Everywhere you go, Italians have snuck in a garden. I see them all along the train tracks as I go to Florence. If you have a home in town, you also have a piece of land where you cultivate your orto, fruit and vegetable garden.
I sneek peaks into every tiny garden I see, how far away they place the plants, what is growing best and try to copy.
We go to the “guy shop” on the corner near the cemetary in town where I eavesdrop on what they are buying. This shop sells everything from seeds, wine bottles, weed-killer and food for animals.
Thanks to these guys we planted our peas early and had a great crop, those we planted later all died.
This year we have been very happy with our zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant and chili peppers.
today’s haul from the orto
The watermelon has been a dilemma.
The weather this year has not been normal, so I imagine it is not all my fault!
We have one round melon which appeared when we returned from Sicily and finally have some of the oblong melons which are growing past the tiny bud stage.
So we have three oblong ones actually growing nowThey look like zucchini- same family
So now I am out every morning looking under leaves and searching for new melons!
here is another round one
this is what a new tiny long watermelon looks like
Needless to say, I am getting my watermelon recipes ready.
If you already have watermelon- try making this fabulous watermelon granita ( recipe is in the sidebar on the left) kids love the chocolate chip seeds! David Lebovitz tweeked my recipe for his book, The Perfect Scoop and made watermelon popsicles which look GREAT!
I was inspired in Sicily where they make a watermelon Gelo– a sort of spoon dessert.
Join me in Sicily this November. New wine and freshly pressed olive oil are just two reasons to come!
Our own Eat.Cook.Shop tour! Exploring the culinary customs of Sicily where so many cultures have lived and left there recipes in the kitchen!
I am really looking forward to making cous cous in Trapani!