Across several states in the central and southwestern US, this has been one of the hottest, driest years on record, with no sign of improvement any time soon. South Texas is no exception to this trend, and I don’t venture outside, even for a few minutes, without SPF 50+ sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. That includes walking to and from my car in the parking lot at work.
In spite of the heat and drought, I’ve managed to grow a few edibles in my backyard raised bed gardens, but I won’t claim that they constitute more than about 10% of my diet on any given day. However, the vegetables and herbs have a secondary function: posing for still life drawings, or serving as print blocks. Here are a couple of examples:
Eggplant, prior to being peeled, sliced, and stir-fried for pasta topping. Pen and Prismacolor pencil.
The kale became tough and bitter once the weather turned extremely hot, so I inked a few of the leaves, and used them to make prints.
I’ve also been harvesting tomatoes from my friends’ garden on the weekends, and combined with the peppers I’ve grown in my backyard, as well as some spices, garlic, and onion, they make wonderful sauce for pasta, or (with pinto and red beans) a base for chili and tacos. I’ve got several quarts stored in the freezer already.
I love eggplant. Favorite recipe:
Stick the whole eggplant in the oven on “grill” until nicely blackened. Turn over and blacken the other side.
After about 30 min., make a transversal cut and scoop out all the soft insides to a bowl. Add a tad of olive oil, fresh garlic and a spoon of squeezed lemon or lime. Mix with a fork, add salt to taste, and it’s a great spread for bread, crackers, tacos, etc.
And send me some!
That sounds delicious, Steve! Unfortunately, though, the only eggplants I’m harvesting at the moment are the dwarf Fairy Tale variety – tasty but small. I’ve got a couple plants of a larger variety in the garden, but they aren’t flowering. Might just buy a full-sized eggplant to try that recipe, though.
Yum! Thanks!
You may also be cut the eggplant into lengthwise slices and fry them in olive oil with oregano and cut garlic and then can be served with some tomato sauce and grated cheese.
Ah! and a glass of wine of high quality.
I forgot something important the eggplant slices have that go with overrun of flour with ice water before fry!
I love it when scientists share recipes. “make a transversal cut” – excellent! 😀