MySecretGarden

U.S.A., Washington State. USDA zone 8b. Sunset climate zone 5

Better Than Growing Vegetables



What could be better than growing your own vegetables? Eating them of course! Tomatoes are the major characters in our garden show right now (though it is botanically a berry, the tomato is nutritionally categorized as a vegetable). As usual, they start to ripen at the end of July here. I watch them getting bigger and changing color, and I get excited with the very first fruit.




Then, more tomatoes are coming.

And more



I start sharing (don't forget that grouchy neighbor who told me in 2003 don't even bother planting tomatoes since it's too short a summer for them here). Then more tomatoes are coming.


This is time for "Tomatoes and Eggs". I got the recipe a long time ago. It might be Russian or Bulgarian. It's simple, tasty and, what's important for me - you can use as many tomatoes as you want (and if I have MANY of them coming from the garden, I want to use MANY!).

A chopped white or yellow onion goes into the pan first with olive oil. When they turn golden, they welcome cut tomatoes. Then, eggs join the company. Salt, black pepper, parsley, dill, chives are added last. No exact amount of ingredients, no exact time. If you want more "eggy" dish, put more eggs, if you want more "tomatoey"dish, put more tomatoes. Yum!
What else is coming from the garden? Potatoes!


Red potatoes and fingerling potatoes.



There is the sockeye salmon from Alaska caught during our July trip in the freezer.



This type is also called Red Salmon, and it is sure red! Bill found a good recipe in a Delta magazine and cooks it on a cedar plank.




Oops, forgot to put grilled squash.

Zucchini squash is doing great in the garden . This year, it's particulary sweet.
There is no summer dinner without cucumbers for us. Cucumbers like growing on supports.




I like to plant pickling variety. I don't pickle them although. My boys eat them straight from the vine. Crunchy!
P.S. If you are wondering what we've done with my king salmon

here it is, cold smoked:

I also made red caviar:

That's all. It's time to go to the garden and pick up more tomatoes.
***

40 comments:

  1. Mmm, I want to come to dinner at your your house, Tatyana! It looks better than any other fine-dining establishment I've ever been in! I haven't kept up w/all of your posts lately so did not even know that you caught that HUGE salmon...wow, are you amazing or what, girl?! Congrat's on that! It is quite an accomplishment--what a wonderful experience!

    I love fresh tomatoes, and I, too, would eat the cukes straight from the vine!

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  2. good thing i am about to eat dinner cus i am hungry now!!! Those tomatoes are gorgeous! i cant wait till mine get that ripe. Not even close right now.

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  3. I suddenly got hungry for some reason :)
    I love good tomatoes!
    Nice post :)

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  4. Caviar!!!! "That's all," you say, airily. I LOVE caviar. I'm coming to your house, Tatyana. I love the pictures, by the way - food as art.

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  5. Tatyana, what time is dinner? ;) Your vegetable bounty is beautiful! We dug potatoes yesterday; picked yellow squash, some cabbage and tomatoes are coming on gangbuster. There is nothing like it.

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  6. Tatyana, Wow, the vegetables look so healthy and fresh. The food pictures look very yummy and delicious, especially those salmon dishes. It will be nice to go with my favourite russian borscht soup which I can only get at the cafes/restaurants here. I don't know how to cook this soup. Actually I haven't taken breakfast yet. It's 6:24am here. I am feeling very hungry now.

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  7. I can't tell you how hungry you made me!! The eggs and tomatoes look delicious and since it's just me and my little one home for dinner I just might try that!
    Your dinner looks like it should be served in a nice restaurant here, even with the pretty garnishes!
    I had no idea cucumbers would grow here, and I love them. Is there a variety that grows best?

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  8. I want to come to dinner too! Looks so good! I love smoked salmon. It is one of my favorites!

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  9. Jan, Marie, Victoria,Flowrgirl1, Di,Autumn Belle,Catherine, Tina, thank you for your kind comments! I'd love to have you for dinner! I have an alternative motive to decorate dishes - I try to make our boys to eat! Sometimes they are picky. It's easy in summertime since there are many "decorations" in the garden. They love nasturtium flowers, dill, parsley. I used to have a lot of parsley, but somehow got out of it!
    Catherine, I tried many varieties of cucumbers, they all grow well. I prefer a pickling type - they are cute and crunchy, attractive for kids. Cucumbers grow well here, they just need warmth and plenty of water.
    Victoria, I'm so proud - I made this caviar myself, the very first time in my life! I used to live in the Russian Far East where salmon and caviar are almost an everyday food.
    Jan, I'm glad you saw my fish! I need, from time to time, to look at the picture as a proof that I really caught it!
    Autumn Belle, it's very nice to know that you like borsch! It's very simple to cook!
    Flowrgirl1, when do you start getting tomatoes in Michigan?
    Di, was it white cabbage? If so, I need to check mine.
    Tina, I am with you! Smoked salmon is delicious. When I want it badly, I grab Costco Norwegian sliced salmon, it's good!

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  10. All I can say is that you rock! Presentation, nutrition, just lovely!! I envy your tomatoes.

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  11. My mouth is watering! Your tomatoes are absolutely beautiful.

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  12. You really did make the Caviar!!!

    It all looks good to me.

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  13. We have been very disappointed in our tomatoes this year. Yours look wonderful. We too cook fish on a cedar plank from time to time. Great photos in your last post!

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  14. Hi,
    Just wondering about the cedar plank for cooking salmon. Do these really make a difference? I saw them for sale @ target and wonderred if my fish would taste better grilled on one.
    Thanks
    Rosey

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  15. Красиво!
    Аппетитно (очень...)!
    Интересно!
    Молодец, Танечка!

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  16. Oh my! What gorgeous food! It all looks delicious!--Randy

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  17. Wow, that is one big fish! I have lots of tomatoes coming on now too and I am thrilled. I hope you saved some for the grumpy neighbor to eat his shoes with. lol.

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  18. Arrgh. Our garden is a tomato free zone thanks to the big box retailers distributing Late Blight. To make matters worst the big boxes kept quiet and those who bought tomato plants from them left them in their gardens. The cool wet weather we've had was ideal for the spread of the fungus and it found it's way to my place.

    Too bad you've processed that salmon. I'd liked to have borrowed it to slap the store executives upside the head.

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  19. Yum yum yum! What a wonderful display!

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  20. I planted fingerlings - when do you harvest them though? - Jenn

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  21. Wow Tatyana, you could go into the food photo biz for TV and magazines. I am ready for some smoked salmon with tomatoes, fingerling potatoes and cukes. All presented with a flourish too. Kudos! :-)
    Frances

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  22. You definitely got my taste buds drooling! The tomatoes look beautiful! Check out how big your fish is. You'll get a lot of meals out of it!

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  23. Wow, you really have a lot of tomatoes! Mine are almost ready, and I can hardly wait. They are a little late this year, but soon I'll be buried. What a way to go! I'm not sure if Senetti has a common name. I found it at the grocery supercenter back in the spring, but I've never seen it anywhere else except florists around Easter.

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  24. Janet, MissyM, Randy, Heather, Dirt Princess, Frances, Miss Daisy, Natasha, Robin, there is enough fish in the freezer for, probably, 6 months. So, if you find yourself close to Seattle, come over and we'll have salmon on the plank dinner!
    Rosey, a cedar plank does add a special flavour.
    Rob, I knew I needed to show a picture to prove that I made it myself!
    Darla, I had several years when my tomatoes were not good. This summer was hot and this could help.
    Wise Acre, a summer without tomatoes?! ... It would make me so ... let's say softly - unhappy, since I can't live without tomatoes. For that honorable purpose, I'd sacrifice my big fish!
    Jenn, potatoes are ready when their greens turn brown. I start a partial harvest before that.You can check them now. Just move away some soil, get your hand down there and chose several good-size potatoes from several plants. It'll be enough for a dinner. Move the soil back to let the remaining potatoes to grow bigger.

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  25. What a mouth-watering post! Our tomatoes haven't done as well this year. Maybe the August heat will bring them out.

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  26. Wow, you could get a job with a food magazine! From the tomatoes to the salmon, you presented everything and photographed them so nicely!

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  27. This is a wonderful blog entry! Thank you for sharing your talent in photography , gardening and FISHING!

    Fabulous summer - thank you for including us in it!

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  28. Tatyana, you have a fabulous garden that's for sure! I'd love to have all those homegrown goodies out my back door. I think I'm going to have to work harder at it next year ~ you've inspired me. You really do cook with a flourish. Everything is so appetizing.

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  29. So yummy looking!
    Fresh from the backyard is the best...your garden really produced for you this year.
    I also love the tomatoes. I freeze batches for winter sauces.
    All so yummy...thanks for sharing eggs and tomatoes...We eat lots of tomato sandwiches and stir fry...
    Sherry

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  30. What a feast! I'm impressed with that red cavier too! Thanks for the egg/tomato recipe..looks delish! I love the pitcher of dill blooms ;)

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  31. What a fantastic looking meal! I wish our tomatoes were doing better.

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  32. You should be a photographer for a cook book.

    Made EVERYTHING look delicious !!

    I must be the only person who dosen't cook....DH is the cook here.

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  33. I want those tomatoes, too! To make speghetti. Love it!
    I've never seen a huge salmon before, in life. let alone hold it in my hands.

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  34. Во, зверюга!!! Да как же вы ее вытащили?!

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  35. Wow, cool stuff! The vegetables look so fresh and delicious...

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  36. OK, I'm now determined to find out how to grow fingerling potatoes. They are absolutely my favorite potato. But I don't have a clue where to begin. If you don't mind my asking, where did you get your seeds? What kind did you choose? I know I'll need to find out what works best in my area, but I think I have to start planting pretty quick!

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  37. Now I'm bummed -- I'm looking at seed sites and realize they are almost all sold out. Guess I'll be looking at the next growing season!

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  38. А вот сюда я, кажется, совершенно напрасно заглянул на ночь глядя:-) Как же оно всё аппетитьненько выглядит - придётся 30 капель коньяку принять, а то не засну теперь :-)

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  39. Phillip, Victoria, I hope your tomatoes will be red, juicy and delicious!
    Sue and Patsi, thank you! I am ready for the offer, but it looks like those magazines and cook books are not ready for me yet!
    Bren, Kathleen, Lynn, thank you!
    Sherry, I also freeze them and use for the "Eggs&Tomatoes"recipe in winter.
    Blossom, it's nice to see you after the big break!This is my first salmon ever!
    David, thanks for stopping by!
    Meredith, I wrote the story about my potatoes in the post "Let's eat potatoes!" You'll be surprized to find out where those seeds came from.
    Шкатулочка, спасибо, что зашли на огонек! Зверюга была тяжелой и ручки у меня устали крутить катушку. Сачком поддел ее проводник. Вся история есть на блоге Пелагея.
    Вольдемар, спасибо за отзывы! Всегда рада тебя видеть. Коньяк на ночь нельзя, ярмянки сниться будут. Или француженки. Смотря чей коньяк. А утром-то на работу...

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  40. Вот и кулинарные пристрастия у нас похожи. Вчера готовила яишницу с помидорами! Но после твоего рассказа сегодня хочется повторить!

    ReplyDelete

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