Thursday, September 23, 2010

Summer Food Wrap-up

With Kahuna's gardening prowess and my enthusiasm for playing with my food, we've had a good summer here at the castle. Here's my wrap-up of the season -- or, What I Learned (about Food) on My Summer Vacation. 1. Most tragic food blunder: garlic paste. Thinking this was a good way to preserve

our garlic harvest, I used fully half of the year's crop, roasting and turning it into a paste to use on bread, in stews, etc. Result: a very mellow-tasting spread that doesn't even make a decent piece of garlic bread.
Grrrr.
Epic fail.

2. Most ill-advised historical food experiment: these muffins from a 17th-century recipe. I don't remember the name, but I do remember they tasted like chalk and contained enough baking powder to make a horse float. A castle record: amount of time from taking first bite until entire batch is pitched into the garbage -- 1.2 seconds.
3. Biggest surprise: homemade "butter," whereby cream, blenderized and promised to magically transform into fresh home-made butter, instead resolutely remained cream, albeit slightly dazed cream. Said cream's sole action was, upon seeing daylight as blender top was lifted, to defiantly and maniacally splash into blender wielder's eye.
"Butter" - 1. Castle Queen - 0.







4. Biggest (pleasant) garden surprise: eggplant.






Our first time growing this, we grilled, roasted, and baked it. Vegetable medleys, ratatouille, eggplant Parmesan -- all were delicious. All were eaten within minutes.


Our mothers would never believe it: we actually like vegetables.
5. Most frequently made recipe: pear nectar. Or maybe peach nectar. What can I say? I love nectar. Probably because I love sugar, and after a summer of eating vegetables, I am a tad sugar-deprived.
6. Most triumphant garden victory: enough basil for homemade pesto. The fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Totally worth the wait.
Never mind that we received said basil as a gift, already a very large plant. The point is, at this date it is still a very large plant, thriving in Kahuna's garden and popping out an abundance of leaves daily.
You go, basil. You go.
So how about you? Any summertime hits, misses, surprises? Feel free to leave a link if you've posted about your summertime food adventures. We'd love to read all about it.

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9 Comments:

Blogger Moore Minutes said...

lol, What a fun post to read! It was interesting to read about both the successes and failures. I would have thought the garlic paste would be a GREAT idea!

That pear nectar sounds amazing!! And I love all the jars you have it in.

September 23, 2010 at 3:19 PM  
Blogger ~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

We've enjoyed all of the local fruit and veggies! I've eaten fresh veggies all summer...and will miss them! ♥

September 23, 2010 at 4:57 PM  
Blogger Joanne said...

Sounds like your summer was a mix of good and bad experiments...but as long as you learned, it's all that matters!

September 23, 2010 at 5:25 PM  
Blogger The Bumbles said...

I do love to read about your epic fails, you know! Better you than me ;0)

We grew a paltry amount of tomatoes and cukes this year. Next year I have grand plans for a proper veggie garden. Maybe some day Andy can read Kahuna levels.

September 24, 2010 at 10:09 AM  
Anonymous Faith said...

I thoroughly enjoyed this post! Very interesting about the butter...I'm completely intrigued now, lol!

September 25, 2010 at 5:04 AM  
Blogger Carpool Queen said...

Epic fail? My first batch of peach jam.

And my second.

And my third......

Epic win? My first batch of peach BUTTER.

Go with your strengths....

October 4, 2010 at 7:23 AM  
Anonymous jacque said...

Hi Lynn - catching up on your blog on the rainy PA morning...er..afternoon. Anyway, I got a chuckle out of your butter project! I had the same experience! I think I'll just stick to the old shake-the-jar method! Had to laugh at the "biscuits" too. I've tried a few "antique" recipes that do not work in our modern world...or maybe it's the cook. I'm not sure?! Got a giggle from the garlic too. My mom once decided to make her own garlic powder! We roasted it in the oven first. Our house smell to high heaven for days. Oh the memories! Happy fall to you!

October 4, 2010 at 9:44 AM  
Blogger Rebecca said...

How enjoyable to find your blog. Thanks for commenting on my jewelry tree.

Like L observed, the blunders are good to read about (love a gal who can laugh at herself) and the successes are amazing!

November 13, 2010 at 2:51 AM  
Blogger Danielle said...

Oh man, your blunders really had me laughing! I love your way of writing about them! They say we learn more from our failures than our successes, right? So that means next summer you will be a total expert. :)
Thanks for dropping by and leaving this link - it was a lot of fun!

February 26, 2011 at 6:17 AM  

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