I Read It On The Internet.

My friend, Joe Monsanto, reciprocated my hospitality and invited me over to check out his garden space. I was to arrive no later than 2:37 PM. On the dot. We do this swap every year, peek and see. But I still tell him that my bamboo is bigger than his. Even though I don’t grow it, I love the reaction. It’s a gardening thing.

Joe always makes a big deal about his prowess as a gardener. I remember one year going over and all I saw was corn and lots of it.  Another time, he was going through a potato phase. So, this year, I have really no idea of what to expect. He tells me that he owns that seed and this seed, but I don’t really believe him. It’s always an interesting day out…

“Party Central”, I am asked to repeat into the voice scanner before I’m allowed to pass go. Every year, this happens to me. Twenty minutes later after the snafu with my pronounciation over the word “eleven”, the garden host welcomes me. “Put this on”, she says, referring to some protective clothing. There are some loose bees on the property. I’ve been advised to stay close to her.

Today, my garden host is Annine-Edith, from Finland, former Olympic water-polo gold medalist. Just as I was imagining doing a few Laps myself, I was brought back down to earth.

“This is tomato”. And there was lots of them. I always feel compelled to ask the stupid question, “And what sort of tomatoes do you like to grow?” Are they Brandywines or what?… No, this is tomato… Oh, but they look like Black Prince… No, this is tomato… Are you sure because when I look at them they could be Orange Valencia… *pressure rising*… No, we have tomato only… But I could have sworn I saw a San Marzano in there… No… I know… I got it.

There are rows upon rows of uniformity of tomato. All laid out in order. Discipline. Rule. Measurement. No room for a variety called Serendipity. Just tomato. “That’s a lot of fucking tomato”, I remarked casually to Annine-Edith. She smiled and said nothing.

On the way out, we bumped into my friend, Joe Monsanto. He was watering some new tomato seedlings. He was wearing the same bee protection gear as I had been given upon entry, except his had the lettering embroidered over his left breast “Asskicker1″.

“Joe, yaaAH BOLlox, how’s it going, long time, no see, that’s some fucking tomatoes you got, you crafty oul’ sod, ya”, I said to my friend, Joe Monsanto. “How’d you grow fucking tomatoes like that?”.

“Aye” said Joe and tossed the watering-can aside and walked over. We talked for a few moments, neighbors being neighbors and all that. As he was showing me out, I asked him again “How’d you grow fucking tomatoes like that?”. He laughed and replied “Aye, I’ll never fucking tell you”. We both laughed.

“Joe”, I went on, “Do you know something?”. “Aye, what’s that?”, he said.

My bamboo is bigger than your bamboo.

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12″ extended version selection re-mix……….dubwise

Say that in Finnish. Minun Bambuni on suurempi kuin teidan.

I just love learning a new tongue, don’t you?

An Afternoon With Joe Monsanto and Lee “Scratch”Perry.

It’s a bright sunshiny day………with sunflowers. I bought a packet for luck and stuck them all around. My friend, Joe Monsanto, stopped by and cast a cold eye. He did’nt look too happy to see sunflowers. I’ve known this guy a while and I have never quite gotten used to his mannerisms. So when he told me that it was more than likely that he owned the sunflower seeds, I really did not know what to say. He seemed very irate when I explained that the sunflowers were grown in compost that I had made.

I showed Joe how I like to sometimes save survivors from the previous growing season. Somehow the seeds had managed to live under four feet of snow this past winter. I was explaining how I thought it was cool to see the little hairs on the tomato stalk. I figured it was the hardy gene at work, Boston style. Joe’s nostril’s quivered and the next thing, he sneezed, out loud, exclaiming “terminator gene”. Joe does’nt say “excuse me” or “atchoo”. I guess he is allergic to pollen. I think to myself that it must be the Karmic reaction to getting up Mother Nature’s nose.

I showed Joe the enchanted garlic forest. He wanted no part of this scene. He had turned pale and I was reminded of old black and white vampire movies.

I showed the man a chive blossom, said that it would be on tonight’s menu and asked Joe to stay for supper. Joe declined, something about how he won’t eat vegetables, herbs, roots or shoots. Evah!

I tried to explain to Joe how I organise my little space. He thought I only grew garlic and expressed relief. But he wondered why I grew so many different things and why did’nt I grow one thing only in my garden. He could loan me an earth-mover if I wanted to sign a contract, however.

“Slow down, Joe”, I said. The last thing I need is an earth-mover. He seemed completely bewildered when I explained that the only digging involved here in this garden is the digging of a hole for a plant. “What about the weeds”, he went on, ‘you’ll have to spray for them’. I replied “Joe, what weeds are you talking about?”. But if you really want to see them……

This is chickweed. It grows profusely and abundantly during spring in my never see sunlight back yard. It is edible and it is free and there is lots of it. After the full moon this week it will is bye-bye until next year. Joe did’nt like that part. He thought that it would be better to manipulate this weed, process it, package it, tamper with it’s growth cycle and make money, money, money, make, money, money, money. He promised me that once we began to spray the chemicals all around I would see the wisdom of all this.And it was just about then when my friend, Lee “Scratch” Perry showed up and rescued me. In the words of the man…….”what kind of Babylon fuckery dat, mon?” Eat like a peasant, I say. Thanks for reading and making smart food choices.

Lee “Scratch” Perry lives over there.

Along Came …..Many Spiders

These are gossamer spiders……..itsy bitsy baby spiders. These were right outside my back door. When they are ready, they release their spinnerets and off they go with the wind. Next morning, they were gone. Off to wreak havoc somewhere, hopefully in my garden.

Today is the big day. I got the seeds off of Seedsfromitaly.com. Time to re-read Jack and the Beanstalk and ask yourself…….just what kind of bean were the Brothers Grimm referring to. I think it was fava beans. I will try to plant those for Autumn.

Chervil in bloom. I use the sprigs in salads and vinaigrettes mostly. This will quiet happily re-seed itself and is very low maintenance.

Alpine strawberries in blossom.

And this is the garlic plant whilst in bloom. Actually, it is losing it’s leaves and seed pods are beginning to form. Maybe next year, I might be lucky enough to have wild garlic. I planted this garlic a year and a half ago. I was’nt expecting this but maybe I can also save the seed.

The Tuscan black kale will need to be thinned in the coming days. They are beginning to elbow each for space.

Large black spider crossing the drive-way. This one has’nt seen day-light for months and is hopefully ready for some action.

I spy with my little eye……taking cover among the radicchio.

A Spring Garden

A little bit goes a long way. Just when I thought asparagus season was over. It has not been the easiest spring seeding. Blame the weather, blame the seed, blame my compost, whatever. And bugs too. Ants, slugs, beetles, snails and on the wing as well. Horseflies too, I got bitten by one. Hopefully, I’ll have some lettuces this spring. The astute eye will note the reseeded miniature wild fennel as well as the newly formed squash/pumpkin plant.

But there is no shortage of wild arugula no matter what the conditions. It is indestructible and tastes great too. Now is the best time with the new tender leaves. It looks a little “holey” but that is the nature of organic gardening. A little imperfection without chemical interferene.The darker leaf is mustard and also rejuvenates itself against all odds every year. Everything else in my little space needs time, kale, peas, fennel, leeks, onions and garlic. Later this month, again weather pending, I will plant pole beans, spinach, carrots, beets and turnips. Tomatoes even later again. The nights are still cold here, 43F here tonight in New England. It will be nipping at zero or freezing point elsewhere in New England. That’s a real buzz kill in terms of wanting to go out and actually plant something. So my romaine lettuce did’nt make the cut but the kale did and thats the zen beauty of organic gardening right there. Nature fills a vacuum. I’ll try planting romaine lettuce again and see what happens but in a small garden it has to compete for space with other plants that are doing fine.

One of the cool things about having a garden and there are many. But, for me, it has to be the authenticity it adds to the flavors of your cooking. Pure, clean and simple. Such that you can understand how certain dishes became classics in the first place. This is asparagus risotto shown above. It has taken me a long time to get to this point to be able to understand such a simple, elegant dish and, more importantly, grow the asparagus. Maybe next year, I could grow the freaking rice. Hmmm, food for thought……..paddy grown rice. The irony!

According to the UN, we all should be eating insects and bugs already. Locusts, wasps you name it. Grasshoppers too. I myself have not got to that point yet but understand the reasons. The concept of vegetarianism is not so alien after all. A healthful choice of animal protein derived from local artisenally reared organic USDA approved insects or a plate of local organic, sustainable carrots grown in rabbit or chicken manure. It’s all good.
This local insect, which hovered nearby like a Huey helicopter, was not for dinner to-night. He was busy pollinating. I run my local, sustainable, bio-dynamic and organic garden on the Blackwater, USA model or a soccer team. I contract out all my gardening jobs to insects. The good ones, that is. In fact, I have my own little air-force……..lady-bugs, preditary wasps, honey-bees. As well as a clandestine wing of spiders and a thriving underground of earthworms. If you use no chemicals, they will find their way to your garden and populate it. Eat like a peasant.

Have A Knife Day.

Knives and lots of them. There are more. But every once in a while it is good to round them up and sort them out. What do you really need everyday. And sharpen them with a whetstone and or steel. Using knives regularly involves a degree of maintenance. Taking care of your blades is fundamental support for your cooking energies. And before I forget, invest in a set of real blades or kitchen knives. And a wine key or two while you are at it.

Two blades……..the one on the bottom, I bought in Fall of 1982. I still use it everyday. The blade on top is the latest model. The two big differences are the metal size at the base of the hilt or handle. And then where your thumb would be whilst gripping the blade, the steel is curved in the top blade. The steel runs straight in the bottom knife. A classic design, nonetheless. I still like my old one better despite it’s wear and tear.

And so yes…….Wusthoff knives from Germany are well represented in my kit. I like the weight of the knives and also just how they feel in my hand when I use them.

Serious cooks will recognise Sabatier. Treat yourself, go nuts………buy one of these.

Six of my favorite tools. From left to right is a micro-plane, followed by a fish spatula and then assorted knifes. I find I use these items more regularly at home. Everything else is fluff, nice for show and tell. But I like my kitchen organization spartan and clutter free. The other knives will be wrapped and stored away for another day.

The teeth on this microplane are fine enough for garlic and citrus. For my way of cooking, I use this tool for garlic paste or lemon zest which I use in rubs and marinades.

Finally, something that will not slice or shred your finger……fava beans. These are the  fava beans of movie fame. They look very cool and attractive. That is until you have to prep a 10 pound bag of fresh favas. Something you won’t look forward to again, I assure you. But hey, every once in a season you have to indulge spring. These favas did not come from my garden. Previously, I have not had luck growing them in my little space but I’m gonna try again. This time I want to plant them for Fall. There are less bugs around then. So fingers crossed. For that to happen, I would need a July planting, August at the latest. Plenty of time. I’m still not too sure what I want to do with these favas………raw with a wedge of pecorino, fava bean puree, a spring minestra. I do know one thing. Because they are such a pain the ass to prepare (though delicious), that explains why you are lucky if you get to see a half dozen on your plate at a restaurant. At home you can eat all you want as long as you do the prep. So eat like a peasant and enjoy that glass of Chianti.

More Ass Than A Toilet Seat……..the garden.

I have been eating chives for weeks here in New England. Soon, these chives will flower and I will eat them too. You can see where they will burst open, those little brown pointy things at the top. These yield tasty chive blossoms. Chives are low maintenance and come back every year………..no matter what!

Desiring a kitchen garden is one thing, putting it together is another. I have a small space and my goal is to have something growing in all seasons, even in the tough New England winter. I planted this garlic back in late November. They look good so far but I won’t see a garlic scape until June. These lived under a weight of snow for months.

Now this is what I am talking about…….90% of what I grow in my little space are heirloom seeds and plants. This is the original radicchio. Obviously, it is going to taste different from what you would experience in it’s original turf, but it is grown in my back yard with the best intentions and spirit. And it looks very pretty too. The best thing is that it is a perennial. I love low maintenance.

The low maintenance gardening theme continues with mustard which re-seeds itself somehow every year. I don’t plan for it but it all becomes part of my garden foraged salad mix in the spring. I have lots of free wild edible plants in my back yard from dandelion to chickweed to purslane.

What spring garden is not complete without radishes. In amongst them are re-seeded wild mountain fennel from Sicily.

This is an Italian variety of lettuce called “Regina di Maggio” or Queen of May. I’m thinking good luck, see you in June. It has been a cold spring here, a dry spring here but usually around this time I expect to see bigger baby lettuces. Cue to me….more weeding and thinning of plants. I have some Romaine lettuce someplace else but not today. These need to be thinned out.

Blueberry blossoms………the race is on between me and the local squirrel population.

Rhubarb…….another perennial and low maintenance too. This is heirloom rhubarb too. Good stuff!

I have struggled with peas this year or peas have given me a hard time. Either way there is a 3 week difference between the good looking one with pea tendrils and the line of peas emerging behind it. Give peas a chance. They are one of the first things I plant in the spring. This heirloom pea is called “Telefono” and Italian in origin.

Strawberries…….more perennials and more low maintenance. These are Alpine strawberries. The squirrels can eat these but not the blueberries.

Black raspberries………old growth and new growth.

Parsley……my favorite kitchen herb. These are transplants but I know I threw down some parsley seed somewhere……a whole bag scattered…………ferns in the background………..no fiddleheads.

Preserved lemon. No, I did not grow the lemon but it is a handy kitchen pantry item. But I did make these from scratch.

After a gruelling day in the garden, I want something to ease the muscle ache, tease the brain and taste good. This is a blend of chopped unsalted pistachios, salted capers, preserved lemon and chile flakes. This is down home Sicilian Arab cooking. Baby, I love you so.

Baked cod with lots of stuff not from the garden………..it takes time to grow the food. In New England, it can still get down to 40 degrees at night. Thats too cold for tomatoes yet. Three more weeks, fingers crossed. Maybe next time, I can show you leeks, kale, brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Way to soon for any mention of tomatoes.

Nice Ass

I know. When all else fails, asparagus attracts an audience. I planted asparagus crowns four years ago. This is the first year I was able to pick anything meaningful. Despite the snowy winter, despite the colder, dryer spring, my little micro climate in my little kitchen garden delivered for me. And then it was over. See ya….gone…..done. This is asparagus with braised fish, preserved tomatoes and olives.

Pasta and asparagus, a spring classic. One permutation of Pasta Primavera. I added baby arugula from my garden to pad it out.

Asparagus soup……pureed and finished with extra virgin olive oil and garden chives.

Grilled asparagus. No more asparagus until next year. I have to wait on garden asparagus risotto. Maybe I should try to expand the asparagus plot. Another three or four years in the making. In the meantime and the be here now, I am picking arugula, radicchio and mustard greens everyday for spring salads. It does not sound like much but it sure beats buying salad mix. I saw it being priced at $4.49 for 5 ounces up the street in the local supermarket. I like my flavor better. Better my garden bugs and insects than their Salmonella and t’ing. Eat like a peasant.

Full Contact Gardening Meets Full Contact Cooking.

It has been a long, cold winter in Boston. Spring is in though and my little kitchen garden is busy. These are garlic chives and come back every year.

These are going to be onions and scallions. Too bad, I won’t have any shallots this year.

Spring chives………I use them on everything.

Garlic. These lived under 5 feet of snow this winter. Yes, I know, I shoveled it.

Asparagus. I planted this 4 years ago. This is first time to pick any so this on the menu tonight. Asparagus Surprise.

These little seedlings are kale. Cavolo Nero Toscano or Tuscan black kale. They will be thinned out as they grow. Fingers crossed. I also stuck in the ground seeds for fennel, parsley, chervil, romaine, brocolli rabe, kohl rabe, mustard and wild fennel.

Radishes all lined up.

Radicchio……..right now it is nice and sweet. As the season advances, the radicchio gets more bitter.

Somehow peas have struggled for me this year. I’m blaming the cold spring.

Wild arugula……..this is the spicy stuff and this will be on the menu tonight also. First of the season wild arugula. Next to it…..wild fennel. Too early to pick that just yet. I grow this for the pollen……..fennel pollen from my garden, how cool is that?

Tonight’s salad bowl candidates……arugula, dandelion, lovage, radicchio and fresh herbs.

Garden asparagus and chives with some farm eggs becomes……….

Frittata Primavera or spring asparagus and herbs baked with farm eggs. All it needs is a glass of Prosecco. To celebrate Spring, of course.

This gratin is made with potato, roasted fennel and olive oil. I used no dairy. And I bought the potatoes and fennel. But hey, I did plant some fennel seed to day as well as wild fennel. This gratin reminds me of Provencal cooking. Simple and rustic.

Roasted rutabaga. I have never grown rutabaga but turnips are on the list. I bought this rutabaga. This one comes from Prince Edward Island. They know how to grow these things up there. After roasting, all it needs is a splash of olive oil and black pepper.

Skillet roasted codfish with lemon, garden chives, olive oil and garden greens.

Eat like a peasant.

The Callous Dhow Boys

A serious fish cook is hard to find. These silvery streaks are fresh sardines and all I’m going to do is light a fire and grill them as an appetiser. Sardines are popular throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. I was reminded of the traditional sailing vessel, the dhow.

This fish is called Scup, also known as Porgy. It is a member of the bream family and many of its cousins swim in other parts of the world. But this one is from Cape Cod. There is plenty of it and it is still relatively inexpensive, all for the good.
The dhow is an Arab trading vessel. They sailed out of the Red Sea area and the Arabian Gulf region. Their journeys took them south to Zanzibar, off the East African coast and across the ocean to India. My guess is that the sailors ate a lot of fish on the way.

Make sure you start off with a clean grill. Get rid of the junk with a stiff brush. The zen is getting your grill hot enough without incinerating yourself or the fish.

For example, I grilled the bread without destroying it. It just about fits on the grill and should have this delicious, smoky flavour to it.

“Splash”, say the fishes in the sea.

This is good. Here the zen is not to leave any skin behind on the grill as well as to have the fish nicely tanned and blistered.

Radicchio in my kitchen garden.

That’s it… grilled sardines, fennel and bread. Save the last sardine for lunch tomorrow.

Whole grilled fish……….I like it with good olive oil and lemon. Eat like a peasant.

Of Kneecaps and Niqabs

I’m still in my Middle Eastern groove………..and yes, I fell in love with her eyes. Hence, the niqab reference. Ever since, I’ve been a sucker for a good hummus and sesame cracker. And because it is almost impossible to find these items at an acceptable level of quality I make these at home.
Hummus is a Middle Eastern classic. And mine is not so spun that it is smooth, aerated or fluffy. It is denser. I use dried chick peas, olive oil, tahini, lemon and sea salt. The only other additions are freshly ground toasted cumin seed and roasted garlic.
The sesame crackers earn the right to be called sesame crackers with the addition of dark sesame oil and toasted unhulled sesame seeds. Must be unhulled.

And this is Monkfish once again. This is monkfish on the bone. Restaurant menus might describe it as ‘saddle of monkfish’. If you look closely, you can see the bone protruding. And on either side of the bone are the monkfish loins. Interestingly, it looks reminiscent of veal shanks for Osso Bucco. Even more interesting is that it can be prepared somewhat in the same manner. You just won’t cook the fish quite as long as a dead cow’s rear leg.
All I want to do is make a spicy seafood stew.

I marinated the monkfish in yoghurt with garlic, ginger and Saudi Arabian Kabsa spice blend.
I roasted carrots and turnips together and later added garlic, ginger and Kabsa seasoning, chick peas, capers and honey. I hydrated this mix with the chick pea cooking water and tossed in a bay leave. I seared the marinated monkfish, added the seared fish to the chick pea vegetable braise and finished it in the oven. Then poured olive oil all over the dish to finish it. You’ll be on your knees before you know it. Eat like a peasant.