These veggies became a steamed meal for us that evening as well as a refrigerator marinade or “pickle” garnish for my spring rolls. The cruciferous vegetables were lightly steamed until colors brightened and rolled in butter. These tasted so good that we ate the entire lot that we steamed and kept adding more…mostly broccoli became my dinner that night.
I had cold infused some rose petals in a vinegar base that Mike made with allspice, giving it a nice color, and this became the marinade for small slices of all the veggies you see in the photos. The cabbage became pink; the purple cauliflower and chartreuse romanesco all bounced off of each other nicely. I cut the stalks of the Bright Lights chard like diced celery and the slices of the multi-colored carrot rounds were about the same size. All together it made a nice chilled salad that was ready to adorn any plate.
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We brought fresh water to a boil over these potatoes for just a few minutes, until tender by a fork, and found that the Norlands needed just a minute or so more cooking time than the Adirondacks. Also, we found a slightly creamier consistency to the Norlands, and i’m guessing, due to starch size and arrangement in the potato. It felt on the tongue that the flesh had less “graininess” and a finer molecule build. The cooked buds were gently rolled in soft butter and then devoured immediately 
“Rosey Outlook” Coffee Cake Recipe: 9×9” pan oven: 350F bake: 30 min/toothpick test
1 1/3 cups flour 2/3 cup sugar (brown sugar, honey, etc, to taste) 2 teaspoons baking powder 2/3 cup milk* 1/4 cup butter, soft* 2 eggs* 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup shredded rose petals, rose geranium blossoms & leaves, pineapple sage blossoms, and slivers of lemon verbena Save a pinch of shredded leaves, flowers, and 5-12 small geranium leaves for lining pan and pressing into top of batter. Separate leaves, etc and process/scissor cut to add to dry matter and top the cake with…grease baking pan; (glass is my top choice), press into pan some petals, leaves and ribbons of your floral materials…in medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and baking powder. Add flower/leaves and use hand mixer on low speed to combine with flour, etc. ( If using a wet sweetener like honey, add to wet section of recipe.) In another bowl, combine milk, butter, egg, vanilla, *making sure to use at room temperature as butter will “coagulate” with cold milk, etc. Beat wet mixture on medium until well blended. Pour wet mix into dry mix and beat with mixer on medium for 1 minute or until well blended. Pour mixed batter in greased pan, on top of your selected leaves and flowers. Finish batter with remaining leaves and flowers, using a toothpick if necessary to pin down the garnishing touches to the batter (if left standing or curled above, will get crispy and loose more color). Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Invert out of pan after cooling 10-15 minutes; bottom of pan will still be warm.. Cool completely before cutting; can be served as finger tea cakes, cut into squares and fitted on to rose geranium leaves as doilies. Scattered rose petals add a nice touch and help signal floral nature of cake. The post Rosey Outlook Coffee Cake first appeared on Specials From Planet Earth Diversified.]]>
Rose Geranium medallions from Planet Earth Diversified
Find fresh harvested Chef boxes & zip bags this Saturday: Anderson’s and Greenwood Market has zip bags too…Zinc has both leaves and hydrosol.
Also known as essential waters, our hydrosols are steam distilled from what we grow here at the farm. Begun as an opportunity to utilize and preserve through the seasons, it also allowed us to upgrade our sustainability goal. Hydrosols that have not crossed an ocean save a bit on energy, and gives us another way to capture the fragrances, nuances of a particular season, a little like wine to me. Especially nice is that it gives another way to extend the season, so to speak, and showcase another facet of use. I am really excited to see what Zinc creates with their hydrosols and have long enjoyed the botanical blends of Dawn Story (New Moon Naturals) in a myriad of products using plant essential waters.
Rose Geranium is one of my all time favorites and regularly showed up as an infused fruit topping or syrup used with yogurt dressing when I was making breakfast as the Innkeeper*. Homemade cakes would be dressed with fruit stewed in rose geranium and a yogurt cup could be found dressed with our geranium from a simple syrup. I also liked opening a bottle of sparkling water and stuffing the leaves inside to infuse a bit as i made other things, then combining with fresh squeezed citrus and a dollop of syrup, might be garnished for special occasions. Works well with the Brut, too. Fun, overnight infusion into chocolate ganache brownies works well in the fridge overnight with the pieces plated atop a leaf which make very nice serving doily. As the plates “settle” the next day for service, and the cold falls out, the aroma becomes captivating.
*Managed 1804 Inn at Barboursville Vineyards for several years during inception period. Be sure to visit Palladio restaurant for Chef’s creations as we enjoy in exploring rose geranium together and are always delighted with what comes forth. Rose Geranium gelato is still a big hit here at the farm.
courtesy of Barboursville Vineyards and Palladio Restaurant
One customer shared her revamping a pineapple up-side-down cake recipe by layering the start with rose geranium leaves. Yum!
Since we will be in attendance at the VABF conference, I am offering special Sunday delivery of the rose geranium choices; Chef boxes are hand selected leaves in bright aroma, and hydrosol comes in 300ml or in 4ml spray* (not available singly; must be included in delivery of something else). Some rose geranium will be available for you to pick up at Anderson’s in conjuntion with their extravaganza this weekend. You will find samples of our pestos and recipes along with other local purveyors; we wish we were not already booked but are glad for the opportunity to stay in touch. Call 434-985-3570, ext 1 and leave a message if you would like some rose geranium or hydrosol or both, or maybe you want the whole kit! A box of fresh herb, a refill storage size bottle and your own spritzer to hang out on the line…just give me a call.
Edible flowers on doilies of rose geranium & nasturtium leaves
– syrup
-stewed fruit
-spritzed
-layered
-infused
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Planting Chard plugs in the beds
Walkin Greens Hoop House
We are still growing our salad mix and baby arugula watercress tatsoi lettuce and sorrels in the heated greenhouses, but now we have expanded our high tunnel greens production to bring you more vegetables and greens even earlier this season.
Check here for our most recent ‘Fresh Specials’ sheet -highlighting the freshest new items available in the coming week, and our full product listing. We are working at this very moment on new photos and tips for our entire line of ‘year round’ production . We will be working in our test kitchen producing videos with Chefs using our produce, herbs, and products. Got an idea?
The post Planting in the Hoop House first appeared on Specials From Planet Earth Diversified.]]>check out our full line of Asian Eggplants and Peppers in these photos
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Naturally grown with our carbon conserving and wetland reclaimation methods…Neem oil used once for mitigating the white flies.
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Variety of squash blossoms available every year (male, female, with or without fruits, sizing, etc) as well as specialty eggplant varieties, heirloom tomatoes, & many different peppers.
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