Savvy Eats

Things are finally starting to happen in the garden.  Check out what’s going on in the cold frames! I was concerned last fall when I planted my garlic.  Some creatures were clearly burrowing in the straw mulch I had thickly layered over the cloves, and I worried that they were gnawing on my future crop. [...]

Last year, our cold frames were filled edge-to-edge with lettuce and arugula.  They germinated early and grew back almost as quickly as I cut them down for salads.  I’ve been anxious to plant in the cold frames this spring, assuming we’d have the same success growing salad greens again this year. Because of our struggles [...]

For the past three days, I’ve been stuck on my couch, feeling feverish and like there is a basket of knives in my throat.  I’ve spent my time alternating between napping and gulping as much water and tea as I can stand. Let’s not even talk about the amount of TV and cheesy movies I’ve [...]

It’s that time of year again: time to start my garden from seeds!  I’ve changed things up a bit since that first year.  I found that keeping the seedlings on top of the refrigerator wasn’t nearly warm enough.  I now keep them in the spare bathroom, which is on its own thermostat. I also struggled [...]

For the past two years, the Savvy Garden has focused on tomatoes and beans (and basil, of course). It seemed logical: tomatoes are so versatile, and beans are my favorite summer vegetable to roast or grill. And they are both “pick and come again,” so I can make the most of my limited garden space. [...]

Slugs have been moving through the Savvy Garden like a windstorm, stripping leaves from every plant in its path. It starts with a few innocuous holes dotting the foliage, and within 2 days, the leaves are gone completely. It started with the mint and sage, then progressed to the peas and beans. I’m hoping to [...]

Last year, I dug up the entire front yard for the garden.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford to build raised beds for the front and the back yards, so we decided to test our luck planting beans, peas, spinach, zucchini and carrots directly in the ground. It did not go well, to say the least.  The [...]

As summer draws to a close, my sungold tomato plants are producing fewer and fewer tomatoes. They are so sweet and juicy, and we want to savor the last of our harvest as much as we can. Luckily, we’ll have tons of sungold preserves to take us through the winter!

My favorite way to eat these preserves is on a grilled cheese sandwich. Especially one made with a sharp cheddar and fresh sourdough. In fact, that may be my favorite sandwich of all time.