Goodies from the Garden

For the first time this year I'm growing corn, and I couldn't grow "normal corn". Its just not my style. So I'm growing "Black Aztec" sweet corn. As you can see from the examples at left I'm still learning how to pick it at the right stage for sweet corn. The one on the top is a wee bit too young, the two in the middle are a bit too old, and the one on the bottom is just about right. We ate them all anyway and they were fine. The too old ones, which are starting to develop their mature dark purple-blue coloration, were not surprisingly more starchy.

The ears on this variety are a bit on the skinny side. I don't know if this is a matter of my sub-par soil (= 100% red clay) with the afterthought, thin top dressing of composted manure, or just the nature of the variety.

It is an heirloom variety, first sold in 1864 according to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. They also suggest that it makes nice cornbread. I plan to let some go to seed for use as cornmeal for polenta, etc., and for next year's seed too. We'll also find out if a coffee grinder can make cornmeal.

Check it out, I also grew some fish.

Ok, yeah, I bought some fish. Wild salmon, to be exact. One of my very favorite things.

In my typical cooking style, I dropped it in the pan and gathered whatever I could find around the house - garden, refrigerator, cabinet - toss, chop, random. This pan includes scallop squash, blueberries, and herbs from the garden. There's also lemon's worth of juice and pulp that I managed to forage out of the 'fridge, and some random spices. (photo shows appearance prior to cooking) Bake. Eat. Enjoy! mmmm...