Report from My Veranda is Under Siege

This post "Report from My Veranda is Under Siege" was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in th blog Tyra's Garden/Tyras Trädgård

Report from My Veranda is Under Siege

My Veranda is under siege since exactly a month ago. On Valentine’s Day I started to sow my seeds, all the chilies, aubergines, artichokes and so on. the family will get it back on the first day of May :-) 

Today one month later I planted all the tomato seeds, 55 varieties…I know that it is too many but I had such a hard time to choose.

Today was also the first day of harvest, I was thinning out the seedling and that gave me a modest but still a nice little harvest of micro leaves. Lettuce, chicory, amaranth, parsley, cress and so on, they all ended up on my lunch plate. 

Happy Gardening Folks!/ Tyra

Harvest Monday with the Harvest Moon

This post 'Harvest Monday with the Harvest Moon' was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/ Tyra's Garden

September in the garden  - Harvest Monday at Daphne

Giant cukes! Tomatoes, red hot chili peppers, grapes and blackberries - life is good!

Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin'
We could dream this night away.

But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancin' in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart.

But now it's gettin' late
And the moon is climbin' high
I want to celebrate
See it shinin' in your eye.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

Neill Young

Picture from our one and only Moon-girl Joey The Village Voice

Love to hear from ya!/ Tyra  

September in my Potager

This post 'September in my Potager' was oroginally uploade by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in th blog Tyras Trädgård/Tyra's Garden

I have the privilege to have both Vanessa and Echinacea in my September garden, two very beautiful and highly appreciated visitors. Nice combo, don't you think? I just love this time of the year in my potager. It is still warm and kind of quiet and calm, I have this melancholy feeling but… nevertheless it feels actually rather pleasant.

From dewy lanes at morning
The grapes' sweet odors rise;
At noon the roads all flutter
With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather,
And autumn's best of cheer.

The golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

The gentian's bluest fringes
Are curling in the sun;
In dusty pods the milkweed
Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest,
In every meadow nook;
And asters by the brook-side
Make asters in the brook,

But none of all this beauty
Which floods the earth and air
Is unto me the secret
Which makes September fair.

T'is a thing which I remember;
To name it thrills me yet:
One day of one September
I never can forget.

- Helen Hunt Jackson, September

Blue Podded Pea - Blauwschokkers

This post 'Blue Podded Pea - Blauwschokkers' was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden/ Tyras Trädgård

Peas ready to harvest in my jardin potager.

 Pisum sativum Blue Podded Pea 'Blauwschokkers'

 Isn't it just sweet, my sweet sugarsnap pea!

 It isn't just a pretty pea to look at it is so sweet and delicious too.

This pea is a Dutch heirloom pea and it is from organic seed as well. Both an heirloom and organic, two criteria I really appreciate. This is the first time that I grow this pea and I wonder if it turn green if I cook it? I would think so. Although I don't think any of my blue podded peas will ever reach the kitchen. They are too tasty, I think they all will end up in the gardener's stomach as a snack.

Don't be a stranger my friend! -Write something!

Peas  Love  & Understanding ;-)

Potage from my Potager - Soupe Parmentier

This post about Soupe Parmentier - Potato and leek soup was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog

Tyra's Garden.

Swedish? Vill du läsa på svenska finns ett liknande inlägg i KÖKSTRÄDGÅRDEN

A soup with a tale…

This Potato and leek soup is a is a hot variation of the famous Vichyssoise and then it is called
"Soupe Parmentier"

This delicious hot winter soup got its name from the Frenchman called Antoine Auguste Parmentier, who had been fed the so-called poisonous potato root in a German prison-of-war camp, returned to France to find his countrymen starving. He set up potato soup kitchens throughout Paris to help the poor. Finally, Louis XVI recognized his work by saying, "France will thank you some day for having found bread for the poor." Seven Year War (1756-1763) tale source

On this picture above, there is an other story, the tale of the soup Vichyssoise. A cold potato and leek soup just perfect on a hot summers day.

November harvest from the potager. Small but lovely.

Potage Parmentier

2-3 tablespoon of butter for sautéing the leeks in
3 cups leeks, white and tender green parts
4 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
8 cups of a nice stock of choice
1 tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons of cream
Chopped parsley or chives to garnish with.

Simmer the potatoes, leeks, and salt in the stock until all are very tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the mixture until smooth add cream and seasoning.

Recette Française - Potage Parmentier

~ ~ ~

HARVEST MONDAY

It is Harvest Monday at Daphne´s place

The harvest is getting smaller and smaller indeed but today I did harvest some chilies (3 sorts) some herbs and the leeks for the soup.

Let's go under-cover...

I just want to show you what's cookin' under the the fabric cover, I got a few cloches to protect my mixed lettuce leaves and under the cover I still have some Arugula , parsley, thyme, onions etc.

Don't be a stranger my friend.

Do write something, I would just love to hear from you./ Tyra

October Harvest from my Potager - Tabbouli

This post October Harvest from my Potager - Tabbouli was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Late October and yet I can still harvest from my potager.

We have had some nights with frost and we have even had snowfall. So I’m rather amazed that I could harvest these things today. From todays harvest I’m going to make Tabbouli a herby Lebanese bulgur salad. For this dish I need a lot of parsley, 2 tomatoes, some mint and 2 small onions from my potager addition to that I need bulgur, lemon juice, olive oil salt and pepper. It would be nice to add a pomegranate too but unfortunately I have got that so I have to cope without it.

Aubergine, Rocoto pepper, parsley, Cherokee purple tomatoes, Poblano chili and Chervena Chushka pepper

To drink with my Tabboulli

 I’m going to have a cold Rose, apple and mint tea,

 an October Harvest Tea!

Apples, mint and Roses from the garden.

It is Harvest Monday at Daphne´s place do pop over to Daphne and meet the rest of the guys,

but first...

Don't be a stranger my friend

 Do write something, I would just love to hear from you./ Tyra

Fragrant and Tasty

This post 'Fragrant and Tasty' was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallséníus-Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

 October in the Greenhouse

Lavandula augustifolia  &  Sambucus nigra 

Geraniums, Elberberries, Winters quashes and Lavender

 The growing season for 2010 is almost over and I've cleaned out the greenhouse. Gone are all the tomatoes and most of the chilies too. I have dug up some parsley, tarragon and chives and planted them in pots and brought them into the greenhouse so I can enjoy them a bit longer. Today I harvested the last of the Lavender Lavandula augustifolia and I haven't ever seen them so bright in the colour. If you like the Elderberries Sambucus nigra now it’s a good time to pick them just as the frost has arrived and before the birds eat them. I’m actually going to give them to the birds this year but I'll give my Elderberry harvest to the birds I have outside my kitchen window, then I can watch them eat and that is always enjoyable.

Don't be a stranger my friend I would just love to hear from you!

 Tyra

Harvest Monday at dear Daphne's place Daphne's Dandelions  &

Mosaic Monday Amen for Autumn visit Mary and enjoy other mosaics.

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Miss Emilie's Opal Plum Pie

This post 'Miss Emilie's Opal Plum Pie' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyras Garden

Now I so wish you could taste this!

Miss Emilie's plum and almond pie, it is so delicious. The thin crispy pie shell merges together with from the plum slightly moist layer of coarse almond paste and then on the top the lovely sugar powdered Opal plums. It is beautiful to look at and absolutely scrumptious, sweet in taste and yet still a bit tangy from the Opal fruit.  

October flowers and food.

 - Echinacea with a butterfly friend, my red Morton's basil,

Opal plum fruit and  Miss Emilie's plum & almond tart.

Opal is a Swedish self-fertile plumtree, a successful cross of a french and an english plum. This sure is one of my favourites. Beautiful and tasty, it is a really nice cooking plum too, perfect for marmalades and chutneys.

~ ~ ~

 This is what Ashridge trees says about the Opal plum tree.

"Opal plums are sweet, bite-sized dessert plums that range in colour from bright yellow to deep purple, on the same tree and often on the same fruit. They have pale yellow flesh with a characteristic Greengage flavour. Opal plums are early fruiters in a good year you can start picking the first fruit at the end of July. Because they are so early, Opal plums ripen rapidly and so do better in the South of England; they also reward being planted in a south facing spot - trained against a south facing wall or ina warm corner is perfect.

Opal's History and Parentage

Opal is one of the creations of the Horticultural Research Stations in Alnarp and Balsgard in Sweden. It was produced from a cross between two classic plum trees, Early Favourite and Oullins Gage, which are respectively tough English and tasty French varieties.

Plum Tree Pollination guide for Opal Prunus domestica

Opal plum trees are truly self-fertile, which means no pollination partner is needed. It really is a good plum as it crops steadily each year." read further at  Ashridge trees 

Tyra

Physalis - locally grown

At last, now in early September my Physalis are ready to harvest, sweet, pretty and very healthy. Full of vitamin C it is a true power-fruit or shall I call it power-berry. Eat locally grow! - you cannot beat home grown.

 Don't forget to save one little Physalis and harvest your own seeds - free seeds for 2011 growing season. 

Vill du läsa på svenska? Välkommen till KÖKSTRÄDGÅRDEN

Umami Power Snack

Tomato - this powerful umami* fruit full of goodness.

旨味

They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.

A perfect savory snack, swap to a bowl of tomatoes instead and get a living power snack instead of the dead bowl of ' ¤)#&FAT/¤#&SUGAR%#¤what-ever' I mean the snack that we usually have beside us :-) I often do anyway.

Medium snack-sized tomatoes of the cultivars Borghese principe, Stupice and Promyk tomatoes

NUTRITION: This is what Wikipedia says about the subject. Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other things. They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. In some studies lycopene, especially in cooked tomatoes, has been found to help prevent prostate cancer but other research contradicts this claim. Lycopene has also been shown to improve the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays.Natural genetic variation in tomatoes and their wild relatives has given a genetic treasure trove of genes that produce lycopene, carotene, anthocyanin, and other antioxidants. Tomato varieties are available with double the normal vitamin C (Doublerich), 40 times normal vitamin A (97L97), high levels of anthocyanin (P20 Blue), and two to four times the normal amount of lycopene (numerous available cultivars with the high crimson gene). Tomato consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast cancer,head and neck cancers and might be strongly protective against neurodegenerative diseases

More tomatoes?

Take a hop into The Greenhouse

PIE and SEEDS

* it is japanese and means good flavour

Dahlia Mignon in my Potager

This post 'Dahlia Mignon in my potager' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden

Blooming Friday September, the weather is still great and the air is warm. I love this time of the year, golden days and kind of 'Chillout time' in the garden, harvesting is the main work now and it is so joyful and rewarding.This Friday I want to show you a dear friend in my potager, Dahlia Mignon. Among all my vegetables and herbs I plant dahlias and especially this undemanding single flowering dahlia the Dahlia Mignon 'Firebird'.

~~~

Blommig fredag igen och den här veckan tänkte jag bjuda på en lite skönhet. Dahlia Mignon 'Firebird' en enkelblommande mycket lättskött dahlia som jag både har på friland i köksträdgården men även i krukor där de faktiskt trivs rikigt bra.

I love it and so does the beautiful butterflies as well.

.

I have written before and I say it again 'To combine flowers with vegatable is the Yin & Yang in my potager' I think it give me a healthy sustainable garden and it certainly adds beauty as well. Yin & Yang in Tyra's Garden 2007



Att kombinera blommor och grönsaker är både vackert för ögat och nyttigt för trädgården.


.. Dahlia Mignon among the Kale 'Nero di Toscana'



~~~



'Nero di Toscana' kallas även Svartkål och Palmkål och jag har den alltid med i min potager. Palmkålen är en form av grönkål och har avlånga krusiga blad och har en härligt mörkt svartgrön färgton.






It's is time to start gather the seed from this years flowers, are you a collector? As you know I'm a 'seedaholic' as a result of that my seedbank is getting a lot of deposits :-)



more cabbage...this time Brassica oleracea var. sabellica


~~~

Fler härliga bidrag till 'Blommig fredag' hittar du här hos Katarina

I wish you all a great and happy weekend in the garden.

Ha det gott mina vänner!

..

TYRA

The last lily of the season

This post 'The last lily of the season' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden

It was raining this morning when I went for my morning round in the garden. There are still some lovely blooms to enjoy, roses, dahlias and this the last lily of the season. The lilies has been incredible this year and this is the last one out...a bit sad, it has a different but lovely colouring this lily hasn't it.

~~~

~~~

~~~

Det regnade i morse när jag tog min lilla runda i trädgården. Liljorna mina har varit fantastiska i år och den här lilla skönheten är sist ut. Lite annorlunda färgkombination tycker jag, läcker ellerhur? Det är blommig fredag igen...helt otroligt vad fort en vecka går.

Last lily of the season - Årets sista lilja

Fler härliga bidrag till 'Blommig fredag' hittar du här hos Katarina
...


Harvest in pink and green.

Parsley, onions and a bouquet of lilies, cabbage and seed capules of papaver.


~~~

I wish you all a great weekend out in your gardens - Happy gardening!


LOLove TYRA

Harvest of my Sea buckthorn

This post 'Harvest of my Buckthorn' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden

Harvest Monday in Tyra’s garden - Tomatoes, blackberries and Sea-buckthorn.

~HAVTORNSKÖRD~

Harvest of my Sea-buckthorn

I planted my Sea-buckthorn bushes a few years ago, three Juliet (female) and one Romeo (male plant) and this is my first harvest ever! This amazing power-food-berry has a fantastic exotic taste and of all the berries of the earth Sea buckthorn is probably that one berry that contains most vitamins in large quantities.

~~~

This is what Wikipedia says about Sea-buckthorn berries - The fruit of the plant has a high vitamin C content—in a range of 114 to 1550 mg per 100 grams with an average content (695 mg per 100 grams) about 12 times greater than Oranges— placing sea-buckthorn fruit among the most enriched plant sources of vitamin C[1]. The fruit also contains dense contents of carotenoids, vitamin E, amino acids, dietary minerals, β-sitosterol and polyphenolic acids.

~~~

Havtornsbären - Honplantorna producerar orangefärgade bär med en diameter av sex–nio millimeter, som är mjuka och saftiga och rika på C-vitamin (120 milligram C-vitamin per 100 gram bär, odlingsvärda sorter innehåller 300–1 300 milligram C-vitamin per 100 gram bär). En del sorter innehåller också mycket A-vitamin och E-vitamin. Av bären kan man bland annat göra saft. Havtorn är förmodligen det av alla jordens bär som innehåller flest vitaminer i stor mängd.

That was all for today, have a great week!

Ha det gott/ TYRA

'Man tager vad man haver' - sa Kajsa Warg

The Day's of Harvest from the Greenhouse and Potager - July

There was a Swedish young woman who wrote a cookery book back in 1755 (amazing!) Her name was Kajsa Warg. She always said and I live by that quote when I'm cooking.

Bild från nätet: Sofies mat

'Man tager vad man haver' - You take what you got

...and then it is up to the brilliant cook to be a wizard and make something delicious out of it.

My gazpacho differs from time to time it all depends on what I got at home but usually I have; tomatoes, red peppers, onions, cucumber, garlic, stale bread, ice cold water, oil and vinegar. Salt, spices and herb of course. About half (60%) of the ingredients I blend and make into a nice soup and the rest I dice into small dices which I serve (on the side) together with croutons with the soup.

Here is a Spanish Recipe of

Gazpacho

this delicious soup from Andalucia Españia

Ingredientes para 5 personas:
1 kg de tomate rojo maduro
70 g pepino
60 g pimiento rojo
1/2 diente de ajo tamaño normal
30 g cebolla
1 cucharada rasa de sal (a gusto)
vinagre de jerez (2 cucharadas)
agua (3 vasos)
100 g aceite de oliva virgen extra (7 cucharadas)
pan duro
comino molido (una pizca)
pimienta negra recién molida (una pizca) (opcional)

This spanish recipe is from wikipedia.

UPDATE! I got this recipe from dear Joey ( the Village Voice) and I have to share it with you.

HARVEST GAZPACHO(with or without crab)- minced clove of garlic- 6 plump peeled and seeded ripe tomatoes- 2 peeled and seeded cucumbers- 1 chopped red onion- 1 chopped sweet onion- 1 coarsely chopped red pepper- 1 coarsely chopped yellow or orange pepper- 2 cups good tomato juice- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil- juice of 1 fresh lemon- coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste- dashes of Tabasco (hot pepper sauce)to taste- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill- sliced black olives to taste- 1/2 lb. good lump crab chopped fresh parsley for garnish

•

Into a large glass bowl rubbed with cut garlic, place chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers. Combine tomato juice, olive oil, lemon juice and Tabasco. Pour over chopped garden vegetables. Add dill, olives, and crab. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Chill thoroughly. Ladle into chilled bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and warm crusty bread. (6-8 servings)

Bon appétit!

A few word about Malachite...

Don't be a stranger - do write something!

Skriv en rad vettja'

TYRA