Dahlias

Well, it's been a really busy summer, and now it's already fall. We've been bad bloggers (and not much better gardeners), and now we're heading into the dormant season. Hopefully I'll get around to posting something new now and again, some progress on the hop tree in the front planter bed, or a view of the forest of onions I started in the backyard bed. The community garden has been mostly cleared and I may get some leeks in the ground, with the knowledge that I'll not be by there but once or twice a month through the rainy season.

:::

basil, basil, basil

I have high hopes for garden basil. In the past, planting it in the main veggie bed, it's the first to be devoured, it's tender leaves perforated nearly overnight. I'm hoping that isolating into a tall planter will keep it from falling prey to the cut worms and slugs that are inevitable in the main bed, and let these tender babies flourish!

I planted three species: lovely genovese sweet basil for caprese salad, delicate yet spicy thai for soups, and a new-to-me flavor: purple basil. Apparently it's fabulous in pesto, so if it takes off, I'll give that a try!

Now: fingers crossed!

:::

chicken stuffed with (garden) sage, over roasted (garden) fennel

1. stuffedchicken, 2. breadedchicken, 3. chickenfennel

I'm in love with fennel. I oughta marry it.

I'm also currently in love with the two kinds of sage that are going like gangbusters in my gardens - one is long and willowy, with light silvery green leaves, and the other is squat, with rounder, darker and more textured leaves. I'm slipping the thin leaves under a lot of chicken skin prior to roasting (yummilicious) and dicing up more of the rounder leaves for sauteing into risotto, soup, etc.

This time I diced up the round leaf sage with shallots, garlic and s&p and stuffed the mix into skinless chicken thighs, pinned together with toothpicks. Breaded and roasted over quartered fennel, leeks and sage, this was a PUUUURFECT summer al fresco meal on the back deck!

(I didn't think of it at the time, but I should have served it with this)

:::

bulb onions

Yes, this is pretty much the equivalent of every parent thinking that their kid is the cutest/smartest/best in the world:

Yes, I know that they are 'just onions', but they are MY onions, and I think they are beautiful!

:::

the lettuce lineup

Just planted, back in April
















Abundant and harvestable, and downright delicious!

spring onions

This is actually from a few weeks ago, but just now getting around to pulling photos off the camera... These were harvested to take over to Julie's backyard BBQ to grill with the chicken and pork tenderloin - YUM!

squash blossoms

These are not from my garden - I wish! Swung by the Ferry Building Farmer's Market today and as the stands were packing up, a purveyor offered me my pick for $1. They are a little thorny, but I'm going to see what a little shallot/ricotta stuffing and some braising in chicken stock will do....


ps. Kris, if you haven't noticed, this is my FAVORITE bowl for veggie photo shoots! Thanks for it!