The Garden

In true hippy fashion, we have a huge garden. I've planted a few vegetables in my lifetime, but I was always more of a perennial man. However, desperate times call for desperate measures.

We discussed the garden for months. PeaceDonna (PD) had all these seed catalogs and we dreamed of artisinal tuscan variegated truncated fuschia beets. All of a sudden the weather got warm (damn the end of April was warm) and we had no seeds and we had nada, nothing, rien. We did have about 90 square feet of land ready for planting that WSE and PD had prepared in the fall (more on this later.) One day in early May I was actually ambitious and said to PD "We have to fucking plant something in the garden THIS WEEKEND!"

"I have 20 bucks to spend."

"Yeah I can spare 20 bucks."

"OK let's go."

I think it was a Sunday morning. PD called me from the Home Depot and said "Damn the plants are cheaper at Slap and Tickle." She ended up buying about $10 worth of seeds. Corn, Zuchinni (which are now courgettes because it is way cooler) 73 types of salad greens, green beans, cucumbers, beets (not tuscan variegated etc., just regular old beets.) I went to Slap and Tickle (the store is actually called Strack and Van Till but that name sucks) and bought two 6-packs of tomatoes, a 6-pack of cucumbers, a 6-pack of sweet peppers, and a 6-pack of broccoli. This was all for $10. I'm pretty sure we spent our "savings" on beer.

Anyway after all of this we have spent $20 dollars TOTAL. Now it's time for the planting. Like I said earlier WSE and PD had prepared some ground for planting last fall. Basically they put cardboard over some grass and weighed it down with rocks. I have to say I was skeptical but this worked really well. Really really well. I just wished thay had laid out more cardboard. I ended digging up a bunch of sod. Worst job in the world.

Sorry about that sod digression. Anyway all the plants and seeds are planted. There is a story in this story about my neighbor's sister but I'll wait for another time. Kids were planting plants etc. it was cool. Since then I've spent $7 more on plants (cauliflower, eggplant and thyme). My Mom brought us a bunch of herbs and some more hot peppers (thank you big Iris).

Here is what we have so far. A have a bitchin' Spanish style trellis in the works (roommates are skeptical, f^&% them.) The veg are organized by how I want to cook them.

a) elotes
b) hobak-jeon
c) dilly beans for Kim
d) bacon wrapped stuffed jalapeños
e) I want to make tomato juice from fresh tomatoes for Bloody Marys*. How would a bloody mary taste with fresh tomatoes? All the recipes I've found call for cooked tomatoes. We'll investigate this further and report back later.

f) Tzatziki

g) Hmmm broccoli. I'm not a fan of broccoli, it's probably my least favorite cruciferous vegetable. WSE's mom made a good midwestern-style potluck broccoli salad. Damn his mom is awesome.
h) Beet Rosti
i ) Roasted Cauliflower

j) Berenjenas en Escabeche

* My Bloody Mary recipe. For a pitcher. Always make a pitcher.
- 1/2 a 750ml bottle of vodka. Use cheap vodka. In fact you can use rum (yes I've tried it.) Tequila works too.
- 1 beer. A Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is good. Hoppy beers preferred, or Guinness.
- 8-10 dashes Worcestershire
- Heaping Tablespoon Horseradish
- 2 Tbs. Pickle Juice
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha or other hot sauce. Feel free to add more if it is a Bloody Mary bong morning
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Deano Martino