Jacky Hackett: Cooking, eating, reading, riding my bike that goes nowhere — living my best porch life.
Despite quarantine being a perfect time to tend a garden, I did not plant a garden this year, first time in probably 15 years. We attempted to start a few vegetables from seed. We had quick success that led to epic failure. In summary, I don’t have the energy to be responsible for keeping anything…
Tomatoes are the gem of summer. Enjoy them fresh from the garden as tomato toast.
The week started with April showers, that as the saying goes, brought May flowers. I was afraid our lilacs were not going to bloom after the early summer weather in March. Thankfully that was not the case and our yard smells wonderful now. I brought the goodness indoors to enjoy…
Last weekend was one of the most unproductive weekends on record for me. Seriously. Literally the only thing I managed to do was cleaning and organizing the freezer. I found a lot of Summer goodies waiting to be enjoyed. No better time than the present. At the end of the Summer, when tomatoes are ripening…
I pulled out the majority of our garden. Always a sad day. Overall the garden was not a huge success this year. We did get some huge and delicious tomatoes, but we did not get a ton of them. The cherry tomatoes were so small it made them a total hassle to pick and I…
When life hands you tomatoes make Bloody Marys.
My husband and I took part of a tour of Rick Bayless garden in his Bucktown backyard. The tour was given by Bill Shores who currently manages the garden. The yard is actually a few city lots and is an amazing urban space that makes the most of every square inch. There are numerous levels…
Finally! Success growing strawberries. My daughter always picks strawberries to grow and the every year they are a failure. I’ve tried them in the garden and in pots. This year the hanging basket did the trick. Now to get more strawberry plants so we can enjoy a bowlful instead of just a handful. …
Herbs are most flavorful right before they flower and gardeners say you are not actually supposed to let them flower. Eh, I make an exception to this rule with my chives. They come in with a vengeance every year and I can barley keep up during a rainy spring. But mostly I let them flower…
I have hoarded the canned tomatoes, green beans, and beets from sister-in-law for just the perfect dish. With this winter blast we got yesterday and the frigid temperatures today I though garden fresh tomatoes were just what the doctor order to avoid the winter blah. The tomatoes were so red and delicious, it was a…