Newsletter Update

April/May 2007 (Our newsletters are all copyright The Tasteful Garden 2003-2007 if you would like to reprint any of this information please let us know by email.)

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Snow on April 15th here in the South is almost unheard of but that is exactly what happened. Our Easter was colder than our Christmas this year and we have learned to expect anything as far as weather is concerned. Now that Spring has finally arrived we are shipping as fast as we can to get everyone plants at the right time for planting. Make sure you don't jump the gun and plant too early, waiting a week or two will not hurt a bit but replacing all your plants because of a late cold snap will.

Cindy had to have surgery this past week and thankfully is recovering very nicely. We apologize if phone calls and emails have not been answered with our usual expediency although everyone here chipped in and helped us keep going without her constant presence which we all depend upon so much. We were very relieved to get good reports from the doctors and hope she will be back to normal shortly. We do want to remind all of you to get routine annual health exams as this is so important to prevent very scary diseases.

Our plants are just gorgeous this season and we have been busier than ever with our plant sales and shipping plants to all of you. We hope you are planning for a bountiful garden and are adding something new this year. This month we wanted to talk about growing herbs along side your vegetables for the best flavors to add to your cooking. You can also read more about herbs on our website.

Growing vegetables is easy and fun and there is a lot of information about growing them available to us. Herbs on the other hand have a mystery about them that keeps many of us from enjoying these wonderful culinary treats. You don't have to be an "earth momma" to grow herbs or a herbal expert, herbs are just like other annuals and perennials and are actually easier to grow than many other categories of plants.

The main thing to know is the best conditions for growing each particular herb. Our herb encyclopedia can tell you the best growing situation for each herb such as the fact that Dill requires temperatures below 80 degrees to get started and that higher temperatures will cause flowering to occur. Or that French Tarragon is very susceptible to root rot if drainage is poor. Many herbs do wonderfully with hot dry conditions such as Rosemary and Oregano but other herbs prefer only morning sun and limited afternoon heat.

Herbs do not all have to be grown together. Herb gardens are very nice and are fun to plant but annual herbs can grow along side tomatoes and peppers and may actually help the flavor and growth of your vegetables. Some may even prevent certain bugs and critters although no testing has been done to prove this they can attract bees to pollinate the vegetable flowers.

Containers are wonderful for herbs and they also do not have to be grown together. Our image of a window box full of herbs is really not the best way to get these large plants to thrive. Large, deep containers work best to allow a basil plant to get big enough to make pesto from the leaves. Rosemary grown in a large pot makes a fantastic landscape feature as well as Sages and Lavender. Having large pots filled with herbs is a nice way to fill your patio with fragrant plants and keep the herbs close to the kitchen for easy use. Lemon Verbena is beautiful as well as extremely fragrant and is a perennial which means it lives over year after year. There are many Basils which have exciting flavors such as Lime Basil and African Blue, Red Rubin and Cuban basil. Try a few new ones every year.

Here is a nice recipe for a spring evening meal. Serve it with a nice salad and good bread.

Orzo Casserole with Chicken and Ricotta

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion diced finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced roasted red bell pepper
1 cup diced tomato
3 cups cooked orzo (about 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice-shaped pasta) cooled
1 cup diced cooked chicken ( or fresh uncooked, peeled shrimp)
2-4 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
4 eggs, beaten
2 c. milk
2-3 sprigs chopped fresh basil
4-5 sprigs chopped fresh parsley
a few sprigs of other herbs such as marjoram, oregano, chives etc. to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add diced tomato; cook 2 minutes, remove from heat and cool slightly. In large bowl, combine beaten eggs, milk, herbs & black pepper. Add onion mixture, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, ricotta cheese, cooked chicken & orzo, stir well. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Combine breadcrumbs & Parmesan cheese and sprinkle topping over orzo mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until eggs are fully set. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.

Yield: about 8 servings

The Tasteful Garden recently opened a new produce and garden store here in our small town of Heflin, Alabama. (just 1 mile off exit 199 of I-20 at Highways 9 and 78) Our small store is bursting at the seams with wonderful fresh produce, jams, honey, fruit, and farm fresh eggs. We hope you all will come and visit as you are passing through on I-20. Our main goal is to provide healthy vegetables to our community and provide a support market for all of the local farmers in our area.

Spring Boston ferns, colorful hanging baskets and flowering plants are also available at this store Monday- Saturday 9-5. Call us for more details.

During times of great stress we are so thankful for our dear friends that rallied their support to keep us going. All of your thoughts and good wishes are so appreciated.