My newest batch of chocolates, pistachio-rose with dark chocolate shell, and white-chocolate pistachio with dark chocolate lace.
ingredients in random order: pistachios (roasted, unsalted), coconut palm sugar, coconut oil, sea salt, cocoa butter, bourbon vanilla extract, coconut milk, dark chocolate, rose water, rose petals
they are so very creamy and flavorful, i'm proud of them! vegan white chocolate is coming along! no soy, either. chocolate-making is delightful. today, i'll be working on finishing the other flavors i began last night, coconut-oolong, and korean-red-chili, and i make make some separate red chili candy that is not chocolatey, just delicious and spicy sweet. candy candy candy.
13.3.11
pistachio truffles
4.3.11
Sesame Leaf
At the asian market the other day, I bought sesame leaves. Having never seen a leaf from the plant on which sesame seeds grow, I assumed this was it. It even had a faint sesame-spinachy smell. The smell must have been psycho-somatically induced, however, as korean sesame leaves are actually perilla, and have nothing to do with the sesame seed plant.
I was curious what sesame seed plants look like, and i found this sweet picture of the plants being bundled so the seeds may dry for harvesting:
Perilla is an herb, apparently the Korean variety is called Sesame Leaf, while the Japanese variety is known as Shiso. I had Shiso in my garden a few years ago as the farm I had worked on grew a whole bunch to sell as a gourmet spice at farmers' markets. I took a couple of seedlings.
Red shiso is used in pickling, and its what gives pickled ginger its lovely pink hue. I have eaten it in many recipes.
For this bunch of Sesame Leaf, I'm planning to add into the epic veggie broth I'll be stirring up this weekend. I might save a bunch of leaves to do this with:
(recipe found here)
Kkaetip saengjeoli:
Rinse 100 grams of sesame leaves.
Prepare seasoning (yangnyeom), consisting of
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. gochugaru
2 pods green chili, chopped
3 pods red chili, chopped
1/4 medium western onion, minced
1/2 spring onion, sliced crosswise in small pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 finger ginger, minced
Layer leaves and allow to marinate briefly.
Serve as side dish (banchan).
although I'll substitute tamari for soy sauce, and possibly add a dash of ume vinegar and probably lemon juice as i love that sort of tang.
(image found here, which has more recipes that look awesome.)
yum.
I was curious what sesame seed plants look like, and i found this sweet picture of the plants being bundled so the seeds may dry for harvesting:
Perilla is an herb, apparently the Korean variety is called Sesame Leaf, while the Japanese variety is known as Shiso. I had Shiso in my garden a few years ago as the farm I had worked on grew a whole bunch to sell as a gourmet spice at farmers' markets. I took a couple of seedlings.
Red shiso is used in pickling, and its what gives pickled ginger its lovely pink hue. I have eaten it in many recipes.
For this bunch of Sesame Leaf, I'm planning to add into the epic veggie broth I'll be stirring up this weekend. I might save a bunch of leaves to do this with:
(recipe found here)
Kkaetip saengjeoli:
Rinse 100 grams of sesame leaves.
Prepare seasoning (yangnyeom), consisting of
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. gochugaru
2 pods green chili, chopped
3 pods red chili, chopped
1/4 medium western onion, minced
1/2 spring onion, sliced crosswise in small pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 finger ginger, minced
Layer leaves and allow to marinate briefly.
Serve as side dish (banchan).
although I'll substitute tamari for soy sauce, and possibly add a dash of ume vinegar and probably lemon juice as i love that sort of tang.
(image found here, which has more recipes that look awesome.)
yum.
3.3.11
Master Cleansing; purification ritual
cleansing experience and purification tips.
I'm currently in day 8 of the master cleanse. I have been doing this internal cleaning since i was about 17. Back then, when i ate a pretty standard american diet, I needed it bad. It was a lot more intense, with a strong detox effect at least one of the days, usually the 3rd and 4th day. I would get light headed and confused, unable to connect my thoughts very well. That would pass and towards the end of the cleanse, I would become so clear and energetic, rejuvenated.
since for the last 3 and a half years, i've followed this dairy- and gluten-free diet, maybe i'm not as dirty on the inside. At times over the course of this new lifestyle, i've been more or less clean, depending on whether i was choosing to or not to consume sugars, caffeine, non-glutenous grains, alcohol, and meats. I wanted to cleanse recently as I had been smoking cigarettes, eating sugar and fried foods often, and over-indulging in alcohol which led me to more poor food choices. (I ate PIZZA! ergh! i don't even like pizza!) I was feeling bad. physically sluggish and inflamed, exhausted. So, i decided to use the cleanse as my gateway to the radiant health I have known before. On day 8, it seems to be working. I'm enjoying the clarity of sobriety and mornings without caffeine. Stretching and yoga asanas have become a daily routine, as well as light meditation. AND i can't wait to eat clean, nourishing foods when I am finished. I prepared a batch of kimchi for when i'm done, and I have plenty of veggie scraps for broth.
I drank a lot of tea during this cleanse, as well as incorporating coconut water a couple of times. i had one foggy day- the 2nd day, and it was just in the evening. i was spacey. Since then i've felt pretty normal. Clear. My sleep has been better. The one thing that has been going on is a lot of muscle soreness, though. There are insane knots in my shoulders, my glutes are sore, and my mid-back has been bothering me so much! i feel like I can't do anything for more than 10-15 minutes before i'm uncomfortable.
on the cleanse, your tongue turns white
or yellow.
but then, it clears.
advice:
if you're using smooth move, make sure you take it 10-12 hours before you need to leave the house in the morning, as you do not want to be out in your car or walking or public transportation and have that urge. if you use salt water, I don't know what to tell you. that stuff makes me feel terrible. but everyone's different.
definitely drink water between cleanse drinks. and herbals tea so you get to have some flavor action and some other nutrients. this also helps you form poop.
you may be inclined to think a lot about food. go for it. you may find yourself obsessing about more healthful things. read about different dietary choices, read recipes! read about radiant health. enjoy planning out the way you will think and feel about the food you will enjoy when you are finished.
smelling other peoples' food can feel like a feast to someone on a cleanse. I find that it is not frustrating at all, and i love smelling what people are cooking. walk into an indian or thai restaurant and smell the air! don't be afraid to sit with friends who are eating. you'll be fine.
PURIFICATION, beyond the master cleanse
to enhance your rejuvenation, and come out feeling pure and fresh, i suggest you perform some rituals for yourself.
-take baths. assuming you enjoy them. cleansing is a time to pamper your physical self. adding epsom salts helps pull toxins, so its physically helpful, too. i have been adding patchouli-mint salts to my baths, which make me feel grounded and refreshed.
-clean your environment! get rid of anything that isn't serving you. anything you don't LOVE or put to use *frequently* is junk. clean your windows and kitchen and bathroom, get the air circulating! even if its cold out, open the window wide for a moment to replace stagnant air with fresh, clean air.
-sit comfortably in comfortable clothing that you love. put on any jewelry or other adornments which make you feel powerful or special. birds and feathers, snakes and skins, are good totems to have around you for the energy of rejuvenation. stones such as quartz, rose quartz, and amethyst will give you more healing, cleansing energy. light candles with intention.
visualize the changes you want to make. take time to list on paper or in your mind the things you are leaving behind and the things you are moving towards. picture yourself in the situations you want to create for yourself. imagine radiant health, what that looks, feels, and tastes like. spend a few moments focused on your breathing, breathing out the old, breathing in the new.
-exfoliate!!! use a dry brush and/or a salt scrub. dry brushing also increases lymph circulation, therefore stimulating MORE internal cleansing! sweet.
-smudge your home and your body with a sage bundle. I suggest doing this at the very end of the cleanse, in the evening of your last full day of it, before the day you plan to break it. Smudging purifies the energy around you, dispelling stale stuff and cleansing everything. its a powerful feeling, walking into an environment that has been cleansed this way. get all the corners and closets and under the bed!
enjoy the time. pamper yourself. get enough rest. get some light exercise in every day, like stretching, dancing, yoga, walking, galavating, etc. make sure to spend time in nature. happy cleansing <3 <3 jackie
I'm currently in day 8 of the master cleanse. I have been doing this internal cleaning since i was about 17. Back then, when i ate a pretty standard american diet, I needed it bad. It was a lot more intense, with a strong detox effect at least one of the days, usually the 3rd and 4th day. I would get light headed and confused, unable to connect my thoughts very well. That would pass and towards the end of the cleanse, I would become so clear and energetic, rejuvenated.
since for the last 3 and a half years, i've followed this dairy- and gluten-free diet, maybe i'm not as dirty on the inside. At times over the course of this new lifestyle, i've been more or less clean, depending on whether i was choosing to or not to consume sugars, caffeine, non-glutenous grains, alcohol, and meats. I wanted to cleanse recently as I had been smoking cigarettes, eating sugar and fried foods often, and over-indulging in alcohol which led me to more poor food choices. (I ate PIZZA! ergh! i don't even like pizza!) I was feeling bad. physically sluggish and inflamed, exhausted. So, i decided to use the cleanse as my gateway to the radiant health I have known before. On day 8, it seems to be working. I'm enjoying the clarity of sobriety and mornings without caffeine. Stretching and yoga asanas have become a daily routine, as well as light meditation. AND i can't wait to eat clean, nourishing foods when I am finished. I prepared a batch of kimchi for when i'm done, and I have plenty of veggie scraps for broth.
I drank a lot of tea during this cleanse, as well as incorporating coconut water a couple of times. i had one foggy day- the 2nd day, and it was just in the evening. i was spacey. Since then i've felt pretty normal. Clear. My sleep has been better. The one thing that has been going on is a lot of muscle soreness, though. There are insane knots in my shoulders, my glutes are sore, and my mid-back has been bothering me so much! i feel like I can't do anything for more than 10-15 minutes before i'm uncomfortable.
on the cleanse, your tongue turns white
or yellow.
but then, it clears.
advice:
if you're using smooth move, make sure you take it 10-12 hours before you need to leave the house in the morning, as you do not want to be out in your car or walking or public transportation and have that urge. if you use salt water, I don't know what to tell you. that stuff makes me feel terrible. but everyone's different.
definitely drink water between cleanse drinks. and herbals tea so you get to have some flavor action and some other nutrients. this also helps you form poop.
you may be inclined to think a lot about food. go for it. you may find yourself obsessing about more healthful things. read about different dietary choices, read recipes! read about radiant health. enjoy planning out the way you will think and feel about the food you will enjoy when you are finished.
smelling other peoples' food can feel like a feast to someone on a cleanse. I find that it is not frustrating at all, and i love smelling what people are cooking. walk into an indian or thai restaurant and smell the air! don't be afraid to sit with friends who are eating. you'll be fine.
PURIFICATION, beyond the master cleanse
to enhance your rejuvenation, and come out feeling pure and fresh, i suggest you perform some rituals for yourself.
-take baths. assuming you enjoy them. cleansing is a time to pamper your physical self. adding epsom salts helps pull toxins, so its physically helpful, too. i have been adding patchouli-mint salts to my baths, which make me feel grounded and refreshed.
-clean your environment! get rid of anything that isn't serving you. anything you don't LOVE or put to use *frequently* is junk. clean your windows and kitchen and bathroom, get the air circulating! even if its cold out, open the window wide for a moment to replace stagnant air with fresh, clean air.
-sit comfortably in comfortable clothing that you love. put on any jewelry or other adornments which make you feel powerful or special. birds and feathers, snakes and skins, are good totems to have around you for the energy of rejuvenation. stones such as quartz, rose quartz, and amethyst will give you more healing, cleansing energy. light candles with intention.
visualize the changes you want to make. take time to list on paper or in your mind the things you are leaving behind and the things you are moving towards. picture yourself in the situations you want to create for yourself. imagine radiant health, what that looks, feels, and tastes like. spend a few moments focused on your breathing, breathing out the old, breathing in the new.
-exfoliate!!! use a dry brush and/or a salt scrub. dry brushing also increases lymph circulation, therefore stimulating MORE internal cleansing! sweet.
-smudge your home and your body with a sage bundle. I suggest doing this at the very end of the cleanse, in the evening of your last full day of it, before the day you plan to break it. Smudging purifies the energy around you, dispelling stale stuff and cleansing everything. its a powerful feeling, walking into an environment that has been cleansed this way. get all the corners and closets and under the bed!
enjoy the time. pamper yourself. get enough rest. get some light exercise in every day, like stretching, dancing, yoga, walking, galavating, etc. make sure to spend time in nature. happy cleansing <3 <3 jackie
20.12.10
holiday delights
2 years ago i made vegan chocolate truffles, and they were DEElicious. i'm going to make some this year, and i'm thinking about flavors.
in the past, the flavors i made were:
peanut butter
pumpkin spice (nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, mace)
curry-lime
chili-hibiscus
and they were delicious.
i used dagoba baking chocolate as well as some ghirardelli chips, and for the inside of all the truffles, i mixed the melted chocolate with cocoa butter, coconut milk, coconut butter, and the flavorings. i mixed them over the stove in a double-boiler, then put them in the fridge once they were uniformly mixed. when they cooled, the texture was like modeling clay. i used a melon baller to scoop out circles, then used a wooden skewer to dip each one into melted plain dark chocolate. i dusted each one with appropriate spices or decorated it with little dried bits of the ingredients.
anyway. this year i'm thinking of making more intricate little guys. like making a creme or something to put in the center with the chocolate instead of just blending the flavors in with the chocolate, like putting actual penanut butter on a bit of chocolate instead of blending the two. so you bite in and see peanut butter and chocolate. am i being redundant? i aim for clarity through this foggy mind of mine right now. i'm going through nicotine withdrawal. please forgive me.
so flavors i was thinking about maybe:
raspberry, using raspberry preserves
mint (maybe with a cream?)
peanut butter and honey
vanilla + sea salt
eh? eh? sounding good? i'm not sure yet.
also i think im making these for new years rather than christmas
oooh also maybe some liquors? a local place makes these champagne truffles that are SO damn good... i wonder how they do that. i want to do that!
maybe some with this lambrusco i bought a case of...
ok, well, we'll see how they turn out! let me know if you have any suggestions! <3
in the past, the flavors i made were:
peanut butter
pumpkin spice (nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, mace)
curry-lime
chili-hibiscus
and they were delicious.
i used dagoba baking chocolate as well as some ghirardelli chips, and for the inside of all the truffles, i mixed the melted chocolate with cocoa butter, coconut milk, coconut butter, and the flavorings. i mixed them over the stove in a double-boiler, then put them in the fridge once they were uniformly mixed. when they cooled, the texture was like modeling clay. i used a melon baller to scoop out circles, then used a wooden skewer to dip each one into melted plain dark chocolate. i dusted each one with appropriate spices or decorated it with little dried bits of the ingredients.
anyway. this year i'm thinking of making more intricate little guys. like making a creme or something to put in the center with the chocolate instead of just blending the flavors in with the chocolate, like putting actual penanut butter on a bit of chocolate instead of blending the two. so you bite in and see peanut butter and chocolate. am i being redundant? i aim for clarity through this foggy mind of mine right now. i'm going through nicotine withdrawal. please forgive me.
so flavors i was thinking about maybe:
raspberry, using raspberry preserves
mint (maybe with a cream?)
peanut butter and honey
vanilla + sea salt
eh? eh? sounding good? i'm not sure yet.
also i think im making these for new years rather than christmas
oooh also maybe some liquors? a local place makes these champagne truffles that are SO damn good... i wonder how they do that. i want to do that!
maybe some with this lambrusco i bought a case of...
ok, well, we'll see how they turn out! let me know if you have any suggestions! <3
3.9.10
working like a dandelion
i'm working on a real website! i can be so scattered and silly about these things.
this one blog is difficult to maintain because i set a parameter around making this a food/health/garden blog. but i also like to make pretty things and sing and dance and party and travel and space out and wonder and wander, and i want to tell you about all those things, too! the other hard part is my lack of design skills. my craftswomanship is very simple. i have grand visions, but a tough time with the execution of it all. anyway. it isn't quite ready yet, but it may not be for awhile, so if you'd like to have a gander, mosey on.
this one blog is difficult to maintain because i set a parameter around making this a food/health/garden blog. but i also like to make pretty things and sing and dance and party and travel and space out and wonder and wander, and i want to tell you about all those things, too! the other hard part is my lack of design skills. my craftswomanship is very simple. i have grand visions, but a tough time with the execution of it all. anyway. it isn't quite ready yet, but it may not be for awhile, so if you'd like to have a gander, mosey on.
25.8.10
late august garden update
so summer is falling down and its been raining for 4 days. i can't believe its almost over. this transition, summer into autumn, is my least favorite time of year. it makes my heart sink. all i can think about is making some big change in my life to keep me occupied enough not to fall prey to the sadness. the dreary-time-of-year deep blues. i better stock up on vitamin D supplements while i have an income. i'm already thinking of jumping off the deep end and moving to an unfamiliar place...
anyway. the garden is just becoming abundant. here and there i had little harvests, but now there are real meals going on. and soon it will be even more plentiful! there are so many big green tomatoes about to turn, and about a dozen cucumbers almost done plumping. the corn, oh, the corn! its not ready yet, but its got ears! and hair! like a real baby! i love my corn babies. i can't wait to partake in their delicious! here are some pictures:
the whole darn thing
nature's candy, sugar cherry tomatoes, everyones' favorite snack.
flamingo peppers... i'm not sure if they're done maturing so i let them get a little older for now...
the flowering bloody butcher corn, so pretty!
ground cherries. of the cossack pineapple variety. these things are so amazing. nutty and sweet and tangy and buttery almost... they're so odd and delicious!!! yum. and prolific plants, man.
sugar snap peas and muskmelon leaves... i can't wait for the melons!!!
there a lots more garden pics on flickr- cayenne pepper, 5-color peppers, more corn pics, broccoli, and such if it fancies you to look at growing things.
love
anyway. the garden is just becoming abundant. here and there i had little harvests, but now there are real meals going on. and soon it will be even more plentiful! there are so many big green tomatoes about to turn, and about a dozen cucumbers almost done plumping. the corn, oh, the corn! its not ready yet, but its got ears! and hair! like a real baby! i love my corn babies. i can't wait to partake in their delicious! here are some pictures:
the whole darn thing
nature's candy, sugar cherry tomatoes, everyones' favorite snack.
flamingo peppers... i'm not sure if they're done maturing so i let them get a little older for now...
the flowering bloody butcher corn, so pretty!
ground cherries. of the cossack pineapple variety. these things are so amazing. nutty and sweet and tangy and buttery almost... they're so odd and delicious!!! yum. and prolific plants, man.
sugar snap peas and muskmelon leaves... i can't wait for the melons!!!
there a lots more garden pics on flickr- cayenne pepper, 5-color peppers, more corn pics, broccoli, and such if it fancies you to look at growing things.
love
9.8.10
summer salad
i do not like lettuce. only butter/boston/bibb lettuce that is green and watery and not bitter at all. i do NOT like bitter lettuce. keep your endives and frisee, you gourmand. give me the sweet stuff.
i like to use herbs as my salad greens, and pea shoots are another fave. anyway. here's an easy, delicious salad to make when peaches are ripe and beautiful heirloom tomatoes are juicy.
cilantro, tomato, avocado, peach, and squeezes of lime+orange juices. that's it.
so good.
i made a small, personal portion and put it in a tortilla wrap, to go.
i like to use herbs as my salad greens, and pea shoots are another fave. anyway. here's an easy, delicious salad to make when peaches are ripe and beautiful heirloom tomatoes are juicy.
cilantro, tomato, avocado, peach, and squeezes of lime+orange juices. that's it.
so good.
i made a small, personal portion and put it in a tortilla wrap, to go.
saucy saucy sauce.
my girl, disaster, has some garden-happy neighbors. they gave her enough roma tomatoes to fill a shopping basket to the brim. more the microwave-and-takeout type, she kept trying to pawn them off, and i'd have gladly taken them, but she was piqued when i said, SAUCE!
so. we did it!
roma tomatoes are made to be sauce. they are the sauciest saucy tomatoes.
they have nipples, like this:
to remove the skins, you can blanch them (boil in vigorously boiling water for about 30 seconds) and bathe them in cold water, then puncture the peel with a knife and it will slide right off.
"this must be what eyeballs feel like, right when you take them out of a skull and they're still warm." -jenny
after they're peeled, you have to squish them into submission.
it feels really smooshygoobleyucky like, in a fun way.
we sifted the seeds out, lots of them anyway, by using a collander and a sieve.
you end up with this brainy meaty paste and the juice
other ingredients:
garlic (a whole head, if you like it) diced
a large onion, diced
a handful of fresh herbs that you like- i used a whole bunch:
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, and oregano, and basil, all fresh from my garden, except the oregano.
i used a dash of red wine vinegar and paprika also.
i added chpped parsley and basil to the onions and garlic while browning them in a little cooking oil, with salt, and added the dash of vinegar at this stage also.
add the brains
and the juice
and sizzle it for awhile on low.
jenny made separate sauce. she added canned tomato puree and didnt use the tomato brains from the romas we prepared, just the juice. her sauce was a lot saucier:
she put a little too much crushed red pepper, and it was a spicey spicey sauce. still delicious, just a point to watch for next time.
i ate my sauce with gluten-free corn+quinoa spaghetti, and jenny used some ziti noodles. SOOOOOOOOO YUMMMY!!!!!! i saved the seeds so next year i can plant a giant roma tomato crop and do it again at greater volume. YUM.
so. we did it!
roma tomatoes are made to be sauce. they are the sauciest saucy tomatoes.
they have nipples, like this:
to remove the skins, you can blanch them (boil in vigorously boiling water for about 30 seconds) and bathe them in cold water, then puncture the peel with a knife and it will slide right off.
"this must be what eyeballs feel like, right when you take them out of a skull and they're still warm." -jenny
after they're peeled, you have to squish them into submission.
it feels really smooshygoobleyucky like, in a fun way.
we sifted the seeds out, lots of them anyway, by using a collander and a sieve.
you end up with this brainy meaty paste and the juice
other ingredients:
garlic (a whole head, if you like it) diced
a large onion, diced
a handful of fresh herbs that you like- i used a whole bunch:
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, and oregano, and basil, all fresh from my garden, except the oregano.
i used a dash of red wine vinegar and paprika also.
i added chpped parsley and basil to the onions and garlic while browning them in a little cooking oil, with salt, and added the dash of vinegar at this stage also.
add the brains
and the juice
and sizzle it for awhile on low.
jenny made separate sauce. she added canned tomato puree and didnt use the tomato brains from the romas we prepared, just the juice. her sauce was a lot saucier:
she put a little too much crushed red pepper, and it was a spicey spicey sauce. still delicious, just a point to watch for next time.
i ate my sauce with gluten-free corn+quinoa spaghetti, and jenny used some ziti noodles. SOOOOOOOOO YUMMMY!!!!!! i saved the seeds so next year i can plant a giant roma tomato crop and do it again at greater volume. YUM.
9.7.10
simple snack/light meal
times when i ate gluten and dairy, i would snack on buttered toast or grilled cheese when i was too hungry to cook. now, i make things more like this.
while i toasted a rice tortilla in the toaster, i got all the toppings out. easy peasy.
pea shoots, cilantro pesto (my mom made it earlier, cilantro, pine nuts, salt, olive oil, i think that's it) hummus (store bought) and hot sauce. yum. snack on.
8.7.10
garden update,early july
so, its easy to see that i planted late as my luscious little growing things are dwarfed by other local gardens. its ok, though, they're growing as well as they can.
cherry tomatoes have green future fruits, a couple of other tomatoes have flowers, as well as the zucchini, cucumbers, and musk melon.
also, my ground cherries have little husk pod things, like tomatillos do. last year, i had to give away my plants when i moved out of my apartment in august, and i gave away my ground cherries, which were assumed to be tomatillos and were consumed as such. so, i'm not sure what to expect from them. they're called pineapple ground cherries, so i assumed they would resemble one of those fruits in taste....
my brassicas were all chewed up. i pulled two caterpillars (cabbage worm) off two broccoli plants, and four more off the brussels sprouts. i am not sure if they are going to do well, they were pretty eaten up, plus they haven't grown much since i put them in the ground over a month ago... i hope they do. also, caterpillar poop is kind of cool looking, little green balls...
also, every eggplant plant i planted (plant a plant, plantyplants) has major bug bites. the leaves look like lace. i wonder why! i planted all the nightshades together, with aromatic herbs all about, and marigolds as well, with some carrots in between. i read that this was a way to repel the bad bugs. apparently, the eggplants are too delicious for the insects to resist... there is minimal damage to a few tomato leaves, and surprisingly to some basil, too, which i thought was unnatractive to leaf-eaters... apparently not. i hope some eggplants come up anyway, as i planted a variety of colors and shapes, and i just love eating things that look pretty and different. imagine the pretty kebabs! i rubbed all the leaves, hoping to kill any bugs i can't see. fingers crossed it works.
tomorrow, i'll sprinkle them with cayenne and hope that helps, too. i know its good for keeping animals away, not sure about insects... vinegar? does that work? soap? i've heard these things help... anyone? experience?
check out the little baby cornfield bed! there are like a hundred plants in here. 2 types, blue iriquois sweet corn and bloody butcher. i couldnt resist. i hope there will be speckly purple corn in the middle.
love <3
cherry tomatoes have green future fruits, a couple of other tomatoes have flowers, as well as the zucchini, cucumbers, and musk melon.
also, my ground cherries have little husk pod things, like tomatillos do. last year, i had to give away my plants when i moved out of my apartment in august, and i gave away my ground cherries, which were assumed to be tomatillos and were consumed as such. so, i'm not sure what to expect from them. they're called pineapple ground cherries, so i assumed they would resemble one of those fruits in taste....
my brassicas were all chewed up. i pulled two caterpillars (cabbage worm) off two broccoli plants, and four more off the brussels sprouts. i am not sure if they are going to do well, they were pretty eaten up, plus they haven't grown much since i put them in the ground over a month ago... i hope they do. also, caterpillar poop is kind of cool looking, little green balls...
also, every eggplant plant i planted (plant a plant, plantyplants) has major bug bites. the leaves look like lace. i wonder why! i planted all the nightshades together, with aromatic herbs all about, and marigolds as well, with some carrots in between. i read that this was a way to repel the bad bugs. apparently, the eggplants are too delicious for the insects to resist... there is minimal damage to a few tomato leaves, and surprisingly to some basil, too, which i thought was unnatractive to leaf-eaters... apparently not. i hope some eggplants come up anyway, as i planted a variety of colors and shapes, and i just love eating things that look pretty and different. imagine the pretty kebabs! i rubbed all the leaves, hoping to kill any bugs i can't see. fingers crossed it works.
tomorrow, i'll sprinkle them with cayenne and hope that helps, too. i know its good for keeping animals away, not sure about insects... vinegar? does that work? soap? i've heard these things help... anyone? experience?
check out the little baby cornfield bed! there are like a hundred plants in here. 2 types, blue iriquois sweet corn and bloody butcher. i couldnt resist. i hope there will be speckly purple corn in the middle.
love <3
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