Propagating FIG trees from cuttings #GardenCuizine FIGS: fabulous for dietary fiber

Propagating Fig Trees

Gardeners propagate fig trees using various methods either from cuttings or air layering. I'm going to try propagating fig trees from cuttings. Our little, lone fig tree (unknown ID) is taking forever to yield figs. Over the past 5 or so years, the growth has been quite slow. It started out as literally a 3-foot stick. Now it is 5 feet with a small amount of branching at the top. The few figs that we thought we saw last year - disappeared! They probably got eaten by squirrels. After years of anticipating fresh figs, we're still waiting... The good news is that there are other varieties of figs to grow that may actually yield us a fig harvest. The same goes for you in your USDA zone. If at first you don't succeed, try another type of fig tree.

At a Dave's Garden Mid-Atlantic region plant swap yesterday, we received a generous handful of fig tree cuttings from a fellow Dave's Gardener who thinks her tree could be a common fig cultivar named 'Celeste'. 

We weren't planning on starting fig trees from cuttings, but since we received them - it's sure worth a try. I'm going to try rooting the fig cuttings as recommended by New England Gardener on his 'How to Grow a Fig Tree from a Cutting' YouTube video:

Propagating Fig tree cuttings 

from a dormant tree

Stage One

1) Get cuttings from a dormant fig tree that grows in or near your USDA zone
2) Wet newspaper; squeeze out excess water
3) Wrap each cutting in newspaper, keep the tips sticking out
4) Place cutting(s) into a plastic bag. New England Gardener uses a baggie. Our cuttings were longer than his and would only fit in a plastic shopping bag
5)  Place in a warm area out of direct sunlight for a few weeks. We put ours on our microwave next to the refrigerator, which generates some warmth
6) Open the bag daily for some air circulation; then close again. 
7) After 2-3 weeks, check for developed roots and proceed with Stage Two 

Stay tuned for Stage Two. I'll update the post regardless of the outcome. Fingers are crossed that this works. And, if it does, we may end up with a Fig Tree forest.

Happy and Healthy Gardening! 

Related Links:
Uncommon Nutrition from the Common Fig - Ficus carica

Happy Mother's Day! #GardenCuizine

Happy Mother's Day!

Enjoyed a visit to a local garden center with Mom today. Of course, when we saw hostas named June, we had to get them! An easy sale for the garden center.
 
Happy Mother's Day to all, and a big Mother's Day greeting to some very special new mommies we love: Kristine and Kim. We wish you many blessings and can't wait to meet your beautiful baby girls: Alexandra June and Emily Ann.

Now time to get in the kitchen and bake Mom some of her favorite Sesame Regina Biscotti.

Photo collage Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Today in our Garden #GardenCuizine #gardenchat Opening Day for local Farmers' Markets!

Click on the photo for full view

Today In Our Garden 
South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b) 
May 4, 2013

Our South Jersey garden is busting out with blooms and seedlings everywhere. Hummingbirds have arrived too. And yes, dandelions and weeds are part of the blooming frenzy here in our neck of the woods. We're trying to weed, weed and weed. Loved a sign posted on Facebook this morning which read, "Come over - knock - if no answer, pull weeds!"

Today is opening day for many Jersey Farmers Markets who begin offering locally grown Jersey Fresh produce, making this an exciting time for better health and nutrition. Think Garden-to-Table or Farm-to-Table... your table. 

Enhance your health 

by increasing your physical activity and by growing and eating 

more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

 

Arugula

Our arugula is going to seed now. Just let it bloom and go to seed, then save the seeds and plant some again. Arugula is a must for every kitchen garden. You can never find arugula commercially with decent flavor. Once you grow your own, you can taste the difference and see for yourself. 

Indoor Seedlings

Inside we have trays of veggie seedlings growing that will eventually make their way to our gardens as well as shared with gardening friends. Our seedlings include: dill weed, tomatoes, pepperoncini; amaranth, cypress vine, zinnias, nasturtiums, salvias, Japanese morning glories, Spanish flag vine, Nierembergia and hollyhocks.

Strawberries

Strawberry plants (shown photo collage) are flowering now, which means strawberries will soon be on the way. 

Fennel

Bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is looking good -  swallowtail butterflies will surely love it and we'll love using the seeds in recipes. 

Potatoes

After all the weeding and digging, a few undug potatoes pieces must have remained down under the earth and low and behold, potato seedlings are sprouting up everywhere in areas where we had planted them last year. This is good news since we didn't buy any seed potatoes this season. 

Comphrey

Our perennial comphrey herb (Symphytum officinale), located in a part-shade corner of our veggie and herb garden, is alive and well. Hummingbirds love comphreys tubular blooms.

Oregano

Over the years perennial oregano will grow into an established healthy mound to provide you with plenty of flavorful leaves to snip for your recipes.

Money plants

Our home is surrounded by lavender purple Money plant (Lunaria annua) blooms that seem to naturalize beautifully when left alone. Other names for this beautiful flower include Honesty, Moonwort and Silver Dollar because the seed pods look round like silver dollars.

Plan a Garden

It's not to late to start a garden if you haven't already. Remember you can grow veggies and herbs in pots too if you don't have a yard. Or, you can ask to start a garden at work or join a community, neighborhood garden. 

Wherever you garden, Happy and Healthy Gardening!

Thanks Mom!!

Gardens encourage all family members to increase their physical activity. Mom has been doing just that and has become our official garden weeder this season. She has done a fantastic job of reclaiming our garden. Thanks Mom!!

Blog post and photos Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Blooms Galore! Today in Our Spring Garden #GardenCuizine #gardenchat

Click on the photo for full view

Today In Our Garden

South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b)

April 26, 2013

With the first round of Spring blooms behind us, we say goodbye to cheery yellow forsythia, hyacinths and daffodils and hello to the second burst of Spring here in South Jersey. April sprouts and blooms include (shown photo collage):

• Ferns
• Rosmarinus officinalis 'Arp'
• Gooseberry
• Kwanzan cherry 
• Bleeding hearts
• Dogwood
• Money plants

• Aucuba japonica (shown left)
• Helleborus
• Pansies
• Lilacs
• Tulips
• Helleborus 

Get outside and enjoy the view. And, now is a great time to sow some cool weather veggies like lettuce, mizuna and arugula. 
 Happy Spring!

Photos and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.  Kitty in the photo collage - our sweet Snoops guarding the indoor seedlings.  

Daikon never looked so good! #GardenCuizine @EatRight

Japanese Daikon Radish

Chefs add the crisp, mild flavor of Japanese daikon radish to salads, stir-fries, sushi and recipes - often sliced thin and marinated. The salad shown above was served at Lambertville Station in Lambertville, NJ - featuring Lobster​ claw, colossal crab, baby watercress, chopped plum tomato, topped with daikon radish and scallions on a bed of boston bibb lettuce. Orange peppercorn vinaigrette complimented the salad.  

Try Daikon sliced raw or pickled. Combine daikon radish with carrots for a winning combination. Grow Daikon radish (Raphanus sativus) in your garden: direct sow; prefers full sun. The thick white roots grow 2 to 3-inches wide and up to 24-inches long. Daikon greens are edible too. Harvest in late fall or early winter. We plan to grow daikon and burdock root this year. 

• Enjoy Daikon radish as a good source of Vitamin C

Related Links
Daikon Radish Nutrition 
Photo and blog post Copyright(C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Orchards of pink peach blooms now throughout New Jersey! #GardenCuizine

Throughout New Jersey, early April is when you start to see Peach trees beginning to show off their blooms. Fields of pink blossoms caught my attention on my way to work last week as I traveled south on Route 55 through Gloucester and Cumberland counties. Today, we decided to take a family drive through some of those areas in South Jersey to see some peach orchards and enjoy the beautiful spring day.

As we followed our self-guided tour, we managed to see several breathtaking fields of pink peach blooms with vibrant yellow forsythia scattered throughout the landscapes. We followed a tour map provided by Rutgers NJ Agriculture Experiment Station several years ago. We noticed that due to increased housing developments, sadly there was a decline in acreage dedicated to growing peaches. Farms still exist, even though they were somewhat sandwiched in between new homes and commercial businesses built on what used to be exclusive NJ farmland.

The NJ Peach Promotion Council reported in 2010 that the US census listed around 6,600 acres of New Jersey land dedicated to Peach farming. New Jersey, produces 68,000,000 pounds annually. And, of that, about 65% of the acreage is located in Gloucester County.

According to the NJ Peach Promotion Council, New Jersey ranks 4th among the top peach producers - following California, South Carolina and Georgia. I'm always amazed at the wide variety of cultivars among common fruits and vegetables. There are 40+ varieties of Jersey Peaches!

What are your favorite recipes using peaches? 

Peaches

A nutritious fruit to look forward to this summer.  

Jersey peach season starts late July through September.

GardenCuizine Peach Nutrition data: coming soon...
Related Links
NJ Peach Promotion Council 
A History of the NJ Peach 
South Jersey Self-Guided Peach blossom tour map
Peach Facts courtesy of Colorado State University Extension
Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Peaches 
Buy some Just Peachy Salsa support the Food Bank of SJ
Photos and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Candied Organic Orange Rind for Italian baked goods #GardenCuizine

Candied Orange Rind

Candied orange peel adds flavor to Italian baked goods. I especially enjoy it added to whole grain Easter Bread and Hot Cross Buns. The candied peel can be stored for a long time in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Assuming you are like us and don't have an orange tree in your back yard, the ideal time to make it is when you come across organic oranges on sale. Sometimes when I make it, I like to toss in some kumquats too. My recipe was inspired from the late Anne Casale's book, Italian Family Cooking. She was a culinary professional and author of 5 cookbooks.

Ingredients
4-5 organic navel oranges
kumquats (optional) 
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Putting it all together

• Wash the oranges
• Using a paring knife, cut each orange from top to bottom through the skin, making 6 sections. Use your finger to push off the rind; try to keep the segments in one piece.
• Place all the peels in a stock pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cool water. Repeat.
• Blot the rinds dry with a paper towel. Using a teaspoon gently scrape away any excess top layer of white pith from the inside of each peel. You want to leave 1/8 inch or so of peel - so don't scrape it too much. Set aside the peels.

• Reusing the same pot - add water and sugar. Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. 
• Turn off the heat and add in the peels (and whole or seeded sliced kumquats). Stir to coat them with the syrup.
• Place into sterilized jars and cover. 
• Let cool at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.

• The next day empty the jars into a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Turn off. Then place the rinds and syrup back into the jars. Cool to room temperature. Store in refrigerator. Repeat again a third day. This softens and candies the skins. 
• Store in refrigerator. Use as desired in your baked goods. 

Blog post and recipe Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Today in Our Garden ... smells of Spring #GardenCuizine

Today in Our Garden
South Jersey
USDA Zone 7a (formerly zone 6b)
March 15, 2013

Finally, feels like Spring today. Lots of birds flying around looking for nesting materials and warm enough you don't really need to wear a coat outside. You can smell the hyacinths along the garden paths. New growth can be seen everywhere.

I haven't planted the usual amount of seeds that I normally do. But, those that I did get in the dirt are starting to sprout life. The first sprouts are a favorite pink salvia.

In the garden: garlic is sprouting, horseradish is coming up too. No sign of any Jersey asparagus yet. Arugula is hearty and budding already. Weeds are everywhere and blooming; they actually look pretty nice... What's growing in your garden?

Blessings for a Happy Passover and Happy Easter!

Photo collage Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

Make your own ricotta and mozzarella cheese! @cherrygrovefarm #GardenCuizine @NOFANJ

Ricotta and Mozzarella
Cheese-making Class 

at Cherry Grove Farm!

As Harry and I set out for Cherry Grove Farm in Central New Jersey, we knew we were headed for a fun experience. We handmade ricotta, stretched mozzarella and stuffed ricotta burrata balls from grass fed whole cows milk. Even when we were in Sicily last spring we didn't get the opportunity to make or even observe how ricotta cheese was made. My last real cheese-making adventure was when I attended the Academy of Culinary Arts and learned how to make farmers cheese.

• Cheese is an excellent source of protein and calcium, but can be high in sodium and saturated fat - so enjoy in moderation. 
• What's nice about organic farm cheese is that the milk is more nutrient-dense from pastured cows that feed on organic grasses and weeds like clover. For example, some milk may have a yellow hue, a visible sign of having more beta-carotene. 
• Milk from free roaming pastured cows also contains much more beneficial conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than milk from grain-fed cows.
• Making ricotta and mozzarella is easier than you may think. But, before you make your own cheese at home it helps to understand curds and whey.

Bariatric clients may like this information too because whey protein is recommended initially after weight loss surgery as an excellent form of supplemental protein.

What is Whey Protein?
Remember the nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet, who sat on a tuffet, eating of curds and whey? Well, curds come from coagulated milk. And, whey comes from the leftover liquid when milk coagulates and the curds are removed. Whey is a byproduct in cheese-making and is used to make ricotta.

Ricotta
Whey cheese is ricotta. Ricotta means "recooked". it is made from the leftover fluid after straining out the curds, which are coagulated proteins in cheese-making. Proteins are coagulated by low pH and high temperatures. Milk can be coagulated through the action of adding acid such as lemon juice or citric acid powder to the solution. Time and temperature become important elements in the cheese-making process. 

In Sicily we had plenty of tastings though of warm, fresh made ricotta from sheep's milk. Molded Sicilian ricotta was served on the table with fresh bread. In Sicily, we used fresh ricotta in Italian Cassata - a classic Sicilian dessert. Ricotta is also popular in cannoli and in savory eggplant and pasta dishes.

Here in the US, most ricotta is made from cow's milk versus sheep's. There is a distinct difference in taste - with sheep's milk having more flavor, and cow's milk ricotta being more bland.

Cheers to Cherry Grove's cheese-making class!
In the cheese class, we didn't make Ricottone (whey only) ricotta, we made a ricotta variation from whole milk that some call farm cheese. The results are similar. Ricottone is finer in texture. Farm cheese has delicate ricotta curds that can be used as you would Ricottone or made into mozzarella like we did in the class. In the class, we took our stretched mozzarella and stuffed it with a creamy ricotta filling to make burratas.

Cherry Grove has over 50 milking cows that graze on 230 acres of certified organic grass pastures located in Lawrenceville, NJ. Cheese-maker Sam Kennedy, CIA graduate, uses their fresh milk production for making artisan cheeses that are sold at their farm and to chefs, restaurants and stores in the tri-state area.

I first visited Mercer County as a food vendor with my former health food store and restaurant, Garden of Eden Natural Foods and Country Kitchen, Inc. We proudly served organic foods at the NOFA Organic Country Fair on the grounds of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed. NOFA-NJ is dedicated to supporting sustainable food and agriculture throughout New Jersey. 

If you live in the area and get a chance, visit Cherry Grove Farm for some sustainable agriculture fun. In addition to providing cheese-making classes, they have a small market that offers organic eggs, hormone and antibiotic-free meats and of course, their award-winning artisan cheeses.

Here are a few photos we took at Cherry Grove Farm

Thanks for a fun cheese-making class! 

GardenCuizine Ricotta Nutrition: Based on USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference calculated by Diana Wind, RD
Excellent Source: Protein, Calcium, Phosphorus, Selenium
Good Source: Riboflavin, Vitamin A
Whole milk Ricotta: 1/2 cup (124g): Calories 216; Protein 14g (28% DV); Calcium 257mg (26% DV); Magnesium 14mg (3.5% DV); Phosphorus 196mg (20% DV); Selenium 18mcg (26% DV); Riboflavin 0.24mg (14% DV); Vitamin A 552IU (11% DV); Vitamin D 12 IU (3% DV)

Related Links
Making Mozzarella, a Hands-on Affair
Ricotta recipe and using leftover whey
New England Cheesemaking Supply Co 
Blog post and photos Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.