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A potager? A kailyard? A KITCHEN GARDEN!

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posted on Jan, 14 2013 @ 05:16 PM
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This time of year I always get caught up dreaming of and planning my kitchen garden. It helps to motivate me this year due to last year's harvest being SOOOO bad that I have run out of things I usually have on hand and have had to buy.. gasp.. store bought. As anyone that cooks knows, the spices and seasonings and marinades you buy are by far the most expensive thing you will buy... and you CAN grow these in small kitchen gardens and container gardens. If you have a larger area, you can grow and not only use in season, but preserve ( dry, grind, freeze, etc) for the coming winter season.

Why this is in survival:
Some know, some dont.. Im a long time survival and outdoors person. I dont post things I dont know or have done myself. One thing Ive learned over the years is that in survival or even crappy economy and buying rough cuts of meat or getting down to that deer leg in the freezer.. proper spices and preparation can make the most unappetizing things a new favorite.

FOOD FATIGUE
One problem with survival or hard times cooking is taste fatigue or food fatigue or sometimes called taste boredom. Its a real thing and CAN become a serious issue particularly when eating from survival or hard times stocks with families. PLEASE google this and pick up some tips ( Im keeping this along the kitchen garden vein) because with a little preparation you can make the most bland and back of the cabinet last ditch food stock taste great.

I maintain 3-4 large food gardens for canning and etc... and a small against the side of the house kitchen garden so I can just run out and grab what I want when I want it.
We got into foraging for a lot of things I cant grow here properly and doing it as a family has been GREAT! Things like sassafras, chicory, and etc.

Here is a good start to your own kitchen garden. VERY easy things to grow even for the total novice.
bay
dill
thyme
fennel
french tarragon
greek oregano
mint
chocolate mint
parsley
rosemary
sage
basil ( we grow about 4 different kinds)
savory

in mine I also have these:
Angelica
garlic chives
chives
lavendar
tarragon
bergamot
bouquet garni
cilantro
curry plant
lemon grass ( for a few vietnamese dishes we like)
Mitsuba
sorrell
Chilis
shallots
garlic
sweet woodruff
vietnamese coriander
common comfrey
salad burnett ( one of my faves)
arugula and several kinds of lettuce
3 kinds of cherrry tomatoes
several sweet peppers
Leeks
severalk types of onions



I also baby several peppercorn plants.. and we have fresh peppercorns a few steps off of the back porch.
This is a good guide to growing your own.
www.gardenguides.com...

Here a guides for what herbs to use with what dish and preservation/preparation of your harvested herbs. Most in this garden I just grab fresh and cook with immediately.
www.herbalgardens.com...
www.livestrong.com...
ccesuffolk.org...
blog.cleveland.com...


Middle Eastern: spearmint (used both dry and fresh - some recipes call for specifically for dried as it tastes different when cooked), cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon, thyme, savories (both winter and summer), oregano (stronger when used dry), nettles, lovage, basil, purslane, marigold or calendula petals, sumac, nigella seeds, dried barberries, chilies, cardamom, fenugreek leaves and seeds, saffron, dried roses, turmeric, sesame, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, caraway seeds, dried hot peppers (usually ground)


French: Fines Herbes - a mixture of fresh chervil, tarragon, parsley and chives. Herbes de Provence: a combination of usually dried herbs - rosemary, summer savory, lavender, oregano, basil, fennel seed, thyme, marjoram

Also: bay leaves, juniper berries,


Scandinavian: dill, parsley, chives, mint, allspice, caraway seed, cinnamon, cardamom


Indonesian, Malaysian: Chinese celery greens, garlic chives, coriander seeds, curry leaves, lemon grass, mint, cilantro, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, cloves, chilies, galangal, ginger, lime leaves, lemon basil, nutmeg, star anise, basil


Indian: curry leaves, cilantro, mint, ginger, turmeric, black mustard seeds, cumin, cardamom, asafetida, nigella seeds, chilies, fenugreek, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander seed, black pepper, cloves


Vietnamese-Thai - (there are many herbs used in this area that aren’t readily available here, like rice paddy herb and fish mint which I’ve left off the list) lemon grass, mint, cilantro (roots and leaves), star anise, chilies, Thai basil, purple shiso, Vietnamese coriander (rau ram - tastes mintier than cilantro and grows better as a houseplant)


Italian: Sage, basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, marjoram, thyme, mint, bay leaves, nutmeg, black pepper

coldgarden.com...


GOOD LUCK!!

edit on 14-1-2013 by Advantage because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 14 2013 @ 05:22 PM
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Wanted to add this here as well. I LOVE liquid smoke. I dont like the chemicals in store bought and the taste of home made is much much more intense. Here is a DIY that is pretty close to what I do. You can work magic with a bad cut of meat and last limp veg with some herbs and liquid smoke!

www.wikihow.com...



posted on Jan, 15 2013 @ 11:31 AM
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There is nothing nicer than stepping out your door while preparing a meal to collect ingredients!

Thanks for the liquid smoke instructions! I smoked up sea salt by the jarful last year, and it holds onto a surprising amount of smoke flavor. I also threw in some fresh herbs, and they have turned out to be a great treat in my soups and stews.



 
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