Summer Garden Highlights

IT'S SUMMER!

The time of the year with plenty of sunshine, the time when veggies and fruits thrive in our tropical Philippines.   Now, let me update you on our edible garden, not only the backyard but the front lawn has herbs now. 

"Gardening nowadays is not all about getting plenty of flower arrangements for our homes but more for the hearty edibles and drinkables", says Kim Palmer of the Star Tribune. 

There is so much joy in growing part of our own food because we get  them fresh and organic.  I enjoy going to the front lawn every morning to cut tarragon, basil and mint leaves for our tea.  When I cook stew, I go to the backyard to pluck leaves of oregano for flavoring and pandan for pleasant aroma.  

"Are we having salad today?"  Jim would ask so he will gather lettuce.  "The bitter gourds are ready for picking, would you cook that today?" , he would ask to know whether my meat dish would compliment it. 

Let me show you our herbs. We moved most of them to the front lawn where there is more sunshine. 

BASIL

I prepared this PESTO using two cups of the leaves. 

THYME 

I always use thyme for my soups.

ROSEMARY

This herb is very useful for roasts though I love to sprinkle the leaves on baguette toast.  Rosemary with thyme and marjoram will make a great combination of flavors. 

TARRAGON

I pour hot water to two short stalks of tarragon in each of the mason jars. When the water turns Amber, my tea is ready.  There is so much health benefits and vitamins from tarragon that's why we drink this tea regularly.  Adding basil and mint leaves makes it more flavorful, it is even more refreshing when refrigerated. 

Mint in our front door. 

                                           

MINT 

is often used as garnish and/or dressing for salads and for tea. 

I also use mint as organic insecticide.  Water from boiled mint leaves and stems when sprayed on plants remove aphids and other harmful insects.  A cup of alcohol added to a liter of mint water eliminates insects when sprayed indoors, especially in dark corners and under the sink. 

OREGANO

This is great for stews, I chop two big leaves of oregano and add this when cooking the popular Filipino dish, the adobo.  I also use this in cooking caldereta, afritada and mechado.  

The juice of its leaves gives relief for cough.  When my cough persisted for two weeks of taking medicine,  my maid took pity on me, she extracted the juice from oregano leaves.  I took that for two days and I got my relief. 

GINGER and TUMERIC

This is a daily kitchen staple used in many different dishes, especially oriental recipes.  Water boiled with ginger soothes sore throat.

PANDAN

This is used as flavoring for cakes, jello and some dishes.  I use it to give a pleasant aroma to my soups. When I add a pandan leaf in the rice cooker, I have the whole house smelling great.  In Singapore some cab drivers use it as car freshener

LEMON GRASS

This is used to enhance the flavor of dishes and used as roast stuffing for chicken, lechon (roast pig) and even fish. 

Let me bring you to the backyard to see the veggies:

                                   Another view of the trellis

BITTER GOURD or Amargoso

Jim and I are so happy that his bitter gourd is bearing so much fruit.   

I sautéed our first harvest in yellow bean paste and it was so delicious.  Old folks believe that if one is the jealous type, his/her bitter gourd dish will turn out so bitter even after cooking. 

                                               Before

                                      After 10 days

LETTUCE LOLLO ROSSA

A type of louse-leaf lettuce has red leaves perfect for salads.  The curly leaves are sweet and tender and hold salad dressing well.  

It is also used to wrap barbecued meat and eaten like a taco wrap. 

This patch are now planted with lettuce LOLLO ROSSA (red patch), Ching chai pai tsai (pachoy) and at the far end is kangkong (local water cress).  Fronting the stone jar-and-bowl are mint.

MORINGA TREE is

dubbed as "the medicine cabinet" or "super food" because of the numerous vitamins and minerals it contains.  In our locality, we believe that construction workers get a great part of their strength from these leaves since it is often included in their daily viand. 

Ohh, I almost forgot!  Look where Jim planted okra; in front of the vacant lot next door.  

                                        Here's a partial close-up

How did you like our garden this summer?  

Jim and I tend this garden together, well, I propagate the herbs, sometimes I remove dry leaves, re-arrange some pots and basically that's it.  Jim practically does most of the gardening work and I take pictures!