After an early start with asparagus and greens galore, there has been a bit of a lull in the garden harvest. Then a few beets were ready, an onion, a baby carrot or two. And gradually the parade has started. Gardens always confound me....what doesn't work well last year, I overcompensate for the next, and lo and behold, the tides turn. Like, I seem to be having two good cucumber years in a row, but again no luck with peppers. Then, I doubled, no make that tripled the green bean plantings after an abysmal showing last year. Whoa, they have seriously taken off. Conversely, I swam in tomatoes in 08, so I cutback on tomato plants this year. Now, the tomatoes are painfully slow, skimpy and sluggish, (although grape tomatoes in a container are happily supplying a handful a day). Pittsburgh weather has been uniquely cool and comfortable this summer, and that has created a twist in the expected progression of things, I guess.
In the meantime, as the parade rolls in, what to do with the garden bounty is a daily challenge. With lamb kabobs, a mediterranean-style raw veggie platter seemed the perfect plan. A tzatziki dip on the left side, and a way-more-popular roasted red pepper feta dip on the other.
Another day, marinating the harvest grabbed my interest. These marinated "pickles" turned out to be great stuffed in a tortilla wrap with some cheese, and also the next day tossed with fresh tomato (from farmer's market) and shards of parmesan for a salad.
Now, the green beans have arrived. En masse. Next week I'll tell you all about 'em, but for now, I need to get back to picking them.
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