After many months of sporadic harvesting ("scavenging" might be a better word), the garden is finally starting to produce consistently and significantly week after week. The snow peas are center stage at the moment. During the past few days, I've harvested 2.12 lbs of sweet and crispy pods. I had let some of them go unpicked for too long and as a result, the pods had gotten a bit too tough and stringy for my taste. On the bright side, we cracked these open and ate the peas inside.
It seems like the more consistent you are at harvesting, the quicker the plant works to produce more pods. I'm expecting another good round of picking tomorrow. My pea plants still look relatively healthy and for the first time this year, I'm hoping that the temperature doesn't warm up too quickly. I would hate to see them go anytime soon.
Also new to the harvest table this week are garlic scapes (1.06 lbs). I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical as I'd never eaten them before. I diced and quickly sauteed some to add to a pasta salad that I made for dinner. They were somewhat spicy and had a pleasant garlic flavor that was not overpowering....quite good in my opinion. Also, they added a nice crunch to the salad. I'm set to make some garlic scape pesto later this week.
Finally, my Piracicaba broccoli is producing new side shoots every few days. Jonathan loves to eat them on the spot so not much ends up in the kitchen. Also, I used some celery thinnings in a sausage and Swiss chard soup that I made today. The young stems and leaves are much more pungent than when fully mature. It made for a very delicious soup. (Broccoli and celery thinnings - 0.35 lb)
Total harvest this week - 3.53 lbs
If you'd like to share your harvest or see what others are harvesting, visit Harvest Mondays at Daphne's Dandelions.
I fully understand about scavenging for a harvest, because I've got nothing.....
ReplyDeleteNice snow peas and garlic scapes. Scape pesto sounds great. We went to the local farmers market today. One of the growers had scapes for sale. They were $4. for a handful! He said that they are good to pickle. I think I am going to pickle a jar and maybe make some pesto too.
ReplyDeleteYum! We have a while yet before we have peas to eat but they are on their way. Behind them is the sugar snap peas which I adore.
ReplyDeleteI was looking so forward to garlic scapes and never got any. I did get some good bulbs, however, so I'm not complaining.
ReplyDeleteEG, something's going on in the south. I'm behind where I was last year also. Makes me nervous.
My celery is still so small. I hope it will grow soon. I love adding celery to the soups.
ReplyDeleteWe're a bit behind you, so my peas and beans are still at the flower stage - but I'm really hoping for a goodly crop this year :)
ReplyDeletegood job snagging those scapes when they were ready! Chefs at high end restaurants pay big bucks for those things, it's such a short seasonal item I think they in turn can charge big for "local scapes" dishes... sounds exotic to the uninformed, LOL
ReplyDeleteNice harvest!
ReplyDeleteGarlic scape pesto - sounds yummy!
Sounds like we are in a similar havest window in the garden. I just plucked scapes today too and if I had been growing peas this year, I expect they'd be ready. Nice harvest!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I will remember the harvesting trick with the peas if mine ever get around to producing. I know that is the case with zucchini but there comes a point when you don't want anymore of those.
ReplyDeleteAll that hard work in the garden is really starting to pay dividends now. The peas are beautiful. You can use the tough pods to make stock, that's what I do when I buy fresh shelling peas at the farmer's market. The rest of the harvest is lovely too.
ReplyDeleteYour harvest looks a bit like mine. Peas and scapes. Tis the season. My favorite way to use scapes is for salad dressing. Yum.
ReplyDeleteThe garlic scapes are new to me too, but I'm learning to love them. How is your Piracicaba tasting? Ours is ok, but not as good as I expected. It's prolific though!
ReplyDeleteZip, zero, zilch, nada... I havn't had anything yet (besides a few strawberries, and of course green onions and radishes).. I have some serious garden envy.
ReplyDeleteI figure about 2 weeks and my harvest will begin.
I cant wait.
Your peas look so yummy!
Sorry about the critter in your garden... oh how I know about them. Thats why I havn't had anything yet. Silly Rabbits! ate almost everything, and I had to fence and re-plant.
Villager - I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed with the Piracicaba. I think I spaced them too close because they could definitely afford to be a little more prolific. Maybe it's just not their year. I've purchased another variety of broccoli to sow as a fall crop.
ReplyDeleteAll those peas, YUM!
ReplyDeleteMy peas are all gone now, so I'm enjoying yours vicariously. I have never heard of garlic scapes until I read Daphne's post, and now yours. I assume that scapes are the flower stalks. I tried cooking my leek stalks that had sent up a flower stalk, but they were woody. My garlic made bulbs this year, not stalks, so I can't try them. I just harvested all of my garlic today, about a half pound.
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