Farmers' market today. A farmer/vendor I hadn't seen here before -
lots of asian stuff. Got some nice-looking long beans. When I went
for the bok choy, he talked me into the ones that had flowered. Then
I saw some beautiful red leaf stuff. He called it chinese spinach,
but obvioiusly not spinach. A quick google makes me think red
amaranth. Put them and the bok choy in a vase on the kitchen table,
they were that pretty.

Great stir fry tonight, featuring my two new friends.

The huge bunch of spinach/amaranth wilted really quickly, though. So,
blanched and frozen. The blanching water is easter-egg-dye red.
Well, I was going to make stock tomorrow, anyway.

And, very pretty "sweet potato" squash - small, oval, yellow with
black stripes.

And a big basket of "not perfect" red and green bell peppers for
really cheap.

And the asian guy threw in a handful of free long eggplant, especially
nice since the squirrels recently discovered my planted eggplant.

A great day at at the market, Warren MI, USA

mBulka

On Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:16:32 -0700 (PDT), bulka
> wrote:

>And the asian guy threw in a handful of free long eggplant,

I really, really do like those. I think they are commonly used in
indian cooking, but learned to call them "japanese" eggplant when I
first ran across them, and now I see they are often called "thai". I
think "long" is the best name for them! I'll say that from now on.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

sf wrote:

>> And the asian guy threw in a handful of free long eggplant,
>
> I really, really do like those. I think they are commonly used in
> indian cooking, but learned to call them "japanese" eggplant when I
> first ran across them, and now I see they are often called "thai". I
> think "long" is the best name for them! I'll say that from now on.

Whoever calls them "Thai" eggplant is simply wrong. Thai eggplants are those
little green striped ones about the size of an egg.

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/images/thai-eggplants.JPG

Bob

In article
>,
bulka > wrote:

> Farmers' market today. A farmer/vendor I hadn't seen here before -
> lots of asian stuff. Got some nice-looking long beans. When I went
> for the bok choy, he talked me into the ones that had flowered. Then
> I saw some beautiful red leaf stuff. He called it chinese spinach,
> but obvioiusly not spinach. A quick google makes me think red
> amaranth. Put them and the bok choy in a vase on the kitchen table,
> they were that pretty.
>
> Great stir fry tonight, featuring my two new friends.
>
> The huge bunch of spinach/amaranth wilted really quickly, though. So,
> blanched and frozen. The blanching water is easter-egg-dye red.
> Well, I was going to make stock tomorrow, anyway.
>
> And, very pretty "sweet potato" squash - small, oval, yellow with
> black stripes.
>
> And a big basket of "not perfect" red and green bell peppers for
> really cheap.
>
> And the asian guy threw in a handful of free long eggplant, especially
> nice since the squirrels recently discovered my planted eggplant.
>
> A great day at at the market, Warren MI, USA
>
> mBulka

Sounds like fun. :-) I love to try new foods at the asian market!
--
Peace! Om

"He who has the gold makes the rules"
--Om

"He who has the guns can get the gold."
-- Steve Rothstein

On Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:36:42 -0700, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>
>>> And the asian guy threw in a handful of free long eggplant,
>>
>> I really, really do like those. I think they are commonly used in
>> indian cooking, but learned to call them "japanese" eggplant when I
>> first ran across them, and now I see they are often called "thai". I
>> think "long" is the best name for them! I'll say that from now on.
>
>Whoever calls them "Thai" eggplant is simply wrong. Thai eggplants are those
>little green striped ones about the size of an egg.
>
>http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/images/thai-eggplants.JPG
>
That's informative! I've never seen those before, only the round
purple ones.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

> And, very pretty "sweet potato" squash - small, oval, yellow with
> black stripes.
>
This month's Cooking Light calls that a "Sweet Dumpling" squash. If I
had a copy of the mag, I'd check for recipes. Anyway, here's a url for
their site

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/...397156,00.html

Lynn from Fargo
Wonder if I can get some Sweet Dumpling squash at my Asian market.
There's only butternut, buttercup, acorn and spaghetti in my grocery
store.

On Sep 28, 11:35*pm, sf wrote:
> On Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:16:32 -0700 (PDT), bulka
>
> > wrote:
> >And the asian guy threw in a handful of free long eggplant,
>
> I really, really do like those. *I think they are commonly used in
> indian cooking, but learned to call them "japanese" eggplant when I
> first ran across them, and now I see they are often called "thai". *I
> think "long" is the best name for them! *I'll say that from now on.
>
> --
> I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.
>
> Mae West

Thai eggplants are the size of a hen's egg, They're round and pale
green with darker green stripes. Really cute, They look like they were
designed by Walt Disney.
Lynn in Fargo

On Sep 28, 9:16*pm, bulka > wrote:
> Farmers' market today. * A farmer/vendor I hadn't seen here before -
> lots of asian stuff. *Got some nice-looking long beans. *When I went
> for the bok choy, he talked me into the ones that had flowered. [snip]

That was rather self-serving of him, getting rid of stuff he should
have picked sooner. It tastes better if picked before it flowers.
This is true of several kinds of bok choy and Shanghai bok choy we've
grown. It's a little less true of gai lon, Chinese broccoli. With
that, you usually begin to get a few little flowers before it's fully
matured. -aem

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> sf wrote:
>
>>> And the asian guy threw in a handful of free long eggplant,
>>
>> I really, really do like those. I think they are commonly used in
>> indian cooking, but learned to call them "japanese" eggplant when I
>> first ran across them, and now I see they are often called "thai". I
>> think "long" is the best name for them! I'll say that from now on.
>
> Whoever calls them "Thai" eggplant is simply wrong. Thai eggplants are
> those
> little green striped ones about the size of an egg.
>
> http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/images/thai-eggplants.JPG
>
> Bob

I think there are a number of Thai eggplants. IIRC, another one
is about the size of a pea.

--
Jean B.

On Sep 29, 12:03 pm, aem > wrote:
> On Sep 28, 9:16 pm, bulka > wrote:
>
> > Farmers' market today. A farmer/vendor I hadn't seen here before -
> > lots of asian stuff. Got some nice-looking long beans. When I went
> > for the bok choy, he talked me into the ones that had flowered. [snip]
>
> That was rather self-serving of him, getting rid of stuff he should
> have picked sooner. It tastes better if picked before it flowers.
> This is true of several kinds of bok choy and Shanghai bok choy we've
> grown. It's a little less true of gai lon, Chinese broccoli. With
> that, you usually begin to get a few little flowers before it's fully
> matured. -aem

That's what I've thought, too, but I'm more interested in playing with
my food than in experiencing the peak of perfection. Ate some of the
flowers at the stand - mild, a little bite in the aftertaste. Tiniest
bok choy I've ever seen. And it was a good stir-fry. Next time, I'll
save the flowers for a raw garnish. It reamains a centerpiece on the
kit. table.

Next season I want to do a completely edible garden that looks like a
flower patch.

mBulka

On Sep 29, 10:19*pm, bulka > wrote:
> On Sep 29, 12:03 pm, aem > wrote:
>
> > On Sep 28, 9:16 pm, bulka > wrote:
>
> > > Farmers' market today. * A farmer/vendor I hadn't seen here before -
> > > lots of asian stuff. *Got some nice-looking long beans. *When I went
> > > for the bok choy, he talked me into the ones that had flowered. [snip]
>
> > That was rather self-serving of him, getting rid of stuff he should
> > have picked sooner. *It tastes better if picked before it flowers.
> > This is true of several kinds of bok choy and Shanghai bok choy we've
> > grown. *It's a little less true of gai lon, Chinese broccoli. *With
> > that, you usually begin to get a few little flowers before it's fully
> > matured. * -aem
>
> That's what I've thought, too, but I'm more interested in playing with
> my food than in experiencing the peak of perfection. *Ate some of the
> flowers at the stand - mild, a little bite in the aftertaste. Tiniest
> bok choy I've ever seen. *And it was a good stir-fry. *Next time, I'll
> save the flowers for a raw garnish. *It reamains a centerpiece on the
> kit. table.
>
> Next season I want to do a completely edible garden that looks like a
> flower patch.
>
> mBulka

I was in Washington DC several years ago. It was the middle of January
(balmy weather to one from the great northern wasteland) but nothing
was blooming. Most of the flower planters in front of the big
government buildings had been planted in green, white and purple kale.
It looked very hardy and very pretty.

Lynn from Fargo
Where it is fall - waiting for Indian Summer

On Mon 29 Sep 2008 09:02:48p, Lynn from Fargo told us...

> I was in Washington DC several years ago. It was the middle of January
> (balmy weather to one from the great northern wasteland) but nothing
> was blooming. Most of the flower planters in front of the big
> government buildings had been planted in green, white and purple kale.
> It looked very hardy and very pretty.
>
> Lynn from Fargo
> Where it is fall - waiting for Indian Summer

Sounds ver pretty.

Wayne from Phoenix
Where it is fall - waiting for fall, but currently 101°F.

--
Wayne Boatwright

*******************************************
Date: Monday, 09(IX)/29(XXIX)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
6wks 2hrs 45mins
*******************************************
CAT.COM started. Computer will hack
furball in 5 seconds.
*******************************************

On Sep 29, 8:19 pm, bulka > wrote:
> On Sep 29, 12:03 pm, aem > wrote:
>
> > On Sep 28, 9:16 pm, bulka > wrote:
>
> That's what I've thought, too, but I'm more interested in playing with
> my food than in experiencing the peak of perfection. [snip]

Nothing wrong with that. We have a friend who excels at garnishes and
decorations. I am always envious of how good her food looks even when
I think (to myself) I could make it taste better.

> Next season I want to do a completely edible garden that looks like a
> flower patch.

Many fun possibilities there. We plant Japanese eggplant as much for
its looks in the garden as for eating. Some pepper plants look like
colorful Christmas trees. We border the tomatoes with marigolds and
nasturtiums and eat some of the nasturtium flowers. Zucchini blossoms
can be stuffed. An established rosemary plant just begs for some
topiary clipping. With broccoli you can harvest the central head and
some smaller side bunches then leave the plant alone to flower. Check
out books by Rosalind Creasey, who pretty much owns the edible
landscaping field. -aem

On Sep 30, 11:26 am, aem > wrote:
> On Sep 29, 8:19 pm, bulka > wrote:
>
> > On Sep 29, 12:03 pm, aem > wrote:
>
> > > On Sep 28, 9:16 pm, bulka > wrote:
>
> > That's what I've thought, too, but I'm more interested in playing with
> > my food than in experiencing the peak of perfection. [snip]
>
> Nothing wrong with that. We have a friend who excels at garnishes and
> decorations. I am always envious of how good her food looks even when
> I think (to myself) I could make it taste better.
>
> > Next season I want to do a completely edible garden that looks like a
> > flower patch.
>
> Many fun possibilities there. We plant Japanese eggplant as much for
> its looks in the garden as for eating. Some pepper plants look like
> colorful Christmas trees. We border the tomatoes with marigolds and
> nasturtiums and eat some of the nasturtium flowers. Zucchini blossoms
> can be stuffed. An established rosemary plant just begs for some
> topiary clipping. With broccoli you can harvest the central head and
> some smaller side bunches then leave the plant alone to flower. Check
> out books by Rosalind Creasey, who pretty much owns the edible
> landscaping field. -aem



Thanks. Next year I figure to be desperate for kale suggestions.

But, it's not all about garnishes (although I have made a "roast
turkey" mostly out of mashed potatoes, and once carved pieces of ham
to pass for honey-glazed yams to confuse vegetarians at a pot-luck
thanksgiving).

I like my guests to eat things they can't get at the food-court.
"Hey, that's a flower! It's a weed!! You're feeding me dandelions?
In the coffee??!"

Yessss.

Of course, this from a guy who has served sheep's eyes in yogurt, the
brains and feet and other bits of our fellow god's creatures.


Sorry. More of an off-course yank than mere drift.

As you were.

mbulka