July 8, 2010

I just finished canning a batch of gooseberry and blackberry jam. The gooseberry and blackberry mixture was an idea from Gail Martin, who often writes of her memories growing up in the Kansas prairies in the 1930's and 1940's. Her writing is sheer joy to anyone with a pioneer spirit. The idea for the jam comes from her article, "How to Have an Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving." It was delicious. I am only sorry I ran out of gooseberries.

Ben harvested mulberries from our mulberry tree in the backyard. It is the only time we have done it this year. He said they enjoyed eating the mulberries as they picked them. I combined the mulberries and some grapes for jam as well.

The zucchini are growing abundantly this week and I've been comparing notes with Facebook friends about the best way to use them. When someone mentions frying zucchini, I envision battering and deep frying. I do not like them this way, but if you combine them in a pan with a little butter, potatoes, onions, corn, tomatoes and garlic they are heavenly. I couldn't stop eating them. I also made some zucchini whole-wheat bread. I'm going to be trying zucchini brownies, lasagna, and as a vegetable vinaigrette mixture later this week.

The lemon balm needs to be harvested and dried very soon.

We have picked a few of our first tomatoes of the season. I am looking forward to many, many more.