Leaves, vines, stems, and peels

[gata montes]

I love dolmas! I want to try making them at home, but I haven't found a source for grape leaves. My My mother has grape vines, but te leaves are very small so we've never attempted making anything with them. Is it the leaves of all grape vines?

Yes you can - however there is the slight problem in that they are only suitable for harvesting when the leaves are young and tender - which is generally around late spring to early summer and preferably done first thing in the morning while the leaves are still cool.

If you want to have a go - you are looking for light green almost shiny leaves that are around 4 - 5 inches across - which are generally found just below the new growth at the top of the vine - as guide - if you count down from the first 3 leaves of the new growth at the end of the vine and then pick the next 2 - 3 leaves you can't go too far wrong.

As the harvesting season is short most people either freeze or dry the leaves - which is easily done - either by blanching the leaves for slightly less than a minute and then once dried placing them between grease proof paper and freezing in an airtight freezer bag or by hanging in bunches in a cool dry place and leaving them to dry in much the same way as you would herbs - which once dried are easily stored in an airtight container.

 

[claudine]

I have some orange skins in the fridge right now! I love to use lemon skins so recently I decided to figure out what I could do with orange skins. I take the skin off in strips with a vegetable peeler and then keep it in a zip bag in the fridge. I wanted to get more oranges today, but the ones at the store didn't look good.

I'd gladly eat orange skins every day, but I worry about chemicals. After all, most store bought fruits and vegetables (especially imported ones) are treated with them
Do you just wash your oranges? Is it enough to get rid of chemicals?

 

[ChanellG]

...but that said one of the most popular ways of eating sweet potato leaves here is to stir fry them with garlic and olive oil - to which you can add any of the following - ginger, chillies, onions, leeks, red peppers or mushrooms and then lightly sprinkle with cheese just before serving - very simple but extremely tasty.

Now that's my kind of eating - minus the peppers, that is. I can handle a bit of the red chilies, but no variety of bell pepper whatsoever. No Jalapenos...

I'm looking forward to experimenting with sweet potato leaves as soon as I have enough to work with.

 

[ChanellG]

Yes you can - however there is the slight problem in that they are only suitable for harvesting when the leaves are young and tender

...as guide - if you count down from the first 3 leaves of the new growth at the end of the vine and then pick the next 2 - 3 leaves you can't go too far wrong.

As the harvesting season is short most people either freeze or dry the leaves...

Wow, that was a lot of information, thanks! I will pass this along to my mother, as she is the only one growing grapes at the moment. If there's a good looking grape vine on the clearance rack again when I go back to Lowes, I'll go ahead and get it - depending on variety. There was a chardonnay vine the other day for $5, but I couldn't tell if it was healthy, and I've never grown grapes before.

 

[ChanellG]

I'd gladly eat orange skins every day, but I worry about chemicals. After all, most store bought fruits and vegetables (especially imported ones) are treated with them
Do you just wash your oranges? Is it enough to get rid of chemicals?

I do wash my oranges, and sometimes they come from organic sources, but I don't really think about it that much. There are some things you just can not get around so you just have to do what you can to detox. Our lives are so full of chemicals that it is probably too late, but some herbs and other foods help the body rid itself of toxins.

 

[claudine]

I do wash my oranges, and sometimes they come from organic sources, but I don't really think about it that much. There are some things you just can not get around so you just have to do what you can to detox. Our lives are so full of chemicals that it is probably too late, but some herbs and other foods help the body rid itself of toxins.

I know, harmful chemicals are everywhere It's so frustrating! I won't have a garden when I move to my new apartment, so I'll have to start eating more store bought fruits and vegetables than I do now. I'm not looking forward to it at all. I mean, I want to move out, but I want to take my garden with me
I guess I'll have to buy many big containers and try to grow something indoors.

 

[Pat]

When cooking with celery I usually throw out the leaves, once I read an article about the value of the leaves I now save the celery leaves and add them to my soup stock when I am making homemade soup.

 

[ChanellG]

I know, harmful chemicals are everywhere It's so frustrating! I won't have a garden when I move to my new apartment, so I'll have to start eating more store bought fruits and vegetables than I do now. I'm not looking forward to it at all. I mean, I want to move out, but I want to take my garden with me
I guess I'll have to buy many big containers and try to grow something indoors.

Aw, Claudine, that's too bad. Is the apartment already leased? Is there a farmer's market near you? Maybe you can find some things naturally or organically grown. There are a few things you can grow inside though, like lemons. Remember that thread on string gardens? Citrus and plums can also be grown as bonsai.

 

[zigs]

Just realised you could sing the title of this thread to this

I'll get me coat.....

 

[claudine]

Aw, Claudine, that's too bad. Is the apartment already leased? Is there a farmer's market near you? Maybe you can find some things naturally or organically grown. There are a few things you can grow inside though, like lemons. Remember that thread on string gardens? Citrus and plums can also be grown as bonsai.

Yes, it's leased and we're moving there in a few days. I'd much rather live in a house with a garden, but we can't afford it yet. I'm happy with what I have I'm finally moving out of my parents' house
In my city, there are a few big farmer's markets, I plan to visit them often.
As for that thread on string gardens, I remember it, it was so interesting! I'm not sure if I'm allowed to drill holes in the ceiling though

 

[ChanellG]

Yes, it's leased and we're moving there in a few days. I'd much rather live in a house with a garden, but we can't afford it yet. I'm happy with what I have I'm finally moving out of my parents' house
In my city, there are a few big farmer's markets, I plan to visit them often.
As for that thread on string gardens, I remember it, it was so interesting! I'm not sure if I'm allowed to drill holes in the ceiling though

You don't have to drill holes, there are so many different things created specifically for apartment dwellers. You could even get one of those standing patio hangers. They have a base, a pole and little "arms" that stick out for you to hang plants from. Can't think of what they are called at the moment...

 

[ChanellG]

@claudine, I thought of you yesterday. I was at Whole Foods getting L some coffee, when the barrista asked if I liked orange and chocolate. Not sure what she was getting at I said "sure." She offered me a sample of what turned out to be candied orange slices dipped in chocolate! O-M-G!!!!!

 

[claudine]

Haha, I'm sure they were delicious
Standing hanger sounds like something perfect for me! Unfortunately, I don't have any spare money. I have to buy a fridge and a dishhwasher as soon as possible Moving is hard!

 

[ChanellG]

Haha, I'm sure they were delicious
Standing hanger sounds like something perfect for me! Unfortunately, I don't have any spare money. I have to buy a fridge and a dishhwasher as soon as possible Moving is hard!

Yes it is! It's such a pain too with all the packing and organizing and deciding what to keep. Then after you move it takes forever to sort it all out again. My budget's not doing so well these days either, and gardening is an ongoing expense. I always need pots and I always need more soil.

 

[zigs]

Haha, I'm sure they were delicious
Standing hanger sounds like something perfect for me! Unfortunately, I don't have any spare money. I have to buy a fridge and a dishhwasher as soon as possible Moving is hard!

Do you have a freecycle site in Poland? I got a dishwasher for my Sister from ours within days of asking for one That was over 2 years ago and it's still working fine.