I’m generally not a huge fan of yellow flowers, especially the very bright, lemon-yellow kind. However, the petit blossoms of Golden Current have become a much anticipated exception to this each spring.
Continue reading Golden Currant (Ribes aureum)
If you live in California, especially in any of the numerous valleys, chances are good you have a citrus tree. If you don’t, probably a neighbor does. If you are Greek, you for sure do (and if you don’t, what the heck???).
Continue reading Citrus (Citrus Genus)
Yes, these cherries are sour. No, you don’t want to eat them fresh. Yes, you still want to grow them in your garden.
Continue reading Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus)
Just think, you could make almond butter, kourambiethes, seasoned snacks, and more from your own home grown almonds. You’ll even get beautiful blossoms and feed the bees, to boot!
I wonder if the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” works if we are talking about apple-pie, or Milopita (Greek apple cake)? Maybe??
Continue reading Apple (Malus domestica)
It is easy to understand why Persephone was tempted by the pomegranate seeds offered to her by Hades, as told in the ancient Greek mythological story, even though eating them would condemn her to spend three months of each year in the dark underworld.
Continue reading Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
In all honesty, we could have just taken the plants back to the store. The Old Man claimed it was all trickery, but really he wanted the fruit, too.
Continue reading For the Love of Fruit
I have to say, I honestly feel sorry for anyone who’s never had the opportunity to eat a fresh fig. If that’s you, don’t despair, you still might be able to grow your own, even if you’re not in the ideal climate.
Continue reading Fig (Ficus carica)
I have come to realize that so many of the foods I was **ahem** “not fond of” were ones that started with less than fresh ingredients. Count dolmades, a Greek delicacy made with grape leaves, as one of them.
Continue reading Harvesting Grape Leaves
When I think of growing blueberries, I think of places like Oregon or Maine. You know, forests and cooler climates. Not 100+ F temperatures in California’s Central Valley zone 9. Yet, here they are!
Continue reading Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)
Mostly Greek 