. . . every decision you make, or at least every important decision you make, is considered in the frame of how it will affect your great, great, great, great, great, great, great-grandchildren?

That is the sustainability question called the "Great Law of the Iroquois".

"[it] holds appropriate to think seven generations ahead (a couple hundred years into the future) and decide whether the decisions they make today would benefit their children seven generations into the future." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_generation_sustainability

So much of our national political discussions in recent years have centered around what debt our grand-children may have, where the jobs are or will be, what is being done NOW to fix the problem of the moment.

In the philosophy of the Iroquois they also looked 'back' 7 generations to see the decisions made that impacted the present generation.

I have questions for myself and society:

If a job is created to fill an immediate need (food on the table etc.) will that job ultimately do more harm than good in the long run?  To the person, their family, the environment, town, society?

Is more really less?  Supersized foods, drinks, plates, vehicles -- goods sold to make us feel successful?  What is the legacy to our future and that of our children and community?

Are we 'entitled' to anything more than real opportunity (every person having the same / equal opportunities for education and work)?  Encouragement is the second rung of the opportunity ladder.

Do we require more ethics of corporations and companies than ourselves?  If I am an ethical person, do I ignore unethical actions?  How do you teach a child ethics without following them personally and professionally?

To criticize without offering a solution which is "doable" is merely to seek to control while offering no sustainable benefit.

To accept at face value, without question, ANY statement, product, or view, of a company or person holding themselves out as authorities and experts, is to give up all or most of our quality of life and that of our family and community to 'others.'

When we stopped growing and making many of our own necessities, to free up time for more education, work and recreation, what did we discard along the way?  Real opportunity?  And, maybe, just maybe we gave up real control of our lives in return for a list of desires manufactured and presented to us as 'entitlements.'

Maybe it is time to put our collective hands back into the dirt, to reconnect with the meaning and focus of our lives and that of our family and community, and the next seven generations.


Gardening is not only good for you - it is healthier -- from digging to harvesting.  Nice blog on the subject.

Permaculture College Australia

I think there is certainly a genetic link for many of us to the soil and dirt.  Reconnecting to the link is a way to step back from 'modern life' and view our home, family and community in all of its wonderful kaleidoscope and look for the real vs. the illusion of what we want and how to get there.  And, the decisions we make, whether we consider it or not, WILL affect the next seven generations, and beyond.

. . .

What can you plant now?

Going into June --
Cantaloupe
Corn
Cucumber, Armenian
Eggplant
Gourds
Luffa Gourd
Melons, Musk
Okra
Peas, Black Eyed
Peppers, Chiles
Portulaca (Moss Rose)
Potato, Sweet
Purslane (Portulaca X Hybrida)
Sunflower

Using existing plantings you can under- seed with:
Basil
Chives

Happy Gardening!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Around the Garden, Squirrel! and Some Greening News

Dear Folks,

The concept for our gardens is a mix of control and random happenstance, meaning something we intentionally arrange, and other things just happen. Then there is the issue of the critters - squirrel!  (Love that distracted mind reference from the movie "Up" - fits my current age.)  It also fits one of our newest visitors a squirrel that has adopted two old softies.  After spending a good portion of some years humanely relocating the rock squirrels from the gardens down to lakeside, last year Deane secured the sheds from damage by putting in a paver floor.  At the same time a squirrel decided to dig a burrow under the apple tree.  I tried several times to discourage said squirrel, but the reality was the burrow did no damage to the tree, the squirrel was not doing any appreciable damage to the garden, and was occasionally amusing to watch, so we decided to take a wait and see and a live and let live approach to said squirrel. Then she adopted us because she was eating fallen fruit and we put seed out for the birds and the next thing I'm doing is tossing out the occasional peanut - and viola we have a squirrel who has pet humans.  She is nursing young and has taken to tapping on the kitchen window to get our attention.  Sigh.  We are still watching to make sure there is no damage which is too destructive to let be, and she has developed so many funny habits we are hooked.

For those of you who do not know about this 'eastern grey squirrel' look-a-like -they burrow and do not live in trees although they can climb them just fine.  They can be particularly destructive to residential gardens because of the burrowing.  In our case the damage was general the problem of them getting into the sheds and making nests in things like Deane's back up "Turn-Out-Boots" -- special boots firemen use.  Now that the pavers secure the sheds and the fact that squirrels, unlike birds, eat one whole thing and do not take a nibble here and a nibble there, we figure we can live with "Squirrel" - at least for the time being

My Johnny Jump Up Forest - seen from a bug's eye view.  Last year when some violas and JJU volunteered in the lawn I thought it would be fun to put some seeds in the lawn and hope for a flush of flowers this year.  They took a while to get going as we do not do a winter lawn but once they sprouted it was fun to watch and wait for the flowers to come out.  Looking at them from the top and across I thought it would be cool to see them at bug/grass level so Deane accommodated that with his great camera skills.  The lower picture is a long view of the garden trees across the lawn.  Perspective is an interesting tool in photography - the depth behind the flowers is actually only about 18 feet or so :-)

Hollyhocks are always fun to grow.  With this lovely volunteer we just let it go.  This is actually going into its second year.  When you cut the finished flower stalk down here in the desert you may get not only another bloom later on but a bigger plant!  This was taken April 29th and is over 6 feet tall.

GREENING NEWS!

GMO Labeling is on the California Ballot.  After collecting almost twice the number of signatures to get this initiative on the November 2012 ballot, Californians will be the first state since Oregon tried it 10 years ago to have mandatory GMO labeling.  Two links below:  First one explains the ballot measure, and the second one is from the Farm-To-Consumer Defense Fund - collecting donations to mount the support of the ballot measure and counter what is expected to be a full on battle with the money from the I\industrial food giants and Monsanto among others.  Give a read and support if you care to.  If Californians are successful or even if they are not, hopefully other groups in states will get similar measures on the ballot.

GMO headed to Ballot - Sacramento Bee Article.

Farm - To Consumer Defense Fund - Donation Link

Other news of a Greening/Environmental note is Vermont is set to become the first state to ban FRACKING.

You may wish to do your own research on the issue of fracking - using chemicals and water to help extract oil and gas - among concerns is the real link to mini-earthquakes in regions known to be earthquake susceptible (a well as other possible areas) and the use of potential ground-water-contaminating chemicals..

The government is set to enact a set of rules that would greatly reduce some of the earlier safe guards considered.  Among other things the companies would only have to disclose the chemicals used AFTER they completed drilling - like closing the barn door after the horse is out.  I personally detest regulations that aim to subvert adequate warnings and safeguards by allowing someone (or whole communities) to sue only after they have had life-changing damage - this is just wrong.

New York Times article on the regulation proposed.

I'm getting real tired of all these people who want to put regulations which do more harm than good on peoples choices particular when it comes to growing and raising your own food, and THEN at the same time set up situations in other food and life realms where you have to wait until you have been severely damaged to show there should have been warnings -- I do not mean to putting reminders on curling irons that they are hot!  Geesh!

Be kind to yourselves folks and start, or add to, growing your own food, I think we may need it more than most people know, and, sooner than later!



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Greening - Closets vs. Pantries

Dear Folks,

Saturday I went into town (love that reference but it fits since I'm in the far east valley and going into Phoenix IS 'going to town') and visited the Urban Farm Nursery and attended the Grand Opening of the new headquarters for the Valley Permaculture Alliance.

If you have ANY interest in gardening in your back yard, community garden or your children's school, girl or boy scout gardening projects, check out the Urban Farm Nursery, the first "edible landscaping" focused plant nursery in the state.

And if your interest lays even further into growing and using more of your own food sources like poultry, gardening and other sustainability subjects, I encourage you to join the Valley Permaculture Alliance.  There you will find an incredible resource for classes, events, and a forum to post and answer questions and otherwise share your ideas and experiences.

So, such a wonderful day of visiting and discussing all about gardening and producing some or all of your own food here in our wonderful valley, got me focusing on a question and a puzzle I have been ruminating on for a week or longer.  Why did we get so far away from gardening in our backyards and develop an "oh well" reliance on manufactured and processed foods?

An acquaintance couches the question in terms of moral decay.

Others ponder such related topics as the post-WWII intent to have a better life, give the children more than the parents and grandparents had during the depression and war, continue to encourage women to work outside the home to 'pay' for that better lifestyle and the introduction of TV dinners to allow some of those new focuses to happen.

Keeping up with the Jones we used to call it.  There was a move in the design and development of "housing developments" which moved entertaining family and friends from the front porch to the back yard.  The weber grill was invented in 1951.  (We love our Weber kettle charcoal grill :-)

I have a slightly different take on this phenomenon -- we shrunk our pantries and expanded our closets -- it became more important to pay attention to, and spend more money on, what we put ON our bodies rather than what we put IN our bodies.

Years ago I toured the Rosson House in downtown Phoenix, built in 1880 and restored to a museum.  Not too long after that tour I also toured the The House of the Future, built in 1980 by SRP in Ahwatukee.  It was an eye opening contrast.

Aside from the anticipated differences - a lot of hand worked wood walls, doors and floors in the Rosson House and a modernistic design - complete with computer controlled environment - in the Ahwatukee home, the differences that absolutely amazed me were the size of the closets in the Rosson house - very small less than 3 feet approximately wide - compared to the modern home -- typically huge by comparison.

AND the size of the pantries - I don't remember the detail of the pantries and kitchen but I do remember that the emphasis was on food not clothing in the Rosson House.

So as a society, in the past 60 years clothing became more important than food.  And, further, as a society, we care more about the quality of the clothing we purchase for our family, than we do about the quality of the food we eat.  What is this really about?

Answer:  Convenience and manufacturers more than willing to give us the "letter" of what we say we want as a society, rather than the "spirit" and real meaning of it and our acceptance of "their" descriptions of what we got.

The "pink slime" story captured a tremendous amount of attention because, in part, consumers felt they had been lied to.


The real issue is most consumers are more than willing for a manufacturer to tell us what they have made, where it was made and what they put in it.  Oh, and also just how wonderful we will feel when we wear it and how much time it will save us when we serve it.


In an effort to keep up with the Jones, consumers for the last 60 years have lost a Grandmother or Grandfather's skepticism of something touted as 'easy' and 'inexpensive'.


I'm going to pick on Wal-Mart -- they have built an international empire on cheap, and built in obsolescence -- you can buy ANYTHING which can be bought elsewhere for way less - you just have to replace the object sooner, maybe a lot sooner.  Or if you purchase food from them - they told the grower HOW to grow the cantaloupe - really!  And it was not for the best nutrition or flavor - it was to achieve the 'perfect' always-consistent-in-size-and-color melon.


Wal-Mart can't be totally blamed for giving the consumer what they 'asked' for -- they simply figured out, from a corporate-bottom-line mentality how to give the consumer the "letter" of the quest, not the "spirit."  So what if you have to buy a garden tool every 2 years instead of every 20, so what if you have to take supplements and have more doctor's visits when purchasing inferior (there I said it!) food.  You can get it at discount prices and feel like YOU made good decisions.

Politicians and lobbyists have the same 'symbiotic' relationship as consumers and retail giants like Wal-Mart.

Politicians tell the public they want to give their voters what they are asking for.  Then lobbyists step up and provide the politicians with all the information the politician need to vote on a bill (you did know most politicians rely on the researching reports of lobbyists to get their 'facts' didn't you?), except the lobbyist only gives the politician the 'letter' or bare facts of the information from the sponsoring organizations view, and not the 'spirit' or all factors.

I read a statement to this effect some time ago.   That because of the incredible amount of data available on any given subject the politicians literally and figuratively rely on the lobbyists to keep them informed.  So what gets left out of those lobbyists reports and research is as telling as what gets in.

Enter the consumer - the real power behind the dollar and what does the consumer do - follow the labeling, pitches, advertisements, buzz words and just how wonderfully "convenient" this or that is going to be, and the modern consumer buys not only the product but the promise.

There used to be an old story about a stupid farmer who wanted to save money on feed for his horse.  He was telling the story to a visitor, how he had come up with the perfect way to do this.  He fed the horse not hay but straw.  The visitor inquired how in the world he got a horse to eat straw and not hay.  "I put green tinted glasses on him," replied the farmer, "so the horse thinks he is eating hay."  The visitor noted the poor health of the horse.  The farmer was not worried, he figured the horse would work for him until it dropped and he would get another cheap horse.

Reality Check:  Because we have become such a busy, busy, busy society with information overload on any given subject, and too many things going on all at once, and a society mentality of never wanting to be 'without' something, we make choices on how we spend, not only our money, but our time.

I would encourage you as a consumer to develop a nice healthy skepticism of anything a BIG whatever / whomever tells you is good for you, cheaper or better.  By this I mean, Really Read Labels, do some research, or find a source of information that YOU consider has unquestioned reliability and ethics of information.  Every one has a political agenda because everyone wants things to be as they want them - whether you think of that as political or not, it really is - it is about influencing others to your way of thinking and doing.

So ask yourself this question:   When was the last time you were "influenced" to put on a pair of green tinted glasses, fed straw, and told it was hay?


GREEN TINTED GLASSES aka advertising, labeling, promises
HAY  aka what you think you are getting
STRAW  aka what you really got


So are you going to settle for straw or hay most of the time?


Finally, I think you should look at your pantry and closets, and consider what is really important to your overall life and where is the best balance in decisions.  If I had a large family living in the same home, I would make this a project, dividing up research topics amongst everyone and see what you all came up with.


Have a great day, be nice to yourselves, and your world,





-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

An Arizona Sunny 90+ Something Day - What to do?

Dear Folks,

A lot of folks talk about our sun and heat here in the desert.  I look at it as opportunities to 'make lemonade out of lemons' - e.g., My laundry I hung on the line this morning was dry in 3-4 hours, AND

I made kale chips in 2 hours!

Drying veggies, fruits and herbs in the sun is an ancient technique still more than useful today.  I use one of those picnic table tents to keep critters off.

Time involved - 2 minutes to harvest the leaves, 1 minute to rinse and tear, 1 minute to toss with the tiniest bit of oil and sprinkle of salt - 2 hours to done! 

Come up with your own sunny ideas!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Sauerkraut, dill pickles, preserved lemons & yogurt - what do they have in common?

Dear Folks,

I just made a batch of sauerkraut!  Oh my is it wonderful and "real" sauerkraut.  By that I mean it was made the old fashioned way, which is the theme of this post - lacto-fermentation.  The picture here is my finished sauerkraut at day 10 - the dark area you see in the middle is some of my bay tree leaves and some peppercorns for extra flavor.  The plastic on the top is just to keep dust out.

I have been making my own yogurt from time to time for a number of years which began in earnest when I had my own goats, but even before that I played around with making homemade yogurt and was somewhat successful.  Meaning I did get yogurt but I really did not understand all the principles of it - you add existing live culture yogurt (lacto) to milk, keep warm for 10+ hours and you have yogurt or something which resembles yogurt (fermentation) - tangy, good, maybe not quite 'thick' but useable.

As someone who has a cast iron stomach, I do not usually suffer from digestion problems - the exception is the rare (thank God) food poisoning or stomach virus, both of which knockout all of your good flora and funa.  So I learned a long time ago that eating yogurt got me back on track faster when one of these things hit me and also I genuinely love yogurt and experiment all the time with yogurt in foods - particularly in using it as a substitute for the less nourishing sour cream or mayo.

When one of the Permies on the Valley Permaculture Alliance posted a thread about lacto-fermentation, I checked it out and learned a lot of wonderful new-to-me things including how to make real sauerkraut.  I also learned about what I call 'real dill pickles' - you know the wonderful ones that you could find in old fashioned country stores in pickle barrels or a good Kosher Deli.

What is different about both of these great foods is they are NOT MADE with vinegar but use a variation of the lacto-fermentation activity to "pickle" the cabbage or cucumbers.  People who are passionate about lacto-fermented products will tell you all about the health benefits.  I do not need encouragement - they are just plain good tasting and good for you :-)

Historically, pickling of vegetables and fruits was done with brine solutions to which herbs and spices were added, if desired.  It was a great way to preserve foods for long periods in an age before mechanical refrigeration.  Back in March I posted about corning my own beef for St. Patrick's day - another old use of the brining process to flavor and preserve meat.

When commercial canned products became popular most producers chose vinegar as the preserving agent rather than brining the food.  Both preserve food, but only canning required the 'cooking' of the vegetables before or during the canning process - which of course also cooks the food.

Read up on pickling here at wikipedia

The simple description of the process of lacto-fermentation is the use of bacteria*, which exists on natural or organically grown foods, some salt and the juice of the vegetable or the addition of some water to make the brining solution.  It is basically that simple.  Where the vegetable 'weeps' juice in the presence of salt, like cabbage, usually no or very little extra water is needed.  Where the veggies are mostly whole, like cucumbers you will need to make a brine solution.

Here is probably the most important part of doing this correctly.  The-Food-Must-Be-Submerged-At-All-Times!  The combination of the natural bacteria, brine and no-air, creates an environment which creates lactic acid and acts as the process of 'cooking in acid' which is what pickling is.  (A not un-similar process is fresh cevche where lime juice is used to 'cook' fresh seafood.)

MY SAUERKRAUT
First, I have to say I probably did this a little differently from what others may prefer, but it worked for me.  Many people use ceramic crocks for pickling - a truly old world preference that many have enjoyed.  I wanted to see what was going on and monitor so I used a large mason jar.  Next you have to weigh the veggie down so it is always under the liquid.  I have since purchased glass pickle weights, however - here is what worked really well for me.  I put an 8 ounce mason jam jar filed with water in the wide mouth of the larger mason jar.  I used sywran wrap but it really is not necessary.  What is necessary is that you do not completely seal the surface of the food under the liquid.  Gas will form in the fermentation process and it must be allowed to escape, so a weight of some sort must 'almost' cover the surface of the food, allowing the gas to escape.

After you figure out what container you are going to use, you need to determine how much will fill the container and adjust for the collapse of the cabbage as it weeps.  I did it wrong when I began this batch by putting the cabbage and salt into the jar FIRST.  It only took a half of typical cabbage head before the salt started to cause the cabbage to collapse, then I HAD to chop and add the rest of the head.

So here is the proportions of what you will typically get - 1 head of cabbage - about 4-5 pounds will fill a 1/2 gallon container when it completely collapses and weeps its juices - this can take anywhere from a couple to about 6 hours.

INGREDIENTS
1 head of cabbage
about 3 - 5 teaspoons of kosher salt
As needed a bit of brine made by dissolving 1 teaspoon of kosher salt into 1 cup of water. If making hot, cool completely before using.
Optional:  *Whey from yogurt (contains the good bacteria)

BIG bowl - non-reactive (no metal)
Containers for pickling
Weights
Cover of some kind of cloth or plastic to keep dust out but not to seal the container
Wooden or plastic (no metal) spoons or utensil as needed

Shred or chop the cabbage and layer into a bowl large enough to hold it all, alternating with some salt and finishing with a total of about 3 teaspoons of salt.  Cover and let sit for about 2 hours.

Fill your container(s) with the cabbage, pushing firmly down to really pack in.  (The next time I do the sauerkraut I will use quart jars as the width of the 1/2 gallon required me to make the weight 'work' better.  The quarts are completely straight so weighting with the needed space around will be easier).

Add all of the liquid from the bowl.  The jar or jars should have about an inch to a 1 1/2 inches of head space, and there should be at least a half inch of liquid over the mass of cabbage when you are done packing into the jars.  If you need the additional brine add now.

Add the weight and cover lightly with something just to keep the dust out.  Place in a draft proof area of the kitchen where you can keep an eye on it.  By the end of 6-8 hours you should be seeing bubbling in the jar.  You can press down on the weight and release the gas periodically, but it should not be necessary.  You do want to make sure there is always liquid above the mass of cabbage so pushing down may be necessary.  Eventually the cabbage will generally stay down.

Your sauerkraut is done when it stops bubbling - anywhere from about 10 days (like mine) to about 3-4 weeks.  Constant temperature is most helpful, fluctuating temperatures may interfere.  It is not uncommon for a 'foam/or scum' to appear on the top of the liquid and can just be skimmed away.  Your 'kraut should always smell tangy and NOT moldy.  If any mold appears toss completely and start over.

The whole point of this kind of fermentation is that the acid is a preservative made in conjunction with good bacteria or yeast.

I started a small jar of preserved lemon yesterday.  This is done a bit differently where you push the cut open lemons with kosher salt releasing their juices, added water is usually not necessary.  Some folks just make them using an identical process to the sauerkraut, with brine, but most people use the salted cut lemons/push to release juices process.  This is my first real attempt at preserved lemons.  I tried it several years ago and did it completely wrong and it molded (I actually did a lot more "to them" then I should have - these are simple processes.)

*Optional Whey - many fermenters use a bit of whey in addition to the salt/juice/water which jump-starts the fermentation process because of the bacteria in the whey.  I am saving some of my yogurt whey to make the garlic-dill pickles in my next fermentation go-round.

Read up more on the lacto-fermentation thread on the Valley Permaculture Alliance site and consider becoming a member to share and learn as I have :-)  This is a great group of people helping each other with gardening, cooking and sustainability practices.

I am so enthused about the possibilities of fermenting all sorts of veggies and maybe fruits!

Have a wonderful day in the garden and kitchen, 



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Greening - Will The Real Stevia Products Stand Up?

Dear Folks,

When Stevia finally became available (approved by the FDA for the US) for purchase as a sweetener or substitute for sugar in foods I stood up and clapped.  You may have also been doing a happy dance along with a couple of million-billion people.

But as the products begun to roll out I was not happy with what I thought of as mis-direction information - so like I always do when I get curious, I went searching for information.

I've written about so-called "stevia" products in the past here on the blog.  Use the search function on the side bar to find posts of interest to you.


Cargill and Coca Cola were probably instrumental in getting the FDA to relent and finally allow Stevia to be sold as a sweetener, but the trade off is a plethora of pseudo-stevia products which are only "stevia" because they contain some form of the Stevioside (the technical name for the element which gives the sweetness).

As I've noted on other posts I was really, really concerned about Truvia's "natural flavor" ingredient.  Sigh.  Well it did not take long to find out that "natural flavor(s)" is so generic you can't find out what "it" is and further a company can literally create something in the laboratory and call it a trade secret.  This is not about boiling juice down to make a concentrate, but manufacturing, in the fullest sense of the word, food components.

Think "pink slime" - the public became outraged over the manufacturing process which included adding ammonia to the 'processed' meat.

The public needs to get outraged over this on-going hijacking of the word 'natural'.

You know those cautions some of our more knowledgeable wise-people keep suggesting about 'do not buy anything with ingredients which you can't pronounce or sound like chemicals'?

How about NSF-02, the name for the natural flavor modifier patented by PureCircle producer of PureVia™ ?  Except you won't see that reference on the package ingredients list, you will see "natural flavors".


Companies like Merisant (owner of PureCircle), Coke and Cargill in concert with the FDA have created a whole new "natural" created in laboratories and natural in original source material only and who knows what else they introduced which is not natural but can still be called 'natural' because the FDA in using their fuzzy logic says they can. Remember the 'pink slime' is called natural and safe.

Read up on NSF-02 here

This is so different from a farmer or orchardist coming up with a hybrid of an edible (JohnnySeeds' "Partenon (F1) organic seed" which is a zucchini hybrid).  F1 refers to a hybrid, and Johnny's carries organic and some non-organic seeds.  FYI They signed on to the safe seed pledge to not knowing carry GMO seeds.

I think as consumers, if we have be told through labels and advertising something is natural and there are unrecognizable names on the ingredients IT AIN'T NATURAL!

If it does not say 'licorice or strawberry or vanilla' flavoring on it and only says "natural flavors" when describing a vanilla ice cream or cookie IT IS NOT NATURAL.

Here is a list of so-called Stevia products I deem UN-NATURAL*:

Truvia
Purevia

* a new to me product just came out within the last couple of months - name escapes me - but it too has "natural flavor" in the ingredients - be informed.

 Sort of okay:

Stevia In The Raw (in addition to stevia uses dextrose - usually derived from corn - so my question is do they use GMO corn).

My Preference:

SweetLeaf -- contains stevia and inulin soluble fiber for bulk - inulin is one of the recommended fibers for health  -- www.sweetleaf.com  (I do not know where they get the vegetable fiber for the inulin, but they won an award from Vegetarian Times - so I think that kind of testimonial is worth a look/try.)

Let's be vocal and mindful in our both our concerns about where and how our food is sourced, but also always, always read the labels and make conscious good choices for ourselves and our family.

I am not a purist per se, it just about trying to, most of the time, make informed choices.  Do I have guilty pleasures? Sure.  I'm human and have been around long enough (quite awhile in fact) that I have seen the good stuff, the processed stuff, the realization of the need to ask questions about WHERE the food comes from, and a renewed focus on unintended consequences.

Convenience food always has consequences, whether the convenience is some-one-made-it-easy, to some-one-made-it, i.e, created out of a laboratory.  In the least worse case, the food is nutritious, made of good stuff and you have to decide what to do with the packaging.  In worst case, it has negative consequences on your health, environment, and community.  Given the ongoing debate on health care and costs, there is a very radical concept being floated that people who continuously make unhealthy choices should pay more for health care -- chew on that for a while and ponder this generalized statement:



"Buying organic or natural food is too expensive."  Someone posted that on facebook recently.


My Response:


$ cheap food
$$ to purchase mostly healthy food choices
$$$$ to purchase cheap/poor/manufactured food + supplements +doctor visits +medicine +hospital care, to compensate for the poor food.




-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Sunchokes Are Up!

Dear Folks,

Back on February 19th I planted Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus)  after reading up more on its great nutrient values.  A member of the sunflower family, and only a distant cousin of the globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus), this plant is grown for its roots and not the unopened flower bud of the globe artichoke.

So now I have both 'aritchokes' growing in our gardens.  The globe artichokes in fact are producing nicely now.

As I do with many edibles that I have not grown before I have planted the sunchokes in 3 different locations to see where they do best.

The top photo is in a pot, the next one is in an area we call the Meadow because it receives sun only in the middle 3-5 hours of the day, and the final photo is in a patch of parsley (with some Greek Oregano).

In the parsley patch I planted about 6-8 tubers, so far only one is "up" that we can tell.  In the meadow and pot I planted a single tuber and both are doing very well.

You can read the "planting" post here for more info on why I decided to grow these.

I have two tubers left in my crisper and we are grilling today, so I'm going to give them a try on the grill - will let you know how they turn out.

Most information on growing sunchokes talks about how invasive they can be, which is why I chose the spots I did - so I can keep an eye on them :-)  My plan is to harvest in late summer/early fall and see what kind of production I get.  I am pleased that the tubers I purchased have good staying power in the crisper.

As a member of the sunflower family, you can plant the sunchokes in the same time frame as sunflowers -- February through June.  I do know of a local farmer who is harvesting sunchokes now, so they would most likely have been planted in early - mid fall.

I purchased my chokes from Whole Foods, but if you are in the East Valley, you may wish to check out Love Grows for what they have available.

Gardening Tip:

You will notice with the sunchoke in the pot that there are several other plants growing.  I planted strawberry spinach, a basil and a bell pepper.  When I am planting something that is not a transplant, i.e., seed or tuber type plants, and I want to keep track of them AND remember to make sure they are watered properly I plant small plants to remind me there is something growing there.  Competition for nutrients is seldom a problem, but I can always top off with more compost.



Have a great day in the garden,


-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

My Bread Recipe - Finally

Dear Folks,

For a couple of years I have been struggling to get a bread recipe that really worked for me without trying to win the Ms Universe title for biceps.  I can't knead dough - too much achy joint issues.  Buying a really good mixer with dough attachment is an option Deane said he would give me, but I really wanted to get something that was so easy for me, it would work for everyone.

I also wanted to use a sourdough starter to give extra flavor.

Some of my early attempts were tasty but wound up more like 'hardtact" rather than the fluffy / airy bread I was looking for.  Having grown up on WonderBread and in more recent years falling in love with ciabatta - I wanted the best of all worlds, whole wheat with fluffy texture, able to take additions like herbs and cheese and still come out nutrient dense, tasty and passing the "Deane" test for hardiness (he did NOT grow up on WonderBread and considers it down there with rice cakes - totally unsatisfying).

So, as sometimes happens Deane gave me the probable answer to my quandary of why the bread would not rise properly no matter how much yeast I used etc. (I'm sure I was doing other things wrong also).

Potato!

Early bread makers used potato water to create yeast and also to make good tasting bread.

I'm not using the water -- a whole small potato (2 inches approx) peel and all grated into the mix.

This bread comes out as a very thick batter and you can add more flour to approach a very, very soft dough - but here is the great part - TRULY NO KNEADING!   Done in under 3+ hours start to enjoying including rising.  In the picture, the front 2 slices are the raisin/walnut bread and the back is the basic bread.

The basic recipe is for a single loaf - at the end I give you the approximate ingredients to double it to make 2 loaves at a time.  Personally the one loaf at a time suits us - just us two, but we share with neighbors.  I use my toaster/over to bake so I don't heat up the whole kitchen and I can make a loaf quickly for variations (Deane likes raisins and walnuts).  The last loaf I made had fresh rosemary and grated Parmesan in it.

My Bread Recipe

1 cup of starter*
1   2" potato, rinsed, but not peeled
1 cup of warm water
1 teaspoon yeast
3/4 teaspoon of salt (do not use kosher - sea or regular table salt is fine)
2 tablespoons of ground flax seed (you don't need this but I like the extra health/nutrient impact)
1 cup of flour (I use an organic "white" whole wheat -- it really is a whole wheat, just a lighter variety -- I will most frequently use 50/50 of this with organic all purpose flour)
1/4 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese (any hard cheese will work)
Optional:  Any fresh or dried herb about a tablespoon or to taste


In a bowl, put starter.  Grate the potato right into the starter.  Add yeast and warm water and stir well.  Add cheese, salt and flax seed (and herbs if using) and stir well.  Add flour all at once and stir to make a thick batter.  You can add more flour if you like.

Turn into a well oiled/sprayed loaf pan, cover and let rise.  (I turn another loaf pan over - canted a little to let air in.  It takes from 90 minutes to about 2 hours to rise to near the top of the pan.

Place on a tray, put 2 ice cubes on the tray and put in a cold oven. Set to 400 degrees (I use glass pans - if using metal increase temperature to 425) and set the timer for 45 minutes.  When done the loaf should ring hollow when tapped.  Turn out on a cooling rack. Enjoy.

Raisin Bread - with the extra moisture the next time I'm going to decrease the temperature to 375 and back for 55 minutes.  The center was just a little extra moist than I thought it should be.

1/4 - 1/2 cup each raisins and nuts.  Add to mix before you add the flour and stir well to mix.

*I have sometimes failed and sometimes succeed with starters before and this time I have what I think of as the best method.  First I use the organic white whole wheat flour.  I keep the starter in the frig.  The day I want to make bread I take it out to warm up on the counter for an hour or two.  Then I feed it, and take the 1 or 2 cups I need for the recipe.  I let it sit on the counter for an hour to get going a little and then back into the frig until the next time.   If you made bread every day or 2 you could certainly keep the starter on the counter.

To double the recipe:

2 cups starter
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
potato small to just a bit larger (you don't need to double the potato exactly)
1 cup of warm water
2 to 2 1/2 cups of flour (start with 2 cups and add more if you need to thicken the batter more)
Cheese
herbs

Follow directions above for 1 loaf.  2 loaf pans fit on my toaster oven tray side by side almost with room in the middle of the tray for a couple of ice cubes.

The ice cubes give a nice crust.

The potato is providing extra sugar / starch for the yeast to feed on.

Flax Seed - flax seed has to be ground to be properly digested by us humans.  If you want to add other whole seeds give it a try or sprinkle on top of the batter before rising.

Rising and air bubbles.  One of my loafs had a nice big air bubble in it when finished baking.  I corrected this in the next loaf by using my wooden spoon handle to poke down through the batter about 15-30 minutes into rising, then let it finish rising.  That seemed to take care of large air bubbles :-)

I hope you get a chance to try this recipe.  Comment on what variations you come up with.  My friend Kathy who gave me the original starter used rye flour one time with the starter.  No reason not to try making rye bread, maybe with dill and caraway - yum.

Have a great week,

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

In the Garden and the Finished Corned Beef

Dear Folks,

What's growing in our front yard?  An Artichoke!  Along with a lot of ornamentals and some edible additions I have been slowly adding over the last couple of years -- including this transplanted artichoke last fall.

We have the main plants in the back edible gardens, but this is the first artichoke of the year.

Later in the season I let the last of the artichokes go to flower because they are just flat out gorgeous.  The plant slowly dies back during the summer and sends out new 'pups' in the fall to be left alone or transplanted elsewhere.  Did you know artichoke hearts are in the top 10 antioxidant foods?  Great stuff.

On March 6th, getting ready to go to my relatives to stay with her for her second routine surgery, I harvested from the garden to take with me.  Asparagus, sugar peas, white and red alpine strawberries, blood and navel oranges and pink grapefruit.  This is why I garden with edibles. Oh boy!




 On March 6th I posted about my decision to do my own "corning" for our St. Patrick's Day dinner of Corned Beef and Cabbage.  Click here for the post

I have been wanting to do this for several years after Martha Stewart showed how she did it.  My timing simply did not work until this year - you have to allow a couple of weeks for the process.  Check that first post for the explanation and origin of "corning" actually a brining/pickling process for inexpensive cuts of meat and also preserving.

First - it turned out great!  The verdict is in from my meat and potatoes guy and myself - absolutely the way to go!  When you are used to a commercial taste of something, it is always a challenge to recreate the taste when you want a healthier alternative.  This home-corned beef was a tasty as the commercial kind and Deane even liked that he could taste the individual spices giving it a more complex flavor.  It was not too salty and just as tender as the commercial product.

As a taste comparison I purchased a commercial corned beef to cook separately from mine.

The Picture at the right shows the cut up vegetables and the two types of meat.  You will see in my notes below the explanation of why my beef (on the right) is NOT pink and that is a good thing :-)  The plate in the first frame shows the three spices I added to the cooking (not brining) part.  Conehead thyme, some of my dried bay leaves and some black peppercorns.


The last frame shows the cooked meats, mine on the left this time and the commercial product on the right.

CORNING BEEF

My first experiment with corning beef for St. Patrick's Day (2012).

Note:  Traditionally corned beef (actually a pickling/brining process) uses saltpeter, sodium nitrate or "pink salt" to maintain the pinkish color.  Since I'm doing my own corning I wanted to control the ingredients and did not want to add nitrates to the meat.  Therefore the cooked meat is more un-browned steak in color.  We did not find that unappealing.

1 1/2 pounds of grass-fed beef brisket (Red Mountain Cattle Company)
1 teaspoon each mustard seed, coriander see and black peppercorns
1 small stick of cinnamon
2 bay leaves, broken
1/4 cup of organic sugar
1/2 cup of kosher salt
about 3 cups of water

1 non-reactive dish or pan large enough to hold the piece of meat plus liquid
1-2 glass dishes or plates to weigh down the meat (some say any plate, but I did not want any un-glazed china to be in contact with the meat)
1 glass cover or plastic wrap
1 tray large enough to hold the dish to contain any spills

Grind the seeds and peppercorns to a coarse ground, grind the cinnamon just to break up.

Dissolve sugar and salt in water.  If boiling to do this, let cool before proceeding.

Pierce the meat multiple times on one side to infuse more flavor.

Place meat in the dish, rub spices over one side.  Use brine to completely cover the meat.  Add dishes or plates to weigh down and cover all.  The meat MUST be completely covered at all times.

Place on tray and refrigerate for 2 weeks.   You can turn the meat once part way through but it is not necessary.  Re-check periodically to make sure the meat continues to be completely covered.

I did not use all the brine and thought I would not, which is why I added the spices first to the meat.

Cooking.

Drain but DO NOT rinse the meat the day you want to cook it.

Traditional Corned Beef, Vegetables and Cabbage in a crock pot.

Onion
Potatoes
Carrots
Cabbage
3 sprigs of thyme (I used conehead)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Corned Meat

In a crock pot, place rinsed and coarsely cut onion, potatoes and carrots.  (I used small red -unpeeled potatoes and a variety of heirloom carrots.)

Place the herbs and peppercorns on top of the vegetables, add meat and just cover with water, the meat will try to float, so do not over-add water.

Cover and turn on low for 8 hours.  Test a piece of meat for tenderness.  8-9 hours is typical for cooking time.  Add hot water if too much evaporates before finished.  Remove meat and keep warm.  Turn heat to high and add cabbage quarters and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve and enjoy your own corned beef.

Meat Options:  The brisket from Red Mountain had almost no fat on it, compared to commercial briskets.  However, the next time I make this I am going to try a round steak or round roast for a little more tender cut of meat.  I may need to reduce the cooking time to compensate for that.

Crock Pot vs. Stove Top.

I like to use a crock pot for this kind of cooking and I had a lecture the day of, so it worked out great for me.  You can certainly do this on the stove top, simmering everything for about 4 hours give or take.  Just test for tenderness before adding cabbage in the final 20-30 minutes (depends on how crispy you like your cabbage).

Have fun with your bounty!



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

For beginner gardening help or ideas for using edibles in the kitchen, check out my books:

"Edible Landscaping In the Desert Southwest: Wheelbarrow to Plate"

"101+ Recipes From The Herb Lady"

Available through my publisher or Amazon, Barnes & Noble or your favorite bookseller can order it for you.