When you enter into the community garden the first thing you will notice is all the zucchini and squash! It is exciting to be harvesting the fruits of our labor so early in the season. With these vegetables it is important to remember to pick them often and before they get too big. Letting a zucchini get too big is tempting, but doing so will only result in tasteless bitter zucchinis. Zucchini can be harvested at any time. Baby zucchini will have a sweeter taste. Harvesting zucchini when they reach six to seven inches long is most common. Removing the vegetable from the plant can be done with scissors or pruners. Twisting the vegetable from the plant can also do the trick, but when using this method be careful to not disrupt the stem structure or break any of the fragile stalks.
A easy and delicious way to enjoy your zucchini and squash is by simply cutting them into thin slabs, brushing them with a little bit of olive oil, adding a little bit of salt and pepper, and throwing them on the grill. They can be eaten right off the grill like this or cut up into smaller pieces and put into pasta dishes. One of my favorite pasta dishes is spaghetti with grilled squash, grilled zucchini, olive oil, parmesan cheese, and a hint of lemon juice. It's a simple and tasty summer meal.
Some other great ideas for using zucchini can be found at
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20509747,00.html
Am just loving tending my little plot in the community garden. This is the BEST project ever in T.I. Park. It has really brought so many folks together in a positive way (and I'm planning to yield lots of tomatoes eventually)! While watering in the evenings, I've met several other gardeners and we've shared tips and advice. The "social" nature of this project is quite pleasing - particularly enjoyed the "meet and greet tea" one Sunday morning. It is quite exciting to see so many plants bearing fruit -- and now the blog is posting recipes! Doesn't get much better than this. Thanks again, Brianna, Jane, and Sebastian for your vision, time, and expertise! ---Beth Brasser
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