A balcony of simple pleasures
When my granddaughter Amy visited recently, she was immediately drawn to my balcony where 10 little pots of herbs flourish in an ingeniously designed array that takes up less than two feet square; well, actually round. She asks if she may water them and of course I hand her the watering bottle. Then she squeals, “Grandma, you’ve got chives!”
In the days when I gardened at the ranch, Amy helped me harvest everything for the kitchen, snipping herbs appropriate for the meal in progress. Chives grew, alongside strawberries, in pots on the patio and were added to everything from omelets and baked potatoes to fish and sauteed vegetables.
I was planning to harvest the basil and other tender herbs just before the first frost, which would surely do in the basil and probably others. The chives could be repotted and might easily survive the winter on a sunny windowsill.
Anyway, I was thinking I had at least another month of warmth. But, no. Last week, I saw telltale signs of “bolting” and had to make emergency preparations for making pesto. I guessed there was enough basil and flat-leafed parsley, but I would have to go to the farmers market for the rest.
Garlic, no problem; freshly ground Parmesan, both course and fine, right there. But when I ask for pine nuts, everyone gives a blank stare and a negative shake of the head. After being out for weeks, the local co-op finally offers some pine nuts from, get this, China. Labeled “Organic” but “Certified” by nobody we know, the tiny bags are tagged at an astronomical $42.99 a pound. Gasp! These are definitely not local. Well, how could they be? It’s my understanding the nuts come from Pinyon pine trees (in California, maybe) but Montana has mostly lodge poles and white bark pines that are dying from beetle infestation. If any nuts are left on those dying trees, I’ll leave them for the poor grizzlies that are starving and roughing up campers looking for anything edible. Trail mix? Canned beans? A ham sandwich? A seriously underweight sow recently settled for a pound of flesh. Ouch!
My 0.19-ounce baggie comes to $8.17 (minus the old folks’ discount of 41 cents) but I figure I’ll stick to the recipe the first time then try substituting walnuts or pecans. So much for my efforts to eat locally grown food.
I call my son-in-law’s sister Ann, who has been house-, dog-, bird-, and child-sitting all summer. I tell her what I’m up to and she asks if I have a food processor. That would be negative. How about a salad spinner? Nope. “Just bring it all over here,” she offers. “We have everything.”
So I pack up the lot, pinching the basil and parsley at the last minute. I am so grateful for Ann’s help. She’s actually done this pesto thing many times and knows all the pitfalls. Wash the herbs, dry them in the spinner, then blot out every last drop with paper towels so the oil won’t separate. Toast the pricey nuts on a pizza pan then cool. Process the basil and parsley. I don’t even know how to assemble the stupid Cuisinart. Add diced garlic, cooled nuts, a dash of salt and freshly ground pepper, drizzle in the camelina oil. Scrape sides of processor frequently. Emeril, eat your heart out!
Two hours later, we have enough pesto for both of us and the rest to freeze in ice-cube trays for later additions to soup, casseroles, pasta, whatever. At home, I spoon the pesto into ice-cube trays to be removed when frozen and wrapped individually in cling film (Saran, Glad Wrap, whatever) to thwart freezer burn, Ann says.
Then I check the other herbs for signs of bolting: one or more stalks topped with the beginnings of a flower and with leaves that don’t match the others. No suspicious ones yet. So I go to our chef’s personal herb collection. Yikes! There are full-blown flowers on some of these and he doesn’t seem concerned. Maybe I could have waited a few more weeks, but who knew?
Anyway, I include here the recipe of my friend Kim O’Connell. She and husband Bill sell the products they grow on their farm just north of Bozeman. At our farmers market, they have introduced me to golden flax seeds, black lentils and their light, extra virgin camelina oil, which is sold now as an omega-3 supplement. It makes delicious salad dressing and, of course, pesto.
Camelina Pesto
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
1/2 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup camelina oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
Place basil, parsley and minced garlic in food processor chop very fine. Add salt, pepper, nuts and Parmesan cheese while processor is running. Drizzle in oil while processing. Blend until smooth. Spoon into containers and refrigerate or freeze.
The joy of growing and cooking one’s own produce is hard to match. I miss my old garden but not the weeding and occasional incursions by rabbits and gophers. For those of a certain age, a small balcony is perfect.
The O’Connell’s website is: www.biomega3.net