Garden to Table: Native Jerusalem Artichoke aka Sunchoke

Jerusalem Artichoke

Helianthus tuberosus

Aka 'Sunchoke' is a large, robust sunflower with broad, thick leaves and rough, hairy stems. Flowers have golden-yellow rays and discs. The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract primarily bees, including bumblebees, cuckoo bees, digger bees, leaf-cutting bees, Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees. Other floral visitors include Syrphid flies, bee flies, small to medium-sized butterflies, wasps, and beetles.

Soil: moist to average soil
Exposure: full to part sun
Growth habit: 6-8' tall; can spread aggressively

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Sunchokes, cultivated by Native Americans of the Great Plains, are often prepared similarly to potatoes but have a crunchy texture when raw that is similar to a radish or turnip. They are very high in iron, potassium, and fiber and are a great lower-carb alternative to potatoes!

Roasted Sunchokes with Fresh Herbs 

Ingredients:

•  1 lb sunchokes rinsed and scrubbed well, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

•  1 and 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

•  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

•  freshly ground black pepper

•  1-2 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack in the center position. In a medium bowl, toss the sunchoke slices with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until well coated. Distribute the sunchokes, cut-side down in an even, thin layer on a standard sheet pan. Be sure to leave space between them so they caramelize evenly.

2. Roast for 18-22 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through, or until the sunchokes are lightly caramelized and fork tender. If necessary, drizzle them with a touch more olive oil to prevent any sticking.

3. Gently toss with fresh chopped thyme and a light sprinkle of kosher salt. You can drizzle them lightly with extra virgin olive oil before serving, but this is optional. Serve immediately.

Book Review: Local author and friend Sue Cerulean's 'I Have Been Assigned the Single Bird'

I was asked to review Susan Cerulean’s latest book, I Have Been Assigned the Single Bird, probably because, like the author, I cared for and watched my mother die from Alzheimer’s and, like the author, I find Grace in nature. I wondered how she could possibly weave together her experience of being with her father as he declined due to dementia and her concern for the environmental degradation of the Earth, as represented by the lone oystercatcher she was assigned to watch.

She does it superbly. She writes honestly, clearly, eloquently, exactly, and poetically. Her words are like the graceful white pelicans she describes.

She is “one daughter caring for one father. One woman attuned to a single wild bird while the planet is burning.”

I, like the author, thought I could manage my mother’s disease competently when she first came to live with me. But unlike Cerulean, I could not find the words to describe why, after one year, I could no longer bear it. Cerulean’s words – “the chaos dismantling his brain and body would overwhelm us.” This is exactly what happened to me. We were overwhelmed.

I am glad to see the recognition the author gives to some of the dedicated nursing home aids and paid caregivers for the underpaid and difficult work they do. She “sensed a common steel to their spines and a loving kindness in their hearts.”

In the end, the author learned how to be with her father’s dementia; she learned simply to be with him. I learned to be in the moment with my mother. As Cerulean watches an exhausted shorebird die, 4 vigil birds show her what to do - simply be there. She discovers her will to renew her resolve to work on behalf of shorebirds.

Read this book if you have or have had a loved one with dementia. Read it if you are concerned about the decline of birds and other wildlife, of habitat loss, of global warming. She will not tell you what to do but she will tell you to not turn away from it.

Gardening to Table: Thai Basil Pesto

This basil is bold and slightly spicier than the sweet kind.

Similar to other basil varieties, Thai basil is typically grown for culinary uses, but it also has some medicinal properties. Its striking physical appearance also lends it to be a beautiful ornamental piece with its beautiful dark purple stems and flowers. It is most productive grown in full to part sun.

Culinary uses: Thai basil is used in cuisine originating from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It adds a fresh, herbal-licorice flavor unlike anything else.

Medicinal uses: Leaves can be bruised and the aroma inhaled, or the bruised leaves can be rubbed across the forehead and beneath the eyes to promote relaxation.

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Ingredients:

2 cups packed Thai basil leave

½ cup dry roasted peanut

4 cloves garlic

½ inch fresh ginger, roughly chopped

2 tbsp lime juice

1-2 jalapenos, halved

½ cup olive oil

Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Place basil, peanuts, garlic, ginger, lime juice and jalapenos in a food processor.

2. Pulse a few times to roughly chop.

3. Turn the food processor on and, while it's running, drizzle in olive oil. Process until smooth.

4. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.