Favorite Tomato

Love the color, and flavor, of homegrown Cherokee Purple tomatoes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“….enjoy your columns. It was too late for me to get started growing tomatoes this year. Do you have a favorite?” — Emily

Favorite Tomato

Hi Emily, over the years homegrown tomatoes have been a personal favorite. This year, though, I have a new leading contender - Cherokee Purple tomatoes, an heirloom variety that traces its heritage to the US Native Cherokee Indians.

According to National Public Radio, a retired Raleigh, North Carolina chemist can take credit for introducing the Cherokee Purple tomato. Craig LeHoullier has one of the largest personal tomato collections in the country. In his small yard at his home in the Raleigh suburbs, he can grow only 200 plants, so each year he must pore over the collection to decide what makes the cut.

An avid gardener for much of his life, LeHoullier joined the Seed Savers Exchange in 1986 and began connecting with other gardeners and seed savers to trade tips and favorite varieties.

Soon, LeHoullier had built a reputation as a tomato connoisseur, joining a small group of other hard-core tomato seed savers committed to reviving heirlooms.

One day in 1990, a packet of tomato seeds arrived in LeHoullier's mail with a handwritten note. The sender was John Green of Sevierville, Tenn., who wrote that the seeds came from very good tomatoes he'd gotten from a woman who received them from her neighbors. The neighbors said that the varietal had been in their family for 100 years, and that the seeds were originally received from Cherokee Indians.

Sharing the seeds with seed companies and telling them how wonderful this tomato is, the seeds were tried and now are one of the all-time favorite US heirloom varieties.

So what’s so great about this tomato? It doesn’t look like much on the vine, it can look muddy and dark.

Once cut, though, you get a sense this is going to be delicious and it is. Cherokee tomatoes have a nice balance of sweet and savory.

Freshly-picked Cherokee Purple tomatoes ready for breakfast. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I like these so much that I pick them mornings to have for breakfast.

For more cooking, gardening, beekeeping and easy home decor tips, subscribe to Garden Notes.

Charlotte

Tiny Cheesecakes

Fresh fruit and floral serving dishes make the little cheesecakes look very special. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“Charlotte, I love your blog and easy recipes. I’m going to a wedding shower but don’t have a lot of time to make something special. What do you recommend for an easy dessert?” - Emily

Tiny Cheesecakes

Hi Emily, I used to keep this Jello No Bake Cheesecake handy just for these kinds of situations.

Instead of making this in a pie pan, I make these in muffin tins. It takes a little more time to form the tiny pie crusts but the few extra minutes are worth it.

When you are done, you will have individual servings that you can easily dress up for a lovely presentation.

How to Make These Individual Cheesecakes

If you have made graham cracker crumb pie crusts before, you can make them from scratch in muffin tins for individual servings.

In this case, I used 2.5 tablespoons of cracker crumbs in butter to shape each individual pie. This made 12.

Shape the pie crusts with your clean fingers or the back of a teaspoon. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The filling in this Jello product needed just milk.

Make sure to beat it until it becomes soft and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

A small mixing bowl is perfect for this cheesecake mixture. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Presentation is important so consider how you will serve these individual cheesecakes. I used these white floral bowls and tried different toppings.

I tried a drizzle of honey on this cheesecake serving. Delicious but looks messy. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I had sprinklers and fresh spearmint sprigs; not bad if you don’t have fruit. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you have other favorite deserts, you can share them by making them in muffin tins. If you have time try some other international recipes, the individual serving size makes this perfect for any gathering.

Charlotte

What Kind is Baking Pumpkin?

Baking pumpkin and a zucchini after being baked. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“…I’m so confused, I saw your recipe on Facebook for a Jack O’ Lantern pumpkin pie. Is that the kind of pie they had for the first Thanksgiving? I can’t usually find pumpkins around Thanksgiving….” - Lee

What Kind is Baking Pumpkin?

Hi Lee, it is hard to find pumpkins around Thanksgiving. I asked a grocery store manager friend a few years back why and he said most people buy pumpkins for Halloween decorations, not for cooking.

Baking pumpkin is an excellent way to get a truly delicious pulp for pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins and yes, pumpkin pie. The popular canned variety is a mix of pumpkin and squash, which gives the pie a different flavor than an all pumpkin custard. If I have to choose, I prefer the all pumpkin.

The pumpkins shared at the first Thanksgiving were the green and white striped pumpkins again often found for fall decorating. Cushaws are among a variety of pumpkins that are native to North America. Cushaws are also hard to find although easy to grow in most US gardening conditions.

So back to what pumpkins to use in baking.

The large Jack O Lantern pumpkin is different than the smaller pumpkins. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I have made pies and breads with baked pulp from both. The smaller pumpkins have better flavor and texture; the larger Jack O Lantern pumpkins are more watery.

The good news is that even though you tend to find them only around Thanksgiving, you can save baking pumpkins for later use as outside decor, especially if your weather turns cold.

You will find baking pumpkins in most produce sections.

The baking pumpkins I like best for pies are the smaller baking pumpkins. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once baked, let cool. Remove pulp. Blend. I then store pulp in freezer bags in the amounts needed for the breads and pie recipes. Once ready to use, I let thaw to room temperature and use as I would canned pumpkin.

By the way, a real pumpkin pie color is much lighter than the canned variety but much tastier!

Charlotte

Woodworking Gift Idea

Vintage books in a related topic make a great gift idea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“…really enjoy your blogs. My Dad is a woodworker and loves wine. Do you have any gift suggestions that are wine related?” — Melanie

Woodworking Gift Idea

Hi Melanie,

I may have a good option. I found this handmade wooden wine caddy at a local bazaar last year. See how the wine holds the wooden stand at an angle? And see how beautifully the different woods are incorporated?

My engineer brothers who also like to work with wood had more fun trying to figure out how this works than actually using it.

This handmade wine bottle holder is a great conversation piece and gift. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This one came from “The Splintered Spool,” which is in Kirksville, Mo. They have some lovely wooden items including boxes, trivets, cutting boards and coasters. See the wooden bowls in the background?

They also make items custom so if you get started now with your orders, they should be able to get you something made in plenty of time for Christmas. Feel free to send them a link to this photo, I didn’t see these posted on their website or Etsy shop.

When I am stumped for a gift idea, I start with a vintage book in a related topic. Part of the fun is the treasure hunt. Local antique malls and thrift stores are good places to start.

For a woodworker, if you can’t find a woodworking specific vintage book, you might consider something similar to this 1951 Handyman’s Guide from Better Homes and Gardens. Anyone who enjoys working with tools will get a kick out of the photos and narrative. My handyman picked up a tip when he was leafing through this copy last year as we were moving books around in my basement.

You could also look for a vintage level or other handy antique tool. The levels are relatively easy to still find in the Midwest and would be a nice gift for a woodworker and handyman.

Pair whatever you find with a good bottle of wine and you should be all set!

Charlotte

Why I Share Recipes

"...just saw your post for your Ice Storm Chicken Veggies Rosemary Stew. Who do you model yourself after? Recipe looks simple enough....." -- Mary

Why I Share Recipes

Hi Mary, this is a post to remind us that cooler weather is just around the corner.

The ice storm was beautiful but I am glad I could stay safely at home, looks like we got at least half an inch of ice on everything, a typical Missouri ice storm.

The challenge with ice storms is that roads are dangerous to drive on unless one has chains on tires and utility lines break from the weight of the ice, leaving people without electricity, sometimes for days.

My focus is on making a healthier life for myself, and that starts in the kitchen. Besides loosing weight, I want delicious meals I can make with good, locally-grown produce, some of which I grow myself. This particular dish was inspired by a pot of fresh rosemary growing quite well in one of my windows and I thought it was about time I use a few sprigs.

My brothers know I like to "play" with my food. In my world, that means trying out new dishes with what I have in my crisper. My brothers and I used to do that on Friday nights when we grew up and we came up with some amazing dishes. My brother David still has the record for the worst dish ever with his fried lettuce casserole. Man, was that foul...we tried it, just to make sure it really was that bad.

I love cooking shows, knowing something will pop up later when I'm in the kitchen but I don't think cooking has to be difficult or complicated. Well, at least I don't want to make it that hard, healthy eating should be simple if you start with good fresh ingredients.

Let me know what you think of the Ice Storm Chicken Veggie Rosemary Stew recipe and if you make any alterations. I like having it the second day, it's better than the first!

Charlotte

Getting Ready for Ice Storm

Getting Ready for Ice Storm

"...so what are you doing to get ready for the incoming ice storm? Made your bread and milk run yet? I'm going to make chili...." -- Amy

Hi Amy, chili sounds like a good option, especially on a cold, icy Missouri winter day. We like to joke about the run on bread and milk when the forecast calls for a storm but there is something to be said to getting in the necessary staples. Everywhere I stopped, people were talking about staying home tomorrow and hoping it wouldn't be as bad as the winter storm of 2007. A lot of power went out that winter because of the ice on power lines. Bet there is a run on renting generators, just in case.

I have made my ice storm run for our necessities here:

Must haves for a Missouri ice storm include fresh herbs, cat treats, hot chocolate and books.

I'm already stocked up on chili and soup-making ingredients but I was short on treats. Cat treats for the cats - they love Temptations Treats - and my low calorie hot chocolate mix from Swiss Miss, just in case I run out of milk for hot chocolate before the ice melts. One must have hot cocoa on a warm winter day!

While at the grocery store, I couldn't pass up the fresh potted herbs on sale, $2 each. I picked up basil, cilantro and oregano to join my rosemary, sage and parsley growing inside in pots in my windows. Now I have several choices of herbs to add to soups.

And who can go into a winter storm without a pile of books and magazines to read? A quick stop at Rolla Public Library and I’m stocked up with magazines, books and there's a CD in there somewhere in the pile. It will be a great weekend to cook, read and what my cats love to do, nap.

Hope you can stay off ice roads until this passes. Stay safe and warm!

Charlotte

Too Much Mint

Spearmint garnish to make cold water even more refreshing at Bluebird Gardens.

"...my mint has taken over my garden. What on earth do I do with it all?" -- Ellen

Hi Helen, lucky you, I can't imagine summers without fresh mint from my garden.

Mint, like many herbs, can easily take over if it's not somehow contained. Herbs also tend to like poor soil and will grow aggressively if they have better growing conditions so use herbs in areas where not much else will grow.

I personally like having healthy herbs. I plant them so that I brush against them when I walk through my garden paths.

Blooming herbs are also an excellent source of nectar for my bees, both honey bees and native bees.

A patch of blooming spearmint in my garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Blooming herbs make nice cut flowers to enjoy inside when summer days are too hot to be outside. They also are easy and safe to use as garnish.

Blooming spearmint near one of my small ponds. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you still want to remove some of your overgrown herbs, wait for a day after a good rain and pull the extra herbs you don't want. Don't worry, you won't get all of the roots. The pruning process will slow down their creeping progress.

You want to cut spearmint before it flowers, which is when its flavor is strongest. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Don't toss those volunteers, you can cut off the tops and use them in salads, in water or drinks that need a little umph, as a garnish on deserts and ice creams.

If you keep the cut mint in a flower vase in refrigerator, it will last for a couple of weeks and you can easily add them to your cooking.

 Charlotte

What Did You Say?

Two of the furry residents watching lizards on Bluebird Gardens deck. 

What Did You Say?

Do you talk to your pets? I only ask because I do and I didn't realize how unusual some people think it is until a visiting relative went home and taught his cats to talk to him.

Maybe it's unusual but I can't imagine not engaging my cats, they see the world from a very different perspective. So when I ask "what's out there" my cats let me know if there is something interesting to watch; a bird, maybe a lizard or "cousin george," the generic term I use  for any number of raccoons that amble by.

Although this is a question and answer forum, I hope it's also a place to exchange ideas and information. I used to get paid to ask questions so I tend to ask myself as well. It's all a part of the learning process, something I love to do. Even if it's something I am experienced doing, I will wonder if there is a better, or different, way. 

So don't be surprised if I also ask you a question, or two. After all, we are all in this deliciously together!

Charlotte