Thank goodness that open garden (washout) weekend is over I have given friends instructions that if I ever mention doing one again I am to be slapped severely! Today, I picked the very first of the blackcurrants, my older bushes are hanging with green fruits but the new ones gave up a small crop of early fruit. All of these get frozen to eat with porridge over the winter. Think this might be the last of the rasps - we're sick of eating them - never thought I'd ever say that! The large bunch of coriander is also headed for the freezer once the leaves are all pulled off. Our local supermarket sells coriander in little plastic packs for about 1.75 - works out at 176 euros a kilo - so well worth growing. Lettuce is from thinning out little gem (always great germination rate) and a curly type whose name I've forgotten.
Yesterday picked and even larger bunch of coriander and OH made a batch of coriander pesto - this is so scrummy I could eat it spread on cardboard. Made the same as basil pesto but using coriander - we've also ditched the pine nuts in favour of ground seeds (sometimes pumpkins - just depends on what we've got). Currently my favourite sandwich is toast, fresh tomatoes and a coriander pesto - delicious.
Finally, no rhubarb harvest yet but it's growing well and so is the red bergamot I planted between each plant. I'm hoping that by next year there will be a mass of red bergamot along with a mass or red rhubarb stalks. Hope springs eternal when you garden!
Sick of raspberries? You can always feed some to the chickens! But I'd make some cranachan first, possibly the best dessert ever. About the coriander: How do you freeze it? In oil or just chopped up in a bag? I had a huge batch, but it all flowered and went haywire. I'd like to process the rest. And for the future, is there any way of stopping the coriander from flowering? I'd been wondering how your open garden went, sounds like too much like hard work.
ReplyDeleteThe chickens get the fusty ones the rest get eaten...I'm only sick of them when I'm picking them - an hour later I want more. I love cranachan and after raspberry trifle made with lemon syllabub it might just be the best dessert ever.
ReplyDeleteFreezing coriander - I've done it both ways 1) carefully pick off the leaves put into a plastic container and freeze 2) grab a large bunch chop off the lower stems and freeze - both ways work fine. Stopping it from flowering I've not cracked that - if you chop the flower heads the leaves seem to go feathery. There are strains that resist bolting but I've never grown them. I just crop early.
Open garden was a huge amount of work - but it did move the garden on. Not to be repeated!
Mmmh, raspberry trifle and lemon syllabub, sounds divine. Hopefully we'll have enough raspberries for that next year. 16 out of our 20 summer raspberries just perished in the spring winds, but at least the 30 auturmn raspberries look promising.
ReplyDeleteSounds like I will have to sow some more coriander!
All looking good down on the plot can't be fed up of the rasps,I got one rasp this year and the birds beat me to it. The pesto looks nice. And refreshing to eat I'll send you some cardboard across,I need to pick out rhubarb before it gets out of control .
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely garden you have. Your Bergamot is gorgeous; I don't have much luck with it, tends to get grey mildew and sulk! I've just made my second batch of Raspberry Jam, it's a good year here in Lincolnshire, for soft fruit!
ReplyDeleteThanks, the bergamot will get mildew but late in the season and I just cut to ground level seems to recover. The pink ones are more susceptible than the red - actually the red seems an altogether stronger plant. Raspberry jam sound lovely maybe next year if I get more organised!
ReplyDeleteYou're right - now that they're finished I'm hankering after them. How do you get your rhubarb to grow so well? You must let me know the secret.
ReplyDeleteHope you've recovered from the carrot weeding that looked a bit of a thankless task although it's always good to see a weed free patch of earth once you're done.
Some of the rhubarb has been on the plot for a few years now,,I've cut some roots in half and replanted them the other year. The first year I didn't get much growth from them but this year I've had a good year.,I need to pick more or It will end up on the compost heap if I don't hurry up. I don't do anything with it apart from the odd water if I remember to do it. Just easy for me to but carrots then try and grow them,I'll keep trying though.
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