Okra's Southern Charm

You wouldn't know it from the still-sultry weather, but September has arrived, which means that fall is right around the corner. The Edible Garden is still bursting with delicious offerings, though. This year, Garden horticulturalists planted a large-growing heirloom okra cultivar, Hill Country Red. The okra was planted in mid-summer, but in a short time have grown to great heights, with most individuals now towering well above my 5'7" head. I am completely enamored of these beautiful plants, with their red stalks and creamy white flowers with deep crimson centers. And I'm not the flowers' only fan. They're very popular with pollinators-- both bees and ants do a busy trade among the blossoms.

I am a fairly recent transplant to the South, so okra was not always in my culinary repertoire. Since moving to Atlanta a few years ago, I've enjoyed exploring this oft-maligned vegetable. Although fried okra is delicious, it's also messy, time consuming, and not exactly healthy. My favorite preparation is also the simplest I know. It works best with small okra, about a finger's length, but any size works well. Trim the stems short, but don't remove them. Those little leaf hairs can be prickly when uncooked, so be careful when handling the okra. Toss the okra with a little olive oil, some large flake sea or Himalayan salt, a few grinds of pepper, and an optional dash of whatever spices you're craving. I really enjoy a sprinkle of cayenne. Cajun or Mediterranean blends are good bets, and garam masala seems a natural given okra's place in Indian cuisine. Heat a cast iron pan until it's screaming hot, or turn your grill up high. Add the okra to your pre-heated pan, and cook until they're blistered, about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. When you're done, you'll have a pile of crisp yet tender okra with no hint of sliminess. It's a fabulous side dish, though honestly I happily eat okra cooked this way as a snack!

Check out your local farmer's market this weekend. If you're in the South, chances are you'll find okra waiting for you to take it home and make it delicious. One more garden gift before the summer's out.

'Red Hill Country' can grow well over ten feet tall!

-Julia da Silva, Interpretation Coordinator

A Garden Visitor

I spotted this pretty little guy on the patrinia that's currently blooming in abundance in the Edible Garden's orchard. I didn't recognize him, and he looks a bit like a bug or a beetle here except that probiscus would be all wrong. Some research confirmed that he's actually a moth! Atteva aurea, or the ailanthus webworm, is native from southern Florida through Central America, but is now found all over the United States and even into Canada. The patrinia are thick with these moths as well as multiple species of bees, though none of the latter would pose nicely for my camera this morning. If you're visiting the Garden sometime soon, be sure to stop by and pay them a visit.


-Julia da Silva, Interpretation Coordinator

Preserving with Marisa McClellan

At this time of year, we at the Edible Garden are practically overrun by the abundance of the summer harvest. Delicious, fresh food at every turn! But, how to stretch this bounty into the coming months? Canning and preserving are enjoying a renaissance, as more and more Americans discover the pleasures of enjoying the garden's gifts year-round.

Whether you're a canning newbie, curious about where to start, or an old hand, join us at the Garden to learn from food blogger, author, and canning connoisseur Marisa McClellan. The class fee includes a copy of Marisa's newest cookbook, Naturally Sweet Food in Jars, which features over 100 jams, spreads, dips, whole fruits, and sweet pickles. Rather than rely on traditional refined sugar, Marisa explores a variety of natural sweeteners, such as honey, maple, agave, coconut sugar, dried fruits, and fruit juice concentrate.


Marisa will demonstrate a recipe from Naturally Sweet Food in Jars, as well as discuss canning and blogging and personally sign your new book. This class is a perfect introduction to a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy your garden all year  long, and we hope you'll join us. To register, visit atlantabg.org and select "Learn."



Schedule          Saturday, September 3, 3--4:30 p.m.
Fee                   $44 (Members $39), Book Included
Deadline            August 15
Instructor          Marisa McClellan, Author, Food in Jars 

The Edible, Drinkable Landscape

The Atlanta Botanical Garden's annual Alston Lecture Series kicks off on Tuesday, September 15 at 7 p.m. with "The Edible, Drinkable Landscape," an evening with Nan Chase. Nan is the author of a number of books on home gardening, including most recently Drink the Harvest: Making and Preserving Juices, Wines, Meads, Teas, and Ciders. Join us for an enjoyable, informative event as Nan shares some of her favorite and most productive plants for spaces of all sizes. You'll look at your yard and its bounty with fresh eyes.

This event is free and open to the public; no reservation is required. The Philip and Elkin Alston Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of the Charles Loridans Foundation.

-Julia da Silva, Interpretation Coordinator

From plant to plate and back again

A movement towards more sustainable food options is burgeoning throughout the United States, and here in Atlanta many farm-to-table eateries are thriving and serving locally grown, ecologically sound food. Just steps from the source, produce from our own Edible Garden enriches the plates of both our weekend chef demonstrations and the offerings a the Café at Linton's in the Garden.

While thoughtful ingredient sourcing gets a lot of attention, the less glamorous side of sustainable food systems is the management of waste generated in the culinary process. With an eye towards waste reduction in the Outdoor Kitchen, when using disposable dishware and utensils, we choose those made from paper, bamboo, and corn. These are then sent to be composted at the commercial facility where we send out kitchen scraps and garden clippings. An earth-friendlier alternative to plastics, these items help sustain the ecological cycle by keeping waste out of landfills, and instead turning it into a valuable resource for the next growing season.



-Heather Rice, Programs Assistant

Blueberries in the Garden!

'Premier' Blueberry
Vaccinium ashei

Nothing says summer quite like fresh blueberries, which can currently be seen ripening throughout the Edible Garden. These seasonal favorites thrive in well-drained, acid soils, and the Southeastern native rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) tolerates the Georgia heat especially well. We have planted varieties that bloom around the same time near each other, including two rabbiteye cultivars, which encourages cross-pollination and consequently produces bigger berries. If left long enough to fully ripen, tart berries soon turn a deep blue that signals that they are sweet and ready to harvest. Rich in antioxidants and other beneficials, blueberries make a healthy addition to your summer meals. Our Garden Chef campers have been taking full advantage of their bounty, adding them to refreshing smoothies, topping yogurt parfaits, and enjoying them as a straightforward snack.

-Heather Rice, Programs Assistant

Downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is a deciduous, small tree or shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae). It is also commonly known as Juneberry, Shadbush and Sarvistree. The "service" in the common name serviceberry refers to the plant usually being in flower around Easter. Serviceberries can be eaten raw, cooked in puddings, pies and muffins, or used in combination with other berries as an extender. The berries can also be dried and used to replace raisins in recipes.

Serviceberry Jam

4 cups serviceberries

2 oranges 1½ cups water

½ cup lemon juice

2 cups sugar

Prepare jar lids. Put serviceberries through food chopper with a medium-fine blade. Juice the two oranges and put the peel through the food chopper. Combine berries, orange peel and water in a large saucepan; boil gently until fruit is tender. Add juice from oranges, lemon juice and sugar. Boil 20 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.

– Moe Hemmings, Edible Garden Horitculturist