In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen
I planted tomatoes and summer lettuce this week but the garden is at the intersection of the cool and warm seasons. The kale still thrives without any aphids and the beets and carrots are ready to harvest. To make room for butternut squash, I brought in all the celery. Earlier plantings of lettuce are bolting and the sweet peas both bloom and set seed. Two plantings of arugula produce well whatever the season. Nearby, the artichoke yields large globes and the apple, apricot and nectaplum crops look promising. It is April in my coastal garden.
With the seasonal abundance I like to compose garden gift plates. They’re satisfying in the same way as making a flower arrangement though generally more hastily assembled.
Lately, I walk to a nearby cafe to drop off arugula flowers and calendulas for plating (garnishes). Little Lion Cafe is a local gem with a European and hip vibe. Everything is fresh and artfully prepared.
The blueberries and the kumquats grow next to each other on our sunny patio and they pair well topping Sunday waffles.
This salad was composed by color and delighted my eye and palate. ‘Sea of Red’ lettuce and shreds of ‘Black Magic’ kale provide the base. Add diagonal cuts of celery, sliced magenta radishes, dried cranberries and toasted pepitas. To be repeated.
Four ‘Tango’ celery plants each “twinned” so I had eight plants I’ve been cutting from this winter and spring. Next year I’ll harvest and hold some of the plants earlier before they bolt and become bitter.
The celery harvest was washed, sorted, and shared. Some went to friends, some to critters and some to the compost bin. I made vegetable broth to freeze and sorted by quality and characteristics for cooking, salads and snacks.
My Sunday bouquet: ‘Sunset Celebration’ roses, ‘Classic Magic’ bachelor buttons, larkspur and violas.
You may enjoy seeing what other garden bloggers harvested last week at Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres.
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