Luscious Leeks
A beautiful and ancient monocot, the leek is, as far as I’m concerned, a necessity in any serious cool season culinary garden. Certainly, there is hardly a European garden without the gorgeous blue-green stand of leeks in winter. In the U.S., however, the leek remains under-appreciated. Let’s change that!
Beautiful Broccoli - The King Cole
Consumption of broccoli has shot up in the last couple of decades. A third of American households are eating it at least once every two weeks, up 33 percent since that infamous quote from President George H.W. Bush in 1990! And since a Georgetown University study in 2011 found that isothiocyanates (ITCs) found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables caused cancer cells to die, well, let’s just say broccoli is no longer the awkward kid no one talks to at the party!
Yes Peas!
Peas are magic! Yes…they are magicians. Peas (legumes) possess the “nitrogen fixing” quality that is nothing short of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Here’s how it works. Legume nitrogen fixation starts with the formation of a nodule. A common soil bacterium, Rhizobium, (PART OF A HEALTHY SOIL FOOD WEB, FOLKS) invades the root and multiplies within the cortex cells. In this beautifully symbiotic relationship, the plant supplies all the necessary nutrients and energy for the bacteria that it needs. In return, the happy bacteria release nitrogen back to the root in a form that is easily used by the plant. See…truly pure magic!