Fall Food & Flowers

Most of the garden is ready for harvest now. I've been canning and drying tomatoes anytime I get the chance. We've had such a bumper crop this fall compared to last year! You know the fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk? OK, I could have written a version of Jack and the Tomato Plant. The problem last year was that there were no tomatoes. They were plants on steroids. We had some young horticulture friends visiting, and when Will saw our tomatoes he exclaimed, "Dude, those tomato plants are trees!" A more horticulturally correct way to put it would be that the tomatoes had too much vigor. We had used a lot of compost in the newly raised beds creating too much fertilizer. Oops.

But not this year! This is an heirloom variety called, Brandywine. I like to dry and can these.

To dry, I use a Harvest Maid dehydrator with four racks that I spray with olive oil no stick cooking spray. Then I lay tomato slices (cut ~ 1/4 inch thick) on to cover the rack completely. They dry for 24 hours and look like this when their done. We love to crumble them on salads and soups in the winter. Bill will eat them like potatoe chips if he can. I don't let him for two reasons: 1. I'm mean. 2. They're too much work to eat them that fast!

This is an easy salad that impresses guests. It's a Caprese Salad with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and reduced balsamic vinegar. Have you tried reducing balsamic vinegar? Simply simmer the vinegar until it thickens. If you have any head congestion this process can clear your head immediately. Bill accidentally put his face in the steam and his reaction was epic. He said he now has new nasal passages he never had before.

I have lots of fresh basil and garlic in the garden. I've never grown garlic before and decided to try it this year.

This is my elephant garlic. The cloves are huge!!
So with all the basil and garlic, guess what I've been making?

Guess again. I even added parmesan cheese!

No, this is not the farm quiz game so relax. Wait! Did you say, pesto? Yes, that is what I've been making and freezing.

Here Bill is about to check it for quality. Yes, he reported it passed the quality test.

Enough about food already. Let's talk about flowers for a minute.

This dahlia is the size of a dinner plate! I have white and purple varieties this fall, and I LOVE THEM! I will definitely grow them again next year.

Here's a parade of my dahlias.

Do you have a favorite?