Home-grown San Marzano tomatoes ripening

If you know me, you will know why I have not been writing many posts for my blog lately.

It’s Summer and like the bumper-sticker says, I’d rather be … sowing, harvesting, tending, pruning, walking, meeting friends and generally enjoying the extra joy that comes to me each day from beautiful blue skies and sunshine.

Each morning, I enjoy my espresso while I catch up on emails and tend to client files.  Later, I catch up with the tasks and errands that we all have and (here’s the best part)  wherever I am and whatever I am doing, my clients are still able to reach me.  I was a willing victim of Apple’s brilliant marketing a couple of years back and switched my Blackberry for an iPhone and my notebook computer works almost anywhere and sits inside my handbag allowing me to contact company databases etc. in the drop of a hat.  My wireless account enables me to stay in touch with everybody;  family, friends and clients.

Years ago, my market research firm was agency of record for market research for BC Mobility (latterly Telus Mobility)  and I can remember talking to Autotel and Mobiltel Users about the introduction of cellular technology into Canada and their propensity to switch to the new technology.  I conducted focus groups with consumers who found the concept interesting, but difficult to fathom.  Well … some years later, and many research studies later, here we are – totally mobile wherever in the world we may be.  I like it.  It really talks to the sense of freedom that early adopters of the technology were anxious to experience.

I love wireless technology and how it facilitates individual expressions of freedom.  If you, on the other hand,  prefer to be “wired” for your communications, that’s fine too.  Just let me know so that I communicate with you in a way that is comfortable with you.

Enjoy your Summer, whatever you will be doing and remember I am just an email, phone call or tweet away!

Garden-fresh food

Freshness has always been a key element of how I like to cook.  I like to start with food that is as close to its natural state as possible, and then use garlic, onions, tomatoes, herbs, grating, roasting, sautee and steam to bring out the flavours.  Mmmmmm!  Nothing tastes better than garden-fresh produce and, naturally, there is no place better to start than in your own garden.

Last year, I grew multiple crops in my lawn-turned-edible landscape, including yellow and purple potatoes, carrots, globe artichokes, swiss and rainbow chard, two different varieties of kale, heirloom and San Marzano tomatoes, pole beans, runner beans, walla-walla onions, green onions, eggplant (just one!), many different types of lettuce, arugula, red cabbage, green cabbage, beets, chives, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, mint, blackcurrants, grapes (one bunch) blueberries, rhubarb and Turkish figs (lots of them!)

With the precious help of my friend, Ryan, I conditioned the soil using a truckload of horse manure and dark, rich compost from my bin as well as Gaia Green organic fertilizer here and there.  Ryan is passionate about every aspect of Mother Earth and is a wealth of knowledge about optimizing food production through healthy, mulched soil full of organisms!  We planted a mix of seeds, over time, and watched as they grew.  We thinned seedlings, sometimes twice, occasionally thrice,and each time I added excess baby seedlings to the compost bin I felt a pang of sadness but was comforted by the thought that in the bin they would be with other living organisms.

Although it had been three years since I had first turned my lawn into an organic edible garden, I had not had such a healthy, bountiful, and delicious crop as I did last year, with Ryan’s help, and using only natural products.  It helped that the weather co-operated too.

I planted lots of edible flowers too, borage, calendula, lavendar and not only did bees (the real ones, not pesky wasps) come visit, but we had lots of butterflies, hummingbirds and no pests.

Planting an organic garden in 2010

It will soon be time to start the vegetable garden again, so I’m planning what I will plant this year.  I will sow everything the same, with the exception of carrots (hate throwing those babies away!) and beets (I forget to dig them up-probably because I don’t enjoy them!)  I’m also looking for ideas as to what else I should grow and welcome your suggestions for the West Coast climate.  Please don’t suggest zucchini though … I grew them one year and my dear hubby grew tired of eating cakes, salads, antipasti pasta, etc. … all with zucchini!  Also, I love peas, but so do the squirrels, so it’s a constant race as to who finds the tender pods first!

Nothing tastes better than the organic food grown in your own garden.  And it sure tastes even better knowing that there are no harmful pesticides or fertilizer by-products.

So … what shall I grow this year?  If your suggestion results in a positive crop, I will publish a photograph and a recipe using that item.

A multi-purpose cleaner

Last year, my dear friend Karen bought me a beautiful, hand-made silver chain and pendant from a well-known jewellery designer in the UK.   I wore it day in and day out and then decided to clean it using the branded “silver cleaner for jewellery” product that I had bought at The Bay.

The chain melted into small pieces!

When Karen returned the pieces (sigh!) to the maker, she was told that the silver should only be cleaned with a soft cloth.  I checked the container and it definitely said it was safe for silver … strange!  Oh well, they replaced the chain with a reminder to clean it with just a soft silver cleaning cloth – no chemicals.

If you know me, you will know that I try in every way possible to minimize my interaction with anything synthetic, so I threw out the cleaner and resolved to use a soft cloth from thereon.  Trouble is, it didn’t work as well as I would have liked.  And then …

I was at an artisan’s market in Mexico and after buying a lovely silver and pearl ring, I asked Adam (yes, he is Mexican!) how I should clean silver jewellery and here is his advice (it applies to all silver.)

For plain silver items: (no stones, pearls etc.)

Dip the item(s) in water and rub Baking Soda into all the gaps and corners, making like a softly abrasive paste.  Keep rubbing, making sure you cover all surfaces, and rinse well under cold water.  Then, simply rub the piece with a soft cotton cloth and BINGO!  He used my silver earrings for his demonstration and they shone like new!

Instead of buying expensive and toxic chemicals to clean your silver, why not buy inexpensive Baking Soda in bulk?

I don’t have a lot of spare time these days as I am studying for a travel industry exam in addition to working with clients who want a special trip to Turkey, planting new crops, walking my doggies, cooking yummy meals, making granola and biscotti, sewing, ironing and … watching series 5 of Mi5. This has to be the best series I have ever watched, with brilliant writing. Of course, it is from the BBC and available from the library or your local rental store.

It’s Easter weekend. I love this public holiday for many reasons. I especially remember when the girls were young and we used to dress them up in their easter bonnets for Easter fairs at their school in England. Those were fun days!

Enjoy your Easter and make it about family and home rather than chocolate!