Garlic Leek Soup

This is a take on Jacques Pepin's  soup, a French classic I like to serve with a really good rustic bread or nice roast leg of lamb. I love the pungent garlic I grow, but if you prefer a milder variety it is perfectly fine. I used the tender leeks that I had overwintered in the garden from last year; if you use store-bought leeks you must discard the tougher green part as this will not soften upon cooking.

Garlic Leek Soup

4 Cups garlic, peeled

8 Cups leeks, sliced and cleaned (make sure to rinse them thoroghly to remove any soil in the leaves)

1 stick of salted butter

1 large russet potato (cubed with the skin on)

6-8 Cups chicken stock

salt- 1/2 tsp. or to taste

white pepper- 1/4 tsp. or to taste

1 Cup heavy cream

Garnish: garlic croutons (recipe below) and chopped chives

In a medium sized pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and leeks and saute until leeks are soft and garlic is mushy. I remember chef Anne Baurell talking about the importance of cooking vegetables thoroughly as this is what brings out the flavor. Thoroughly cooking the garlic brings out the nutty flavor instead of the pungent volitiles of raw garlic.... also, the carmelization of the leeks will bring out a sweetness. Since this is the base of the entire soup, if you don't get it right here, the soup will not turn out well. Take some time here and you won't be disappointed.

Once the leeks and garlic have been sauted until tender (approximately 20 minutes) add one large diced potato ( I prefer a russet grainy variety as this will serve to further thinken the soup). Add chicken stock to cover the veggies with about 1-inch of liquid (approximately 6 cups) and bring to a boil. Simmer over med-high heat until potato is cooked (about 15 minutes).

Remove from heat and puree with hand mixer until smooth. Add the heavy cream and blend until well mixed. If the soup is too thick, add some more of the chicken stock to thin the mixture.

Garnish with garlic croutons and chopped chive. Bon Appetit!

Canine Health: Breeding: Difficult Heats

I am the owner of a beutiful red min pin who happens to suffer from difficult heats. About a month before  her first heat at 7 months of age, she developed a yeast infection in her ear which required medication. The next heat, about 7 month later, she seemed to experience terrible distress and stomach cramps. She was rushed to the vet, and after a series of tests and screenings, nothing was found to be wrong with her. The vet said she was "overly emotional" and I should probably consider spaying her as she was not a good candidated to have puppies. This was not an option considering I bought her from champion european bloodlines for the purposes of breeding, as well as showing. Also, she is a typical tough little min pin and its not her personality to be skiddish or whiny.  A few more difficult heats later it dawned on me that she had had a yeast infection her first heat and that this could be a recurring problem. Her syptoms were similar to human discomfort as a result of a yeast infection (i.e. lower abdominal pain, stinging after urination).  I began to mix some whole yogurt with live cultures into her food and she experienced relief almost overnight. Within a few days she was back to normal and more lively than ever.
So, before doing anything drastic, try this simple remedy about a month before your female comes into heat and during her cycle....it could make a world of difference...it has for us!

Growing Garlic in North Eastern Pennsylvania

Growing garlic in the hard clay soil of NEPA can be a little daunting considering garlic loves warm climates with well-drained fertile soil.  Aside from investing in a really good hand-tiller (I have used the Mantis Tiller for over 8 yrs now and highly recommend it as I believe it has saved me a trip to the chiropractor more than once). I added my composted leaves/ lawn clippings, green sand, pulverized limestone, peatmoss, and composted manure to break up this mess and actually allow some air to get into the soil. Please note that while I do recommend tilling to break up clay soils, once the soil has been conditioned adequately enough so that it becomes easily workable..tilling should be kept to a minimum so as not to disturb the beneficial earthworms and other organisms that are now enriching the soil naturally.

I purchased my garlic from the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival and planted it last October before the first hard frost.

Clockwise from the top: Italian Purple, Spanish Roja, Elephant, and Polish garlic

I used leaves as a natural mulch to protect against the harsh winter temperatures, but the excessive snowfall acted just like a blanket insulating the ground from any harsh winds. I had hoped all the snow wouldn't waterlog the ground and rot the bulbs before they had a chance to start....and today I got my answer:

My garlic, about 3" tall and looking good so far! Once the soil dries out I will side-dress with bone meal and other soil amendments and should be ready to harvest once the stems turn brown and begin to dry in Mid-July. It will then need to be cured for about two weeks before ready to eat.


May 15, 2010: Just an update on my garlic growing progress....they are about 2 feet tall now and looking good!...Should be ready to harvest in Mid-July.

So far, so good!
Happy Gardening 2010

Grow List 2010: Peppers

African Naga-one of the HOTTEST (4X hotter than habaneros) peppers on record!

Last year I grew some blistering hot peppers, over 30 varietis in all.....this year is going to be a little bit milder and a lot less varieties now that I've narrowed down the ones I like.

The Pepper Grow List for 2010:

Aji Lemon (hot)--thehotpepper.com (seed trade)

Hungarian Death (really hot!!)---amishlandseeds.com

Shepards Ram Horn ----rareseeds.com

Kashmiri Mirch----(seed trade with Laura Hutton, Mas Du Diable, France)

Corno di Torro Giallo---growitalian.com

Thai Dragon-----seed trade

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chile-Pepper-Book-Preserving/dp/0881929204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268364517&sr=1-1

Grow List 2010: Tomato Varieties

This is my first blog, so I just want to say "hello" and offer a few good links to the tomato sources I'm growing this year:
From Amishland Heirloom Seeds, Lancaster PA:
Omar's Lebanese Tomato
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/

(Actual photo of an Omar's Lebanese Tomato from last year's Garden)
This is actually my favorite tomato, dependable producer of huge, delicious tomatoes bursting with flavor!

Also growing for 2010:

From Marianna's Heirloom Tomatoes

http://www.mariseeds.com/


Chanti Rose
Marianna's Peace
Summer Cider
Dr.Wyche's Yellow
Jumbo Jim's Orange


From Seeds from Italy:
growitalian.com

Pomadoro San Marzano "Redorta"
Cuor di Bue


From Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (/)
rareseeds.com
Roman Candle
Spear's Tennessee Green

Some Information about Tomato Culture:
see forums.gardenweb.com/forums/tomato/

Cornell's Tomato Ratings:
vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu/main...l.php


Happy Gardening 2010!!