30. September 2010 by admin.

Check out these pictures of Flame grapes on my three-year-old vines:

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27. September 2010 by admin.

Pumpkin Pie (by Judy Frankel)

In a 350 degree oven, place pumpkin cut in half, scooped out, on its cut edge in a baking dish with sides. Pour a little water in the bottom so it doesn’t scorch.

Bake pumpkin for 1 to 1 ½ hours, based on its size (big ones take longer!)

Let it cool, scoop the insides off of the skin and discard the skin. Drain the insides in a colander, or save in the refrigerator til ready to make the pie. Drain off the watery part before using the rest. Don’t worry; a little pumpkin liquid is okay.

Pie-making: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, place rack in the lower center of the oven.

Obtain the following ingredients:

¾ cup Sugar or honey

3 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 c heavy cream or evaporated milk or soy milk

4 eggs

2 8-inch pie crusts of your choice (because you’re making 2 pies: one to eat, one to give away!)

Pour 3 cups of the pumpkin into a food processor or bowl. Puree til smooth, then add the sugar cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Process more. Add the cream, then the eggs and process till smooth. Taste for sweetness. Add more sugar or honey or sucanat, or whatever you like as sweetener until it’s the right sweetness.

Pour this puree into the prepared pie crusts. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for 40 to 45 minutes more, until the filling is puffed and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the pies on a rack. Then place in refrigerator.

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14. September 2010 by admin.

On Sunday, September 26 at 3 pm, I will be holding a workshop to show how to prune a peach or nectarine tree. The best way to keep a tree small and manageable is to do an aggressive pruning in the summer months, after the fruit is gone but while the tree is still covered with leaves. For more information, email me at judyfrankel@gmail.com. The workshop costs $12 per person, and I am limiting the class size, so hurry and sign up now by emailing me your interest. I will give out my address to those who RSVP.

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10. September 2010 by admin.

People are always asking me what to do with Swiss Chard. I admit, it wasn’t my favorite until I found Eggs In A Nest in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I’m now including my favorite Swiss Chard Recipe link on the right side of this blog. As you scroll down and look on the right, you’ll see Recipes under Links. Click on the one for Swiss Chard, and there you go!

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6. September 2010 by admin.

Because of all the cool weather this summer, the tomatoes are finally coming in late. This is the time for the bumper crop.

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