My favorite things about home, March, 2020
In the Garden
The most hopeful news is from the garden. While seed starting is always one of my favorite things to do, this year it has been particularly meditative. I have started about 1000 seeds so far--lots of flowers, of course, and our summer staples for the vegetable garden.
We set up the seed starting shelves in the basement this year, and it has been so great to have a work station without taking over the kitchen and dining room for months, as I have done for the past 7 years :)
I have been slowly cleaning out the garden beds when the sun comes out and we have warmish days--getting my hands in the soil erases the flat, gray feelings from my body and my brain, at least for a while. I plan on direct seeding my greens and radishes today! Getting things in the ground will be so, so good.
In the Kitchen
The kitchen, one of my favorite places in the house, has taken on new importance over the past few weeks. I would love to say that I am cooking amazing meals every day, but I’m not.
In the past my habit was to shop several times per week, according to what I was in the mood to cook. With that not being an option anymore, I am making the slow shift toward planning my week according to what groceries are available.Thank goodness for small local farms, and for niqmble businesses that have shifted their entire business model in a very short time--from deliveries, to curb-side pick-ups, to open air farm stands, we are figuring out how to do this together. And supporting these amazing small businesses feels good.
One thing I am consistently making: quick pickles. Radishes and turnips are available in abundance, so I am pickling them often. They are a perfect wandering-aimlessly-through-the-kitchen snack.
1 bunch of radishes or one giant radish!, sliced
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
¾ cup white wine vinegar
¾ cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Pack radishes into a pint sized canning jar and sprinkle the mustard seeds over the top (this is optional, skip it of you don’t have any)
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and heat until sugar and salt are dissolved, stirring occasionally
Pour the hot mixture over the radishes, covering them completely, let the mixture cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate
The radishes will be ready to serve immediately, and will keep in the fridge for about two weeks
Radishes are wonderful served on a piece of toasted baguette with fresh chevre, and topped with the sliced radish greens
