aubergine in a diminutive community garden

farmers market find - fresh but not home-grown

I garden.  I don’t really call myself a gardener, that’s for the serious folks, to whom my hat goes off – often visiting their stalls at the farmers’ market.   I do like to have a small patch of stuff growing and definitely pots filled with fresh herbs to keep me happy.

This year, sort of by hook and a little crook, I became involved in a new community garden.  I’m on the steering committee which sounds more glamorous than it actually is.  It’s a balancing act dealing with the city parks department, interacting with the potential gardeners and the parks foundation which handles our funds.  Other than the initial rudimentary required paperwork, the rest has gone fairly smoothly; aside from critters of some munching ilk getting in and having their way with a few tomatoes, tender lettuce leaves and ah snap…peas.

Our garden has also had a steep learning curve in regards to soil condition.  It would seem what was installed in the raised beds needed more than a little amending.  Copious amounts of organic compost and fertilizer (which deciphered means poop – thanks to friendly cows and chickens) is just what was needed to jump start straggling plants.  At one point, I didn’t even have weeds growing.  Talk about being in starvation mode.  I’ve seen weeds grow out of a rock.

Now, I’m not going to pretend that Miller’s Landing Community Garden looks anything like Hollinshead, Northwest Crossing or Franklin’s Corner gardens, but for a first year upstart, hey we’re ok.  We are learning and growing, and most certainly experimenting in the dirt.

little fingers eggplant, blossoms of promise, all grown-up

For my diminutive garden, sizing in at 2’ x 10’, I wanted to plant some regulars, but also give a go at a couple of new plants.  My modernistic, but old school cultivar was eggplant, which I have a new love affair with.  

Since I have limited space, I found a variety that is called “Little Fingers,” which produces fruit about the size of small, perfect pan fry-able zucchini.  Much to my zippity-do-da  joy, when I visited my urban garden today, I had one baby aubergine ready to pick and several others that will be in the next few days, plus, plus pretty little pale purple blossoms heralding the news that more will be one their way.  Hands are clapping and face is smiling in case you were wondering about the appropriate emoticon to insert here.

I’m not quite sure what this cutie will be tucked into.  Maybe, as part of the veg-mix for tonight’s dinner of stuffed peppers or simply roasted on the grill, just as it is and then showered with the blessing of olive oil and sea salt.

eggplant parmesan

Just so I don’t leave you without a solid cooking thought, eggplant lend themselves to mixed preparations, crossing different cuisine genres.  Eggplant Parmesan, all saucy and quite cheesy sets the bar pretty high.  To me, ratatouille expands the seasons as a summer roast to go with grilled meat.  Yesterday, I made a colossal pan full, served with soft polenta and topped with Feta.  The left-overs are going to make their way into a pasta dish and later the remainders, if not eaten for a snack, will be tossed on pizza dough.

You can probably see my dilemma in deciding what to fix.  The options go on.  Petite aubergine, you are the thing of dreams.

Missy

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