Quick Summary: Succession planting staggers your harvest by planting crops at different times or choosing varieties with different maturity dates. Three approaches: plant different crops that mature in different seasons, sow the same crop every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvest, or grow early, mid, and late varieties of the same vegetable. Benefits include no harvest …
Quick Summary: Sheet pan dinner with chicken thighs, rhubarb (drizzled with honey), fennel, asparagus, onion, and garlic. Roast chicken first for 10 minutes, add rhubarb and fennel for 10 more minutes, then add asparagus for a final 10 minutes. The rhubarb breaks down into a sweet-tart pan sauce. One pan, minimal cleanup. Prep: 15 min …
Quick Summary: Poblano chiles stuffed with sweet and savory pork picadillo, bathed in creamy walnut sauce (nogada), and garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley. The colors represent the Mexican flag, making this the traditional dish for Mexican Independence Day in September. A complex, celebratory dish worth the effort. Prep: Day before + 2 hours | …
Quick Summary: Lapsang souchong is a black tea smoked over pinewood fires, producing a distinctive campfire aroma. Originating in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian, China, it was the first black tea exported to the West. Quality lapsang has balanced smoke and underlying sweetness, not the overwhelming tar flavor of lower grades. It pairs well with …
Quick Summary: Pu-erh is a fermented tea from Yunnan, China, that improves with age like wine. Unlike other teas that are best fresh, pu-erh undergoes microbial fermentation that develops complex, earthy flavors over time. It comes in two types: sheng (raw) ages naturally over decades, while shou (ripe) is accelerated to mimic aged tea. Properly …
Quick Summary: Everything you need to know about tea, from true teas (black, green, oolong, white) to herbal tisanes, and from basic brewing to creating your own blends. Covers tea types and their differences, how caffeine varies, loose leaf vs tea bags, brewing methods for different styles, and how to blend your own wellness teas. …
Quick Summary: Turn fresh chile peppers into deeply flavored smoked peppers for homemade chipotle, spice blends, and salsas. Covers three smoking methods for home gardeners: stovetop smoker, charcoal grill, and electric smoker. Includes tips on pepper selection, smoke times, and grinding into powder. From a farmer who sold smoked pepper spice blends and smoked tomato …
Quick Summary: A London Fog is Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and vanilla, named for the city’s famous mist. This cozy drink is easy to make at home and showcases the bergamot flavor of Earl Grey. Includes variations and tips for the best results. Prep: 5 min | Steep: 3-5 min | Serves: 1 …
Quick Summary: Oaxaca is known as “the land of seven moles,” each built on specific dried chile peppers. Traditional moles use complex combinations of chiles like chilhuacle, mulato, pasilla, and ancho, toasted and ground with spices, nuts, and sometimes chocolate. US restaurant moles are typically simplified versions using fewer peppers and more shortcuts. Understanding the …
Quick Summary: Mexican cuisine uses dozens of chile pepper varieties, but a core group of 10-12 peppers covers most traditional recipes. Fresh peppers like jalapeño, serrano, and poblano provide heat and flavor for salsas and stuffed dishes. Dried peppers like guajillo, ancho, and pasilla form the base of moles and adobo sauces. Understanding which peppers …
Quick Summary: Sweet tea isn’t just a beverage in the South, it’s a cultural institution. This guide covers why sweet tea became the regional drink, what makes it different from sweetened iced tea, the proper method for making it (dissolve sugar while hot, never after), and how to customize strength and sweetness. Includes tips from …
Quick Summary: The essential Italian tomato varieties for home gardeners who love to cook. Includes paste tomatoes for sauces (San Marzano, Schiavone, Corbarino), beefsteaks for salads and sandwiches (Cuore di Bue, Costoluto Genovese), and specialty varieties for drying and storage (Principe Borghese, Piennolo). Tips on growing, container gardening, and troubleshooting. From a farmer who grows …
Quick Summary: A tea tasting party lets guests sample multiple teas, similar to a wine tasting. Set up flights of 3-5 teas organized by theme (regional, type, or flavor profile). Low-cost, easy to host, and works for small casual gatherings or more formal events. Jump to: Tea flight | Choosing Teas | Set-up | Food …
Quick Summary: Yes, you can grow Camellia sinensis (the tea plant) in American home gardens, but success depends on your climate. Tea plants thrive in USDA zones 7-9 with acidic soil, consistent moisture, and partial shade. In colder zones, grow them in containers and overwinter indoors. You can then harvest and process your own tea …
Quick Summary: Four reliable methods for making large batches of iced tea: hot brew and chill, cold brew overnight, sun tea, and concentrate. Each method has trade-offs in time, flavor, and convenience. Cold brew produces the smoothest flavor with the least bitterness. Hot brew is fastest. Includes ratios for gallon batches. At HeathGlen Organic Farm, …