FINDING MY GREEN THUMB

Wordless Wednesdays

2011-08-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

Park Officials Saying no to Foragers

2011-07-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

On July 29 the New York Times Posted an article on park officials dealing with foragers. This is a very touchy subject because on one hand- all the officials are trying to do is preserve the park and the plants and wild life they worked hard for. While on the other hand-people are trying to make use of the land provided to them, using the land to teach and identify edibles, and trying to enjoy the park(s) the way they know how.

Anyone, hopefully, can see both ends of each argument. It is true however, that these parks provided to the people, do not necessarily belong to the people. I am not going to lie, I often have identified wild edibles, in my strolls through the parks, but after thinking about it, decided to leave it untouched. The parks are meant to provide an aesthetic for the people, as well as to create a wild life habitat. Once this gets disturbed, all the hard work is lost, and the wild life, is left with nowhere to go. Not to mention the plants that are mishandled and left for dead, just to satisfy a person's needs.

Sandy Hook in New Jersey, apparently will allow foraging, but provide a limit. This is reasonable, and people should be understanding of it. Over Foraging, can result in a few different things, extinction of the plant in its natural habitat, harming the wildlife that thrives off of it, and costing the park officials extra money to replace it. You may be tempted to grab more than the allotted amount, but whats the point of getting fined, just return the next day, and do it all over again.

What's upsetting, is those that are taking foraging too far, and making this an issue to begin with. The Article states that people are over fishing, catching turtles, and taking trees. Several people love to fish, but if its not allowed, or theres a limit, don't do it, or just follow the rules. You know the fish (and Turtles) didn't just magically appear in the middle of these parks (surrounded by the city). They were put there by the officials.

Hopefully a compromise will be met, and it will not come down to fenced off areas in the parks.

What are your thoughts on this article?

Propagating a Japanese Maple...i think? part 2

2011-02-27T01:01:00.000-08:00

Well as stated in the prior post, I made the first and biggest mistake by leaving the cuttings out in the open in my apartment, I believe this caused them to dry out a little too much. Being that the suggested is to plant immediately or to keep the cuttings Moist. The purpose of keeping the plant moist is to keep the plant alive, so that in the rooting process it will retain the necessary energy to provide nutrients to the roots.

After finally having had the free moment to purchase the rooting hormone i wounded the cutting to expose an opening for the roots to come out of as well, then I applied the rooting hormone. Rooting Hormones not only increase the possiblility that rooting will occur but most of the rooting hormones also have a fungicide which protects the cutting from getting a disease and molding. I then inserted my cuttings into a growing medium and have kept them moist. At this point it is best to keep the cutting in a partially sunny but mostly shady location at 60 degrees temp.

But still no results, this could be one of two options. the first is that I let the cuttings dry out and die.

The second is that the plant is naturally in its dormancy meaning that there is a possibility it will root when spring comes along, but we'll see.

Quick Recap:

Propagating a Hardwood Cutting
1. have a cutting of the prior seasons growth at least 6-8 inches in length from a healthy plant.

2. make cutting on a 45 degree angle just above the node and wound to promote rooting

3. apply rooting compound

4. plant in a growing medium that is well aerated.

5. keep moist

6. Keep in a primarily shady location at 60 degrees until roots begin to form

7. Enjoy

Propagating a Japanese Maple...i think? Prelude to part 2

2011-02-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

After weeks of delay, thinking of how to follow up to the previous post...its finally here.

The first attempt to propagate the Japanese Maple with one of the Gel 2 Root packs as predicted was a failure. After a week or so of the cuttings being in the solution, there wasn't any change. As the end of the second week approached the solution began to turn cloudy and mold began to develop on the cuttings...that is when the white flag was thrown in.

My second attempt is where the delays in posting this came to play...( Here's where the excuses come to play, so feel free to call the "waambulance" on me)

The First and most important, is that my apartment is in a "pre-war" building and the heat is controlled buy the super through a radiated system, and being that the apartment is so old my radiator has been painted over and over again, meaning that i can't adjust the dial so there's only one setting...HOT

The second is that I work insane hours regularly and hadn't the time to make it to the local garden center.

And the third and final, is that i wanted to make this post worth writing and worth the wait.

........Unfortunately most of my research on how to propagate a semi-hardwood to hardwood cutting occurred after my attempt to remember what i learned from my horticulture class in H.S. ( 7 years ago) off the top of my head. ...........

Propagating a Japanese Maple...i think? part 1

2011-01-04T23:11:00.000-08:00

On the way to and from work there are a few Japanese Maples that have been tempting me to buy my own, or possibly try to convince the owner to let me have a cutting. Working in a kitchen you go to work early and get out of work late, so i never really found time to ask for a cutting, and just figured I'd add it to my list of wants and needs. Well on the 29th of december one of the particular Japanese Maples I usually pass by had two large branches ( what seemed to be ) pulled off, and I couldn't help but think of it as an opportunity to attempt to propagate it. Then naturally it bothered me that someone carelessly tore the branches off.

Apparently my ambitious excitement has gotten me a little over my head, as I researched propagation from cuttings, I began to realize that I didn't know much about Propagation at all. the first mistake I made was that its not exactly the season for propagating. Most if not all propagation is done in mid to late spring when things naturally grow. The second was that I just neglected the branches in my hot apartment for a few days - luckily they don't look dried out. And finally third, I have horrible lighting in my apartment...

With all these things working against me, I'm still going to give it a shot.

My first attempt:

I grabbed a branch that looked lively cut the smaller branches that were on it and cut it to be about 8 inches and stuck it in a gel 2 root pack... not to sure if it will work..im doubtful, but im also hoping im wrong.

My second attempt:

The one I have more confidence with, but involves me having to buy stuff is going to involve soil, rooting hormones, and a pot.. this will be part 2

This isn't going to exactly be an overnight project so updates will be done..wish me luck, and look for part 2 very soon.

Happy Year!!

2011-01-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

As Promised I will be updating my blog more regularly this year. I have strayed away from it momentarily because, I felt I had been losing the main focus of this blog, which is Gardening, followed by the results of vegetable gardening. Moving to New York mid growing season, put me in this loop, but it has also helped me expand my thoughts and ideas for this blog, as well as possibly another. Thanks for all those who have helped to motivate me to continue to blog, who have read my blog, and who i will meet this year because of this blog.

Thanks!

NYC Day 1: BreakFast w/ Cookie

2010-05-31T19:31:00.000-07:00

After getting situated on our first day (grocery shopping, checking out our surrounding area and relaxing for a bit.) We realized it was time for bed...Having only slept 15 hours in 3 days it was definitely necessary.

I wake up the next morning and all I could think is..
Breakfast!

What should I make?....Again I began to think about our pantry and what was in stock.

Oatmeal with Honey Caramelized Peaches, and Bananas

Oatmeal:
1c Oatmeal
2c Milk
1ts Honey

I just throw these ingredients together and gently stir occasionally until the Oats are cooked.

Honey Caramelized Peaches:
1 Peach peeled and cut into segments
1ts of honey

This is really simple..turn your flame on to a bit above medium, add your Honey, heat until it begins to smell caramelized and the bubbles have begun to slow down. Add your peaches and cook until the peaches have begun to breakdown.

Banana
1/2 banana cut into thin rounds

All together this took maybe about 10 minutes. It was a great start to the day.

Making Pasta: Part 2

2010-05-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

This is the part that's a little trickier, and will take some time to get it just right. I currently use the Kitchen Aid attachment, because it is the quickest way to roll the pasta out at work. However, when i'm at home, I use the hand turning pasta machine/ tool.

The best way I find to get this started is to manually roll out the dough to about a quarter inch keeping the width of the pasta machine in mind. Once achieved, lightly flour the pasta dough on both sides and pass the pasta through the largest setting (1 usually), and fold the ends in (again keeping in mind the width of the machine).

Roll the pasta dough with a rolling pin to a quarter inch again and pass through the machine.

From this point you would pass the pasta twice at each setting beginning with one.

At first this will seem possibly easy but once you get the the middle of rolling the pasta through the machine it might feel a bit overwhelming because the pasta begins to thin and get longer and longer. This can be a hassle sometimes, being that if you do not keep an eye on the pasta it can feed into the machine wrong, messing up all your hard work. The best way to get around this is to cut the pasta at a reasonable length and keep an eye on it. If for some reason the pasta does feed into the machine wrong (and it will) just stay calm and turn the machine off, turn the setting on the pasta machine to a larger setting so that you can remove your pasta and save what you can.

(If you choose to cut the pasta, lightly flour on both sides and cover with a towl. This prevents your pasta from sticking to each other and drying out)

After you've managed to pass all this pasta through the machine its time to cut it to your liking. For this I prefer to use a pizza cutter, does the job just right.

Making Pasta: part 1

2010-04-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

I got to work early one day and decided I would document my daily pasta prep, so that I could share with everyone. This is a basic Egg based pasta recipe, that can be used for all sorts of dishes. The last picture shown here is the pasta sheet that we will then cut and turn into papardelle.

Making pasta:

300 grams Semolina flour
125 grams "OO" flour
3 egg yolks
3 whole eggs

(This recipe should make enough pasta to feed at least 5 people very well)

Using a bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then using the classic well method create a well in the center of the flour and put your eggs in the center.

incorporate all ingredients by gradually bringing the dry to the center

After you have incorporated as much as you could with your fork, bring the dough together with your hands. When you are finished, it should look like this.

At this point its time to knead the pasta dough on a clean table with your hands for about 10-15 min. The goal is to just fully combine all the ingredients. Developing some structure but not too much. Some say a good rule of thumb is to knead the pasta until it feels like the outside of an eggshell. Then let rest for at least half an hour. Making sure to wrap it up in plastic and store it in the refridgerator.

After your pasta dough has had time to rest, knead it for another 5-10min. At this point begin to roll out your pasta into as much of a rectangle as possible (the width being that of the pasta machine, and the thickness of the largest setting on the pasta machine). Using your pasta machine on its largest setting (on mine its 1) pass your pasta dough at least twice, and continue to do so until you reach to the 7 where you would only pass it once.

Finished sheet.

This takes some practice, but its worth it. I will post another blog on passing the pasta through the pasta machine very soon. As for now, I hope this post at least sparked interest into some to try to make homemade pasta.

Gardening Mistakes

2010-04-17T23:34:00.000-07:00

Assumptions are indeed the mother of all F ups ...
   I planted all my seedlings this year in the little black cells, but didn't label the individual seedlings because I made a an exact replica of where everything was at on paper....BIG MISTAKE....after having to switch and rotate my seedlings (because I only have two grow lights, and am too cheap to buy more) and having to transplant some of the seedlings that outgrew the cells. I have now completely confused myself as to the original placement of everything.
   It was obvious which herbs were which and what not...but where i'm totally stumped is the peppers....I had cayenne, shishito, fatali, serrano, jalapeno, thai, and bell.....and can't seem to distinguish them. My other problem was the tomatoes...but was able to more or less figure it all out..
   Normally I would just take this and stride with it, plant it and be surprised, but because my intention was to sell/ give some of these away...I pretty much just shot myself in the foot...
   Lesson learned here: ALWAYS LABEL YOUR SEEDLINGS

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-13T23:23:00.000-07:00

Wow.

2010-04-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

While I was out in New York I came across this bike and said "wow" I've never seen anything like it, but it looks pretty cool. I thought for sure this was custom made, but I still went home and researched and apparently theres quite a market for them. All different shapes and sizes, pretty cool.

Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to a Good Life... Review Part 1

2010-04-11T23:40:00.000-07:00

I have had this book for some time now, and have enjoyed it very much, but to be honest I never really have read it. You see, i've gotten into this bad habit of buying several cookbooks at the same time, so I often end up flipping through them all and then thoroughly reading one at a time. Well I'm glad that I bought this book, and wish I would have read it sooner.

This is more than just a cookbook, it is almost like a manual. Jamie Oliver did something pretty cool in this book, he not only shares his recipes, but also shares his secrets on how to grow the vegetables.

He divides the book into seasons then chooses a specific vegetable or protein as subdivision within the season. One of the many things that I enjoyed about Jamie at Home is that it appeals to everyone, as opposed to just chefs or home cooks. It is a book that in my eyes will be frequently revisited and has rightfully deserved a place in my bookshelf.

I have yet to come across a recipe that have not wanted to try.

Shady Swap Recap: At the Chicago Flower and Garden Show

2010-03-09T00:28:00.000-08:00

So as it turned out the #shadyswap ended up not being as Shady as initially intended, They were nice enough to allow us to use the press room as well as a table. So that we could all sit comfortably and talk seeds. To be honest it almost gave it a school lunch effect, where the kids swap different lunch items until they get what they want. Which in a sense gave it a feel all of it's own, everyone seemed comfortable and as if we all had known eachother for quite a while. The shady swap had a great turn out; in attendance was Kylee , Xan , Julia , Melissa , Mr. Brown Thumb , Auntie Cara , Abbie , and Linda . With special Appearances by: Gina, Shawna, Diane , Kylee's Wonderful Mother , and Joe L'ampl.

Everyone brought great items to the table. To see everyones individual Seed lists click on here

The Seeds i walked away with!

Scarlet Runner Beans..been wanting to grow these, and now I can.

These are the seeds that i got from the swap, most of these will be put to use in my own garden and others will be given away as seedlings to friends and family. To hopefully inspire them to garden.

One of the greatest things that I enjoyed regarding the seed swap was that after we were done, any seeds that weren't taken, were left for others to try.

In my experience Seed Swaps are fun, and they should be, being that it is a method to give/ receive seeds that will have otherwise gone unplanted. It is also a great way to try and grow something new that you might not have been willing to try otherwise. To Start a Seed Swap in your area these guidelines have seemed to have worked perfectly as well as Fern Richardson who has also has posted great in depth information on seed swapping.

Seedlings!!!!!

2010-03-07T23:59:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about gardening has arrived!! The time to start your seedlings! This for me is more than anything a sigh of relief, a way that I know spring is not too far behind. There's something about planting seeds and watching them grow that just makes me feel great! However, there is some ground that needs to be covered before putting a seed into the dirt.

The temperature (depending on the plant of course) needs to be between 60-70 degrees with a preferable 10 degree drop. This helps speed the germination process.
Lighting, Florescent lightbulbs that are made to replicate sunlight.
Space, a nice space for your seedlings where humidity isn't a problem.
Some method of airflow, this allows the seedlings to build strong stems, as well as it helps to prevent damping off.

The Fun Part:

Planting the seeds!!

Follow the directions on the back of the seed packet ( Very Important!..unfortunately I didn't do this for my parsnips, and assumed the directions would be the same as carrots. As it turns out the Parsnips need a longer cold period, and I might not be able to grow them to their full potential now.)

Watch them grow...and good luck!!

Quit Damping Off!!

2010-02-26T02:27:00.000-08:00

As Gardeners, it is our job to nurture our seedlings and make sure they grow nice and stout. Tending to their every need in hope that if you do a great job, the once seed, turned seedling, then plant will eventually produce for you. Whether it be sustenance (such as vegetables, herbs, or fruits) or Aesthetically ( being flowers, shrubs, and so forth).

Before you get to this point though you need to make sure that the seedlings grow strong, and don't fall victim to Damping off. Which is when a seed or newly emerged seeding is attacked by a fungus in the soil. Causing the seed to either rot and become mush, or a seedling to become weak and fall over.

some ways to prevent this are:

to use seed starting, either homemade, or store bought, as opposed to reused soil, because there can be left over fungi in them. Some people sterilize the soil.
Same goes for pots/growing containers, make sure they have been cleaned properly.
have good air circulation
watering just enough, and never overwatering
not crowding space between seedlings..less space equals less air flow

Remedies:

just recently Lisa, of Getinthegarden mentioned that Chamomile tea around the base of a plant will help to take care of Damping off ( trick she learned from an Herb farmer she use to work with), I tried it this evening, and well so far so good.. thanks for the tip!!

Double Coconut Tree

2010-02-26T01:50:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory I came across The Double Coconut Tree (Lodoicea maldivica) which isn't really even considered a Coconut tree. it is Extremely rare, and can Primarily be found in 2 of the 115 Seychelles Islands, which are on the South coast of Africa. Often called Coco de mer because the seed was often found floating in the sea by explorers. The double Coconut tree has male and female plants, and cannot be germinated without the other. It is said that The fruit of the tree is very sweet and jelly like, as opposed to a regular coconut which is firm. The germination of this seed is said to be difficult taking anywhere from a few months to a few years. The Leaves of the palm are also fan shaped as opposed to the regular coconut tree. The tree itself can grow up to 150 feet, but the most fascinating thing about this plant has to be the seed, weighing up to 50 lbs, being the "largest seed in the plant kingdom".

(Shady) Seed Swap List

2010-02-26T00:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of what I will be bringing to the table during the Shady Swap:

Botanical Interests:

Flat Leaf Parsley, Rosemary, Danvers Carrot, Bodacious Sweet Corn, Lolla Rosa, All American Parsnip,

Ruby Red Swiss Chard, Florence Fennel

Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds:

Shishito Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Catskills Brussels Sprouts, Thai Chili Peppers, Katanya Watermelon,

Cherokee Trail of Tears Beans, Lao Green Stripe Eggplant, Extra Dwarf Pak Choy

Seed Savers Exchange:

Blue Poppies, Blue Lavender

I have to say, the Shady Swap at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show is going to be one of the most interesting ways that I have ever met several new people. This will sure go down in what gardenpunk has often referred to as #yearoffirsts for me.

Garfield Park Conservatory

2010-02-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, Carolina and I decided to take a trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory. We had never been and decided that taking her niece would also be a fun experience. She loved it!!! When we arrived at the entrance she was given a sheet that was very interactive, almost like a scavenger hunt..she just wanted the stickers that came along with it...She could not wait to see the chocolate tree,

unfortunately there weren't any pods, but that didn't deter her, we moved right along. She loved all the little paths and ponds and really enjoyed the fish, and turtles.

Next up came the Banana tree, which she didn't really grasp, most likely because they weren't ripe, and because there was so much going on..

To our surprise She actually had given thought into this scavenger hunt and was finding some of the things all by her self! Finding the Double Coconut Tree seed all by herself. Amazing by the way..being the largest seed in the planet, weighing up to 50 lbs.

She then took us on a hunt for the Orange tree,

which happened to be in the children's section where there is a slide and somewhat of a play pen, for lack of a better word. So she didn't really pay any attention to the tree because the tunnel slide kept calling her name.

She had a great time and so did we. Can't wait to go again..and neither can she..just this Friday she asked if we could go again..

My First Seed Swap

2010-02-21T01:22:00.000-08:00

   Even though Twitter and Facebook are great ways to meet other gardeners, I've always been more of the traditional type, where I like to meet people in person, prefer writing letters than email, and talking as oppose to texting. So when I seen the open invitation by SnarkyVegan (on Twitter) I instantaneously accepted. Not knowing what I was getting myself into- insecurities running throughout my head ....
   We arrived at the house and Snappyjdog welcomes us in, and right away all my worries and concerns were left behind with the cold winter breeze as the door was closed behind us.
Introductions were made SnarkyVegan was the host, Snappyjdog was the coordinator/ Birthday girl, Stuccolow, MySkinnyGarden, Debbie and Michelle were all in attendance and drinks were offered as well as snacks ( and I sure love snacks!) everyone mingled talked shop and had a blast. Debbie brought great home made salsa, SnarkyVegan made this amazing pesto that had pistachios in it, and Snappyjdog brought these ridiculously tasty cupcakes from Swirl.

   On to the nitty gritty... If you want to organize a seed swap following the Guidelines here should lead you to a nice clean swap.

these are the seeds i brought to the table.

I don't think that my first seed swap experience could have gone any better, I can't wait for the ones to come. Thanks to all who made it great.

Dealing with Winter

2010-02-03T01:08:00.000-08:00

On these days when Winter begins to tease us and Seed Catalogs start showing up at our doors, getting us ready for Spring. I begin to feel like a little kid again, anxiously awaiting the dreadfully long car ride, to get to the park and just run and play and eat Elote's and Poncho's Paletas. Getting dirty but not ever really caring.

(this pic was found on 24Gotham's flickr, thank you for the wonderful pic)

The worst part about getting to the park was indeed the car ride (a.k.a. winter now a days) , because it always felt like it took forever!

As winter takes its corse and it's time doing so, I'm very tempted to start seeds.. but I made that mistake last year and ended up praying for the time when I could start to gradually take everything outdoors because I didn't have space indoors anymore.

This year in the mean time, i've been working on plotting everything out as well as making educated decisions on when to start everything. I've also been doing a lot of reading as well. So hopefully this year will provide greater success as well as failures to learn from.

Life at the Lincoln Park Conservatory

2010-01-28T23:49:00.000-08:00

I found these two little guys at the Lincoln Park Conservatory in the Orchid Room.

Much to my surprise, I asked the nearest employee If he knew anything about them, and whether or not they had been placed there. The Gentleman was as surprised as I was, and then came to the conclusion that they must have been brought in with one of the flowers, and decided to make themselves comfortable. They were no bigger than a penny..never in my life had I seen such a small frog. Just goes to show you, there's alot more life in the Lincoln Park Conservatory than we possibly will ever see..

More Than Meets the Eyes

2010-01-27T00:49:00.000-08:00

It seems that over the course of a few years, gardening has become the latest trend. Mostly due to the downward spiral the economy has been going through. Everyone wants to "Be Green" and "Eco-Conscious". So, just like myself, they start to garden, and attempt to reduce their Carbon footprint. Educating themselves, attending seminars, doing research, and possibly even trying to educate others. Shunning the use of "unnatural" items, such as styrofoam and plastic. There's nothing wrong with this, by any means. Let's just hope that it isn't the latest trend, that will end up yesterday's news like Hammer Pants.

Gardening will never fade away, it's a necessity. However, the people's interest might, which is a concern. When you start to garden it can definitely be overwhelming, causing some people feel like a failure because they weren't an instant success, when recycling seems too much of a hassle, or a person stops caring (or for some, never cared) what he/she puts into there mouth, a true crisis, will have evolved. That is why Gardening has become something that is more available to the public. Chef's are and have been writing books about gardening/ cooking. Gardening books themselves are geared towards the people and not just other Gardeners or Horticulturalists. The President even agreed to have a vegetable garden in the White House.

I personally fall under this "trendy gardener" title because I began gardening two years ago. The first year, I felt like a failure. No matter what was done, I could not get anything to grow, and became very disenchanted with the thought of gardening. The Second year, there was an opening at the Crepe stand at the Green City Market, and knew it would be a great way to meet farmers that would be able to give me some tips on growing vegetables, and keeping them alive. I gathered all the info that was shared and used it as fuel while I gardened, keeping everything in mind and doing extra research on my own. I gave it another shot, and the rewards were great! Not knowing that I then would be consumed by gardening. Taking care of the soil, making plans for the following growing seasons, recording the success and trouble with some of the vegetables I tried to grow. Then looking for ways to improve them for the following year.

Gardening will be a part of me from now on, becoming something that comes across my mind more frequently as I realize there is MUCH more for me to learn.

Carbonara For DINNER!

2010-01-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

Lately, because I have been gardening, I've become very conscious about what I've been eating, now that doesn't mean eating healthy by any means. Instead, I've been trying to eat locally, meaning eating food from a Farmer's Market, Made by a friend, such as sausage or bacon, or grown by me in my Garden.

By all means, I'm not saying I only eat local, but it is something that I strive for, I'm just not there yet.

A couple of my friends have been working on making sausages, and recently bacon, it's a hobby currently, but they are working on starting their business, in order to be able to (officially sell their product). I was lucky enough to be able to try this bacon, and it was good. So I convinced them to let me have some (for a small donation).

Dinner time came around, and the thought of pasta came to mind, but what to make?

Here were my options:

Canned Corn
Canned Peas
Cranberry Jam (made by me)
Grits
Pasta
Bacon (made by friends)
Onions
Garlic
Butter (bought at the Green City Market)
Milk
Organic Flour
a can of PBR
Eggs
Tortillas
Chihuahua Cheese
Cereal
Peach Vanilla Preserves (from Seedling orchards)

I know, I know, I should keep a better stocked refrigerator...but I'm hardly home, I cook for a living.

Instantly, I began to think..what can I make that everyone will enjoy.. Pasta was gonna be the star but what to accompany it with? There wasn't anything to make a tomato sauce with, which its always a winner if A fallback is necessary. An emulsified garlic and butter sauce would have been to simple and not really appreciated.

That's when it hit me! Carbonara!!

So I grabbed the Bacon rendered it down and reserved it, cooked half an onion small diced it and sliced two cloves of garlic, sweating them down, getting slight color and then adding a touch of flour creating somewhat of a roux . While this was happening, I heated up three cups of milk and added it to the bacon onion mix, and heated it until slightly thickened, and it was the right consistency. Right before serving, I added peas, and tossed it in pasta.

And there you have it!

Make-Shift Carbonara

In the Dead of Winter

2010-01-13T22:35:00.000-08:00

I have become a product of Gardening. My every thought seems to be about my Garden and how i can improve it this year. Flipping through Seed Catalogs in order to find the best seeds, anxiously awaiting the day i can actually plant them, and watch them grow. Thinking up plans as to how and where everything will go. The thought as to whether i'm buying to much, or maybe not enough...

I'll have more space this year to plant, which gets me even more anxious, knowing that i will have hard work ahead of me, but more of a challenge than the last.

Chicago winters are cruel in the sense that they love to play with our emotions..Especially now when the days begin to warm again..just to drop back down to where they were in a week or so..Chicago winters are definitely a test of patience...the snow..the ice..the cold cold winds..the short days and loong nights...Yet I have been using this time to learn from my mistakes as well as to Learn new things, in order to ensure a hopefully healthy garden.

"Staging"

2009-11-29T21:39:00.000-08:00

One of the things most important in a cook's career, is to "stage". A Stage (pronounced: Stahsh) is when you work in another Chef''s kitchen for a day, to a week, or even longer for free, so that you can be exposed to new techniques. Most of the times it is the only way to get a job in this industry. Because not only are you learning from the chef, but he is also learning about you. The way you move, work, how focused you are, how fast you adapt, and how much you know. It is also a great way for you to get a feel of the kitchen. How often is the Chef around, Is the style of food, the type of food you want to be working with, Do the cooks want to be there, Is there a strong learning environment.

There is a lot more to a stage than meets the eye, and it could easily be your foot in the door if you play it right. Not to mention, Staging is a great way to be exposed to what the rest of the industry is doing, Great way to network, and as i mentioned before, a great way to learn.

In Over my head?

2009-11-11T00:32:00.000-08:00

This past year was my first actual attempt at having a Garden, and overall i want to say it was successful. I went (and am still going) through a lot of trial and error, for Example: my Jalapeno's and Serrano's both fell short this year...the peppers were spicier than ever, but the fruit was not larger than an inch on each. I went on to realize (with the help of some veteran gardeners) that I had been over watering my plants. My Onions, started from seed didn't do well at all, and that primarily was just because I started them too late. I also received word that onion starts were the way to go, because the season is just to short, from a local farmer.

This among a few other things have actually kept me interested and have pulled me back to gardening In the future. Now that the growing season is primarily over (completely over for me) I am excited for the year to come. Thoughts of improvement, the troubles to come, what to grow, and where to plant it all, constantly have been running through my head lately. Improvement, will happen naturally, I hope. The troubles to come will be dealt with when they come my way. What to Grow is just now a matter of me narrowing down the list to more practical number.

As far as where to plant it all, Carolina's cousin Sue and her husband Ramone (who live next door ) were nice enough to allow me to use part of there yard to garden as well. In there eyes i'm doing them a favor, in my eyes they're doing me the favor. So it works out perfectly, and thanks to these past very odd 60+ degree days I've been able to get a head start on weeding and removing the rocks hidden beneath the soil. Believe me there is plenty of both on this soil. I'm hoping to buy some compost in the next few days as well as manure to help add life and nutrients into the soil, because, from what i can tell, it definitely needs it.

I hope that I am not in over my head.

Frost!? Already?

2009-10-10T00:18:00.001-07:00

Is it normal for Illinois to have its first frost warning this early!? I walked outside and knew right away winter would be at my dorrstep sooner than I'd like it to be.. sure enough i look online and there's a Frost warning for Saturday evening

Radish Flower

2009-09-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

Radish that has gone to seed

Seed Saving: Tomatoes

2009-09-29T23:08:00.000-07:00

Saving Seeds:

Just like everything else that i do, i strive for perfection. I want to not only learn how to garden, but to eventually be self-sufficient. It's a dream, but i would love to not have to go to the supermarket one day, instead solely relying on my own produce.. or that of other farmers/ homesteads. From that point i want to try to raise poultry, then maybe a few lamb, and pigs.. However, i believe that the next step for me now is to save seeds, or attempt to. I've looked into several articles, and watched several videos on saving seeds and for the most part what gardenweb.com has said has been the consensus for saving Tomato Seeds. which is what i'm trying to do now. If anyone has any recommendations on a great book out there, i would love to read it but for now i will stick to the majority for now...

Vote for Dream Park

2009-09-29T11:43:00.001-07:00

Go Bears!

Compost Bin

2009-09-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

There has been an addition to my Garden, my compost bin, and I have put a fair amount of thought into this, as far as width, placement, price, and materials. I didn't know how wide to make the Compost bin, or if I should just buy one, and if I did, where is the best place to put it? Should i use wood, what kind?

I finally decided, that buying one would cost way too much money, that I did not have. Remembering that I needed to make better use of my power tools, building one became my only option. Now, I'm not going to lie, I was pretty excited about building this compost bin. I've always liked making things with my hands, for me its just more rewarding.

Based off of a $20 budget that I had given myself, I saved $17. Out of pure luck, I ended up finding a Generous amount of Scrap wood that had not been treated, some screws i found laying around, and only had to buy a few pieces of wood that I needed to use as a frame.

Let me know what you think, I think it could have been better, but for now I am satisfied, it does its job, and holds a descent amount of compost.

Kentucky Pole Beans

2009-09-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

Just like Everything else, growing these were like riding a bike for the first time. I had no idea what to expect, or what was to come but i was excited and yet nervous. I didn't know how big it was going to grow, or if the soil conditions were right, but i wanted to give it a shot, and i am glad that i did.

There is one thing that i definitely would change, such as: growing the beans on a trellis, possibly with the cucumbers. I've seen this done somewhere, but i'm concerned that one will choke the other (because they are both vines) I will look it over unless someone has any info on the subject.

Cucumber Plants

2009-09-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

These are my cucumber plants. I wish I would have planted three more plants so that I would have been able to yield more than 1 or 2 Cucumbers at a time, but I am grateful for what i have been able to yield. I also want to try other varieties, Possibly Lemon Cucumbers...Any Suggestions?

Cherokee Purple Heirloom Tomato

2009-09-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

My Apologies for the bad picture, but this is the current state of my Cherokee Purple Heirloom tomato plants. I'm glad I chose this Heirloom as my first. I've had a great yield so far, and it grew very well. (not to mention that they are delicious) I've been fortunate to have enough tomatoes to feed my family and several of my friends.

Forgive me for my Absence

2009-09-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for my absence. I've had a streak of bad luck, beginning with the breaking of my camera. I will not continue to bore anyone with my problems, instead, i will just fill you in on what has been happening in my garden.

Determined

2009-05-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

This was growing on the side of my stairs.

Weeds

2009-05-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

Because I had left my Garden unattended for three days i had some cleaning to do. There so happens to be a big tree next door, truth be told i'm not to sure the type of tree but i will find out, this means that i constantly have leaves and seeds falling into my garden.

Well as i was cleaning i realized that if i had decided to wait one more day i would have had a bigger weed problem. These seeds had begun to sprout, hopefully i got them all before they took root.

Saturdays Green City Market

2009-05-25T14:32:00.001-07:00

I have always been a fan of the Farmer's Markets, but i haven't always had access to them. This year i told myself i needed to go as much as possible, and decided the only that would happen would be to work for one of the markets. It just so happened that the Green City Market was hiring, at the time. So you can find me at the Market every Wed. and Sat.

This weekend i just couldn't help myself, and i had to do some shopping.

I had to buy some of that Beautiful Michigan Asparagus.

And who could resist Capriole Chevre Goat Cheese..Delicious!

The Mesclum mix also looked to good to pass up.

I also have become a great fan of Blue Marble Family Farm's dairy products. Their Drinkable plain yogurt is by far my favorite. (pics soon)

I will most likely make a Salad today of the ingredients listed above, and an omelet tomorrow of the Asparagus and Goat Cheeese.

This Last Saturday, there was a reported 5,200 people at the market!! thats great to hear. I know for a fact that I'm not the only one anxiously awaiting strawberries, because they sold out in the first 15 min!!!!!! I work at the market and i couldn't even get any! I'll have to try my luck on Wednesday As the Weeks go by, i will post more and more on the Green city Market.

Oregon Sugar Pod Pea!

2009-05-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

The Past few days, for me, have been a little hectic. There was a lot i had to do but not enough time to do it all, and unfortunately my Garden went neglected for three days. Luckily nothing was lost or damaged.

On a lighter note, while i was gone my Oregon Sugar Pod Pea decided to fruit! Just goes to show you the Beauty of mother nature.

PIctures of the Garden

2009-05-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

These Pictures were taken today in my Garden, by my girlfriend Carolina Montesino, of my Purple Cherokee Tomatoes...I tried taking the pictures myself but she just has this way of seeing through the eye of the camera, better than anyone i know.

More pictures of the Garden soon!!!

Beautiful Weather is Here!!...kind of...

2009-05-12T22:37:00.000-07:00

So the weather has definitely been a lot nicer lately, which means i have also been busier than normal, my garden is well in the works, i will have more updates in the next few days on what's planted, problems i've ran into, and my trips to the market..

Anxiously Awaiting Beautiful Weather

2009-04-10T02:50:00.000-07:00

Gotta love the city of Chicago...snowing one day, followed by a beautiful day the next.

My plants are doing great!! Most of them are ready to be taken outdoors, but, because of the randomness of the weather here, i need to hold off just a bit.

the sugar pod peas look great easily over a foot tall....

my tomato plant nice and ready as well

cucumber plants quietly waiting

serrano plants in no rush

lettuces new to the batch, will be ready soon

onions taking there sweet time

Tools

2009-03-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

I for the longest time, have had this fixation for having everything new. No matter what it was, it had to be new, but lately -i guess because of this economy- i have been trying to make the most of what i have, trying to be more resourceful.

I use to help my Grandfather do yard work when i was younger, and just recently realized that the same tools we would use were still at Grandmother's house, stored away (new ones had been purchased) So i gave my Grandma a call and asked if i could borrow them, and well now the tools are back to good use.

Thanks Grandma!!!

Raised Bed

2009-03-27T02:54:00.000-07:00

Now that my soil is turned and i've added organic matter, it's time to make the raised bed. For this i needed to stop at Lowes to pick up some wood.

Vic helped me out with this one, and for that, i am very greatful, he helped me turn some ideas into a reality. I can't wait until i can introduce my seedlings into it.

The "Bed"

2009-03-27T02:27:00.000-07:00

This right here is what i have to work with, she's a good 15 ft by 4 ft . Like i had mentioned before, i really wasn't too sure what i was getting myself into, until i first dug into the soil with my Grandfather's shovel. A few boxes of rocks later, and a couple of days later of digging and filling. I decided i wanted to do a raised bed, as i was digging, i sure enough came across a ton of clay, and i figured a raised bed would most likely be better for the roots of my vegetables. So after a couple of trips to Farmer's Market Garden Center (local Nursery/ Garden supply store). I bought some Top Soil, Peat Moss, Composted Manure, and Compost to help build my soil. Now i know, why buy compost when you can make it yourself?...

Well i have some in the works...but its still a ways away from being done. I'm hoping i won't have to buy anymore of the above after this year.

The soil looks and feels healthy, its rich and dark, yet light.

Update on Seedlings

2009-03-27T02:19:00.000-07:00

here are the sugar pod peas that i planted 17 days ago (the one in the middle of the pic) i want to say its a good 6 to 8 in tall..

Beautiful Day Out..

2009-03-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

So today was definitely a beautiful pre- Spring day, so i decided to work my little patch of land. I wanted to see what the soil needed, it was my first time working with it, so figured how bad can it be?... It looked workable, and at first felt nice, and soft (right amount of clay and sand). I felt lucky. I didn't think i was going to have to add that much into it.. then i stuck my shovel into the earth and knew right then and there i was going to be spending a good amount of time on it. There were tons of rocks all shapes and sizes. I dug about a foot deep just to ensure that my vegetables would be growing in the best conditions that i could offer. By this i mean, removing every possible weed and rock that i could find. As i dug deeper, i noticed that the soild was primarily clay.

After i cleared the area i was working on from the old soil, i alternated the top soil, compost and old soil, and would mix it up, hoping that it would help make the soil workable. As of right now the soil does seem loose, but only time will tell.

Clay throughout work area.

Farmer's Market Garden Center

2009-03-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

I was trying to a find a local nursery here in Chicago, i know there are few, but didn't know which one to check out. I came across Farmers Market Garden Center, and it seemed to offer a few things i was interested in. So i decided to check it out.

I bought:

Organic Vegetable Fertilizer

Blackforest Topsoil

Organic Compost

If you live in Chicago, then this is definitely a place to check out, very helpful staff, and a wide variety of everything pertaining to gardening

New Seeds!!

2009-03-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Just a few days ago i recieved the third shipment of seeds ( i have one more on the way) and bought a few today.

Todays Purchase:

Chamomile

Cilantro

Lemon Basil

Mailed in:

Mammoth Dill

Black Zucchini

Cherry Tomato

Spanish Onions

So Far So Good

2009-03-15T21:13:00.001-07:00

The above picture is a sprouting sugar snap pea, that sprouted in two days! i was pretty surprised about that..because what i have read it takes anywhere from ten to fourteen days!

The picture below is a trio of purple cherokee tomatoes, they were the first to sprout of the tomatoes, and seem to be growing well.

2009-03-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Now that i have my seeds (most of them anyway), my grow light, paper pots, and soil...i'm ready to go.

First i wet my soil to get it evenly moist, i read that it is better for the seed to moisten the soil first, so that you don't flood the seed or wash it out.

Then i added the soil to my paper pots.

Added the seeds, topped the paper pot with more soil, and lightly pressed down.

I put them in a warm spot in my houseso that they germinate and under a grow light to replicate natural sunlight.

Now this is the moment of truth, will it grow?

How to Make Paper Pots

2009-03-11T09:13:00.001-07:00

Paper Pots?

2009-03-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

In doing my research, i came across these handmade paper pots by Lehman's now i know what you might be saying.. $14.95 ? I know...but i thought i'd give it a shot, and so far so good. The idea behind this is similar to the peat pots. When it comes time to transplant your plant, you can just put the paper pot in. no transplant necessary. The paper pots will naturally decompose.

Grow Light

2009-03-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Now i live in the Midwest, Specifically, in Chicago, so we have cold long winters and what seems like a short spring. I really wanted to get a head start on this growing seaon, so i wanted to start my seeds indoors, but because of the weather, i didn't want to put my seedlings near a window because of the fear of draft. So i went a head and bought a Grow light on line. Now it wasn't what i expected, but it seems to be working out well.

Composting Indoors

2009-03-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

I have been reading several articles regarding composting, most of them were for outdoors, and well, i just don't have the space or the weather to do that (yet) So, what i did, was take what i learned about composting outdoors and brought it indoors.

My compost bin isn't one that was bought from the store, just a simple bin i had laying around...that consists of vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, tea bags, a little bit of newspaper, and some personally dried out herb stems.

Honestly i'm a little nervous about this..i wish i would have taken a picture of the start..but its i want to say about three weeks old...and for the most part smells sweet, but is starting to pic up a pungency..which i believe is part of the decompostion process. .But i'll keep you posted

My Seeds Arrived!

2009-03-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

So i just recieved some of my seeds in the mail, i know its a little late, but i decided that now is better than never.

Seeds (left to right):

Sugar Pod Pea

Rutgers Tomato

Jalapeno Pepper

Cucumber

Cherokee Purple

Serrano Pepper

wish me luck!

Food Memories

2008-02-26T13:13:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to figure out what continuously drives me to food. Is it the appreciation for the back breaking, time-consuming labor that goes into the produce. . . Or is it the product of the labor.

Delicious, perfect in their own right, fruits and vegetables that when utilized properly are taken to a completely different level of greatness. Or is it the ability to take this produce and utilize it to its utmost potential and then provide it to the consumer, just to see their reaction.

The happiness, comfort, satisfaction- all euphoric, for both the consumer and provider, enough to push even the greatest of the greatest to strive for perfection each time*.

It is definitely a mixture of all of the above, however, it has a lot to do with those food memories. The way food can outline ones life fascinates me, and very much so, i would like to be a part/ the creator of the food that will be remembered throughout ones life. The ability food has to send you soaring back to the very first time you tried french fries with ketchup, braised short ribs, truffles, whatever it may be it's amazing.

It makes your mouth salivate, your eyes open wide, while your soul is in complete bliss.

Food memories, they make eating that much more pleasurable, and for one to be able to trigger, pin-point, or even pick and tease at these individual moments is enough to drive me to be that person with the ability to do so.

*Perfection, isn't possible, and not everyone will enjoy the food placed in front of them, for whatever reason that may be, it's just not possible, however the steps one takes in order to prevent these moments, and even the steps one takes when these moments do arise make all the difference in the world, and might even be perceived as perfection or flawlessness.