Garlic-Rich at Harvest Time

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Back in March, I wrote a post about planting your own garlic crop.

This garlic clove will become a whole head!

Well time has done her proverbial thing and we've harvested a fine crop of garlic - about 40 heads in all. Hopefully, it will be enough to last us the whole winter.

It was deeply satisfying to pull their papery purple and white heads from the ground, all covered in clingy black dirt. And it is truly luxurious to cook with this new garlic -- so tender, so fragrant, so delicious.

Here are some pix. If you are not already addicted to growing your own garlic, I'd suggest giving it a whirl next year - it's ridiculously easy and the rewards are rich.

Our crop of garlic plants early in the season

Once we'd planted the cloves, the plants shot up quickly - almost overnight!

Heads of Garlic From Our Harvest by Eve Fox copyright 2008

Just a few months later, they were ready to harvest. A close-up of the heads just after being yanked out of the ground.

Our Garlic Harvest (Unwashed) by Eve Fox copyright 2008

The bounty!


Garlic Drying On Outdoor Table by Eve Fox copyright 2008

Drying on the table on our deck after washing.

Garlic Drying On Outdoor Table by Eve Fox copyright 2008

A close-up of the drying heads of garlic.

Gift From The Kitchen Gods: Soft Skin Peeler

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Zyliss Soft Skin Peeler
It's been a while since a kitchen gadget has rocked my world but have I got a good one for you!
My darling cousin Nina (of Healthy Living fame) introduced me to this lovely little peeler last month while she was giving me a tour of the new store.

Made by Zyliss, this peeler lets you part a tomato, peach, plum, kiwi, piece of ginger, etc., from its skin with minimal effort and without taking off much of the fruit underneath.
Apparently, the secret to its success is a dual-edged serrated blade that is supposed to work equally well for righties and lefties (though I have not yet tortured myself by trying to peel anything left-handed.)

We tried it out on a peach crisp right away and I can attest that it works remarkably well. I am also partial to red so, naturally, I love the color.

And as it retails for just $7-$12, it won't break the bank, either. Enjoy!

Peeling a peach for crisp

Check out more Gifts From The Kitchen Gods:

ILoVermont - Part II: Sunrise Farm

Friday, September 12, 2008

The second stop on our Vermont roadtrip was Sunrise Farm, a beautiful new organic CSA farm near White River Junction that is run by my cousin-in-law, Norah and her farming partner, Chuck who owns the land.

As I learned during a brief internship on a tiny organic farm in Maryland years ago, farming is really hard work!!! So my hat is off to Norah and Chuck and all farmers who work their butts off to feed us.

In addition to growing veggies, herbs, flowers, and fruits, they're also raising several flocks of white chickens, a bunch of red-haired pigs, and a flock of baleful-eyed sheep. Chuck also built the most adorable maple sugar shack I have ever seen on the property.

Check out the slideshow below and don't forget to find an organic CSA near you to support. And if you happen to live in the UpperValley of Vermont and New Hampshire, visit Sunrise Farm's site to see if you can sign up for their CSA next season.

ILoVermont -- Part I: Healthy Living

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I was back on the east coast for the last week of August visiting family and friends. My favorite part of the trip was a short roadtrip to Vermont to see my aunts and cousins-in-law. I was reminded of just how beautiful Vermont is, how much I adore my in-laws, and how much amazing organic food is grown in the state.

Our first stop was Burlington where we got to explore Healthy Living, a truly wonderful natural foods store owned by my aunt Katy and her kids, Nina and Eli. They've been working their butts off for over a year to open a new, expanded store. Boy, is it gorgeous -- the new Healthy Living store puts Whole Foods to shame! You can check it out via the slideshow below.



If you like to cook, the store is an earthly version of paradise. They make a huge effort to sell locally-grown veggies, fruit, cheeses, meats, breads, etc. Their prepared foods are delicious. And they sell the most delightful home goods and personal care goodies, too.


Stay tuned for ILoVermont part II, our visit to Sunrise Farm, a small organic CSA near White River Junction that is run by my cousin-in-law, Norah. And if you are lucky enough to live in Burlington and aren't already a devoted Healthy Living customer, you might want to give it a try!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Garlic-Rich at Harvest Time

Back in March, I wrote a post about planting your own garlic crop.

This garlic clove will become a whole head!

Well time has done her proverbial thing and we've harvested a fine crop of garlic - about 40 heads in all. Hopefully, it will be enough to last us the whole winter.

It was deeply satisfying to pull their papery purple and white heads from the ground, all covered in clingy black dirt. And it is truly luxurious to cook with this new garlic -- so tender, so fragrant, so delicious.

Here are some pix. If you are not already addicted to growing your own garlic, I'd suggest giving it a whirl next year - it's ridiculously easy and the rewards are rich.

Our crop of garlic plants early in the season

Once we'd planted the cloves, the plants shot up quickly - almost overnight!

Heads of Garlic From Our Harvest by Eve Fox copyright 2008

Just a few months later, they were ready to harvest. A close-up of the heads just after being yanked out of the ground.

Our Garlic Harvest (Unwashed) by Eve Fox copyright 2008

The bounty!


Garlic Drying On Outdoor Table by Eve Fox copyright 2008

Drying on the table on our deck after washing.

Garlic Drying On Outdoor Table by Eve Fox copyright 2008

A close-up of the drying heads of garlic.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Gift From The Kitchen Gods: Soft Skin Peeler

Zyliss Soft Skin Peeler
It's been a while since a kitchen gadget has rocked my world but have I got a good one for you!
My darling cousin Nina (of Healthy Living fame) introduced me to this lovely little peeler last month while she was giving me a tour of the new store.

Made by Zyliss, this peeler lets you part a tomato, peach, plum, kiwi, piece of ginger, etc., from its skin with minimal effort and without taking off much of the fruit underneath.
Apparently, the secret to its success is a dual-edged serrated blade that is supposed to work equally well for righties and lefties (though I have not yet tortured myself by trying to peel anything left-handed.)

We tried it out on a peach crisp right away and I can attest that it works remarkably well. I am also partial to red so, naturally, I love the color.

And as it retails for just $7-$12, it won't break the bank, either. Enjoy!

Peeling a peach for crisp

Check out more Gifts From The Kitchen Gods:

Friday, September 12, 2008

ILoVermont - Part II: Sunrise Farm

The second stop on our Vermont roadtrip was Sunrise Farm, a beautiful new organic CSA farm near White River Junction that is run by my cousin-in-law, Norah and her farming partner, Chuck who owns the land.

As I learned during a brief internship on a tiny organic farm in Maryland years ago, farming is really hard work!!! So my hat is off to Norah and Chuck and all farmers who work their butts off to feed us.

In addition to growing veggies, herbs, flowers, and fruits, they're also raising several flocks of white chickens, a bunch of red-haired pigs, and a flock of baleful-eyed sheep. Chuck also built the most adorable maple sugar shack I have ever seen on the property.

Check out the slideshow below and don't forget to find an organic CSA near you to support. And if you happen to live in the UpperValley of Vermont and New Hampshire, visit Sunrise Farm's site to see if you can sign up for their CSA next season.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

ILoVermont -- Part I: Healthy Living

I was back on the east coast for the last week of August visiting family and friends. My favorite part of the trip was a short roadtrip to Vermont to see my aunts and cousins-in-law. I was reminded of just how beautiful Vermont is, how much I adore my in-laws, and how much amazing organic food is grown in the state.

Our first stop was Burlington where we got to explore Healthy Living, a truly wonderful natural foods store owned by my aunt Katy and her kids, Nina and Eli. They've been working their butts off for over a year to open a new, expanded store. Boy, is it gorgeous -- the new Healthy Living store puts Whole Foods to shame! You can check it out via the slideshow below.



If you like to cook, the store is an earthly version of paradise. They make a huge effort to sell locally-grown veggies, fruit, cheeses, meats, breads, etc. Their prepared foods are delicious. And they sell the most delightful home goods and personal care goodies, too.


Stay tuned for ILoVermont part II, our visit to Sunrise Farm, a small organic CSA near White River Junction that is run by my cousin-in-law, Norah. And if you are lucky enough to live in Burlington and aren't already a devoted Healthy Living customer, you might want to give it a try!