Herbal Iced Teas
A great way to use a lot of the herbs in the picking garden is to use them in infusions or tisanes— herbal teas. In the heat of summer, there is nothing more refreshing than a cold, flavorful, refreshing glass of iced tea.
It’s a simple technique: you get a handful of stems of your desired herbs (harvest 5-10 stems with 4-10 leaves apiece, depending on the size of the herb), put them in your jar, add the sweetener of your choice (¼-½ cup of sugar or honey for ½ gallon container), and pour boiling water over the top. Let it steep for five minutes or so— some herbs, like tea, get bitter if they sit too long, and some don’t— and then either fish the herbs out with a spoon, or pour the whole thing through a mesh strainer into another container of the same size. (This method cools it down faster, too; brew it in a jar, then pour it over ice into a pitcher to serve promptly. Also good if your favorite pitcher is too delicate for boiling water.)
Some recipes can be unsweetened, but some really don’t taste right without at least a little sweetener of some kind.
Tip: Trim long stems, but leave leaves and stems together so you don’t have to strain the tea afterward.
A simpler alternative: Cold infusions. Some herbs, you can just put into a pitcher of cold water and leave in your fridge for several days, and you’ll enjoy a much subtler flavor. This is a good
way to avoid using sugar or sweeteners.
A FINAL NOTE: Some of these herbs have medicinal properties. For the most part, an occasional drink with them as an ingredient won’t harm you, and some herbs have positive medical uses— like thyme, which can ease congestion— but if you have a specific situation, it’s wise to look it up first. For example, mint and fennel both tend to suppress milk production,
so nursing mothers should avoid them.
— Bridget, Annie’s sister
Two Herbal Teas We Like
1. Mint Sage Tea. Sage in tea?
Sounds weird but is very good with lots of mint. Great with a bit of honey.
2. Lemon Basil Lemon Balm Lemonade. To make this, you first make lemon basil and
lemon balm tea with some sweetener, then add the lemon juice once it’s cool. Lemongrass would work as well.
"Fairest of the months!
Ripe summer's queen
The hey-day of the year
With robes that gleam
with sunny sheen
Sweet August doth
appear."
- R. Combe Miller
Tomato Galette with Parmesan Whole Wheat Crust
Crust: 1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
3/4 tsp salt
8 oz cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup ice water, more as needed
Filling: 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
salt (for the tomatoes)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 large egg, well beaten with 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish
1.Combine flours, cornmeal, parmesan and salt. Add butter and toss to coat, then freeze 30 minutes.
2. Add mixture to food processor and give 4 or 5 long pulses until butter is cut into small bits. Drizzle in the water and pulse until it looks moistened. If dough seems too try add a little more water. Press dough into a disc and chill for half an hour.
3.Spread tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with a towel. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Let stand while dough chills. Blot dry before assembling galette. Heat oven to 425.
4.Roll dough into a 15 inch circle, transfer to baking sheet. Sprinkle parmesan in a 11 inch circle on the dough. Arrange 2/3 of the tomatoes cut side up over cheese. Sprinkle with thyme. Fold
edges over tomatoes, pleating as necessary. Brush crust with egg.
5.Bake 30 minutes. Scatter reserved tomatoes over top and sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm or at room temp.
recipe from simplyrecipes.com
Vegetables
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Cucumbers
Sweet or Red Onions
Tomatoes
Bok Choi
Tokyo Bekana
Mountain Rose Potatoes
Carrots, Eggplant or Peppers
Sun Jewel Melon or Tomatoes
Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Borage, Lemon Basil, Basil, Lemongrass
Flowers
Sweet Peas, Yarrow, Calendula, Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans,
Shasta Daisies, Cleome, Zinnia
Important Dates
August 16: Fresh chicken pickup