Yet More Seeds

The last of the mail order Seeds came today.

Received from Annie's Heirloom Seeds http://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com/
Annie's Beet Blend  - 4 different types. Had limited success last year with the Chioggia.
Borage - Beautiful Edible Blue Flowers. Attracts Beneficial Insects.
Spaghetti Squash - delicious with pasta sauce.
Misticanza Salad Mix - 16 different greens - truly an "Alley Weed" mix for the almost daily salad.  Best success is in a dedicated bed or a container.
Garbanzo Beans, AKA Chickpeas - Supposed to do well in drought areas. One of my staples for Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dishes. Have never grown.

The Almost Daily Salad Story

Can a salad really inspire a garden?

My garden is proof positive it can!

The story behind my almost daily salad:

I had my first memorable salad in the mid 80's at a "health food" (that is what they were truly called in the 70's and 80's) restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Poor Richards, located in downtown Colorado Springs, was at that time a bookstore and restaurant; today it houses 6 different businesses.  On its menu was a Greek Salad - I remember Romaine lettuce, red onion, pepperoncini, Greek olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, big chunks of feta cheese, and a Greek dressing.  Truly a salad to die for!  I was hooked, but it would still be a few years before I would make such a salad combination an almost daily part of my life.

If you were to ask my former co-workers in the Midwest what they remember about me, it might be the quality of my work, but more likely they would remember the salad I would bring on most days for lunch and my baked goods.  If you were to ask my current co-workers in ABQ, they would certainly mention my salad, as many, if not all, at some point partake of it - some almost daily.

What goes into the salad?  Organic baby greens (what I call "Alley Weeds" because they look like what used to grow in the alleys of the Midwestern city I lived in), red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, carrots, olives, small sweet peppers, pepperoncini, feta cheese, and marinated artichoke hearts.  The dressing is a simple splash each of virgin olive oil and champagne vinegar, with grindings of sea salt and pepper. (See below for an alternate dressing that I use at home).

Initially, only my co-worker "D" wanted some. But last fall once the cherry tomato crop finally took off (last summer was too hot early on and the tomatoes did not set until late), many others wanted to partake, in particular Felix. The salad quickly became a communal salad shared by many, and Felix has inspired the addition of some new ingredients  - the artichoke hearts, sweet peppers, and pepperoncini. It is a first come/first served experience, with occasional disappointments if one arrives too late to the table.  The evolution of my almost daily salad over many years has been fun to watch, especially since it has become more communal. My hope is that I will be able to grow most of the components this year.

At home, my dressing consists of one clove of garlic, coarse sea salt ( I use Celtic Sea Salt), ground black pepper, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.  The amounts of each ingredient will vary depending upon your taste and the amount you wish to make, but the general rule is 2 to 1 olive oil to lemon juice. I take the garlic, pepper, and coarse salt and mash them together in my favorite kitchen memento from my mother, from whom my love of cooking and sharing comes - a brass mortar and pestle she received as a gift from a gentleman who lived in the Middle East.  Once the garlic is pulverized, add the lemon juice and olive oil, pour over the salad, and toss.  If you don't have a mortar and pestle just chop the garlic finely and continue. Enjoy!

This post was suggested by Felix

Yet More Seeds!

Received from Bountiful Gardens http://www.bountifulgardens.org/

Butterfly Mix - to attract butterflies.
Beneficial Insect Mix - last year I had a lot of beneficial insects.
Juwarot Carrot - for the almost daily salad.
Anasazi Corn - sweet corn for eating.
Roodnerf Brussels Sprouts - have tried this crop in all years with no success. One of my most favorite dishes to cook and a favorite of family and friends has Brussels Sprouts in it.  I will publish the recipe one day.
Solstice Broccoli - had some success with Di Cicco last year.  This one sounded more promising.
Golden Self Blanching Celery - for the almost daily salad.  Had success with another celery in  2011.

Still need a few companion flowers - Zinnias, Marigolds, etc.

Seeds Galore!

More Seeds arrived today!
My preference is for Heirloom and Open Pollinated Seeds.

Received from Seed Savers Exchange  http://www.seedsavers.org/
Nyagous Tomato - a black tomato
Sweet Mace - a favorite of Southwestern Chefs
Musquee de Provence Pumpkins - a heirloom from France - if the picture is accurate the colors will be especially impressive come Halloween.
Zebrune Shallots - is there more to say? If you have not tried shallots in your cooking I highly recommend you do.
Oaxacan Green Dent Corn - Mesa Man has not attempted Corn since the early 1980's in another Western State when he grew it with another seed crop.   This corn is for grinding into flour to make tortillas.  One of the three sisters.

Received from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds  http://rareseeds.com/
Rich Sweetness Melon - sure to be a hit with the squirrels, like the Tigger Melons last year. This melon is said to be sweet.  The Tigger Melon was beautiful, but rather bland.
Mexican Sour Gherkins - cucumber like.   Last year I did not plant these in a good place - this year I will.    
Atomic Red Carrot - the name says it all!
Parsley - Giant of Italy - a staple in my kitchen.
Melon Charentais - orange melon
Turkish Orange Eggplant - we will see!
Listada de Gandia Eggplant - poorly planted last year and was taken over by pumpkins; will plant better this year
Ferris Tomato - a pink tomato; the description was intriguing
Bonus Seeds - American Melon Ananas D'Amerique A Chair Verte - a green melon

Received from John Sheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds http://www.kitchengardenseeds.com/index.html
Broccoli - Purple Peacock - said to be an eat-it-all type of broccoli
Ashley Cucumbers - for slicing and salads
Petit Gris de Rennes Melon - called the champagne of melons!
Brown Mustard Seed - I cure my own corned beef each St. Patrick's Day - hopefully will have my own mustard seeds for 2014.

Received from Nichols Garden Nursery https://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/store/index.php
Indigo Rose Tomato - purple tomato
Bonus Seeds - Red Lettuce Salad Bowl

More to come.

The Seeds Are Arriving!

The first shipment of Seeds arrived on Friday, January 19, 2013.

Received from Annie's Heirloom Seeds http://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com/

Red Bunching Onions - for my almost daily salad
Cumin - very excited as I use this Spice a lot in my cooking.

Royal Burgundy Bush Bean - the description sounded intriguing
Mini Bells Mix - for my almost daily salad.

In fact, the reason for starting the garden in 2009 was to supply my salad needs.

The garden looks so barren in the winter.
The only remaining vestiges are the Sage bush and the asparagus fronds.
The asparagus is the harbinger of spring in the desert - this past year the young shoots were so tender; few made it indoors.

I await further shipments of seeds.

The Sandias have an almost ethereal glow in the winter at sunset - one of many reasons to live here!

January 12, 2013

New blog chronicling the attempts at gardening by one man in the desert on the west side of Albuquerque.

Time to order seeds for the season.  Last year, too many selections and not enough space.

And then there were the Squirrels!  More on that later.

More to follow.