Garlic (Allium sativum) is a close relative of onions, leeks and chives a popular ingredient in cooking due to its delicious taste though from ancient times, the main use of garlic was for its health giving and medicinal properties. Garlic is very rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. Growth habits and planting needs Select a site that gets full sun. When choosing what garlic … Continue reading Growing Garlic
Kohlrabi is an interesting vegetable that has a tender flesh with a mild flavour like that of cabbage or turnips. It is an easy vegetable to grow and a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Like other members of the brassica family, it also has cancer fighting properties. Growth habits and planting needs Select a site that will receive full sun to grow your … Continue reading Growing Kohlrabi
Australia pauses today to remember the sacrifice of those who have died in war. We remember that day, 25 April,1915, when the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand landed on that beach at Gallipoli and with courage made the supreme sacrifice. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed. With a population of 4.5 million at that time Australia, as a fledgling nation, suffered 61,921 military deaths … Continue reading Anzac Biscuits
This light tea cake has the tangy flavour of lemon and the sweetness of the new season Granny Smith Apples with a whisper of cinnamon. Apple and Lemon Tea cake Ingredients: 2 eggs 3/4 cup castor sugar 1 1/2 cups Self Raising flour 3/4 cup of milk 60 g butter the zest of 1 lemon juice of 1 lemon 1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored … Continue reading Apple and Lemon Tea cake
Pecans and guavas are in season in Sydney and we are blessed with a bumper crop of each this year. This cake combines these two fruits into a dense nutty torte with a crumble topping, perfect with a good dollop of double cream and cup of coffee or tea. Guava, Pecan and Crumble Torte Ingredients: 120g pecan nuts, finely ground 450g ripe pink guavas 125 g … Continue reading Guava, Pecan and Crumble Torte
Every year our garden is visited by the amazing Titan Stick Insect (Acrophylla Titan) and its usually found in the guava tree doing its best at really looking like a branch of the tree. It is about 25 cm long and takes quite an observant eye to spot. They usually feed on the eucalyptus tree, a large specimen of which is nearby, but they … Continue reading Fascinating Garden Visitors -Stick Insects
Peas are delicious and the combination of dill with peas is magic. This recipe is a tasty mix of well caramelised onion and garlic along with the dill and peas. This dish can accompany your favourite meat or be paired with fried rice as vegetarian lunch. Peas with Dill Ingredients: 2 cups peas 1 large onion,finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup finely chopped dill … Continue reading Peas with Dill
Brussels Sprouts are in season and this is a quick tasty way to cook them is a great accompaniment to roasted meat. Prosciutto oven crisped, garlic and balsamic vinegar add flavour and texture to this dish. Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts Ingredients: 500 g Brussels sprouts 150 g Prosciutto di Parma or Pancetta, chopped 3-4 cloves of garlic sliced, minced or whole as you wish Salt … Continue reading Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Growth habits and planting needs The site chosen for planting should be protected from winds but get at least 6 hours of sunlight. Prepare the bed at least two weeks before planting. To successfully grow Brussels sprouts make sure the soil is rich, friable and well drained with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Brussels sprouts need lots of nitrogen to grow strong stems and … Continue reading Growing Brussels Sprouts
Bottle Gourd, long marrow, calabash, the many names for this interesting vegetable. It contains many vitamins and minerals, such as, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, C and folate. So why not buy it when you see it at your green grocer or better still try growing some yourself. Our neighbours Peter and Amy grew this large vegetable and our friend Ann kindly shared her recipe for … Continue reading Ann’s Bottle Gourd with Coconut
The Grantham Gardener 