In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen

Pomegranate Crunch, a medium romaine, is a new variety for me and proved to be a winter gem. Cool weather deepens the vibrant wine color which contrasts with the lime green interiors. The texture is between romaine and butterhead with thick glossy leaves.

I grew it last summer for its heat tolerance and descriptions laud its disease resistance. It did well in our recent pea-size hail, unlike the neighboring ‘Sea of Red.’ The heads hold well and seem slow to bolt. It will be a year-round choice for me. It is widely available from favorite seed companies.

Some of my pickled purple cauliflower, white carrots and red onion topped torn ‘Pomegranate Crunch.’ Add snow peas, crumbled manchego cheese, slivered almonds, toasted sesame seeds and drizzle all with olive oil for an incredible lunch.

Despite hail and opossum damage to the plants, I gathered a few handfuls of broccoli side shoots last week.

A window opened for us to visit our son and family in Seattle and in haste before the drive, I gathered garden goodies to share. No fancy photos here.

My three-year-old Shiloh loves Grandma’s carrots and baby Sam will get his share cooked and pureed.

The last of the radishes and the first of the ‘Sweet Merlin’ beets headed to Seattle.

Before leaving, I harvested the last eight heads of ‘Pomegranate Crunch’ that survived the hail. Two came with us for our kids, two squirreled away at home in the fridge since they keep well and the rest given to neighbors and friends. When I return, I’ll be starting more from seed.

When I’m busy packing and readying house and garden, lettuce is picked up on the front porch.

You may enjoy seeing what other garden bloggers around the world harvested last week at Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Happy Acres blog.

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