Tag Archives: herbs

Dec11

Wolff’s Apple House

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The road to Wolff’s Apple House is a bit windy and littered with wine bottles…….

……at least the road  Tin Man took to get there is!

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You see Tin Man lives in Texas and Wolff’s is in Media, Pennsylvania

One evening (while enjoying wine with The Equestrian Wizard) Tin Man notice a large alien pod lying in the kitchen

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…thinking that perhaps too many glasses of Chardonnay had been consumed……

…….. or that the Munchkins had returned to claim their planet

one had to find the origin of this giant pod. ……… A HUBBARD SQUASH!!!

Well it was my very first encounter with such a beast and my culinary mind began to wonder what one would do with such a thing.

Okay……..anyways……….back to Wolff’s….off we went on our journey to visit the Mystical – Magical – Mary of Media

……the second nor’easter of the season was blowing in and the promise of winds and snow were in our immediate future!

AHHHHHHH………Gingerbread Hubbard Squash Soup……..says The Tin Man, with all the confidence of a world renowned Chef, inspiring confidence in the small group huddled around!

“We shall go to Wolff’s and obtain this Hubbard Squash,” announces Jim, husband of Mary…

YIKES………. they think I know what to do with this Beast!

It was easy…..I just thought…….WHAT WOULD VIRGINIA DO?……You know Virginia of Bel’ Occhio’s Blog …..

…..NO!!!        Then click on it and go visit…she is a CHARM!!   With all the confidence of Virginia, the Culinary Goddess,

I set forth on my quest…….

Wolff’s Apple House has been supplying local residents with farm fresh produce since 1910, four generations of Wolff’s have dedicated themselves to this mighty task and the goodies all come from farms within a 50 mile radius. 

Such an amazing place! 

 

Several acres filled to the brim with marvelous, fresh produce, flowers, herbs, spices and did I mention baked goods!

 

We returned home and with all the confidence of a Master Chef, The Tin Man created

Gingerbread Hubbard Squash Soup topped with Pumpkin Oil

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It was a wonderful evening and to the Tin Man’s great surprise the soup was very good and left a smile on everyone’s face

We loved Wolff’s so very much that we went back and shipped a case of apples

back to Oz in Texas and are still enjoying them!

Thanks for the confidence, Virginia!

Miss you Jim & Mary………until next time……

May15

Visiting the Neighbors – Enjoying the Garden

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The Garden Gate

  We have a big garden and try to grow plants that we can harvest and enjoy all year round.

Today, I decided to see what the neighbors were up to….

…I had seen them busy with their homes over the past few weeks…..

They were all occupied inside so I went on to visit the other neighbors………….

They expressed their dismay at my not bringing any vegetable scraps or at least some weed pullings so I moved on…..

the magnolia has been blooming so wonderfully this year…..

We have had several years of very harsh weather and this Spring and Summer have been filled with mild temperatures and wonderful rain so you can see the flowers giving thanks…….

 

The Gardner found this beauty on the property and brought it home to enjoy.

We are still harvesting Artichokes, so many that we have decided to let some bloom and enjoy the wonderful flowers…..
………..you do remember The Demoniac Vegetable – Artichokes blog post don’t you??!?

………but enough of all this let’s go to the garden….

all sorts of wonders…..corn, green beans, okra, white onions, yellow onions, red onions, cabbage……oh my!

………and then yummy cabbage…..when you garden organically, even the bugs get to eat a little…….


………almost ready for the kitchen…….


….the Fennel so prolific, we are unable to eat all the bulbs….

..now blooming and producing seed…….yum, more for next year……


..the carrots peeking out…..


….beautiful peaches…hopefully the squirrels won’t eat them all……..


….Figs…..they never make it out of the garden….we eat them right off the trees..

..this tree is from a cutting from my Great Grandmother’s tree……sigh…..


..even pears this year……..yippee….

More Sqaush growing

Elmer beat me to the Garden and has harvested this morning’s Yellow Crook Neck Squash and Honduran Beans. Here they are nestled in his shirt.

The Herbs are going wild…….for years I so longed for fresh herbs and now I have a jungle of them….

..sometimes I wish I was a cat so I could just roll around in them and enjoy the beautiful fragrances……

Beautiful Basil

…….Omnipotent Oregano……..

…..Timid…..yet Terrific Thyme……

…..Tender Tarragon……..

….Powerful and Potent Papalo….

…………back to the kitchen…….the rains are starting again……

………the counter full of garden goodies…….green beans…….

 
…….marvelous……..magnificant………beets….

……..cabbage already in the steamer……..

……then the final creation…….Augustine has worked his magic on the wonders from the garden and produced a Magnificent Vegetable Soup…..complete with garnish of Jalapenos, Fresh Lemon and Avocado………

…..I saved you a bowl…..wish you could join me……