It's August, for a few more days anyway, and that means that there are wonderful things happening in the garden and in the kitchen.
One of my very favorite summer garden flowers is oriental lilies. This majestic white beauty is called Casablanca. Since I can see it from my wicker chair perch on the deck I haven't had the heart to cut it. Their bloom lasts so much longer on the plant.
But I had to bring this amazing one into the kitchen so I could enjoy its fragrance.
Despite the best efforts of an underground varmint to eat all my lily bulbs, I have a few of these to enjoy.
I have many more of the Asiatic variety but these Orientals just knock my socks off every time.
Alyssa and I spent the morning in the kitchen preserving some of the garden bounty that has just begun to be harvested. Yesterday a customer gave my husband a box of fresh ripe peaches so Alyssa peeled and sliced them.
I'll make a peach pie filling by baking the sliced peaches with sugar, cinnamon, tapioca starch and butter in a 350 degree oven until they are bubbly. Just like making a pie without the crust. After the filling cools completely I can freeze it in containers for future pies or maybe I'll throw a pie together to eat
now. I have found that making a filling like this for peach pie is the best way to avoid those soggy bottom pies that juicy fresh peaches tend to produce.
I also took our first good harvest of basil. Alyssa made several batches of pesto that we put into the freezer to enjoy over the winter.
Except Alyssa's asking for pesto pasta tonight.
I spent the morning picking blueberries, making strawberry jam, blueberry jam and blueberry syrup.
Later this week I'll post the easy recipe for making blueberry syrup.
