Warm humid day, so it was time to do a bit of garden cleanup.But first I captured and took outside this little friend, found exploring the kitchen
The coneflowers are about done, so I cut them back and brought in a few late ones.
And the Montauk daisies are finally budding, the latest of my flowering plants, so I cleaned dead foliage off them
and, as usual knocked off a head, which is now in water and may be too tightly furled to flower. We'll see.
Here's the result of cleaning dead foliage and flowers off the chrysanthemum. All those buds it exposed are here, blazing away.
Then it was lunchtime. Some foods just need to be put in a dish, they're so good.
Here's my Red Salad, diced beets, farm tomatoes, a rainbow carrot. Dressed with Mrs Moon Dressing, and lovely Tellicherry pepper fresh ground with the new toy grinder.Did I mention how good this pepper is? Several times? Aren't you glad you don't live here, and hear me going on about it and moaning in ecstasy?
I've never been a fan of beets. This beet shows me how good they can be. It's really better than ones I grew in the past, or the ones at the local farm. I think maybe the soil composition and climate must be why. Anyway if they were all like this one, I'd like beets.
I fell in love with pickled beets a few years ago. Surprised myself. Also, tried a salad with golden beets in it and liked them.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is lovely this time of year. Mine is spent now and needs the final tidy for the year.
ReplyDeleteMr. Moon has never been a fan of beets either. In fact, he won't eat them. I love them, especially pickled or cooked with butter and vinegar and sugar. Which is sort of like pickled beets. That salad looks amazing. I've got beet and various colored carrot seeds to get in the ground. I can't wait for the bounty to begin!
ReplyDeleteI like your little grasshopper.
You almost make me want to eat some beets. Almost. ;^) Do you have a brand of Tellicherry pepper to recommend? I'm now curious just how good this is...
ReplyDeleteThe pepper I'm so crazy about is from Reluctant Trading and it's Divakar's no 004. That's the name of the man exporting it from Kerala, where he lives. It's packed in an airtight foil thing within a cardboard container with a very tight fitting metal lid. All airtight.
DeleteThey should pay me a commission at this rate.
Yes, I think you should get a commission. ;^) I just looked up the company and have spent about 20 minutes on the website. Thank you for the information, Liz.
DeleteAh - house crickets! I love them, but move them outside as you do, where they transmogrify into field crickets.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful salad!
Cheers,
Chris from Boise
Nice looking salad. I like the crickets I hear outdoors.
ReplyDeleteYour food is an inspiration for healthy eating. I love that red salad and since I now longer go to the store, just order online, there are some foods I forget about. Beets -- I had completely forgotten about them. And I forgot cherries, how could I? I have no idea. Anyhow, this is lovely, your salad looks so good.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you get ideas here. I never buy beets so I was surprised to find I liked this one.
DeleteA cricket in the house is supposed to be good luck - provided it doesn't drive you crazy 'singing' at 2am. Hmmm - beets? No, they're one one the weird vegs like okra and kale.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree on okra and kale. Have you ever seen the beautiful flowers on okra before it fruits? Worth growing for the flowers. I wouldn't go so far as to eat it, though.
DeleteI've always loved beets, pickled or otherwise. Can't say that I've ever had them in a salad though.
ReplyDeleteI can recommend them. Around here they're a salad staple. Diner salads around Trenton come with a big slice of beet installed! And there are old waitresses who, if you try to order dessert will say accusingly "You haven't eaten your beet!" Like being at grandma's.
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