The legume family is large, including all beans, and peas. Legumes are a very nutritious group both for eating and for farming; as nitrogen “fixers”, the plants roots host specialized bacteria that actually extract nitrogen from air between soil particles. Many legumes are used as ground cover crops to be dug in to fortify soil. In this article we are focusing on all things pea, plus Fava. Peas and Favas grow best in Spring, preferring cooler weather. Once picked, their nat

My favorite eggplant recipe for summer is to simply marinate ¾ inch slices in olive oil, lemon juice, fresh chopped garlic and marjoram or oregano, plus salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least one hour. Grill over medium low fire until soft and slightly browned, turning occasionally. Coarsely chop grilled eggplant, and toss with fresh, ripe, chopped tomatoes and fresh chopped basil. Add some crushed garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and serve over pasta. Eggplant heav

One of my very favorite recipes is to halve medium size tomatoes and place them in an oiled muffin tin. Season with salt and pepper. Mix freshly grated hard cheese and bread crumbs in equal proportion, and place 2-3 heaping tablespoons of this mixture on top of each tomato. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Broil for a few minutes to brown tops. Serve with fresh basil leaves on top, with a final bit of olive oil. YUM! Late summer is when tomatoes are

Peppers are one of the late summer risers, requiring long periods of heat and sun to reach juicy fruition - they are always worth the wait. Peppers are members of Capsicum annuum family. The word “Pepper” is derived from the Sanskrit word pippali. Beyond your basic bell (which now run the rainbow gamut of colors from green to orange, red, yellow; even white and purple!), try some more unusual heirlooms if you can get your hands on them. For example, Gypsy peppers are an ea

Related to spinach and Swiss chard, beets are high in potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium and phosphorous, which they soak out of the ground, contributing to their earthy flavor. All forms of the Beet family trace back to the sea beet, a wild coastal plant. Beyond basic red, look for golden and white beets, and Chioggias, a delicately flavored heirloom Italian variety. Chioggias are also called Candy Stripe because they feature rings of white flesh alternating with bands of

"A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing." - Samuel Johnson I respectfully disagree. Collectively, local cucumbers are in peak season form from late Spring through early Autumn. Some varieties start earlier, some later. Claims of bitterness in cucumbers are now few, because the gene responsible for this has been all but bred out. Occasionally a bitter cuke will pop up- usually a result of stress on the vi