Today had two momentous things happen in the garden. The garden has officially been frosted and I picked my first leeks.
I wasn't sure about the frost until I went out for the leeks. But yup the peppers are officially dead. The Sungold tomatoes have been looking pretty bad recently but they still have been producing about 5 tomatoes every day. No more. I need to find a warmish day to go out and pull them.
The poor garlic bed, with one garlic leaf popping up out of the soil, was actually frozen over. The ground was hard as a rock. Yes I did say the ground. I hadn't mulched the garlic yet. I've been avoiding the garden because its been so cold and windy. I confess. I've been a slacker in the garden recently. There just isn't much to do, so I've been doing nothing. I have rectified the situation and gave the garlic a nice hay mulch.
The bed the leeks were in - just two feet over - hadn't frozen, so they were easy to dig out. I didn't pick many, only three. The recipe I was making only called for one, but the leeks were so small. The largest was only 1" in diameter. While I was out I picked some green onions. I've been wanting them while cooking for the last couple of days, but I just couldn't bring myself to go out and pick them. Too cold.
I used the leeks to make Cheesy Delicata Squash and Potato Soup. I hadn't planned to make it, but I had just pulled a tray of Delicata squash out of the oven and was reading Jennifer's blog while I was waiting for them to cool. She had a new recipe for cooking my favorite squash. Of course I had to try it. I made it with real cheese however and soy milk since I've never even heard of hempmilk before. It was good, but it still doesn't trump plain leek and potato soup.
Leeks are such a beautiful looking vegetable, they look as good on a canvas or lens as they do on the plate.
ReplyDeleteI've also been lazy about garden work the last little while. It just not very attractive when its grey and windy out.
When did you start the leeks? Do they have a long growing season like bulbing onions?
Sorry about the frost-related demise of your peppers and such. But glad you got the leeks and actually cooked them. I've planted them for several years and they never seem to grow beyond pencil diameter. What's the secret to big fat ones? I need to find out! I love leek and potato soup too.
ReplyDeleteI've slacked a little with my gardening duties as well, it must be the time of year or something. I'm glad you tried the soup - I use hempmilk because I do not like soy milk and find rice milk to be a little thin. I think I am going to be making Leek and Potato soup this weekend, I've heard too many good things about it!
ReplyDeleteThe leeks look great. Glad you tried one of Jennifer's recipes. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteDan: I bought a container of leeks from the garden center in the spring. The leeks were about 1/8" in diameter at the time. I don't remember when I planted them, but probably in May. Leeks take a good four months to grow, at least here. Of course I just left in the in the ground until mid fall because I think they are a bit like carrots and taste better when the weather is cool.
ReplyDeleteKaren: As to the secret? Hmm I don't know. I just plop them in the ground and let them grow. Sometimes they grow well sometimes not. Never figured it out myself. About half of my leeks are tiny things, and half are reasonable size (but not the monster ones I find in the stores). BTW the biggest ones did correlate well to the biggest transplants. So maybe they do best by picking good plants to transplant.
Jennifer: Oh I love soy milk, the plain kind, not the vanilla kind. I hope you tried the leek and potato soup. It is plain and simple but just wonderful.
dp: Thanks.