In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen
The past week was all about apricots. We picked the last one yesterday and the total harvest came to 64 pounds. This is the largest crop we’ve had in six years—about when the drought began and the winters tended warmer. The apricots do need some chill and we are two blocks from the ocean which moderates our temperatures. This year we had the needed lower temperatures. My husband also changed up some of his pruning techniques.
We capped apricot season with a cobbler over the weekend. My husband prepped the apricots while I made the topping. It was a luscious treat with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
In addition to a dozen pints of stewed apricots stowed in the freezer, I made pureed apricots for my grandson, Shiloh. Eleven little four ounce jars are in the freezer for him when he starts solids in a few months. Once again, TSA will inspect my suitcase when I travel to Seattle and wonder about these little frozen goodies.
Today begins the week of ‘Dorsett Golden’ apples. We picked 27 pounds recently and another five or so remain on the tree. I’ll be freezing a dozen little jars of pureed applesauce for Shiloh along with pints of the chunkier style that we prefer. The rhubarb stalks are hefty and numerous so we’ll make some rhubarb-apple sauce. To some of that I’ll add my strawberry guava puree which turns the sauce a lovely pink color.
A few blossoms appeared on our espaliered apple tree so likely there will be more soon and we’ll have a second smaller crop in the fall. This is a very productive variety. I’m also looking forward to some apple desserts too.
In Massachusetts we had three full-size apple trees and we often harvested 100 bushels and made 50 or more gallons of applesauce. Friends would come over after children were in bed. We’d work late making applesauce and split the take. We dried apples, froze apples and made cider. For now, we’re thankful for our little tree.
One lone off-bloom navel orange dropped to the ground. Along with a few more in the fridge, I plan to make more orange-almond granola and freeze some zest.
The very last of the lettuce was sorted into three piles. The top is for the humans. The pile to the left is for my friend’s rabbits . What’s on the right is suitable only for the worms in the worm bin.
The humans enjoyed a salad with the last of the lettuce. I planted more summer lettuce varieties this week in a container and six in dappled shade under the tomato plants.
Cosmos, ‘Mavis Simpson’ geranium, scabiosa and gomphrena ‘Airy Bachelor Buttons.’
I grew ‘Double Click’ cosmos from seed this year and have especially enjoyed incorporating them in bouquets. Sometimes I surprise myself and this bouquet delights me every time I pass by it in the dining room.
See what other garden bloggers harvested from their gardens last week at Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres.
