Garden Keepsakes
story by Donna Hecker & photography by Talitha Schroeder
We took a walk around the garden this week with Holly Hill farmer David Wagoner. After so much rain and sunshine, things are growing like crazy. And a lot of them have found their way onto this month’s Holly Hill Inn dinner menu – beets, onions, carrots, fennel, radishes, cutting celery, and herbs like cilantro, anise hyssop, mint, borage and oregano.
David dug up a few perfectly round red potatoes and showed off a row of zucchini at near peak picking size. A long patch of rhubarb sprawled close by, each plant a giant corona of pink-tinged stalks.
Amid all this profusion, it’s no wonder we were inspired to think of a few ways to hang onto some of it. People have been preserving food for as long as anyone can remember and the techniques are countless. Drying, fermenting, pickling, and candying are just a few.
Not surprisingly, vinegar and sugar factor into a lot of preservation methods, but drying may be the simplest.
Lately we’ve been eyeing the gigantic green leaves on our horseradish plant. We know they’re edible but we also know they can be problematic for some folks. Drying and grinding them to a powder seemed to be the safest way out and the pungent green powder has lots of potential – stirred into onion dip, blended into a compound butter for topping steak, mixed with salt to rim an icy Bloody Mary.
Stuffing a handful of clean fresh herbs into a bottle or jar of white wine vinegar is another no-brainer. Aim for a 4-1 liquid to herb ratio and stow the container in a dark cabinet for a week or so. Leave the herbs in if you think you’ll use it up quickly; otherwise strain them out and replace them with a bit of their dried version for a visual reminder. Tarragon, sage, rosemary, mint and chives are all great for flavoring vinegars.
Exhibit #3 is something of a mashup between pickling and candying – a rhubarb mostarda. Sugar, vinegar and mustard seeds are combined to preserve thick cubes of rhubarb spiked with currants and ginger. Just remember to store the mostarda in the fridge when you’re done, where it will keep for a few weeks.
Bonus tip – if you’re inclined to get into serious pickling and canning, know that some grocery store vinegars are now being bottled at 4% acidity, which is not considered safe for shelf-stable preservation. Check the label to make sure the one you’re buying is at least 5% and stay safe!
Finally, no matter what your garden or farmers market yields, set a few treasures aside and capture time – and the flavors of the moment – in a bottle.
Related Content
Rhubarb Mostarda
We know the rhubarb in our Holly Hill Inn gardens won't be around for long, so we're always looking for ways to preserve this tart treat. The mostarda comes together quickly but its tangy flavors can be enjoyed for weeks.
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