Thank you dear readers for your get well wishes. My shoulder is much, much better, not 100% but getting there. If only I can remember not to overdo things.
We had about an inch of rain on Sunday, 8/31, followed by hot weather this past week, the crops, especially the heating loving ones, took off.
Chinese Long Beans – Green & Red Noodles
One Snow Peas & 2 Sugar Snap Peas
Heat loving Chinese long beans flourished, the above is only part of the week’s harvest.
Cut into about 1½ inch length, blanch and froze for winter use. To learn about Chinese long beans and recipes, click here.
Something is wrong with my snow peas and sugar snap peas plants. They are only about 18 inches tall but flowering and producing (quite small) peas pods.
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San Marzano Tomatoes
The above is one day’s harvest
The above basket of tomatoes plus the rest of the week’s harvest were used to make a batch of tomato sauce using the Classic Tomato Sauce recipe from the Meatball Shop cookbook. Click here for the original recipe. I substituted my fresh San Marzano tomatoes for the boxed/canned tomatoes called for in the recipe. Cooled and froze for later use.
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Ping Tung Eggplants
The eggplants were so fresh and tender decided to just cut into bite-sized pieces and make a simple braise with leek and garlic. Seasoned with S&P, light soy sauce, Shao Hsing wine, a little broth and white miso. Was delicious but not a pretty dish, so no photo.
To learn more about Ping Tung eggplant and a recipe, click here.
Eggplant (tall large leaf plant in center of photo) among annuals
The 2 lighter colored eggplants with the greener calyx in the previous photo were grown in the ground among my annuals. They (the fruits) were at the lower part of the plant and shaded from the sun by the annuals. Wondered if that is why they have lighter color. The one at the bottom was grown in a container and exposed to full sun.
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Figs
Part of a day’s harvest, I needed a larger container.
Did not expect so many ripe figs all at once from my one container grown tree.
Greek Yogurt with Figs, Strawberries & Peaches
(Not a good photo, need to take some food styling lessons from my food stylist blogging friend, Eva of Kitchen Inspirations)
Tossed cut up figs, strawberries and peaches with Greek yogurt. Garnished with blackberry and chocolate mint. The fruits were so sweet no sweetener was needed. (Glad I tasted before adding honey.) The peach was from a friend everything else came from my garden. Wanted to add lemon zest but I don’t have a lemon tree and forgot to pick up lemons when I went shopping.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … Copyright © by Norma Chang. All Rights Reserved. Do not use/repost any photos and/or articles without permission.
Visit Daphne’s Dandelions http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/ for more Harvest Mondays
Garden to Wok 
Lovely harvests. I keep waiting on my fig tree. So far no signs of ripening. I hope they do it soon. Last year they ripened a few in October so they weren’t all that sweet. I’d love it if they could ripen some in September when it is warmer.
Hello Daphne,
Thanks. With the high temperature last week hope that helped to ripen your figs.
Your tomato sauce looks lovely Norma and your eggplant dish sounds so tasty – I love where your eggplant is planted – so pretty amongst your annuals. I love your figs and how you served them.
have a happy week ahead.
🙂 Mandy xo
Hello Mandy,
Thanks. I going to plant eggplant and peppers among my annuals again next year I love how they look among the annuals, the only problem is with the harvest as there are so many bees among the flowers but I found if I harvest very early in the morning I am safe from bee stings as the bees are not yet active. A happy week to you too.
wow homegrown figs!! You are amazing! Love those purple red long beans.
Hello Angie,
Tree ripened figs are sooooo sweet, you would enjoy growing one in a container, it is really easy.
Beautiful figs! Your tree must really be doing well. I need to consider going to container planting figs instead of in the ground. I think they would be more productive for me that way.
Hello Dave,
Yes, my fig tree is doing well. I wish I could grow fig in the ground, it would be so much easier but our winter is too cold for that idea.
Everything looks so fresh and beautiful, but I envy your fresh figs the most. The ones I buy at the store is just not it…
Hello Ronit,
Thanks, figs are surprisingly easy to grow you may want to give it a try. No, the figs from the store are not as tasty as homegrown.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a garden.,,,
Your tomato sauce looks delicious. I bought a box of tomatoes from Obercreek CSA farm last week when I picked up my share to make sauce for winter. The tomatoes were mostly striped German variety which were very good fresh and also in eggs with tomato dish. I am saving the seeds for next year!
Hello Nancy,
Do you can or freeze your sauce? Grew the striped tomato one year but with limited space have to make choices.
Greetings Norma, I too loveeeee figs and made a Figs & Honey Galette recently (Posted on Tasty Kitchen.com); it reminded me of a huge Fig Newton Cookie! HeHe Cheryl.
Hello Cheryl,
Going over to your blog to check out your Figs & Honey Galette.
Your Tomato Sauce is gorgeous! You used the best tomatoes for a sauce. Look at your figs! They look equally as delicious!
Hello Sandra,
Thanks. This is my first time growing San Marzano tomatoes. Yes, the figs were delicious.
Everything in your kitchen looks amazing, Norma. I’m gobsmacked by the number of figs from a container tree!
Hello Maureen,
Thanks. Can you grow figs where you are? Since you do not have a harsh winter like we do you could probably plant fig tree in the ground.
Those figs look fantastic.
Hello YC,
The figs not only look fantastic they are sooooo sweet.
How big and deep a container do you need for a container-grown fig tree, Norma? I would love to have one, especially if I could get one to bear like yours does.
Hello Sharyn,
The container my fig tree is growing in measures 20″x20″x17″ (deep) and the tree is now over 5 feet tall. Started out with a much smaller container. Figs are very easy to grow and maintain, just make sure the soil does not dry out.
P.S. Your tomato sauce looks gorgeous, too — all of my tomatoes are still green, but we are getting sunny afternoons now, so they might ripen — if not, I’ll make something out of green tomatoes.
Hello Sharyn,
Thanks, first attempt at growing and using San Marzano tomatoes, happy with the results. Hope your tomatoes ripen for you.
Those loooong beans are so impressive! As are the eggplant. I really must grow some eggplant next year – the long Asian are definitely my favourite. And I have fig envy too – I just purchased a few at the market yesterday & am rationing them to make it last longer.
Hello Margaret,
You can grow a fig tree in a container where you are just bring it into a protected area (I use my unheated garage) for the winter.
I only recently discovered San Marzano tomatoes and I’m absolutely smitten, so delicious!
Your fig tree is doing very well, just this past week at our local cheese monger (The Cheese Boutique) I noticed their fig tree in a container about 20″ in diameter and about the same height and that tree was huge with over a hundred figs on it! I can wait for ours to grow that big!
Hello Eva,
The container my fig tree is growing in measures 20″x20″x17″ and my tree is about 5′-6′ tall, need to prune to a more manageable size before wheeling into the garage to over winter. Fig tree grows very fast, you are going to be surprised how much larger it will get next year.
I’ve decided to make more figs this week. Hopefully this time I will get it blogged. It’s been soooo long since I’ve cooked/posted. Your tomatoes look fantastic. I have drawers full right now, all waiting for a sauce! Yours looks delicious.
With 2 young active children I am surprised you find time and energy to blog. Sadly my fig season is slowly coming to an end.
I envy you the San Marzano tomatoes and the resulting sauce…as well as the figs. What a colorful post and it looks like there’s some good eating at your house.
Hello Betsy,
First attempt at growing San Marzano tomatoes and was surprised how easy they were to grow and the resulting sauce does have a gorgeous color.
Ah, I have fig envy! Please send any extras my way =)
Hello Angela,
Extras are on the way.
Such a beautiful harvest, Norma! You’ve got so many tomatoes! My “crop” was a meager one, this year. The recent hot weather came to late to rescue my plants, I’m afraid. Glad to see that your garden responded so well. And those figs! How nice to enjoy them fresh from the tree. Yum!
Hello John,
Thanks. You sure did not have a good summer this year. Actually my tomatoes were not doing great until the heat wave arrived last week. Sadly my fig harvest is slowly coming to an end and before long I will be putting away the tree for the winter.
Lovely harvests! I’ve had a few figs so far and they are such a treat! I’m also growing Pingtung Eggplant and have been enjoying the variety.
Hello Jennifer,
Thanks. What is the variety of fig you are growing? I would love to grow a few different varieties but I only have room for over wintering one plant in my garage.
I can’t remember the last time I saw red long beans but it’s been years. You are amazing taking care of your garden. 🙂
Hello Ray,
I do spend a good amount of time (not always working sometimes just admiring) in my garden as it brings me great pleasure and of course good eating.
The figs look amazing and what a harvest! And I love the picture of the eggplant plant amongst the very pretty annuals. I’m very pleased to hear your shoulder is getting better xx
Hello Charlie,
Thanks. I am planning to plant eggplant (and pepper) among my annuals again next year, not sure why I never thought of doing so before.
Hi Norma, oh your veggies looks so wonderful and then figs look so healthy and delicious. Been wanting to plant a fig tree myself.
Hello Cheri,
Thanks. Fig tree is very easy to grow. I have to plant mine in a container and bring it into the garage to overwinter as our winter is too harsh for it survive in the ground.
those are some serious beans I sure you enjoyed them thanks for sharing.
Hello Cookielady,
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment. Yes I thoroughly enjoyed the beans.
I really enjoyed this post–both the writing and the photos!
Hello Tortadellafiglia,
Thanks for the compliment. Thanks also for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment.
It’s a pleasure to visit your blog 🙂