Camp Celo Gardens

Week of July 25, 2010

New this week are Cherokee purple tomatoes! Cherokee purples are an heirloom variety known for their extraordinatry flavor and color.

New this week, we have wild purslane! Purslane is a succulent with a mild sweet-sour flavor like okra, but without the bitterness. It's tart flavor makes it a delicious and versatile vegetable; it is a common accompaniment to eggs and pork in Mexican cuisine, and raw purslane also makes a great addition to salads. Henry David Thoreau used to enjoy dining on simply boiled and lightly salted purslane collected around Walden Pond. For the health conscious, it is full of vitamins and is among the best plant sources for omega-3 fatty acids.

This week's spotlight is on Bull's Blood and Red Ace beets. Bull's Blood beets are an heirloom variety with a striped roots and dark red foliage, perfect for brightening up a salad. Red Ace beets are a great all-around beet, although they are known especially for their sweetness and tenderness.

In other news, Camp Celo Gardens baby carrots, leeks, tropea onions, golden beets, zephyr squash, patti pan squash, squash blossoms and peashoots play the role of supporting actor in the "Best Dish in North Carolina" competition.

Week of July 11, 2010

Spotlight on: edible flowers!

While we mostly grow vegetables, we also have an extensive flower garden. Small edible flowers include johnny jump-ups (violas), bachelor buttons (cornflowers), pot marigolds (calendulas) and borage (starflowers). These make the perfect finishing touch to any dish: salads, soups, and especially desserts. We also have nasturtiums, for a bright and spicy kick to salads, and squash blossoms.

And although our sunflowers are not edible (not yet anyways), they are just starting to show their faces among our tomato and potato patches, as well as at the heads of many of our lawn beds.

Week of July 4, 2010

Spotlight on: Rainbow Chard. They are thriving in our mountain weather. Look for pink, yellow, orange, red and white stems.

Also, new this week: Deep Purple carrots and Purple Majesty potatoes.

Deep Purple carrots--a variety of Imperator carrot--are deeply colored both inside and out, but their color fades when they are cooked. Their mild but sweet flavor makes them perfect for topping salads.

Purple Majesty potatoes are a hybrid of All Blue potatoes and a white-fleshed variety. Their flesh is beautifully speckled with purple and white, stunning for chips or fries. They are for short-term storage only, so order them now!

Week of June 26, 2010

A spotlight on: Chioggia beets, also known as candy cane beets.

Chioggia beets are an heirloom variety originating from Italy. They can be prepared a variety of ways, but Chioggia beets are best served raw; their candy cane-like stripes fade when cooked. Beets are closely related to Swiss chard, so try cooking the green leafy tops. They make great braising greens!