In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen
These are not June strawberries but in November if they’re sweet and red, I’m in. The strawberries have “white shoulders” and are generally smaller but the plants look very healthy. Each of the twelve plants have many more strawberries coming on. Warm weather later this week may encourage ripening.
Here’s what I read about white shoulders at The Produce Nerd blog:
White shoulders are caused by temperature fluctuations during the growing season. Either excessively cold or hot temperatures can play a role. These temperature changes prohibit the strawberries from being able to ripen properly. When strawberries ripen, they ripen from the tip up to the stem, so the white shoulders are an indicator of that.
Some of the ‘Dorsett Golden’ apples fell into the netting protecting the crop from opossums. We’ll likely uncover the espaliered tree and harvest most of the apples this week. I’m thinking of the apple galette I made last year about this time.
The last few red peppers are “sliced and diced” for later use. After a short time on trays in the freezer, I pack them into containers.
Last night I made the first minestrone soup of the season, using several green peppers and the last of the orange carrots harvested in the spring. More purple carrots remain in the produce drawer.
The arugula is rangy as it nears the end of its run. Fortunately, I have a friend who will take most any arugula so I made a porch drop with her permission. Last week damaged leaves went to critters.
I’m considering a chop salad with arugula, apples, nuts and cheese for lunch today. There’s still some blood orange olive oil from Temecula Olive Oil Company on hand. My lunch is coming together as I write.
To microwave dry basil snip the best leaf clusters, rinse, pat lightly with clean towel and let air dry. Spread basil on paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds on full power. Repeat four to five times until leaves are crisp but not burned.
I placed them on a cookie sheet in the oven preheated to about 170 degrees and turned off. That finishing worked better here in our humid coastal environs and the dried leaves were easy to crumble. I have a spice jar of basil to take me through the winter.
I’m on a subtle slide toward Thanksgiving. A card sent by my great-grandmother in the 1920’s or 1930’s to my mother survived for me to enjoy.
You may enjoy seeing what other garden bloggers harvested last week at Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres. Check back in two days when I plan to have a photo update: In My Garden—Early November.
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