The sun has managed to shine for two consecutive days. It will be a spring record if it makes it to three tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.
Today was definitely a garden day! The new spinach seedlings are cozying up to the strawberry plants. The potato bed also hosts onions, greens, broccoli rabe, rainbow chard, and marigolds. The cilantro and chives are hanging out. In the center of the garden, two beds are growing combos of corn, squash, cukes, radishes, marigolds, and ground cherries. The tomatoes are coplanted with carrots, marigolds, collard greens, squash, and onions. The herbs are sharing space with cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, and Brussel sprouts. Peas are end bedded by herbs and marigolds. Tucked between the beds are big pots of radishes, lettuce, and seedlings, and tucked around these are pots of flowers and in ground berry bushes. Today, we did lots of transplanting to the garden (finally!) and we started some new seeds; bush beans, asparagus beans, lettuce, radish, nasturtium flowers. We also potted up tomato, eggplant, and basil plants. Tomorrow, it's time to weed again (groan).
Today's lunch was from the garden, the twenty foot diet; fresh spinach and multi lettuce leaves with tender young radishes and chives. Here's a recipe for my favorite, extremely versatile salad dressing:
EXTREMELY VERSATILE SALAD DRESSING:
Makes enough for 2 small salads or 1 large one.
1/2 teaspoon favorite mustard (I like Dijon, but spicy brown, herbal, Chinese, and English also work depending on the salad)
1 Tablespoon favorite vinegar (I usually use white wine or rice, but all types work as does any acidic fresh juice, like lemon or lime)
2 Tablespoon favorite light oil (I favor olive, but walnut, hazelnut, avocado, canola, and peanut also work depending on your dish)
Pepper and salt
Seasoning of your choice
How to:
1) Put mustard and vinegar in small deep bowl. Whisk together
2) Slowly add oil while whisking.
3) Add seasonings and pour over your salad
Need some combo ideas:
Red wine vinegar, English mustard, walnut oil, S+P, rosemary on a salad with leftover roast beef.
Seasoned rice vinegar, Chinese mustard, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, peanut oil on Asian salads.
White wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, S+P on salad with tuna fish.
Lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, S+P on salad with asparagus
White wine vinegar, Spicy brown mustard, canola oil, S+P, sage on salad with chicken
And so on and so on....'
Enjoy!