September 15, 2022 at 11:51 a.m.
Fish Like a GIRL
The end of the growing season
Fish Like a GIRL
I learned something just last week about Brussels sprouts. I know many of you will get a chuckle at me because I did not know this, but I cannot remember seeing Brussels sprouts grown by either my mom or my grandparents. I do not remember any of them actually liking Brussels sprouts, so that is probably why. But I learned this year, after doing a little research, that I should have been removing the leaves as the sprouts started to form. I had no idea, but it makes sense. Why would you want the plant to continue to put energy into making leaves when it should be making Brussels sprouts to begin with? It made great sense once I read it, and I grabbed my kitchen sheers and headed out the back door to the makeshift garden as soon as I read it.
Actually, once I posted the photo on social media, I did not feel too bad. Apparently, I have a lot of friends who had no idea how Brussels sprouts grew or what they looked like before they were harvested (and possibly pickled for a great addition to an Old-Fashioned on a Friday night). Of course, several of my friends also knew exactly how these "little cabbages" grow and have grown them for many years.
Speaking of pickled Brussels sprouts, they are some of my favorite pickled foods.
"Who could not love these little baby cabbages?" I used to ask my parents. Well, both of them, for two. Both sets of my grandparents for another four. Ok, I get it. Well, not really. But they are also easy to make. I use garlic cloves and just a dash of red pepper flakes as well as some pickling salt. One clove of garlic and about 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes seems to do it for each jar. I then boil my pickling salt in equal parts water and vinegar, pour that over the sprouts in prepared jars, and that is it. Then, I boil the jars for about 10 minutes, then take them out and let them cool. It is the same pickling procedure as most, and it produces zesty, delicious results.
Another vegetable that I feel is coming to an end is kale. I enjoy a variety of green drinks, and that is why I planted more kale than I thought I could use this year. It is packed with vitamins, so why not put it into a smoothie or green drink? But another thing I found that I totally fell in love with is kale chips. Now, they have to be crispy. I do not like soggy kale chips any more than I like any kind of soggy chips. But if you get them perfectly crispy, I could eat more of them than is probably right (although healthy). I started out baking my kale chips, but now that I have learned to love my air fryer, I fry them. Either way, they make a delicious snack, in my humble opinion. The thing with kale is that it will take on the flavor of any spices or herbs that you want to add to it. I admit the kale itself does not have a strong taste. But that is part of its charm. Pretty much any spice or herb can be added to give the kale chips whatever flavor a snacker is looking for.
For cooking, I use 375 degrees. In the oven, I start with 8 minutes and see where the chips are that point. I have cooked them up to 12 minutes for them to get crunchy. In an air fryer, 3-5 minutes is usually all I need. One thing that is a "must," as with any chips, is salt. I have experimented with different spices and flavors - not always successfully, but it is always a learning experience.
One key to good kale chips is to not overfill the baking pan or air fryer basket. There should be enough room for air flow all around the chips. Sometimes, it helps to turn the pan halfway through cooking, too, no matter the type of cooking.
My next adventure from the garden will be picking and drying the few herbs I still have left. The Japanese beetles all but destroyed my basil, so I cut that and left it for the bunnies (no idea if they eat basil or not, but it was no longer fit for human consumption). I still have chives, fennel, rosemary, thyme and pineapple sage left to pick and dry. I would recommend pineapple sage, by the way. It is my new favorite sage. I learned about it just last year, and I hope to plant it every year to come. It smells just like pineapple, which is super fun to me.
I also have chocolate mint, which grew like crazy, to the point where I cannot keep the pot even standing up straight anymore. It makes great tea, but I am not sure for what else I will use it. Maybe it will all become tea leaves. I would be fine with that. We have a long, cold winter coming and I will surely be having tea during many snowy afternoons. This plant also smells amazing, and it does not seem to want to take over the universe like so many kinds of mint tend to do. It seems slightly more well-behaved.
The next gardening adventure will be planning for next year, the first year in our new home. Raised beds, a compost bin, a rain barrel... I have so many plans. We will see what we can actually accomplish and what will wait until next year. I have some invasives to squash first and foremost, and then I will work on planting all of the fun things I want! Luckily, Chet does not mind any of this. He puts up with my love of flowers and vegetable gardens. And he does happen to enjoy fresh vegetables, too, so that is helpful.
I know there are fall crops and there is still "plenty" of time to keep going. But honestly, I am a little busy getting things tidy and straight this year. That said, my planning is for next year right now. Have I mentioned I inherited a huge rhubarb plant?
Beckie Gaskill may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
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