Cabbage... the story continues!

I simply can't help but add a bit to Tiffany's entry about cabbage because I love it too! I also believe it is one of the most under-appreciated vegetables there is.

I generally do grow quite a few cabbages, but would never take them to market as people tend to ignore them,  sitting there in all their splendid glory. And in doing the CSA, many people request "No cabbage, please!"

But I love 'em, as does my family. When I cut one from the garden and bring it in in all its juicy, crunchy and sweet glory, I just slice it raw and we all are in heaven. Forget cooking it, who can wait for that?!

The one pictured above is gorgeous. A conical red cabbage, it is called Kalibos and is a European heirloom, which is becoming a bit more difficult to find seed for. In the past I have purchased seed for it from Thompson and Morgan, but this year's catalogue contained no listing for Kalibos seed! So after sending out the search party on the Internet, I found it in England at Sutton's Seed and purchased a good few packages. Clearly another to save seed for!

When growing cabbage, you need a rich soil because as with all brassicas, it is a heavy feeder.

You are best to start with transplants and best to grow them yourself because then you know the age they are when you plant them in your garden. Older plants tend to bolt early in the garden, never producing as they should.

Simply seed your cabbages indoors about 6 weeks before you want to set them out. Transplant them into cell packs when they show their first true leaves and be gentle. The stems are fragile!

At 6 weeks set them into well composted holes, mulch and water as needed when established.

If cabbage butterflies appear to be a bit too attentive and eager to lay their eggs, cover your plants with agricultural fabric, tucking the edges in the soil so no gaps are apparent.

To save seed from cabbage, you need to be patient. Instead of eating your cabbage, you will need to pull it up, roots and all in the fall, and store it over winter.

I have found that I can do this successfully by layering them in barrels of straw and storing them in my garage.

In April, when the soil can be worked, dig a large hole, and replant your cabbage. Then, cut a cross in the top of the plant, water the roots and let Mother Nature take over. A seed stalk will grow out of the slits you have made, eventually forming flowers then seed pods.

Let the pods dry on the plant, then harvest and store in a cool dry place. What fun, what fun!! And you are set for seed for the next season.

Remember that cross pollination can occur if you are trying to save seed from more than one type of brassica, so unless you are willing to protect your plants from this, one brassica at a time may be best!

Using your head (of cabbage)

Stop me if you've heard this before.

Cabbage rocks.

Yeah, I didn't think you had. So allow me to be the one to sing the praises of this unsung hero among vegetables.

Regular readers of this blog have undoubtedly heard me lavish heaps of kind words upon what some people think is boring and others just plain gross. I do it because cabbage really is good. In so many ways.

I don't know of a more versatile vegetable — it goes in soups, stews, salad, you can roll things up in it, it can be fermented. How many vegetables can technically rot, and still be edible and taste good?

The biggest bonus: it's cheap. I just spent $1.69 on a sizable head of savoy cabbage that will be the fodder for several meals. And at this time of year, it's one of the rare examples of Ontario produce still to be found in that bastion of imports, the grocery store.

So here's the rundown on cabbage. I tried to find a cabbage growers association because virtually every commodity grown here in Ontario has one. My personal favourites are separate associations for white beans and coloured beans. It makes me chuckle. Is affirmative action needed in the bean world?

Anyway, cabbage doesn't have its own dedicated group touting its merits. But the Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario certainly have plenty of cabbage fun facts.

Cabbage is part of the same family as another one of my personal favourites, kale — definitely worthy of a post of its own one day. Cauliflower, for which I'm only now starting to develop an affinity, kohlrabi and (ick, sorry) Brussel sprouts all sprout from the same lineage.

I've mentioned in a previous post that cabbage is like the guy at the party who stands off to himself and people are unsure of approaching. But once someone makes the effort, they don't regret it. Cabbage actually quite interesting and entertaining.

And coming in shades of smooth leathery green, deep reds and purples or the crinkly, buttery yellow-green hues of Savoy, I think whoever came up with that simile gave cabbage an apt description.

It's also low in fat, high in those free radical-fighting anti-oxidants and red cabbage has twice as much vitamin C as green cabbage. But wait. Green cabbage has twice the folate of red, while savoy is high in a nutrient normally plentiful in orange veggies: beta-carotene.

Alas, now that I've sold you on this uber-vegetable, here are a couple of my favourite things to do with it.

Oriental Slaw 
(taken from What to Cook When You Think There's Nothing in the House to Eat By Arthur Schwartz)
*I prefer to use savoy cabbage. All the ruffles seem to pocket the dressing and, generally Savoy tastes less pungent, to me, than regular green cabbage.

3 tbsp (or more to taste) rice wine vinegar or unflavoured white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp ground ginger or 1/2 tsp (or more to taste) finely minced gingerroot
Big Pinch (or more to taste) cayenne
3 tbsp sesame oil or vegetable oil, or a combo of both
1 two-pound head of cabbage, cored, quartered, and shredded as finely as possible (about 5 cups)

1.) In a small bowl, blend together the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, ginger (or gingerroot), cayenne, and oil. (Or place all ingredients in a jar and shake well).

2.) In a serving bowl, toss the shredded cabbage with the dressing.

3.) If served immediately, the slaw will be a crisp salad. For more wilted cabbage, let stand for 30 minutes before serving, tossing occasionally and tasting to adjust the seasoning.

Serves 4-6

Will keep in fridge for several days.

Variation: Turn the slaw into a hot dish by stir-frying the cabbage in the oil, then adding the sauce and allowing the cabbage to steam a few minutes. Cold or hot, you can always add chopped garlic.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
(Taken from The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, et al.)

Immerse briefly in a bowl of cold water:
1 small head red cabbage (about two pounds), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise

In a large non-reactive skillet or Dutch oven, cook over low heat until the fat is rendered:
2 slices of bacon, diced, or use 2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil

Add and cook over medium-low heat until golden:
3 tbsp finely chopped onions

Lift the cabbage out of the water and add it to the pan, along with:
1 large green apple, peeled, cored, and cut into matchsticks
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt if bacon used or 1 tsp if butter or oil is used
1/8 teaspoon caraway seeds

Cover the pan and cook over medium low heat until the cabbage is very soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding boiling water if needed during cooking.

Something to do on a March eve

It will change how you view food. Or, if you're a vegetarian like me, it will re-affirm why you don't eat certain foods. (Still can't the image of those chickens out of my mind's eye).

The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario is presenting the thought-provoking documentary Food, Inc. next month.

The Robert Kenner film "lifts the veil on the food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from consumers with the consent of government regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA." In short, it's disturbing but motivating all at once, since we as consumers can say yes or no to how we spend our food dollars.

The showing is set for March 3, 7-9:30 p.m. at the Old Pelham Townhall, 491 Canboro Rd. in Ridgeville, just outside of Fonthill. Admission is $5 but our very own heritage veggie grower Linda Crago will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Here's the rest of film synopsis: America's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. Interviews with Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms and Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Organic Dairy.

Hope to see you there!

Pulling the plug on the Holland Marsh power plant — the battle continues

Written by Avia Eek, Holland Marsh farmer

Monday, January 18, 2010 was a night for small victories for the farmers of the Holland Marsh, the citizens of King Township, and the people of Ontario!

This was the night our Township Council voted unanimously in favour of an interim control by-law. Basically, if upheld by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), it halts the building of the power plant slated to be imposed on the Greenbelt, on agricultural land in the Holland Marsh. This will allow Township staff the opportunity to undertake a study to review land use policies and development standards regarding power generation facilities within our Township. )Currently, there is nothing to this effect in the municipal bylaws). This will allow our municipality to bring itself “up-to-speed” in these changing times.

I believe this will become a provincewide issue that will continue to impact all farmers because municipalities and the province have failed to look at smart planning. Oakville has already passed an interim control by-law for the reasons cited above and it was upheld by the OMB.

As one Councillor put it, “I never would have thought we would ever have to deal with the building of a power plant in the Holland Marsh.”

This statement sums up what people who are familiar with the Holland Marsh have been saying all along during this battle. The Ministry of the Environment required only the most basic environmental assessment — the same assessment that would be given to a small windmill project. To date there are no studies available about any negative impacts that emissions from this type of industry would have on organic/muck soils, which is what the Marsh consists of.

The proponent has been quoted in our local papers saying this bylaw is just “a political move” and that the Township has “broken the law” by implementing it. They see this move as “bad faith” maneuvering, and “there’s no logic to the action”.

Really?? Then, it would appear they are as short-sighted as the provincial managers. I see it as protecting the food supply for the people of Ontario. The only issue showing “no logic” was the decision to put this industry in the Holland Marsh in the first place!

A preliminary hydrological study of the site has been done, independently, which does not favour the proponents’ position. This site is in a floodplain, which goes against a section of the Provincial Policy Statement; and under the Greenbelt Act, no matter how the proponent tries to construe it, a power plant just isn’t compatible with agriculture. The residents of the Holland Marsh/King Township will not benefit in any way. The proponent has stated that agriculture uses electricity, so, therefore, this industry is compatible with this highly productive food growing area. I beg to differ. We are on a different grid and will NOT be using any of the electricity generated by this power plant.

Now, while all of this would appear to be cause for celebration, if our provincial managers want this project to go ahead, it will — wrong location or not! They can override any decision that is made. We can only hope that the powers that be finally realize the importance and value of agriculture to the success of this great nation.

Laaaaa! Linda's Tomato Days are back

Time to mark your calendar!

Yup, I've set the date for my annual Tomato Days sale and it will be May 22 and 23, 2010.

I'm starting now to assemble my seed and put it in some kind of order, although with so many different varieties of tomatoes it does sometimes feel like a mind-boggling job.

I have upwards of 700 varieties and, again this year, have a few newbie oldies I have located and am excited about.

Like what? you ask. We already have red, yellow and white peach... and now a pink peach I have found from France. Is this the same as Fuzzy? I don't know,  but don't think so. Time will tell. That is the thrill of the tomato hunt (and capture!) Can't wait to see!

I am also patiently waiting for my Seed Savers Exchange yearbook to see what my friend Bill Minkey is raving about this year. Bill offers hundreds of tomatoes in the yearbook and has sent along some fantastic recommendations to me, like Black brown Boar, Striped Furry Red Hog and Marz Yellow Red Stripe, Works of art, each and every one.

Many of these varieties will be here at my scavenger hunt-type sale. I organize the plants by colour and you need to look, no question about it. Will I be organized enough to get them into alphabetical order? It is my goal! And I'll grow lots more of the ones I sold out of last year: the very popular Costoluto Genovese, Stupice and Federle, which I am also selling seeds for!

I do get busy talking to people, but be patient and we can talk tomatoes.

Looking forward very much to this weekend and finding out what YOUR favourites are!

Fort Erie — Niagara's Chinatown

I have a cold.

Ugh.

Sniffles. Sneezes. Nostrils rubbed red from Kleenex and the odd act of desperation — a paper towel.

This is where the young and the hip say TMI. But after the amount of garlic I've eaten in the past couple of days, I should have enough cold-fighting antibacterial properties flowing through me to fend off bugs for the next decade. And I'm certain that if I could smell anything at all, I probably couldn't stand to be around myself.

The reason: my stir-fried broccoli and tofu that I had for supper Thursday night and the leftovers for lunch Friday. The source: Ming Teh, my favourite Chinese restaurant in all of Niagara.

Once a month, I visit with a family friend in Fort Erie and as an occasional treat, I'll have supper at Ming Teh. It was recommended to me about three years ago after I lamented what seemed like a dearth of really good Chinese food in this area.

Turns out, Fort Erie is a hot bed. Who knew? Right along Niagara Boulevard, where Lake Erie takes on the swagger of the Niagara River, there are three palatial Chinese restaurants next door to each other — Ming Teh, Happy Jack's and Ming Wah. Across the street, there are two more. Garrison Road used to have a strip of Chinese dining spots, too, but I've been told with the rise in popularity of Thai food and sushi over the years, it became tough to compete, so they shuttered.

Still, Ming Teh, and I've heard Happy Jack's, are staples. Tried and true. Been there for decades and have a staying power most in the restaurant business would probably envy. The owner and wait staff have remembered me from my first visit three years ago — and there was a good lull between my first time at a Ming Teh table and my followup visit. I'm always asked how life is at the paper and thanked for making the drive from St. Catharines. I'm sure, aside from the food, that's the reason they're still doing what they do.

Over the delicious smells, the Western New York accents waft. A big part of that strip's business comes from just across the Peace Bridge. Ming Teh, it seems, has even been claimed as one of Buffalo's own. The plaque behind the cash register proclaims it best Chinese food in that corner of New York State, according to a reader survey done by one of the local magazines.

Every time I roll up to Ming Teh, I always wonder why — and how — so many Chinese restaurants co-exist together and in Fort Erie of all places. Other than a seedy bar and a strip joint bracketing this micro-Chinatown, there's not much else around and yet, this is the place to come for so many Western New Yorkers. (Even if you don't have another reason to go to Fort Erie, going for the Chinese food is incentive enough to put up with customs or the QEW if you're coming from the other direction).

I asked Thursday and didn't get much insight to my questions. It just is what it is apparently, though Fort Erie has always been an immigrant hub and the first stop for many new Canadians before they are drawn to cities with larger or more diverse ethnic communities, like Hamilton and Toronto.

But as you eat your meal, (I recommend the hot and sour soup and the new pa po chai washed down with a cup of jasmine tea), staring out at the nimble Niagara and the lights of Buffalo, it feels like an escape, like a complete change of scenery for this St. Cathariner.

Too bad I couldn't escape the cold.

Local doesn't always mean quality

There was an interesting but brief article in the magazine Small Farm Canada last month that seems to have people all stirred up, judging by the letters to the editor this month.

The author of the piece put forth the opinion that local growers need to pull up their socks a bit; some of the produce he had bought to support local growers, was in his opinion, substandard and perhaps taking advantage of the "buy local" rage.

Cherries rotting in the bottom of the basket, hidden by blemish-free fruit, lousy sweet corn, rotting apples and pears — yup, I've had all these, too. Buying local is like buying anything else:  Buyer beware all the way.

So I was intrigued by the letters to the editor, primarily from growers who essentially said that we shouldn't expect perfection from local produce and if we want that, we should buy our food from elsewhere. Pardon me? I should think it is okay to cut bruises and bad spots out of my apples and potatoes because it is local?

Local growers are just as capable of putting beautiful and flavourful produce on their market table as anyone else, and I believe the original article was saying that. Let's call a spade a spade. There is some lousy local food out there. There are growers who sell items that they know are not up to snuff, but believe they can get away with it ... and try. And certainly restauranteurs as well.

All growers have things slip by them. No doubt a slug has been discovered in my greens.

I think it is okay to say we need to work to keep our quality high. Otherwise "local" becomes just another marketing gimmick.

What do you think?