Canning, Jamming, Preserving, and Storing
The time is ripe — excuse the pun — to preserve early summer fruits. I have been picking rhubarb since May. The strawberries are ripening. Soon the farm markets will have cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, followed by mid-summer stone fruits and melons. By preserving …
For generations, people have preserved summer produce to enjoy over the winter. Traditional preservation methods—some thousands of years old—include salt, oil, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, drying, cold storage and fermentation. Vacuum processing—basically the dehydration and rehydration of foods—was introduced in the 19th century; there are records of …
Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is an ideal edible plant for the home garden. The deliciously tart stalks can be expensive at the grocery store, but when grown as a herbaceous perennial, rhubarb is inexpensive, needs very little care, is bothered by few pests and diseases and is very long-lived.
Although rhubarb is technically a vegetable, it is legally a fruit and is treated as a fruit in the kitchen. Rhubarb sauce, rhubarb pie, rhubarb crisp, rhubarb-onion chutney, strawberry-rhubarb preserves and bluebarb jam have all been constants on my table since childhood. I love rhubarb not only for its flavor but for its beauty in the garden. It is a large bold plant with beautiful, robust, deep green, textured leaves that sit atop colorful long petioles or stalks. It deserves a place in more perennial flower beds.
Continue reading With rhubarb, be patient and you’ll be rewardedThis year, consider planning your garden with an eye to preserving the harvest. Evaluate past successes and failures when selecting seeds. If you plan to purchase vegetable plants ,research which local nurseries have the best selection. We most often think of vegetables growing in raised …
The colorful flowers of roses, lavender, daylilies and bee balm grace our gardens. In addition to being a feast for our eyes, their flowers can enhance the flavor of baked goods, meat dishes, salads, beverages, jams and jellies. Some flowers are as versatile in the …
Scented geraniums, actually pelargoniums, are in the same genus as the colorful geraniums grown as annuals in beds and containers. However, these geraniums are primarily grown for their fragrant leaves.
These tender perennials originally from South Africa can bring the scent of rose, citrus, fruit, nut, mint and other fragrances to your home and garden. Site them where their delightful scents can drift into walkways, porches and patios. When used in containers with other flowering plants, the leaves add texture as well as fragrance. The edible flowers and leaves, particularly from the rose and citrus varieties, can be used to flavor baked goods, beverages, oils and vinegars.
Continue reading The sweet smell of geraniumsIn the depths of winter, most gardeners believe their efforts are restricted to armchair activities — reading books, reviewing catalogs and planning for the spring garden. Not so! A closed terrarium allows you to continue gardening on a very small scale. You’ll be able to …