In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen

Part two of the carrot harvest happened last week to clear the way for tomatoes and cucumbers. I was pleased with the performance of the varieties I planted: pelleted seed of Romance and Bolero from San Diego Seed Company and Tri-color Carrots from Renee’s Garden. The soil was very loose and some of the carrots were ten inches in length. The carrots are crisp and sweet. My husband, who’s not a raw carrot fan, commented on the significant difference between these and purchased carrots.

Behind the carrots, the Baby Ball Beets from Renee’s Garden were ready to harvest. I’ve been pulling them at various sizes for almost two months. They are delicious at golf ball size but when they escape and become like a softball, they maintain the excellent texture and flavor.

I made more pickled beets using the recipe shared by a Swedish friend decades ago.

Between the beets and carrots the last of the spring onions were trimmed up for future use.

I cleared another raised bed and gathered the last of the chard for my African friend who is undergoing chemo. He told me that chard is his favorite vegetable.

We snipped the last dozen navel oranges from the tree recently. This late in the season the texture is diminished but the juice is so very sweet.

With the last of my broccoli side shoots and some of my Yukon Gem potatoes I made an easy one pan dinner with chicken breasts and Gruyère cheese. The smallest pieces of broccoli made a Broccoli and Friends grilled sandwich—a nod to the original Moosewood Cookbook.

Fruit season begins. We’ve made applesauce from the first apples and the apricots are luscious. More on those next week.

Meanwhile, I’m smitten by the Roald Dahl, David Austin roses in the street side garden.

Check the What I’m Planting Now page as I prepare for the warm season garden. Then head to Harvest Monday, hosted by Dave at Happy Acres blog and see what garden bloggers around the world harvested last week.

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