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Autumn is the time for an avalanche of fruits to come from the orchard. Many fruits ripen on the trees as fall approaches. The birds are getting spoiled with a surplus of fresh fruit in the orchard. This is also the time to harvest jujubes, also known as Chinese dates. We grow two different varieties of jujubes, one is Li and the other is Lang. I like to eat these fruits when they are dried. Once they dry, they become sweet, tangy and chewy.
Nature's perfect candy.
Both trees are overladen with fruit
For more memorable centerpieces, tablescapes, and recipes (including vegetarian, gluten free and vegan recipes),please check out my books, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen and Trader Joe's Simply Indian at my website komalinunna.com.
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I grew up in a farming family in India. I brag about my farming roots whenever I get a chance. I guess farming is in our DNA. I call my husband and I "backyard farmers" with great pride, with emphasis on the word "farmers". Every day I walk into my garden, I feel proud to be a farmer's daughter to carry on the tradition of my family roots.
This time of year, tomatoes are everywhere. I reserve one raised bed in the kitchen garden to grow all types of cherry tomatoes. I love to grow all different shapes and sizes and to use them in my recipes or pop them in the mouth while they are still warm from the sun. During this season, I make a different salad everyday using all homegrown produce. Whatever I am harvesting that day makes my meal. If I am pruning a Thai basil bush, then Thai-shrimp fried rice is on the menu for lunch. If I am harvesting zucchini, our morning breakfast will be zucchini pancakes or zucchini curry for dinner. If I am harvesting cherry tomatoes like today, those cherry tomatoes will end up in the form of a salad or turn into a garden pasta. Today I decided to make pasta using freshly picked tomatoes.
Sun gold is my ultimate favorite cherry tomato to eat fresh
Yellow pear tomato
Black plum
Red cherry
I harvested enough tomatoes for lunch. While I was at it, I harvested some sweet basil and Italian parsley, too!
I gathered some pantry staples such as extra virgin olive oil, crushed red peppers flakes, fresh garlic, and a pound of spaghetti
Garden pasta
Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti, boiled al dente according to package instructions, reserving 1/2 a cup of pasta water
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lbs multi-colored cherry tomatoes
small bunch of sweet basil
2 tablespoons of minced Italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup freshly grated parmeson cheese
First, boil the pasta according to the package instructions and keep it aside. Heat a wok on medium high heat. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the wok. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and fry for a minute
Add cherry tomatoes and warm through the tomatoes
Add cooked pasta and stir in
Add chopped basil and parsley and stir in
Add a cup of grated parmeson cheese and mix in. If you need to, thin the pasta with reserved pasta water.
Voila! Pasta is ready. Enjoy!
For more memorable centerpieces, tablescapes, and recipes (including vegetarian, gluten free and vegan recipes),please check out my books, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen and Trader Joe's Simply Indian at my website komalinunna.com.
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It's that time of year again, my fig tree is bursting with fruit. I have been harvesting and making my signature fig-ginger jam almost every week now. Can you believe I bought this variegated fig tree to use the branches with fruit in flower arrangements? As it turns out, these candy-striped figs are not only beautiful to look at but scrumptious to eat as well. They taste like candy.
For more memorable centerpieces, tablescapes, and recipes (including vegetarian, gluten free and vegan recipes), please check out my books, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen and Trader Joe's Simply Indian at my website komalinunna.com.
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I have been absent from blogging for few week, because I have been busy with a cool project. I will let you guys know what it is next week. Until then, I want to share with you my blooming farm.
This is my favorite time of the year. There is so much color wherever you look.
All pomegranate trees (this is one of five) are bursting with bright flowers. It looks like I will have plenty of fruit to make jams this year.
Snowball bush.
Too bad these blooms won't last too long
Loquats are almost done.
These are the sweetest fruit!
Lime green foliage. Right next to the bougainvillaeas are Persimmon trees.
For
more memorable centerpieces, tablescapes, and recipes
(including vegetarian, gluten free and vegan recipes),
please check out my book, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen, at my website komalinunna.com.
I am joining Show and Tell , French Country Cottage, Common Ground, The Charm of Home and Pink Saturday.
Needless to say that my home reflects what is growing in my garden. Birds of paradise, proteas, and sago palm leaves creates an unusual arrangement for the table.
For more memorable centerpieces, tablescapes, and recipes (including vegetarian, gluten free and vegan recipes), please check out my book, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen, at my website komalinunna.com.
I am joining Show and Tell, French Country Cottage, Fresh cut Friday, Common Ground, The Charm of Home and Ivy and Elephants.
This past weekend, we attended a wedding in Fresno, California along with my friends and family. Today, driving along route 99 on the way back from the wedding, we spotted Jackson's Farms cherry picking. I was glad we stopped by because it was a sight to behold.
I was like a kid in a candy store. I have never seen that many cherries in my life!
These cherries not only taste delicious but are also breathtakingly beautiful. These are Royal Rainer cherries.
Isn't this picture perfect?
I think I could live here.
Opposite to Jacksons Farms we stopped by Bravo Farm to check out the peach orchard. The peaches are not ready yet, but they sure do look beautiful.
We stopped at our friends Reshma's and Gurvir's house for lunch in Bakersfield and we shared some of our cherries. They look spectacular in this black bowl.
She prepared the most delicious Punjabi food for our lunch. Everything tastes as good as it looks.
The weather was perfect to dine outside on her gorgeous patio.
We relished our lunch.
I came home and arranged cherries on my patio to enjoy.
For more memorable centerpieces, tablescapes, and recipes (including gluten free and vegan recipes), please check out my book, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen, at my website komalinunna.com.
Please join Susan's Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday, smiling sally for blue monday, check out Foodie Friday, and Beverly for Pink Saturday.
If you missed my first post about the IFA fundraiser from last weekend, click here.
I wanted to share some more pictures from Archana 2010, the annual India Friends Association fundraiser.
This is another flower arrangement that I did for the entrance hall.
I have included group photos of some of the performers who danced for the fundraiser. All the performers were unpaid volunteers. IFA promotes community involvement for a good cause.
All right, I got to run to a wedding. Pictures coming soon!
For more memorable centerpieces, tablescapes, and recipes (including gluten free and vegan recipes), please check out my book, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen, at my website komalinunna.com.
Please join Susan's Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.
