fried shishito peppers with sea salt and lemon

Posted on July 20, 2012 by daisy | daisysworld.net

I have never liked peppers, partly because I don’t have a high tolerance for spicy foods and because I don’t really care for their taste. When I do use them, mostly in the form of bell peppers, it is mainly to add color to stir-fries, salads, and kabobs. Then, last year, I discovered one exception to my great dislike for peppers in the form of the jalapeño. They have a moderate “kick” to them, but they’re not intense, especially when seeded and their membranes are removed. They became a slight obsession, even planting them in my garden so I could have a steady supply of them. Continue reading →

my urban vegetable garden

Posted on September 10, 2011 by daisy | daisysworld.net

Chris & I devoted most of the last week of August working on our new garden. Chris tilled and leveled the soil and removed some tree roots left by two huge trees in preparation for the placement of four new raised beds he built. I had it fairly easy; I was in charge of selecting, buying and planting all the vegetables and flowers. I included flowers around the vegetables to add splashes of color amidst all of the green foliage. I also transplanted all the herbs that were scattered around in different pots to a single raised herb bed. Now most of my herbs – French tarragon, Greek oregano, Italian parsley, rosemary, sage, lemon thyme, and garlic chives are together. I also have basil but I read that it is the perfect companion to tomatoes so I planted them together in a separate pot. The basil is supposed to keep insects away and even enhance the flavor of the tomatoes.