My garden is really getting interesting. A few weeks ago, I could barely keep up with the waves of greens. My favorites were broccoli raab and baby bok choy. The arrugula and lettuces keep coming. I will have to seed some new ones, though, as soon as some space frees up.
I need to come up with an idea for beets quick! I have made beet kvass before, but haven’t used up the last batch, so I need a different plan. Some of them are ready to pick.
The first cucumber is as big as a pinkie finger. It has “pickle” written all over it! The cornichons are not fruiting yet, but I am working on an adaptation of vinegar recipes for traditional cornichons. Can’t find one so I’ll have to figure it out myself!
I was hoping to try nasturtium capers, but the nasturtium flowers are languishing. I just gave them some organic fertilizer so we will see….
My neighbor asked me to water some plants in her absence and as she was showing me around her yard, I spotted a grape vine! Finally, a source for leaves to make pickled grape leaves. I already envision a Mediterranean feast with preserved lemons, too. Additionally, I look forward to adding a leaf at the bottom of all my ferments to keep them crunchy. What a stroke of luck to find a good source so close by!
I just picked my first banana pepper today and am hoping to have enough to pickle these as well. The hotter, rarer varieties are not seeming to progress, sadly. I do have a neighbor with too many jalapeno plants, so my dream of garden fresh fermented hot sauce is not dead!
There is only room enough for three modestly sized cabbages in my garden. Not near enough to keep up with the predilection for cortido in my house. Still, their fate was sealed before they were even planted. I can supplement with the farmers’ market.
Last but not least: kohlrabi. I have never grown it before so I don’t know if it is ready when it is tennis-ball sized or should I go for softballs? And then, what to do with it? Not very well known in the U.S.. Suggestions are welcome!
If you have been meaning to try your hand at ferments, but haven’t gotten around to it, my advice is to plant a garden. You will simply have to figure out what to do with the produce once you pick it.
