To the Moon Alice!

 If you look closely at gardens created by designers, most have some tall annuals.  They will be single plants or at times in a grouping.  Some in the ground - others in pots.

Because most of us think in terms of annuals no taller than 12-inches, it takes a change in perspective.  Plus, many times these tall annuals are more expensive than a six-pack of marigolds, but, the bang for the buck is BIG.  

Rather than talk on and on about tall annuals, I'll give a few examples:

Sunflowers:   

Elephant Feather:

  Elephant Ear:

Banana Tree:

King Tut Grass (tall variety):

Castor Oil Bean:

Canna Lily:

Angel's Trumpet:

Landscapes with tall annuals from the web:

Some, especially the tropicals, may be overwintered inside.  Others, like canna, may be dug, stored and replanted in the spring.  The sunflower gives the added benefit of providing bird seed.  

Try inserting a tall annual in your beds and enjoy taking it to the moon, Alice - or Jane - or Sam or you.   

Asparagus - A Garden Love Affair

 I have a small (ish) patch of asparagus "Purple Passion".  It gives me enough to eat each week from early spring into fall if I keep it picked.

Today I made Asparagus-Custard Pie and it was a resounding success.  

I learned how to prep asparagus from a Jacques Pepin lesson.  When I pick my asparagus, I only take it down to where it crisply pops off, then rinse, shake and peel the stems with a vegetable peeler.  For this recipe, I chopped the stems in 1/4 inch pieces and left the top flowers.

Asparagus-Custard Pie

Line a 9-inch single round cake pan in pie dough.  It can be homemade or pre-made refrigerated type.  Smooth the sides and crimp the edge.  Set in the refrigerator.

4            Eggs - hand whisk lightly

1/3 C    Sugar

1/2 tsp    Salt

1 T        Mrs. Dash Seasoning

1 C        Milk - scalded

1 C        Light cream - scalded

1/2 C    Asparagus - prepared as above 

1 T        Butter

Fry asparagus in butter until tender but not soft or brown.  Mix all seasonings into the eggs.

Whisking continually, slowly add scaled milk/cream into the eggs (you don't want to cook the eggs.)

Spread asparagus evenly on the pie shell.  Gently pour egg mixture over.  Bake in preheated 400 degree oven until a knife inserted 1-inch from edge of pie comes out clean (it was 25 minutes in my oven.)  TIP: Baking too long makes a watery custard.  The center will look soft but it will set as the custard cools.

Cool on rack for 30 minutes.  TIP:  May be served at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator.  If refrigerated, don't cover.  Should be served the same day.

NOTE:  This is not a quiche.  It has the same consistency of traditional custard - smooth and silky.  

This recipe was based on the Country-Kitchen Custard Pie recipe from the Farm Journal Complete Pie Book and modified for my recipe.  Published in 1965, this book is a treasure of wonderful tried and true pie recipes from women who made them every week for their family dinners and dessert for guests.  A farm woman worth her salt always had the Farm Journal magazines and recipe books for a reason.

To digress:  My mother made pie from scratch every week; enough to have pie every meal of every day - including breakfast.  Most were fruit pies for every day.  Company pies were chocolate, lemon, banana, coconut, butterscotch (all with meringue) and custard.  My Grandma Shenk also made an amazing beef mincemeat.  Let's just say pie is in my DNA.   

Back to keeping asparagus picked:  It will quickly go to seed which will often give you more plants.   Keeping it picked keeps it within boundaries and keeps it sending up new shoots.  If it all goes to seed, the plant thinks its yearly cycle is done and will often stop sending up new shoots.  Eventually, in the fall, I let it go to seed to insure I have new plants next year.

Asparagus gone to seed

TIP:  Don't have time to cook fresh-picked asparagus immediately?  Add 1/2-inch of water to a glass and put the fresh asparagus in it and then in the refrigerator.  It will keep another few days.  If vase is not refrigerated, it will continue to mature and will eventually start setting seeds which takes the freshness away.

TIP:  If you don't own a very sharp vegetable peeler, get one today!  Yes, right now!  Caveat: after you finished reading this.   Quality vegetable peelers are not expensive and can be found in most big box stores, kitchen/cook speciality stores or on line.   Throw away that old dull one - yes, do it now!  My current one is an easy to hold, turquoise Kitchen Aid version.  The blades produce a serrated cut.

To peel asparagus:  Hold the asparagus by the flower end.  Run the vegetable peeler down the stem to the cut edge.  Turn the stem to get all sides.  Simple and easy IF you have a sharp peeler.  By peeling the stems, even the more large or tougher stems may be used without worrying if they are too chewy - a lot less waste.

Final TIP of the article:  Scalding milk.   Don't skip this step.  I use a small but deep non-stick heavy saucepan.  After adding milk & cream, set on the smallest burner/lowest flame and turn down to slowly bring to a moment where steam is heavily coming up but it doesn't boil or form a skin.  If it comes to a full boil or burns, you will need to start over so best to keep a watch on this while you're prepping other things.

There are many many asparagus recipes to help you keep harvesting and eating it every week during the summer.  The many choices keep it from being boring.  

And YES, it does make your pee smell funky: "The main culprit is aspargusic acid, which is found exclusively in asparagus. When asparagus is digested, asparagusic acid gets broken down into sulfur containing byproducts. Sulfur, in general, is not very pleasant to smell, notes Dr. Bobart of the Cleveland Clinic. When you pee, the sulfur byproducts evaporate almost immediately, causing you to smell that unpleasant scent".

The benefits of asparagus are pretty darn outstanding:

Just one-half a cup (90 grams) of cooked asparagus contains:

• Calories: 20
• Protein: 2.2 grams
• Fat: 0.2 grams
• Fiber: 1.8 grams
• Vitamin C: 12% of the RDI
• Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI
• Vitamin K: 57% of the RDI
• Folate: 34% of the RDI
• Potassium: 6% of the RDI
• Phosphorous: 5% of the RDI
• Vitamin E: 7% of the RDI

Making Your Own Bird Suet

The colder the weather here in mid-Illinois, the more the birds in my yard like suet combos.  

Real suet is hunks of solid fat cut from meat during the processing.  I don't use animal rendered fat as it spoils easier and the birds aren't as fond of animal suet.  I use fat such as Crisco which is made from palm or soybean oils.  

 I never put my recipe out in weather above freezing because it will melt and over time it could spoil which will harm wildlife.    

I make a version of the packaged bird suet packages.  I don't have measurements because it all depends on what and how much I have on hand.

I start with Crisco or other similar brand.  Melt in a microwave safe large measuring cup until it is just melted but no need to make it any more hot.

I always add a goodly portion of sunflower seed hearts, old fashioned oatmeal and corn meal.  Not only do the birds love these but it helps hold the concoction together.

Then I add whatever I have on hand - some of those are:

Any uncooked firm grain (not ground flours) such as mullet, kasha, quinoa and etc.  Recipes seldom use all the amount of grains I have so I throw the bits of leftovers in a zip lock bag/put in freezer to use for this purpose.

Jelly/jam/marmalade that I never liked all that much and bits that are too old to still be very tasty.  I don't use any that has hot peppers or hot spices.

Dried fruit (such as cranberries/raisins) and chopped fresh fruit (such as apples.)

A bit of sweets such as sorghum or molasses.   Again, it's usually the bottom of the jar - not enough for a conventional recipe.

Nuts and whole grain cereal.  

NEVER use anything with salt, chemicals, additives or artificial flavoring/sweeteners.  The more pure or natural the ingredients, the better. In our effort to add nourishment to the birds' diets, we don't want to harm or kill them.  Plus, they can be a bit picky even if they're starving.  NEVER use meat or milk products (such as cheese).  Plus, these just attract varmints.  If you wouldn't use in your compost heap, don't put in the suet.     

Why suet concoctions?  The fat helps birds stay warm.  Not only the melted suet but there's fat in most grains, seeds and nuts.  

Once the mixture is combined, I ladle into containers that the mixture will perfectly fit.  Usually, I use the saved bought packaging and freezer containers of the exact size.  Refrigerate until solid.  Extras can be placed in the freezer in zip lock bags to use another day.  Because of the high fat content, they will pop right out.

I have a metal suet feeder that I hang from my plant hanger.  Having it hanging helps keep the squirrels and raccoons from eating it all in one big meal.   Sometimes I hook a container onto a tree.

If you like to feed mammals, then I suggest you put their's in another part of the yard.  If they have their own devoted feeding station, they may leave your bird feeders alone.  Theoretically.  Maybe.  Hopefully. 

 Woodpeckers are the first to catch on there's suet in the area but most of the other birds are right behind them.  

   

If you enjoy bird watching or promoting their good health during the winter, suet packs are a pretty easy and fast way to up the game. Bon appetit little ones.