Book Review: Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables

If you've read Seasonal Wisdom before, you know that I love heirloom vegetables. From purple beans and spotted lettuces to long red radishes that look more like carrots ... I'm hooked on the old, open-pollinated vegetables of the past. Especially if they have a charming history behind them as well. 

That's why I was excited that my friend Chris McLaughlin authored the newly released Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables.  A few months ago, I spoke with Chris on Nest in Style about heirlooms, and she shared stories about these interesting old vegetable varieties. Listen to the interview.

'Chinese Red Noodle' beans are an unique Asian heirloom
that produce all summer.

About the Book:  The new Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables helps introduce mainstream America to the wonders of heritage vegetables in a simple, conversational language that the general public will appreciate.

Using skills culled from writing for The Herbal Companion, FineGardening.com and other well-known publications, Chris does a good job of bringing alive such subjects as:

• What is genetic diversity in vegetables, and why should you care?
• The sex life of vegetable plants, and why you don't want cross-pollination.
• Ten questions to ask yourself before choosing your heirlooms.
• Some creative ways to share your wealth (of heirlooms seeds), and learn about new types.

Readers will find an entire chapter on seed saving, as well as tried and true gardening tips to help beginners.

Companion planting and beneficial insects are touched upon. Compost is covered briefly too, which isn't surprising as Chris authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Compost. I was glad to find a chart of seed starting tips with handy information on when to plant, soil temperatures, spacing and germination times.



This beautiful 'Cylindra' beet is a Danish heirloom
that's tender and sweet.

Chris plays fair when explaining the pros and cons of growing hybrid vegetables versus heirlooms -- recognizing that both can bring benefits to our gardens. Sometimes you may want a hybrid tomato plant with extra disease resistance. But at least this book will introduce you to some gorgeous and delicious old heirlooms too.

My favorite part of the book are the descriptions of the individual varieties. Chris describes hundreds of different heirlooms, and even reveals a few histories behind certain ones like 'Mostoller Wild Goose' beans. Personally, I would have liked to have found even more of these fascinating stories in the book.

An extra plus is the companion website http://www.cigheirloomvegetables.com/ with color photos of the described heirlooms. (See examples above.)

My verdict: Gardeners eager to start exploring the world of heirloom vegetables will find lots to like in this new addition to The Complete Idiot's Guide series.

Connect with Chris:

On Twitter: @Suburban_Farmer

On Web: asurburbanfarmer.com

Disclosure: I was provided with a review copy of this book, but my opinion is strictly my own.

Pattison Golden Marbre Scallop Squash for Summer and Winter

If you've ever grown summer squash, you know how prolific these plants can be in ideal growing conditions. Turn around, and six or seven more crookneck squash are ready to pick. Wait too long, and a zucchini will grow the size of a bat. Even your neighbors may start to look weary when you offer yet another bag filled with squashes. (Although your local food banks would appreciate any extra produce, no doubt.)

Still, summer squash can sometimes seem like too much of a good thing at times.

That's one reason I'm in love with 'Pattison Golden Marbre Scallop' squash. This rare heirloom not only produced loads of squash for me this summer, but also left plenty of winter squash too.

I direct sowed squash seeds in mid-May, after our last frost date. Before long, the bush plant started to provide small yellow scallop squash that tasted sweet throughout the summer. You can see an example of the scallop squash in the middle of the below picture.

Surrounding the 'Pattison Golden Marbre Scallop' squash
(from top, moving clockwise)
'Rosa Bianca' eggplant and greenish 'Ronde de Nice' squash;
blackish 'Little Finger' eggplants; 'Banana' pepper;
striped 'Fairy Tale' eggplants; 'Lebanese White Bush Marrow' squash;
green peppers and 'Calliope' eggplant.

Around three weeks before our last frost date in early-October, I stopped picking the squash. Or, at least, I slowed down picking fruit. (Squash is botanically a fruit, not a vegetable, by the way.) 

The squash eventually grew larger and developed a hard skin that couldn't be dented with a fingernail. That's when I knew it was ready for winter storage. So, I harvested the squash and left a couple inches of stem on each one. Now, the squash are stored for winter, and we've already enjoyed them in two separate dinners.

Today we had our first snow storm of the year. But I'm still enjoying 'Pattison Golden Marbre Scallop' squash, thanks to the amazing productivity of this unique and delicious heirloom.

I found my seeds at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. When I couldn't find information about how to grow both summer and winter squash from this plant, their seed experts were kind enough to answer my questions. Why not see for yourself whether this beautiful squash wins your heart too?

Book Review: Edible Landscaping; Podcast Interview; Book Giveaway Contest

Photographs copyright © by Rosalind Creasy

These days, we take for granted that folks are becoming “locavores,” and growing their own foods in their backyards, side yards and front yards. Why, even the White House has a kitchen garden, for the first time since World War II.

But back in the early 1980s, you were lucky to see a few tomatoes growing in a person’s garden. You certainly weren’t finding the blue potatoes, spotted lettuces, pink beans, striped tomatoes and colorful kales you see today. The old heirloom varieties that we have grown to love now seemed forgotten and under-appreciated back then. But all that has changed.

Photographs copyright © by Rosalind Creasy

And for that, we have much to thank Rosalind Creasy.

It was Rosalind’s book The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping (Sierra Club Books, 1982) that became the bible of edible landscaping nearly 30 years ago. When she first started talking about mixing flowers with edibles back in the early-80s, she was called that “crazy, hippy lady from California,” as she recently told the National Gardening Association.

Fortunately, that “crazy, hippy lady” – who has gone on to write a total of 18 very successful gardening books – has helped change the way we garden in this country. So, it seemed only appropriate that she just launched her new edition of Edible Landscaping, as the nation catches up with her love of edibles.

With more than 300 color photographs, 7 color garden plans and 20 b/w illustrations, Edible Landscaping (Sierra Club Books, 2010) is as delicious looking as it is information rich. Rosalind not only shows ideas from her own famous Northern California garden, but also those of clever edible gardeners around the nation. Listen to our Nest in Style interview with Rosalind and enter to win a copy of this book!!!

Photographs copyright © by Rosalind Creasy

As Rosalind explains, "The whole atmosphere around edible landscaping is different now,” she says. “We have more varieties of attractive edible plants available than ever before. Twenty years ago, few people even knew about heirloom plants, for example. Now it’s easy to find and grow heirloom apples, tomatoes, melons—varieties that people didn’t even know they were missing.”

The design section mixes photography and practical tips to help you leverage Rosalind’s 30 years of landscape design experience. I particularly liked the way she showed how absolutely lovely and luxurious edible plants can be. If anyone you know needs convincing that edibles deserve a star spot in any garden – including your front yard – show them a few pictures from this beautiful book.



Photographs copyright © by Rosalind Creasy

Above is a double-barrel herb garden that Rosalind shows how to make in the book, complete with detailed instructions, materials lists and installation tips.

Another wonderful feature is the comprehensive Encyclopedia of Edibles that provides a concise A-Z of valuable information for growing a wide variety of vegetables, fruit and herbs, using environmentally friendly practices. There are loads of growing tips, culinary uses and recommended varieties. Plus, there is plenty of advice on growing your own food using organic methods.

I was interested to learn from Susan Harris on Garden Rant that Rosalind redoes her edible gardens twice a year, including the hardscaping. The reason is because these gardens are her photo studio, and it shows in her amazing pictures … whether it’s blue teepees supporting beans or passion fruit. Or edible flowers like chives, nasturtiums, arugula and calendula, scattered among equally lovely vegetables and fruit.

I particularly like this shot of blackberries contrasting beautifully with 'polka' climbing roses.

Photographs copyright © by Rosalind Creasy

The best compliment I can give Edible Landscaping is that I already find myself reaching for this book again … and again, whenever I have a question or need a little inspiration for my own garden. It’s almost like having a chance to talk to Rosalind directly. And who wouldn’t want that?
 

 

Speaking of chatting with Rosalind ... here's a behind-the-scenes shot of me and Jayme Jenkins interviewing the edible landscaping guru herself. You can learn more by listening to Rosalind Creasy's podcast interview on Nest in Style. Also enter to win a free copy of the newly released Edible Landscaping. But hurry! Time is running out...

Buy this book! (Disclosure: I was provided a review copy of this book; but I would have bought a copy anyway.)

Six Tomatoes for Cooking and Preserving

'San Marzano' paste tomatoes about to ripen.

If you're craving delicious homemade tomato sauces, pastes, salsas or ketchup -- not to mention sun dried tomatoes -- look no further than the paste tomatoes.

Beefsteaks, grape and cherry tomato varieties taste delicious in salads and on sandwiches. But when it comes to cooking and preserving, the paste tomatoes are typically the ones to pick.

Paste tomatoes have meatier flesh, fewer seeds and less water than other types. As a result, these varieties create a thicker juice and require less time to cook down to a paste consistency.

Of the many delicious paste tomatoes available, here are six super ones to try:

'Roma' - When you say "sauce tomato," this is what most people hear. The popular heirloom is ideal for cooking and processing. Compact bush plants are prolific producers of 3 inch long fruit that tends to ripen all at once. (Determinate; 78 days)

'San Marzano' - In Italy, this heirloom is considered the premier variety for canning, tomato paste or puree. Bright red pear-shaped fruit has little juice and heavy, flavorful walls. Crack resistant, 2 to 3 inch tomatoes grow in clusters on productive plants. (Indeterminate; 80 days)

'Grandma Mary's Paste' - Besides having a terrific name, this old variety has delicious 3 inch red tomatoes, which are perfect for cooking or eating fresh. Plants are very prolific. (Indeterminate; 70 days)

'Purple Russian' - All season long, this tasty heirloom produces dark purple oval fruit, which has a meaty, rich flavor ideal for processing. Four inch plum-shaped tomatoes grow on disease resistant plants. (Indeterminate; 80 days)

'Principe Borghese' - This old Italian variety is famous for sun dried tomatoes. Red grape-shaped fruit is dry with few seeds, making it well suited for sauces too. Fruit grows in heavy clusters. (Determinate; 75 days)

'Jaune Flammee' - This prolific French heirloom is actually a globe tomato, not a paste. But the golden-yellow fruits with contrasting red interiors make lovely and delicious sun dried tomatoes. (Indeterminate; 70 to 90 days)

This story originally appeared as a guest post in The Practical Preserver.