Clarke County has some wonderful volunteers. If they see something that needs to be done, they do it. Rita Wilson knew from running her shop, The Country Goose, that a lot of us in the area like to garden. She also knew we liked to cook, so she organized a workshop about herbs that combined both interests. She got Southwest Alabama Extension Agent, Tom Daugherty to speak to us about growing herbs on one rainy morning recently. In spite of the weather, there were 30 people who turned out for the occasion. When Rita cooks, it is an occasion. She had tables full of goodies, mostly made with herbs. She had three cakes including her famous blueberry pound cake with lemon curd. Two of the herb recipes that were hits were the rosemary tea cakes and the layered pesto and sundried tomato spread.
I have included pictures of the event because seeing is believing how she prepares and serves food. I have included one of Tom, the presenter, beside the numerous door prizes that were awarded. There were some really nice ones, but even those of us not lucky enough to win one of these went home with potted herbs in spring green wrappers tied with a gossamer green bow.
Tom gave an interesting and funny speech. I've included some of his entertaining and funny comments for you to enjoy:
On cooking with herbs:
“Plant your culinary herbs by the back door. If you can't harvest them easily, you won't use them. They may look pretty somewhere else in the yard, but you'll never taste them"
On soil preparation:
“Most people's idea of a garden plan is when they look over the fence at a neighbor's garden and want one just like it. Then they're 8 months too late"
On bare ground:
"Bare ground that looks vacant to everybody else looks like something is about to happen to a gardener"
On pruning hedges with a lawn mower:
“My daddy had us hold a lawn mower over our head to prune tall hedges. His idea of safety training was to say 'don't drop it' "
On plowing the garden:
“we used to plow our garden with a Volkswagen. Mama would steer and daddy and I would come along behind with the plow. "
On buying plants:
“Never buy anything over 150 miles from home. It might not grow well in your area. Especially never order anything for a southern garden from Minnesota or New York State"
On when to prune:
"Prune when you need to. One man asked me when was a good time to prune his Lady Banks Rose. He said it was blocking the garage doors and they couldn't get the car in. I told him that it might not be the best season for it, but it seemed like he needed to, so do it now, and park the car".
As you can tell we learned a lot of practical information. I don't think I'll be using the lawn mower to trim the tall hedge. I'm clumsy. I might drop it.
RECIPE FOR LAYERED PESTO SPREAD
1) BLEND 2 8-OZ PKGS OF CREAM CHEESE WITH ONE SMALL PACKAGE OF FETA CHEESE, 1 TBPS OF CAVENDAR'S GREEK SEASONING, 1/2 C MINCED ONION, 1 TSP BLACK PEPPER, AND I TSP ACCENT.
2) PUT 3/4 C PESTO INTO A BOWL OR GREASED LOAF PAN. YOU CAN MAKE IT, BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF GOOD COMMERCIAL BRANDS INCLUDING BARILLA AND ONE THAT IS IN THE REFRIGERATOR CASE AT SAM'S
3) PUT IN HALF THE CHEESE MIXTURE
4) CHOP 3/4 SUNDRIED TOMATOES IN OIL (DRAIN THE OIL OFF) INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR. PROCESS UNTIL FINELY CHOPPED.
5) PLACE MIXTURE ON TOP OF THE CHEESE MIXTURE
6) PUT THE REST OF THE CHEESE MITURE ON TOP.
7) CHILL UNTIL FIRM
8) UNMOLD ONTO SERVING DISH OF PLATTER.
9) SERVE WITH CRACKERS OR CROSTINI (LITTLE PIECES OF TOAST)
THIS MAKES A GOOD SIZED MOLD. ENOUGH FOR A PARTY. FOR SAMLLER EVENTS, MAKE TWO AND FREEZE ONE FOR LATER.
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