Living and Promoting a Sustainable Life
Wow, how quickly time flies by. This podcast was supposed to post on Monday the 17th, but here we are at Tuesday already. Thank you for sticking with us.
On this episode we talk about how we cram as much as possible into every moment of every day but still take time to make mealtimes special.
If you are interested in making buttermilk cheese, click here. For more information about cilantro, click here.
Until next time…..
Did you know that some people think it tastes like soap?
Somewhere between 10% and 20% of people perceive the taste of cilantro as soapy and do not like it at all. The cause is a sensitivity to a compound called aldehydes. Thankfully, we are in the 80% to 90% of individuals who experience cilantro as a fresh tasting herb that complements everything from salsa to scrambled eggs to chicken marinade.
How do you say it? At Five Feline Farm we usually say Cilaantro. No matter what you call it, it’s delicious.
This year, we have cilantro planted in the row with the pepper plants. The blooms attract pollinators, plus some other pests that prefer eating the cilantro over the pepper plants. Since it grows fast and reseeds, this is an easier plant to sacrifice than the slower growing, money-making peppers.
Wait. What? Yes, when cilantro goes to seed, those seeds are Coriander. In fact, in some languages and cultures the entire plant is referred to as Coriander. All parts of the plant are edible including the root, but it is most often the fresh green leaves and the seeds used in culinary efforts. Often used whole in making pickles, but equally excellent crushed just before use to lend a soft spicy note to any dish.
As mentioned above, cilantro can be used as a garnish, added to salsa or used in a marinade. It is good anytime you are looking for a brightly flavored accent.
Here’s a simple marinade for chicken or fish.
1 bunch cilantro, washed and leaves removed from stems
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1/4 – 1/3 cup olive oil
Blend all in a food processor or small blender. Start with the smaller amount of olive oil and add more as needed to achieve desired consistency. A thicker paste can be smeared on the meat or a thinner mixture can be added to a ziplock baggie to marinate. Amounts can be doubled, tripled or adjusted to taste.
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Did you know garlic plants provide much more than just the part that is commonly available in grocery stores? It’s true. There is more to this fragrant plant than what comes in the papery bulb.
What Are Garlic Scapes?
Garlic scapes are the tender end of the shoot in hard neck garlic varieties. As the plant grows in springtime, it sends up a shoot that is tender at first and later turns into a flower with bulbils. Those tiny bits of the flower are also edible, but the scape is the newly forming flower with it’s white end and the first 5-6 inches of tender shoot.
When To Harvest.
When the shoot has a whitish end that looks like a bloom is starting to form, the scape is ready. The green part may be curled back on itself forming a curly que at the very top of the garlic plant. Snap off the shoot approximately 4-6 inches below the tip just as you would asparagus. The plant will snap off at it’s tender point.
How To Use.
Now that you have these spring delicacies, it’s time to use them in the kitchen. Scapes taste like garlic. The flavor is lighter than garlic cloves but still clearly garlic. One option is to dice and stir into any dish where you would normally use garlic. Scapes may be sautéed as is and eaten as a vegetable. You can chop it for a garnish on lettuce salad, use to flavor pasta salad, fry with potatoes or use in any dish where garlic will add a complementary flavor.
As an added bonus, snapping off the scapes will divert the plant’s energy into bulb development. So not only does the gardener get a fresh taste of garlic in the spring, the fall harvest will be improved.
If you grow your own garlic, give scapes a try. If you don’t and are in the Charleston area, stop by the 18th Street Farmer’s Market this Saturday and pick up some from us.
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We are ready and excited to be part of the 18th Street Farmer’s Market again this year. The gardens are producing early crops like lettuce blend, radishes, rhubarb, and spinach. Tomatoes are being planted this week along with the peppers.
As always we will have our jams nearly world famous scones.
Come out and see us beginning May 18, 2019 every Saturday morning from 8:00AM until noon or we are sold out, whichever comes first.
Until next time…