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Sydney Jordan Brown

Aug 31

September Shallottery!!!

By Beet 2024 09 September

 

Are you hoping to be a winner?  Then Allium cepa var. ascalonicum is your golden ticket! 

This particular “ticket” – not to be had from any lottery dispenser – is actually a supreme shallot.

Why bother with such an insignificantly small bulb as a prize, especially when you can have a heftier onion trophy?  That’s a good question with an even better answer.

Although other alliums – such as regular drying onions, ramps, garlic (and their scapes), scallions, leeks and bunching onions – usually take the top place, shallots are the true treasure.

Ever hear of good things coming in small packages?  It’s definitely true here since shallots trump the onion in many ways. First, they’re delightfully more delicately flavored – mildly-sweet with a hint of caramel and touch of garlicky piquancy.

Shallots are also winners by offering you their riches in fiber, vitamins A, B6, and C, potassium, folate, manganese and antioxidants (which are released when bulbs are sliced or crushed).

Most likely originating in Southeast Asia, they spread throughout India and the Mediterranean region.  Highly noted in Greek history and literature, they were transported further through trading and general crop movements.

Although cultivated for thousands of years, today they’ve become rather an unknown treasure just waiting to be rediscovered.  This is especially so for the true French shallot you’ll have to grow to experience.

So why are shallots such a treasure?  If you’ve never had the pleasure of sampling one, you’re in for a real treat.

Although on the outside shallots may appear like an onion, they’re composed of clusters with each clove covered with coppery skin.  Inside they’re more similar to garlic, lacking rings like onions.

Aside from its milder flavor, its texture and unique aroma have earned it a “favorites” award for a diverse number of dishes.  You can use the bulbs, cook the leaves (as a vegetable), add to salads, pickle it, shave it raw, or even top your trophy dish with shallot flowers.

Like garlic, shallots should be planted in autumn in our area.  Most likely bulbs (seeds aren’t as reliable or true) will need to be ordered as early as possible this month.

Shallots prefer a rich-moist soil that’s somewhat sandy, but will grow in many soil types as long as they’re fertile and well drained.

Break bulbs apart into individual cloves. Plant them 6-8” apart with root end down (points up please!) then cover with more compost. Leave about one third of bulb tops exposed.  Sprinkle soil surface generously with fine ashes so any fungus thieves won’t steal away your prize.

Keep lightly moistened by watering until rain arrives, and pray it comes this autumn.

Growing similarly to garlic, shallots’ early leafing will die back in winter, only to resprout in early spring when bulbs start forming.

Adding nitrogen-rich fertilizer, as well as frequent watering, will enhance your growing treasure.

In about 90-120 days when leaves have dried off, gently lift bulbs from their bed to claim your jackpot.  After curing in a shaded, well-ventilated area for a couple weeks, they’ll be ready for you to savor: your very own shallottery!

Resources

The Spruce Eats

What Are Shallots?

Food Print

Real Food Encyclopedia – Shallot

Britannica

Shallot | Growing, Harvesting, Cooking

 

Shallot Sources:

Territorial Seeds

https://territorialseed.com/

Hudson Valley Seed Co.

https://hudsonvalleyseed.com

French Grey shallot

Keene Garlic

https://keeneorganics.com   

Conservor, Red and Dutch Yellow shallots

Organic Heirloom Gardens

https://organicheirloomgardens.com

Several varieties

Recipe:

Golden Caramelized Shallots

2 pounds whole shallots peeled (place in boiling water for 1 minute so skins slip off easily)

2 tablespoons cooking type olive oil

3 tablespoons honey, good real maple syrup or agave nectar

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (black may be used but is more pronounced)

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced

Zest of one organic lemon or lime

¼ cup chopped raw pistachio nuts

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In heavy ovenproof skillet (cast iron is the best) heat olive oil until hot.  Add shallots and honey, stirring until shallots begin to brown.  Add vinegar, salt and pepper then stir until shallots are well coated.

Sprinkle the rosemary over the shallots and roast in the oven about 20-30 minutes until caramelized.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with lemon zest and pistachio nuts, then serve as a side dish, topping for meats, poultry or seafood.  Or serve warm or chilled on salads or in sandwiches as a piquant relish.

 

 

Jul 27

Lemony Snippet

By Beet 2024 08 August

A single blade with a blast of citrus!

While there are two types of lemon grass, Cymbopogon flexuosus (East Indian) and C. citrates (West Indian), C. citrates is the most sought-after culinary variety.  Both sport skinny emerald-green leaves in fountainous sprays up to 4 feet high. However, the West Indian variety has long been prized for its flavorful leaves and bulbs.

Lemongrass is native to the islands of Southeast Asia where wild plants for centuries have been foraged for aromatic stalks and essential oils to use both culinarily and medicinally. Eventually it spread to the rest of Asia, Africa and Australia, where it was naturalized in home gardens.  After WWI, lemongrass was introduced to Central and South America, the Caribbean, Mexico and the US. Today it is purposely grown worldwide.

In Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, lemongrass is pulverized in tall mortars, then combined with garlic, kaffir lime leaf and other herbs to make curry pastes.  The South Pacific Islands also include it in their recipes.  The leaves and bulb at the base are both used for their very citrusy-lemony scent, making lemongrass a very popular ingredient in raw, as well as cooked dishes. Its essential oils are used commercially in soaps, cosmetics and perfumes.  It’s a minor source of vitamins and minerals as well.

When using it raw, the outer leaves need to be removed and the bulbs should be peeled.  Once the central pale-yellow hearts are revealed, they can be finely minced and then used in salads, blended into pastes, infused in sauces, marinades, and dressings, and used in soups, stews, curries, and desserts.  After bruising them with a wooden mallet to release aromatic oils, tougher outer leaves cut in half can be used to infuse longer cooking dishes (soups, stews and sauces) with flavor, and then discarded when the cooking process is done.  The real kicker is that lemongrass doesn’t curdle creamy sauces, custards and other dairy-based dishes, since it lacks the acid in citrus fruits.

Although a tropical plant, fortunately for those who live in colder regions, lemongrass grows quite well in a large pot with good quality, well-draining potting soil.  You’ll want to start seeds early in spring, sowing inside ¼” deep in well-moistened sterile seed mix.  Keep on a heat mat until it sprouts in about 7-10 days, then place under lights.  Once seedlings have true leaves they can be potted up in 4” pots.  Their final pot (for seedlings as well purchased plants) should be about a five-gallon size.

Pots can be put outside once frost danger is past. Feed with high nitrogen fertilizer.  Put lemongrass outside in full sun and protected from wind throughout the growing season.  Water it frequently to make sure it doesn’t dry out.  Harvest leaves and bulbs during the growing season when stalks are about ½” thick. Bring pots inside to over-winter and cut stalks back to about 5” high. Put them in a sunny spot and keep them moist but not overwatered. Put pots out again in May, and soon you’ll get to snip your first lemony zip!

 

Resources:

Urban Farmer Seeds

Lemongrass – From Seed to Harvest

Britannica

https://www.britannica.com/plant/lemongrass

Inherited Seeds

https://inheritedseeds.com/products/lemon-grass

Specialty Produce

https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Lemongrass_320.php

Sources for Seeds and Plants

Inherited Seeds

https://inheritedseeds.com

Tomorrow Seeds

https://tomorrowseeds.com/

Eden Brothers

https://www.edenbrothers.com

Almanac Planting Company

https://almanacplanting.com

Colonial Creek Farm

https://colonialcreekfarm.com

Logees

https://logees.com

 

Recipe:

Lemongrass Custard

1½ cups milk (soy or almond can be substituted

1 cup cream (soy or almond milk)

¼ cup organic sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 stalks lemongrass, roots trimmed off

2 tablespoons fresh grated gingerroot

6 eggs, warmed at room temperature for 30 minutes or 15 minutes in warm water

fresh lemon zest

 

6 custard cups

Baking or roasting pan large enough to hold custard cups and deep enough for water bath to cover them half way up.

Oil custard cups then place them in the baking pan.

Bring the cream, lemon grass and gingerroot just to a boil.  Remove from heat and let steep for one hour.  Pour mixture through strainer into large bowl, pressing lemongrass and gingerroot to extract liquid.  Discard lemongrass and gingerroot.

Preheat oven to 325°F and bring a teakettle full of water to a boil.

Stir sugar, vanilla, and salt into the milk mixture and whisk thoroughly until the sugar dissolves.  Mix eggs in a small bowl until well blended; then pour into the milk mixture while whisking slowly until thoroughly blended.

Ladle custard mixture into greased custard cups.  Carefully slide baking pan into oven.  With oven rack still out carefully pour boiling water into pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the custard cups.  Bake custard about 35 minutes until it jiggles when shaken. Then remove from the oven and lift each cup out of the pan onto a clean towel.  Let cool about 15 minutes, then refrigerate until cold.  Serve with dollops of whipped cream topped with fresh lemon zest.

Jul 01

Not “Jost” a Berry

By Beet 2024 07 July

 

If you want more bang for your berry bush but have limited space, this plant offers thrice the berries in one space!  Ribes x nidigrolaria, known as jostaberry, (pronounced yostaberry) has a name that combines the German for blackcurrant, Johannisbeereand, “Jo”, and gooseberry, Stachelbeere, “Sta”. This hybrid resulted from a unique crossing of three species: the blackcurrant (Ribernigrum), the North American coastal black gooseberry (Ribes divaricatum) and the European gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa).  And what a wonderful berry it is!

Although a desire for gooseberry-like fruit on thornless plants started in the 1800’s, it was a long time coming to fruition.  Its first crossing in 1880 by William Culverwell (Yorkshire, England), “Ribes x culverwellii” was nearly sterile (unable to reproduce).  But of course, our heroine’s hybrid story didn’t end there. In the 1920s, a Berlin breeding program headed by Paul Lorenz resulted in about 1,000 different hybrids.  Another crossing resulted in 15,000 hybrids, from which three seedlings were selected for disease resistance, vigor, and the fertility lacking in the first plants.  In 1977, plant breeder Dr Rudolph Bauer, (Cologne, France), introduced the first official jostaberry cultivar to the public, named “Josta.”  Two more – “Jostine” and “Jogranda” – were introduced, and eventually led to the number of thornless varieties available today. The “Orus” line includes several rather prickly types, which were developed at the USDA Agricultural Research Service unit in Corvallis.

Although Jostaberry, like other currant species, is still an intermediate host for white pine blister disease, it is not banned in Oregon. However, it is banned in some US states: DE, ME, NC, NH, NJ, WV, MT, OH, RI & MA. It is restricted in MI and NH.  So here in Oregon, we get to enjoy an amazing thornless berry-plant with incredibly delicious and nutritious fruits.

Jostaberry plants are sold both bare root and potted.  They can be planted directly in the soil or put in large pots.  So even with limited space, you can still savor these super berries.  This robust, disease-resistant bush is hardy to zone 3 with good heat tolerance.  Plant in well-drained soil amended generously with compost in a sunny spot that gets some afternoon shade.  Mulch in summer and prune in winter, shortening branch tips to maintain size and remove drooping, broken or old wood. This will encourage fewer but larger berries and new replacement shoots.

Early in spring, branches sport large, bright green serrated-edge leaves with irregular lobes. Flowering in March-April is followed by clusters of green berries hanging firmly on their stems.  Ripening in July, they turn red, then satiny purplish-black in a black currant cross, or redder, in red currant crosses (which are also available).

Jostaberries are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and other beneficial compounds like their parent plants.  Jostaberries taste both tangy like gooseberries and sweet like black currants and grapes.  They’re delicious fresh, and very versatile in recipes.  Use them in fruit salads, muffins, pies and tarts. Juice them, make jams, jellies or preserves, or freeze them for later.

Since Jostaberry growth habits render commercial and mechanical harvesting impossible, you’ll have to grow your own berries to get them.  So, if you “jost” have to have this plant, save space in your garden plot or large favorite pot.

Resources:

The National Gardening Association

Growing and Caring for Jostaberry – Garden.org

Italian Berry

Jostaberry, the Triple Hybrid of Currant and Gooseberry

https://italianberry.it/en/news/jostaberry-il-triplo-ibrido-di-ribes-e-uva-spina-898

FoodStory.ca 

Jostaberry

SpecialtyProduce.com

Jostaberries: Information and Facts

Plant Sources:

One Green World

http://www.onegreenworld.com

They have both black and red varieties as well Orus 8 (a hybrid of black currant and gooseberry with less thorns)

Raintree Nursery

http://www.raintreenursery.com

Has several varieties including giant jostaberry

 

Recipe:

“Jos-to-have” Jostaberry Crisp

Oil and line the bottom of a 9” square pan with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

 

Crumble mix:

2 ½ cups oat flour (or whole wheat)

1 cup regular rolled oats

¼ cup coconut sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

½ cup olive oil

Mix dry ingredients until blended.  Drizzle in the oil, then mix until all ingredients are coated and coarsely crumbly.

Press about 1/3 of the crumble mixture into bottom of prepared 9” square pan.

 

Filling:

3 cups Jostaberries, stem and blossom tips removed

2 tablespoons oat flour

1/3 cup coconut sugar (or organic sugar)

1/8 teaspoon salt

zest and juice from one lemon or lime

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Mix all ingredients, then pour them over the crumble mix in the prepared pan.  Sprinkle over remaining crumble mix, then press down gently atop the filling.

Bake in preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes until golden and the filling is bubbling around edges.

Remove from oven.  Let cool for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold with fresh whipped cream or ice cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Serves about 8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 31

Feijoa, Feijoa

By Beet 2024 06 June

Feijoa?

Say “Fay-oh-uh”…

Fay-oh-uh, Fay-oh-uh, bo boa

Banana fana fo foa

Fee-fi-mo moa

Fay-oh-uh

 

Feijoas, Acca sellowiana, (also known as pineapple guava, Guavasteen, Brazilian guava, fig guava and Guayabo del Pais), are little-known aromatic fruits usually had by growing your own.

Feijoas have grown wild since ancient times in regions of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. An archaeological dig in Santa Catarina, Brazil reveals where Southern Je peoples may have first consumed feijoa. The shrub was named by German botanist Ernst Berger after Portuguese naturalist Joao da Silva Feijo.

Fruits spread naturally throughout South America through animals and migrating peoples. German naturalist Fredrich Sellow was one of the first to collect fruits in Brazil and Uruguay in 1815. In the mid-to-late 1800s, Swiss botanist, M. de Wette, grew the species in Europe.

Horticulturist Dr. Edouard Andre grew feijoa seedlings in his garden (1890) which eventually spread across the Riviera to Spain, France and Italy. In 1901, Dr. F. Franceschi of Santa Barbara, CA, acquired seedlings that he sent to Florida.

In the early 20th century, feijoas thrived in New Zealand and are sometimes referred to as the fruit representative of that island. They’re also grown in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the US.

Though not true guavas, feijoas are in the same family and are consumed similarly to them. The word “feijoa” generally describes many varieties within this species.

This hardy-evergreen shrub typically grows to 10 to 15 feet tall. Leaf tops are dark-glossy-green with undersides that are silvery and fuzzy. Leave unpruned for a perfect privacy hedge birds in which birds love to nest, or shape to a single trunk or espalier.

Having bi-sexual flowers, you’ll need two or more named types for fruit production. Birds and Mason bees are great pollinators, but hand pollination is best.

Whether grown for fruit or display, flowers explode like sparklers with brilliant red stamens and puffy-white sepals to create a wonderful show. Their fragrance exceeds even that of the fruit that follows.

Skins are dullish-green with leathery-smooth to pebbly-rough textures. Whether pear-shaped or round, fruits the size of a hen’s egg, and have creamy-white, slightly granular flesh with a jelly-like center pulp and edible seeds. They are rich with vitamins C, A, K and E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, fiber and flavonoids.

Feijoas’ fragrant taste is often described as minty-pineapple, strawberry, and guava. Their edible flowers’ sweet, thick, white marshmallow-like sepals melt in your mouth like cotton candy.

Plant feijoas in a wind-protected, well-drained area with afternoon filtered light. Being heavy feeders, maintain and replenish their nutrients with rich compost and balanced organic fertilizer. Although drought tolerant, regular irrigation yields better fruit production and mulching protects roots.

Harvesting is the best part. Spread tarps, cloths, or nets to catch ripe fruit that naturally falls from the plant. Use in 2-3 days before the flavor deteriorates or refrigerate. Consume raw by spooning pulp from within the skin, or freeze, dry, or make preserves or sauces. Use in cooking and baking and to make sorbet, pie filling and custards. Chop and slice for salsas and salads. Substitute for apples in recipes.

If you’re seeking a more exotic-tasting fruit or tweaking up your tropical landscape, try a feijoa to add just the right sweetness and spark.

 

Resources:

Specialty Produce

Feijoas Information and Facts

American Health and Diet Project

Foods Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere

Feijoa Feijoa

Feijoa facts

One Green World

Pineapple Guava Growing Guide

Plant Sources:

One Green World

http://www.onegeenworld.com

Raintree Nursery

http://wwwraintreenursery.com

 

Recipe:

Feijoa Mango Freeze

3 cups feijoa, peeled and cut in pieces

2 large mangos. Cut halves off the seed, then remove flesh from skin.

¼ cup agave or honey

½ cup Meyer lemon juice

1½ cups vanilla Greek yogurt (nonfat or low fat)

Puree feijoa and mango together in a food processor. Pour puree into a large bowl, then mix in the agave, lemon juice and yogurt. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to directions or in a metal cake pan in freezer. If using a cake pan, remove mixture when partially frozen and stir to break up crystals. Serve soft frozen with slices of feijoa and mango cubes. Pack in freezer containers to store.

 

 

 

 

 

Apr 30

One Potato, Blue Potatoes, Three Huckleberry and More

By Beet 2024 05 May

 

More indeed! Does Solanum tuberosum have a rainbow of varieties and an incredible history to tell!

The potato’s story started some 350 million years ago when they evolved from their poisonous ancestral plant, the noxious nightshade. Potatoes slowly evolved in the South American Andean Highlands, between Peru and Bolivia, into forms that looked like gnarly fingerlings.

Some 15 thousand years ago, the Incas arrived and started domesticating those potatoes. They preserved potatoes by dehydrating and mashing them into a substance called chuño. Allowing for storage for up to10 years, chuño provided great insurance against starvation due to crop failure.

In the 1500’s, Spanish conquistadors searching for Peruvian gold discovered potatoes and brought them to Europe. But despite its rainbow of varieties, Europeans believed the potato to be weird, poisonous and evil. For years they suspected it caused leprosy, syphilis, sterility, and narcosis, so they destroyed the very soil it grew in.

It wasn’t until French botanist, Antoine-Augustin Parmentier convinced King Louis XVI in the late 1700’s to start mass cultivations for the military. These guarded fields got the attention of civilians. Thereafter, potatoes became one of the most popular food sources in Europe. Then in 1845 a disease destroyed Ireland’s entire potato production. With a million dying from starvation, large numbers of people emigrated to North America and Australia.

Our own USA was the last large country to adopt the potato, but not until Thomas Jefferson served some spuds at a White House dinner did guests see them in a positive light.  After horticulturist Luther Burbank hybridized a disease-resistant potato in 1872, they really took off.

Once introduced to North America, they became an important part of the world’s cuisine and the fourth largest worldwide food crop (following rice, maize, and wheat.)  Due in part to their high caloric value and many varieties, world production in 2010 was 324 million tons (74.8 million in China, 36.6 million in India, 21.1 million in Ukraine, 18.3 million in the USA and 10.2 million in Germany, to name a lot.)

No matter what variety, potatoes can be consumed baked whole, mashed, roasted, fried, ground into flour, and used as a thickener for sauces.  They have highly digestible sources of vitamin C, protein, potassium, thiamine, niacin and fiber.

The “eyes” in potatoes produce stems called stolons. The stolon’s tip is where potato tubers form. Given the number of varieties (over 1,000 worldwide), it’s no wonder skins and flesh can be white, golden, deep purple, rich red, striped, green, red or purple, starchy, waxy, or in between. They can be round, oval, or fingerling ranging from a few ounces to 3 pounds.

When buying potatoes for planting, purchase certified seed potatoes to plant in rich ground soil. Planting them in pots (half barrels work well) is even better. Dumping pots out allows harvesting without digging and gives just about anyone a chance to cultivate this wonderful rainbow of heirloom tubers.

Some Potato Fun:

In 1974 Englishman Eric Jenkins grew the largest potato from one plant. It was 370 pounds!

There are two National potato holidays: one on August 19th and the other October 27th.

The “Mister Potatohead” toys came out in 1952.  Anyone remember those?

Potatoes became a fashion statement when Marie Antoinette wore their blossoms in her hair.

 

Resources:

The Little Potato Company

https://www.littlepotatoes.com › Blog

 

Vegetable Facts

Origin and History of Potatoes

Potato Nutrition

https://potatogoodness.com/potato-fun-facts-history/

 

Seed Sources:

Irish Eyes and a Hint of Garlic

http://www.irisheyesgardenseeds.com

 

Recipe:

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Preheat oven to 400° or 375° in convection oven

Cover baking sheet with heavy foil and coat with oil

2 lbs. small, single or mixed variety, fresh potatoes (fingerling, blue, red, gold, etc.) washed and halved if fingerlings or quartered if larger ovals

1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons ground organic chili powder, mild or hot

½ teaspoon organic honey

4 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced fine

Mix oil, salt, chili powder, honey, garlic and rosemary in a small bowl.  Put potato pieces in a large zip-type plastic bag.  Pour in the oil mixture then close bag and massage until all pieces are coated.

Place potato pieces on foil lined baking sheet and roast in oven about 25-35 minutes until golden.  Remove from oven and serve hot or enclose in foil and keep warm until needed.  Serves about 6 as a side dish.

 

 

Mar 31

These are Good Juju

By Beet 2024 04 April

 

What we’re talking about here isn’t just “good juju,” but Ziziphus jujube, the incredible jujube.  Also known as Chinese dates, red dates, Tsao and Korean dates, jujubes belong to Rhamnaceae, the buckthorn family.

Cultivated for more than 4,000 years in what’s believed to be their native China, jujubes were used as nutritional remedies. Their flesh has also flavored mooncakes for the autumn Mooncake Festival, the second most important celebration in China next to Chinese New Year.

The fruits were taken by extensive trade routes throughout Asia, the Middle East, Northern Africa and eventually Europe.  They were used medicinally by John Gerard in 1600s Europe.  In the early 1900s, they arrived in America with Asian immigrants who came to build the railroads. In 1908 while visiting China, US agricultural explorer Frank Meyers (who partnered with USDA) returned with samples of 67 jujube varieties, including the So jujube.  Meyers’ samples were propagated at the Chico, CA plant station, then distributed to other USDA stations in FL, GA, NM, OK, and TX.  Today, only specialty growers have So jujubes, but other improved varieties are readily available for home growers.

Prized for their unique appearance, jujube fruits are also excellent sources of fiber, vitamins A & C, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and iron. While fresh, jujubes are delightfully consumed out-of-hand.  Both the crisp, sweet, apple-like flesh and thin mahogany skin are edible.  The date-like seed should be discarded. Jujubes can also be dried, made into paste, and used instead of dates in baked goods and candies.  You can cook jujubes in soups, simmer them into syrups, steep them into tea, and flavor butter, jams and beverages.

Thriving in well-drained soils in a sunny location, jujubes are drought tolerant, require little fertilizer, and produce fruit whether pruned or not. Their imperviousness to pests and diseases is definitely another plus to raising these delightful, delicious and nutritious fruits.

These deciduous trees range from 8 to 12 feet tall, depending on variety and winter pruning.  So and various contorted varieties are even more compact. They’re unique deciduous specimens with exceptionally hard thorny wood, zig-zagging branches and small ovate leaves.

Inconspicuous 1/5 inch greenish-yellow or white fringed flowers appear over several months from late spring (missing frost damage) into summer.  Although flowers are receptive to pollination for only one day, most are partially self-fertile.  A second variety ensures better crops.

Fruits are drupes that develop over the summer into round or elongate shapes from ½ to 2 inches, depending on cultivar.  Starting out bright green, the fruits turn to a dark mahogany when ripe.  If picked when green, they won’t further ripen once off the tree.  Fruits will ripen over an extended time period of 2 to 3 months — yet another great reason to plant a jujube.

Once picked, jujubes can only be stored and refrigerated for about a week.  Enjoy them fresh while you can.  Drying or freezing will keep you in good jujube supply all year to use whenever you want.

So, what are you waiting for?  Give to your garden and fill your fruit basket with some “good juju” harvested from your own sweet jujubes.

Resources:

California Rare Fruit Growers

Jujube – CRFG Fruit Facts

Britannica

Jjujube

Specialty Produce

So Jujube Information and Facts

Ty Ty Nursery

History of the Chinese Jujube – ‘Zizphus jujube’ Tree

Jujube Sources:

One Green World

http://www.onegreenworld.com

One Green World has the So contorted jujube.

Raintree Nursery

http://raintreenursery.com

 

Recipe:

Jujube Rice Pudding

12 to 16 fresh jujubes, pits removed (slice vertically all around, twist halves in opposite directions, then dislodge the pit) and cut into large chunks

1 cup short grain brown rice

2 cups water

2 cups of soy, almond or regular milk

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup honey or agave nectar

1 egg

zest of one organic lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Sliced toasted almonds

Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan.  Add rice and stir until mixed.  Cover and cook on medium low until tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30-40 minutes.

Put 1½ cups milk, spices, sea salt, honey and chopped jujubes in a clean saucepan and stir together.  Add cooked rice and cook over medium heat stirring frequently for about 15-20 minutes until thick.

Beat the egg with the remaining ½ cup milk.  Add egg mixture and lemon zest to the rice, then return to heat and cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add vanilla and almond flavorings, stirring until combined.

Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream. (An alternative, soy whipping cream, can be found at Trader Joe’s.)  Sprinkle with sliced toasted almonds.

Serves 4-6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mar 01

A Currant Event!

By Beet 2024 03 March

  

Are Zante currants really currants or are they raisins?  The confusion abounds! 

It is likely most Americans know currants as dried fruits found in a box or bulk-food bin (and not fresh from the garden) and labeled “Zante Currants.” They have no idea any other currants exist.  However, Ribes nigrum, the genuine black currant, is the real hero in this story. Although only recently returning to US soils, this nutrient-rich powerhouse berry is something to seriously consider. 

Native to Central and Eastern Europe as well as Northern Asia, wild black currants have been growing since ancient times.  The earliest cultivation records date back to the 11th century at a Russian monastery. By the 17th century, they were planted on commercial farms and home gardens across northern Europe.  Initially harvested for medicinal purposes, then later for culinary uses, they became a very popular flavoring (especially in England) for sauces, beverages and especially desserts.

Twelve thousand acres of black currants were commercially cultivated in the US when introduced in 1899. However, the early 20th century saw their demise because they were a secondary host for spreading “white pine blister rust” fungus.  The disease nearly wiped out the US white pine logging industry, so the government banned further cultivation of black currants – hence the decline in the species popularity. Fortunately for us, in 1966 federal bans were lifted from select states, allowing them to cultivate virus-resistant varieties while other states still enforced the ban.  Thanks to Greg Quinn and his CurrantC Company, states lifting the ban in 2003 were New York, Vermont, Connecticut, and Oregon! 

Why bother cultivating black currants?  They are prized for their intense earthy, tart-fruity flavor, but also for their nutritional value.  By weight, these powerhouse berries pack up to five times the vitamin C of oranges, twice the potassium of bananas, twice the antioxidants of blueberries, and contain iron, calcium, magnesium, and manganese.  Typically consumed dried, they also make tasty juices, jams, confections, and syrups; complement meats and poultry; are a welcome addition to breads, cakes, pies, and cereals; and can be made into Cassis liqueur. 

Black currants (mildew resistant are best) grow easily in most well-drained soils amended with good vegetative (manure is for vegetables) compost in zones 3-8. Many are self-fertile, but those that aren’t need another pollenizer for fruiting. Maintain 3’ to 5’ tall and wide bushy shrubs.  They need 8 hours of sunlight and afternoon shade in our area.  Beginning 1 to 2 years after planting, mini star-shaped yellow blooms occur in March and April.  Fruits mature from early to late summer.  Harvest berries when fully ripe (intensely black) with an earthy-sweet flavor.  Then indulge in your own “genuine” black currant event.  

About those “Zante currants” — 

Vitis vinifera Corinth grapes originating in Greece from Zakynthos and Corinth are marketed as Zante currants or Corinthian raisins. The confusion arose with their arrival in the US in the 1920s. The Greek writing on the shipping boxes was mistranslated from Zakynthos and Corinth to Zante currants, as they are still falsely labeled today. They are not in any way related to genuine currants. So, if you want true black currants, you will need to grow them. 

 

Resources: 

North Dakota State University 

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/carringtonrec/archive/northern-hardy-fruit-evaluation-project/northern-hardy-fruit-evalutation-project 

 

CurrantCTM 

https://www.currantc.com 

 

Specialty Produce 

https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Black_Currant_Berries_20071.php 

 

Raintree Nursery 

https://raintreenursery.com/pages/growing-fruit-trees-currant 

 

Sources: 

One Green World 

http://www.onegreenworld.com 

They have a large variety of black currants that are self-fertile and resistant to mildew and white pine blister rust.  

 

Raintree Nursery 

http://www.raintreenursery.com 

They have numerous selections similar to One Green World. 

 

Shooting Star Nursery 

https://roguevalleynursery.com/ 

3223 Taylor Rd, Central Point 

541-840-6453 

They have Crandall black currant.  Call for available stock. 

 

Recipe: 

Fresh Black Currant Scones 

2½ cups organic whole oat flour 

1/3 cup organic coconut or date sugar 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

¼ teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

zest of one organic lemon 

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1½ cups fresh black currants, calyx and stems removed 

2/3 cup buttermilk 

1 tablespoon fresh organic lemon juice 

 

Preheat oven to 375°F. 

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil the surface.  

By hand or pulsing on-off on food processor about 1 minute, mix oat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, spices, and lemon zest until well blended.  Mix in the oil – by hand or another 30 seconds in the processor – until it resembles coarse corn meal.   

Pour dry mix into a large bowl. Gently work in buttermilk and lemon juice just until dough forms together. 

Transfer dough ball to parchment-covered baking sheet and pat out to about 9” round. Score into 8 wedges, then sprinkle with cinnamon. 

Bake in a preheated oven for about 16-18 minutes until lightly browned and done in the center.  Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet. 

Makes 8 to eat warm from the oven or freeze for later. 

Jan 31

Sweetie Be Mine

By Beet 2024 02 February

 

While this love might not be romantic in the usual way, this “sweetie” is a delicious one.

Ipomoea batatas, sweetpotatoes* (correctly combined into one word, see link at end), belong to the Convolvulaceae family (morning glory, chokeweed and water spinach). They’ve long been loved and grown around the world for thousands of years.

Although Columbus brought sweetpotatoes to Europe in the 15th century, Native Americans had grown them thousands of years before European immigrants arrived. The earliest records indicate they were cultivated in 750 BC in Peru.

Peter Martyr noted Yucatan and Honduran Native Americans growing 9 varieties of sweetpotatoes in 1514. Taken to Spain, more varieties – including red, purple and white – were cultivated.  Cultivation failed in England’s cold, wet climate.

Enslaved West Africans in North America adapted their yam recipes to sweetpotatoes.  Soon they became staples of Southern diets and recipes for all classes.  Since they were easily grown, sweetpotatoes shielded southerners against starvation during lean times and were vital for poor populations. They were easily stored beneath dirt mounds in winter.  Paired with greens, they provided nearly all essential nutrients.

In the early 20th century, Washington Carver issued 50 bulletins featuring 118 products he invented from sweetpotatoes, such as molasses, vinegar and shoe blacking. His 1936 sweetpotato pie recipe was a prototype for modern versions.

Although sweetpotatoes have roots similar to yams (Dioscorea), they’re totally different plants.  Unfortunately, the term “yam” has become a marketing misnomer for selling sweetpotatoes with deeper skin and flesh colors. (The marketing of Zante currants, which are actually raisins, has left black currants with a similar fate. But that’s another story for the Gardening Gourmet). Potatoes are also another plant altogether (Solanum tubersosum) which can cause some confusion.

Orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes (and purple-fleshed) are nutrient-rich with antioxidant beta carotene, loaded with vitamins B and C, packed with potassium and high in fiber. Their low glycemic index contributes to fewer immediate spikes in blood glucose levels.

Plants are propagated via sprouting slips coaxed from mature sweetpotatoes. Slips can be purchased, but your own are most reliable. Start slips from your preferred variety of organic sweetpotato. Avoid commercial sweetpotatoes, which are often sprayed with sprout inhibitors.

Start sprouting 6-8 weeks before planting so they’ll be ready at the right time.  Wilted purchased slips need immediate planting – even if it’s too early.

One sweetpotato grows around 15 slips.  Each slip makes a plant that produces about 60 sweetpotatoes.

Sprout slips by burying the roots horizontally halfway deep in moist sterile seed mix placed on a heat mat beneath grow lights. Sprouts will form in about a week if you keep the seed mix moist. Another approach is to place a sweetpotato vertically (narrower root-end down) halfway in glass of water (like sprouting an avocado seed) set beneath a strong light source. When sprouts are 5”-6” long, follow the seed mix procedure described earlier.

Once slips reach 5-6” long, gently cut/twist from the sweetpotato.  Remove the lower leaves and place slips in a jar of water in a warm, sunny spot or beneath grow lights for root formation.

When the roots are 4” long, plant them 12”-18” apart and 4” deep in soil that’s generously amended with compost. Water thoroughly and expect sweetpotatoes in about 85-120 days, depending on variety. Remember to save some to start next season’s slips.

From their cultivation by Native Americans, their subsequent use by colonists, to today’s home gardens, it’s no wonder sweetpotatoes have been a sustenance source in the US for so many years. So why not make these “sweeties” yours too?

*Correctly Spelling “Sweetpotato”

The one-word spelling of “sweetpotato” was adopted by the national Sweetpotato Collaborators in 1989.  Basically, many plants have one-word spellings since with two words, the first can be interpreted as an adjective modifying a noun.  For example, “goldapple” is a tomato, and “gold apple” a variety of apple.  “Sweet potato” is a sweet tasting potato, while “Sweetpotato” signifies Ipomoea batatas.  For more details go to the following link:  https://wendyshomeeconomics.com/sweetpotato-did-you-know-its-one-word-its-scientific/

 

Resources:

Gardening Know How

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/sweet-potato/how-to-get-sweet-potato-slips.htm

Mobile Bay Magazine

https://mobilebaymag.com/the-humble-sweet-potato/

Texas A&M University

https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/vegetabletravelers/sweetpotato.html

 

Sweetpotato Slip Sources:

If you want to try purchased slips…

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

https://www.southernexposure.com/search/?q=sweet%20potato%20slips

Sprout Mountain Farms

https://www.sproutmountainfarms.com/category/certified-organic-sweet-potato-slips

Territorial Seed Company

https://territorialseed.com/

 

Recipe:

Roasted Sweetpotato Strips

One large or two medium sweetpotatoes (any variety) washed, then sliced ½” thick diagonally.  Cut slices into ½” strips.

Place strips in a microwave safe dish, sprinkle with water and cook covered on high about 3½ minutes. Drain off excess water. Gently rub strips with 1 teaspoon olive oil, then sprinkle with Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning.  Bake in a 400°F oven for about 25 minutes until lightly browned.  Makes 3 to 4 servings as a healthy side dish.

Dec 31

New Year Almondac

By Beet 2024 01 January

 

 

 

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. This might in part due to prices batting the budget beyond the back nut field.

If you love , sweet almonds, perhaps in this new year it’s time to propagate one. Do not confuse sweet almonds with bitter almonds, Prunis dulcis var. amara – the latter contain serious toxins and must be cooked prior to eating them. For centuries, almonds have been used as nutritionally rich food supplies. In addition, their taste has placed them on a pedestal of preference and great value.

Their importance isn’t new. Biblical references indicate almonds have been grown in Israel since 2000 BC in Canaan. In the book of Numbers, we read that Aaron’s rod blossomed and bore almonds (Numbers 17:8). They’re also mentioned in Genesis, Ecclesiastes, and Jeremiah.

Almonds were traded among ancient travelers on the Silk Road between Greece and Turkey, then exchanged for other expensive commodities.

The first almond trees arrived with the Franciscan monks near Sacramento, California in the mid-1700s. Today more than 25 types are grown commercially in California, and supply 80% of the world’s almonds. It’s also where the largest managed pollination event in the world occurs, as 1.1 million beehives are rented to do the job.

Even with modern mechanization, like tree shakers for expediting harvesting, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has led to global decline of honeybees. With this threatening the almond industry, there’s even more reason to plant a sweet almond and attract some Mason bees for pollination.

Although many nut tasters prefer the flavor of pecans, raw, sweet almonds – with their satisfying crunch and distinctive taste – have become the prime ingredient for many foods, candies, pies and cakes.  They’re toasted and dipped in various coatings for snacks, ground into meal and flour for baking, and processed into butter. Move over peanut butter!

Almonds are not true nuts, in which the seed is contained in a hard shell that doesn’t naturally open to release the seed. Instead, almonds are edible seeds (or pits) of the fruit of the tree.  Like most seeds, they contain great nutritional value.  Consuming sweet almonds is very beneficial due to their generous offerings of protein, fats, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, B, and E.

Almonds are also lovely landscape additions, given their elongated leaves and spectacularly fragrant five-petaled blush-pink flowers that perfume the air from late January through April. They’re hardy, deciduous trees that top out at 10-15’, and 6’-9’ for dwarfs, so perfect for most garden spaces.

While many require another variety as pollinator for fruit production, some are self-fertile. There are also dwarf and low chill varieties. Have limited space? Put in a dwarf self-fertile variety. Tolerating a wide variety of well-drained soils, newly planted almonds flourish with 8 hours or more of sun, good mulching, well-balanced organic fertilizer, and regular-deep irrigation (typically 1” per week over the root zone). Once established they need little supplemental irrigation.

After 2-3 years you can expect your first crop sometime in October. So, act now and acquire that sweet almond you’ve wanted to try.

Resources:

Britannica

https://www.britannica.com/plant/almond

Ty Ty Nursery

https://www.tytyga.com/History-of-Almond-Trees-a/368.htm

Raintree Nursery

https://raintreenursery.com/pages/growing-fruit-trees-almonds

 

Tips for selecting a sweet almond tree:

  • Make sure you know your areas chill hours (check with JCMGA for info)
  • If you have room for one tree only, make sure it’s self-fertile
  • If you want a dwarf tree, make sure the plant identification gives maximum height at maturity (smallest dwarf sizes are 6-9’)

Sweet Almond Tree Sources:

The following nursery sources have adequate information on their stock so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting. For further assistance, they have knowledgeable assistants ready to help by phone or email.

Both of these sources have self-fertile and dwarf trees suitable for this area.

Raintree Nursery

https://raintreenursery.com/collections/almonds

One Green World

https://onegreenworld.com/?s=almond

 

Recipe:

Roasted Cocoa Spice Almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F

Line a jelly roll pan with heavy foil

1 lb raw almonds

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons organic honey

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Mix oil and honey, then pour it in a large zip-type bag. Add almonds. Close bag and massage until all are coated.

Mix cocoa, salt and spices in a large bowl. Dump in almonds and mix until all are coated.  Spread almonds on foil-covered pan. Bake in preheated oven about 15-18 minutes until centers are golden when broken open. Remove pan and let almonds cool.  Store in rigid containers (locking top plastic boxes, glass jars), in a cool dark place for up to 4 months or freeze to keep longer. Serve whole or chop for adding to or topping desserts or cookies.

 

Nov 29

Berried Treasures

By Beet 2023 12 December

“Here we go round the mul-’bry bush so early in the morning.”  While this old English song calls it a bush, Morus alba, Morus rubra and Morus nigra are actually trees. In the Moraceae family along with figs, breadfruit and jackfruit, mulberries (like quince and several other plants) have lost their positions in home gardens. However, new varieties and awareness campaigns are causing a comeback for this most valuable heirloom tree.

Mulberries have a rich history indeed. Native red fruiting trees (Eastern US coast) have been used for centuries by Native Americans. In the De Soto expedition of the mid 1500’s, explorers observed the Muskogee consuming dried mulberries and Iroquois mixing mashed dried mulberry fruit in sauces and cornbread. The Timucua in Florida consumed mulberry fruits and used their leaves and twigs for dye. The Seminoles used branches for bows.

Chinese white mulberries (wild in China, then naturalized in Europe with leaves providing food for silkworms) were brought to the US in the mid 1800’s for making silk. Though this ultimately proved too costly a venture, the trees survived.

Native Asian black mulberries, cultivated in Europe since Roman times, are still used for their delicious berries and shade. Their leaves were fed to livestock and used for medicinal treatments. They became prized in the Tudor era when 10,000 black mulberry trees were mistakenly bought instead of white for silk production. Silk making was a bust, but the black fruits became all the rage in England.

Although many see mulberries as merely an annoyance, their delicious, nutritious and versatile native red, white naturalized, and black Asian fruits have become more sought after. While mulberries can grow 50 to 80 feet tall, new smaller varieties offer options for backyard gardens. Dwarfed trees still have distinctive delicious blackberry-flavored fruits with phenomenal amounts of beneficial nutrients.  It’s like plucking super blackberries from a tree!  Mulberries are bursting with vitamins (C, K1 and E), potassium, iron and fiber.  They also have phenolic acid, antioxidants and anthocyanins found in black fruits and vegetables.

No matter the variety, mulberries are deciduous — having toothed or lobed alternately arranged leaves along long, graceful stems.  Minute flowers bloom in late spring followed by fruits in white, pink, red, purple, or nearly black, harvestable by late summer.  Self-fertile trees have both male and female (monoecious) flowers on the same tree.  Others are single sex (dioecious) requiring a pollinator.  Although red and white mulberries tend to be the biggies, dwarf, weeping or contorted varieties and black fruited tend to be the most practical size, ranging from 8-10 feet at maturity.

Mulberries grow well in most well-drained soils (preferably away from walkways, patios, and driveways to avoid fruit stains) and away from water or septic lines they’ll want to tap into. They need half-day or full sun and are somewhat drought tolerant once established.  Summer pruning maintains a manageable height.  Fruiting usually begins 3 to 5 years after planting.  It’s well worth the wait. Given its great disease and pest resistance and lovely tropical-like foliage, why not give this tree a try? Then harvest some American heritage — rounding your own mulberry “bush” of bounteous, beneficial, and delicious fruits.

 

Recipe:

 Mulberry Buckle

Preheat oven to 375°.  Oil bottom and sides of a nine-inch cake pan.

Topping:

1/3 cup coconut sugar

½ cup organic white, whole wheat, or oat flour

½ cup regular rolled oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ cup olive oil

Mix together all ingredients until crumbly and set aside.

 

Cake:

2 cups organic white, whole wheat, or oat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2/3 cup coconut sugar

zest of one organic lemon

¼ cup olive oil

1 egg (substitute 1 tablespoon gold flax meal soaked in 3 tablespoons hot water)

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup milk (soy or almond or oat milk)

2 cups mulberries, stemmed

 

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, spices, sea salt, sugar, and lemon zest. In a medium bowl, stir together oil, milk and egg until blended. Stir milk mixture into dry ingredients. Fold in mulberries.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle crumb mixture over top. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until cake center doesn’t stick to toothpick. Remove from oven and serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 8-10.

 

Resources:

One Green World

https://onegreenworld.com/mysteries-of-the-mulberry-tree/

Raintree Nursery

https://raintreenursery.com/pages/growing-fruit-trees-mulberries

UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/mulberry.html

Baltimore Orchard Project

https://www.baltimoreorchardproject.org/our-blog/forgottenfruit

 

Tree Sources:

One Green world

https://onegreenworld.com/?s=mulberry

Raintree Nursery

https://raintreenursery.com/search?type=product&q=mulberry*

Both nurseries have many varieties including dwarf, weeping and contorted (this variety is more ornamental having less fruit).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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