My new year's resolution for 2012 is to unwind by spending more weekend hours in the garden working to ensure a more bountiful jardin potager.
According to Peter McHoy in The Practical Garden Companion, the term jardin potager is French for 'kitchen garden', but the word 'potager' has come to mean primarily a kitchen garden that contains both vegetables and fruit. A traditional potager is laid out ornamentally and the garden beds are edged with low-growing hedges, herbs, or flowers, such as lobelia.
Harvesting sweet berries, fragrant herbs, vine-ripened tomatoes, crisp lettuce, cobs of sweet corn and baby cucumbers from your kitchen garden and using these ingredients to prepare a meal can bring a burst of pleasure to the end of an otherwise tedious day. There's something deliciously special about working with such fresh ingredients, particularly those which have been organically-grown. And the flavour of freshly-harvested produce is sublime. Our kitchen garden comprises three raised beds, currently containing cos lettuce at various stages, a strawberry patch, Lebanese cucumbers, Kipfler potatoes, Dutch baby carrots, beetroot, chilli, Spring onion, parsnip and a dozen or so self-sown tomato vines which are starting to fruit. There is also coriander, rocket, basil and parsley; and we have a bay bush, chives, dill, olives and rosemary in pots in the courtyard. With numerous rainy days, followed by a burst of warmth, all the plants are flourishing and producing quite nicely. I have put this week's harvest of strawberries to use in this pink (strawberry) lemonade, tweaked and adapted from an old fashioned recipe in The Coronation Cookery Book (CWA NSW, 1941) and minus an egg white. It is perfect as a non-alcoholic refresher for a hot Aussie New Year's Eve. Make sure you serve it really icy cold and add flavours to your taste. Cheers! PINK (STRAWBERRY) LEMONADE 6 lemons a punnet of strawberries 2-3 tablespoons sugar 2-3 tablespoons boiling water Angostura Bitters, to taste 1-2 litres mineral water (ice cold) mint sprigs, to garnish lemon slices, to garnish strawberry slices, to garnish Pop the lemons into the microwave for about 30 seconds before slicing them, this will enable you to squeeze plenty of juice from them. Slice in half, squeeze the juice and set it aside. Hull and slice the strawberries and puree them, then push the puree through a sieve. Add the strawberry puree to the lemon juice. Dissolve the sugar in the boiling water and add it to the lemon and strawberry mixture and mix well. Add the mineral water, 500mls at a time, and take a sip from a spoon to check for a nice and tangy, but slightly sweet and flavoursome taste. Add more mineral water to top up your pitcher. Add a splash of Bitters and slices of lemon, strawberry and mint sprigs. Chill thoroughly before serving. For those with an interest in kitchen gardening as well as cooking, I wish you a year of plentiful gathering and inspired and happy cooking. Thank you for your friendship and support during the year. Do you have a jardin potager? What are your resolutions for 2012?
10 Comments
30/12/2011 09:43:09 am
Dear Lizzy,
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Lizzy
30/12/2011 09:44:27 am
LOL Chopinand... happy new year my friend! You have a very good eye! Cheers.
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30/12/2011 09:52:57 am
I wish I was a potager. Your strawberries look wonderful. That is a very good tip about the lemons. Love the look of this drink - Perfect for a summer's day.
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Lizzy
30/12/2011 10:38:09 am
Hi there, thank you... enjoy and happy new year!
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30/12/2011 10:18:24 am
I'd like to have a kitchen garden...but all we have is a little balcony that I need to start growing some things on. Your lemonade looks lush...
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Lizzy
30/12/2011 10:38:33 am
Hello lovely... good things grow in pots! Happy new year xox
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Lizzy
30/12/2011 04:57:45 pm
And isn't this weather DELICIOUS! Happy new year Lisa xox
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I think it would be absolutely fabulous (ab fab!) to have a kitchen garden. I am a bit of a nomad (hence a renter) so do not have one. It seems yours provides beautiful 'good things'. Even though a renter, I have been contemplating growing some things since a close friend gave me pots of herbs a couple of years ago which are still going. This drink sounds very very nice, but, as a fan of Riedel stemless glassware, I have to agree with Chopinand - add vodka! I am planning to make a non-alcoholic yet interesting lemongrass and lime drink for my NY Day soiree tomorrow afternoon for the drivers. Happy New Year. I am really pleased to have found your blog - better late than never!
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Lizzy
30/12/2011 09:04:51 pm
Hi, go with the pots, definitely! You can grow good things in pots, as I said to Miss Piggy. Do add vodka to it! Actually, I think using pink grapefruit instead of lemons would be lovely too! Best wishes for your soiree tomoz. Happy new year and we will meet up in 2012!
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Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks and cooking. - Liz Posmyk
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NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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