This week in the garden…
by Leslie Cox; Saturday; September 16, 2017
Harvest! Harvest! Harvest!
The tomatoes are starting to really ramp up. Have done three pickings through the week so there are tomatoes covering the kitchen table and all available space in the dining room.
The influx called for lots of toasted tomato sandwiches for lunch, a feast of eggplant steaks, and a big pot of ratatouille soup…which also used up a couple of zucchinis.
Eggplant Steaks
by Leslie Cox; Saturday; September 16, 2017
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes at 375 °F (180 °C)
1 large eggplant
sugar
garlic salt
basil, dried
oregano, dried
2-3 large tomatoes
3-5 green onions
1 cup (250 ml) feta cheese
extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
2. Using a basting brush, brush bottom of 9 x 13 inch (22.5 x 33 cm) baking dish with extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
3. Slice eggplant lengthwise into ½ inch (1.25 cm) slices. Lay slices in baking dish. Do not overlap.
4. Sprinkle eggplant slices lightly with each of the following in succession: sugar, garlic salt, basil and oregano. (Option: Hold the basil and oregano and add on top of the tomatoes.)
5. Cut tomatoes into fairly thick slices and lay on top of eggplant slices.
6. Chop green onions and sprinkle over top of tomato slices.
7. Crumble feta generously over top of each eggplant slice. Try not to allow too much of the feta to fall off the slices.
8. Dribble a little olive oil over each slice.
9. Bake in 375 °F oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve immediately.
Foto Friday
by Leslie Cox; Friday; September 15, 2017
Water droplets on an orb weaver spider’s web.
Fall is for Pumpkin Spiders
by Leslie Cox; Thursday; September 14, 2017
In truth…these guys are around for the entire gardening season but they are really not too noticeable until August through into the fall months.
We noticed the pumpkin spider, or Araneus trifolium to give its proper name, in the photo to the right on August 12th. To our knowledge, we have not had one of these spiders in our garden before…although this spider is native across Canada, north to Alaska, and south to California across to Alabama. I think we would have spotted this spider species before if it had ever made a previous appearance in our garden, especially given its size and brilliant yellow colouring. But given the time of year, harvesting and getting the garden ready for winter typically has us utterly focused with blinders on.
Teaser Tuesday
by Leslie Cox; Tuesday; September 12, 2017
Beautiful Tofino Harbour, taken from our motel room in Tofino, BC
