By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Every year, I see numerous suppliers pop up all over selling plants, especially during Mother’s Day.

I wonder how many of these darlings will unknowingly be sold to prospective owners who do not know how to harden them off.

While everyone expects that the plants they buy from the home improvement or garden center have been acclimated to the outdoor environment, as my dad says, never assume.

The process of hardening off the plant material is simple. It requires some time and shade. To begin the process, place your newly purchased tomato plants under a shade tree for a day or two.

After this time period, begin to Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

My husband and I have always had a love hate relationship with gardening.

He is a professional chef and I have a degree in agriculture.

One may think that farming and cooking would go hand in hand but that is not always the case.

When we first got married, I started my tomato plants from seed and tenderly cared for my little seedling. They were my children. I counted down the days until I could plant them in the garden but…. When one lives with a city slicker just having a garden can be a challenge.

I followed my local areas Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Tomato seeds that were planted in January are in a dire need to be moved to a new location.

A good way to tell if they are ready to be transplanted is if there are two to three sets of true leaves on the tomato seedlings.

If the plants have the correct number of leaves, it is time to move on up.

While one may feel the best approach is to move up to a very large container, this is not the best choice. A larger container provides too much room for proper root development. The best approach is to upsize to a 4 or 6-inch container.

Before doing the move, a soil mixture will have to be made. This is made from 4 parts compost, 2 parts peat moss, and 1 part each of vermiculite and perlite. Mix this soil mixture in a large bucket and place a cover over it until ready to use.

Next thoroughly wash the containers that are going to be used. Place them in a solution of one gallon of water to one cap full of bleach. Rinse the containers completely in clean water and place outside to dry in the bright sunlight. Allowing the containers to dry Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

As a chef at a French restaurant I have a guilty feeling to admit: I am sick to death of steak frites.

I love the dish, but I’m sick of the same old parsley butter that is always served with it.

Yes, I admit that this is a case of American arrogance in wanting to “improve” a classic. But more than that it’s simply a desire for something new.

My boss would probably fire me for saying any of this, but it is how I feel. So, with that, here is a slightly different version, made with roasted tomato, bacon and herbs.

Serves 2

• 2 NY strip steaks, 12 ounces each
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 1 stick of butter Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Beurre blanc, literally “white butter” in French, is a simple sauce but one that is hard to do well.

It teaches a number of techniques, mostly how to make an emulsified sauce without breaking it, and it’s also very versatile.

Here a simple butter sauce is enriched with chopped, seeded tomato that has been stewed slightly to bring out the sweetness.

It’s served with a simple roast cod, though it could go equally well with chicken, pork, or shellfish.

Serves 2

• 2 cod filets, about 6 ounces each
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• ½ cup white wine Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Aioli is a very versatile sauce that seems to scare some people.

Perhaps the notion of using raw eggs as a base for a sauce is off-putting, or perhaps it’s the precarious process of making an emulsified sauce.

It really requires little effort and is a much more forgiving sauce than people realize, and it holds a little better when something else is pureed into it.

Roasted tomatoes give it a meaty, sweet flavor and a little more texture than a regular mayonnaise.

Serves 2

• 2 red globe tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 1 large clove of garlic, smashed
• Juice of ½ lemon Read the rest of this entry »