If you read this posting, you might well ask why I didn't post it on the "What I did in the garden today"thread. Well, the answer to that is that I haven't done anything in the lottie today at all....However, my bride biked out to the lottie to have a looksy, while I languished here at home in my own self-pity in relation to the flu that I have. She harvested the rest of the pak choi and parsnips. Wintertime is parsnip time. One can harvest them after the first good, hard frost and folks maintain that the taste then is much better. I cannot confirm that it is true as I have harvested them after the first frost and also as much as a month before that. I used to think that there was a difference, but I am now believing that it was a figment of my imagination. The 'snips after the first cleaning: Then after cutting, ready to be blanched for freezing-in.: Then the blanching. They were then put into portions in freezer bags and socked-away for use later. The bride took a break at some point at the lottie and whilst sitting on the bench she took these two foto's of what we call, a "Roodborst. The first foto is of the little thing sitting on the food top on the ground. This next one is of the roodborstje sitting in a Buddleja. I haver seen this character sit and look at me for many minutes like this--with a twig or something in-between it and mew. I always wonder if it believes that it is hiding and observing from a discrete position. Right then, what have I contributed to the day? Ermmm, welllll.....I took a pic of the two Amaryllis blooms. They came out right on time--the day before Christmas. We want then blooming here on Christmas day. Of course we have two Christmas Days...so there is always some leeway. Having said that everyone knows that it is to be out on the first Christmas day (25 dec). at any rate--here are our two beauties. I got these two things as bulbs back in oct-nov when I planted the crocusses, snowdrops and bio-tulips. I may not have done much today, but I am well chuffed with that amyrillis foto.
Glad you like parsnips, since you have quite a harvest there! We pulled our first turnips today, and there are two heads of broccoli ready to cut. Our broccoli isn't nearly as pretty as your amaryllis, and our house finches aren't as colorful and cute as your little bird!
What a wonderful crop of parsnips.They have always been one of our favourite winter vegetables. I love their sweetness. We have a nice recipe for a parsnip risotto which we use as a handy go-to recipe if we want something quick but tasty. You are lucky to have 2 male Robins in your garden-do they fight for control like our visitors do? Stunning Amaryllis! You have every right to be chuffed with your photographs.
I hope you recover from your bout of 'flu quickly. Not a pleasant thing to have at this time of year. Those parsnips look so good and you have a sizeable crop there. Our robins are out in force at the moment as the ground is frozen solid. I always make sure to leave plenty of sunflower hearts for them underneath the Laurel.
MARLIN--I don't just like 'snip's--I LURVE 'em! hahaha. In fact, we ate them tonight, in purée form. The Amyrillis are gorgeous alright, but what wouldn't I give for some self-grown broccoli. Ja KIA--I have a real weakness for 'snips. We ate them for supper this evening. They were smooth and sweet. As for the robins...they chase each other; although, only one actually chases and the other. And that other one is very inventive about sneaking in for a nibble. The Amaryllis blooms were really good to see because I bought them as seconds at a bloom bulb breeder not too far from home. Me too EILEEN--It is good to know that they like sunflower hearts.
Sjoerd, Glad you are recovering from such a bad bug. I use snips often when I can get them. They are good eats. Nice Amaryllis. Love the White one. I have one just coming into bloom in 1 or 2 days. It missed Christmas a little.....LOL
To make a confession......I have never tasted Parsnips. They weren't something that my Mom had ever heard of or knew how to cook or if they were even available in the local grocery stores. So I need recipes for cooking them....but if they taste as bad as turnips...never mind.
Toni, I had the same opinion of turnips--yuck! That was until I found that my grandmother's recipe for boiling them for hours until they are brown and add "fragrance" to the house for days wasn't the only way to prepare them. We like them raw, sliced thin with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper; julienned in green salads; and roasted with small potatoes and carrots. Parsnips, on the other hand . . . .
I am with toni, I have never tried a parsnip. Not sure why, maybe if they told you about them in a store or gave you a sample I would know if I liked them. Never a neighbor giving them out either. Your amaryllis are beautiful. I bought two at the same time and only one got a very long stem and bloomed. The other one might take a month to bloom. So my vision of having 2 of them on the fireplace mantle in bloom on Christmas did not work out. I hope you are feeling better from the flu and you don't give it to your bride.. I hope you both have a Happy New Year...
I don't make parsnips often. Maybe because you don't see them in the stores too often. I used to grow them when we lived in Wisconsin. I would boil them until they were just starting to soften. Then I would slice them lengthwise and saute them in butter until they were a light brown. Very good with roasted pork or in a pinch beef. dooley
Sjoerd, Hope your feeling better son. I dug my parnips last week. We ate some and froze the rest. My only disappointment was that I did not grow enough. It's one veggie my whole family likes. We love them fried.
