The Green Stuff

When we think of our garden, the color that comes to mind is green. 

And certainly a green lush garden plot means our vegetables are thriving. 

The starts give us hearty leaves that lead to colorful blossoms 

which then evolve into the vegetable treasure.

you can see the green zucchini blossoming from the yellow flower

first of our tomatoes at the farm

Even our fruits, which ripen into luscious yellows and purples 

start out as leafy green trees. 

apricots in the Orchard

But then there is "the green stuff," the greens and herbs that 

reach perfection at that stage in the plants' growth 

rather than ripening or maturing beyond the leaves. 

The chefs at the girl & the fig rely on our 

herb greens to transform their dishes into the memorable meals 

we hope will keep you talking about your experience at "the fig." 

Besides the arugula which is the basis of our signature "fig salad," 

there are other herbal greens we grow at the farm.

fig salad photo by Steven Krause for
Plats du Jour: the girl & the fig's Journey Through the Seasons in Wine Country

We love our chives: Chives have been cultivated in Europe 

since the Middle Ages, although their usage dates back 5000 years. 

They were sometimes referred to as "rush leeks." 

The Romans believed eating chives could increase blood pressure 

and act as a diuretic, as well as relieve the pain from sunburn or a sore throat. 

Although we know they have good properties, 

we mostly celebrate how good they make things taste!

chives at the farm behind "the fig"

and chives at Imagery farm

Chives are in the onion family. 

What we eat is not the bulb, though, but instead the "scapes." 

They have a milder onion flavor, with a hint of garlic, 

and make a delicious addition to salads and vegetable dishes, 

as well as a topping for fish and chicken.
They are very easy to grow, and when they bloom
chives make a lovely flower for the garden.
In fact, many gardeners grow them as much for the flower as they do for the herb.
(the bees like them too!)

Here's a great primer on chives and check out 

this ravioli recipe topped with squash and chives. 

Other herbs at the farm include two other stalwarts 

needed by every chef: Italian parsley and basil 

Flat leaf or Italian Parsley growing at the farm

What's the difference between flat leaf (or Italian) parsley and curly leaf parsley?

And did you know you can use the stems too? 

Since they are sharper in flavor and less delicate than the leaves, 

they really hold up in long cooked stews, stocks, braised dishes.

If you don't have your version of a backyard "farm," 

you can plant herbs in pots and on window sills. 

If you are short on space, herbs can easily be planted in containers. 

 Here's a basic how-to for herbs in a container:

And if you have a bit more room in your garden, container planting can be expanded 

but is still a great way to go for growing herbs.
What herbs are you growing and where?
Any tips on how to grow them or how you use them?

Spring at the farm

 Signs of spring across Sonoma Valley continue to pop up 

and our work at the farm accelerates. 

Still in prep mode but now with an eye towards 

what we will plant where, and even more importantly when. 

Work at the farm at Imagery Estate Winery is in high gear, 

laying new lines for irrigation as we finalize the planting plan. 

We know these beds will be abundant with all the tomatoes 

that are now starting to grow in the greenhouse 

and we already have onions growing. 

Radishes are a staple on the menu at the girl & the fig, 

so we rotate where they will be, but we know we always need to be growing them. 

radishes at the farm

always top of the menu at "the fig:"
heirloom radishes
mixed seasonal radishes, anchovy butter & grey sea salt

onions at the farm

But some things can't wait for the larger plan at the farm. 

Our chefs at "the fig" have diners to please, so we make sure 

there are radishes in the beds behind the restaurant,

as well as parsley and other herbs. 

chives, beans, asparagus, rhubarb and nettle all are growing
in the garden outside the kitchen of" the fig"

And the chard that grows at the fig is always happy, now more so than ever.

"Moms" would be proud–we love our greens! 

We never can get enough of them and are always looking for creative ways 

to use them, whether trying the new idea of "massaging greens when raw" 

to make a sweet salad, or cooking them.

rabbit with greens & vegetables

And our friend, Marcy Smothers shares a great tip from her blog 

about "sleeping with lettuce." 

Who knew?

Do you have any tips about your greens?

And what's up with your spring planting?

Lovin' our greens

Although there are always a lot of colors at the farm, 

we think of "green" as its signature.

Green being the vibrant color as all plants are growing, 

green being the color of pretty much any "fruit" when it first appears.

Heirloom tomatoes

Celestial fig

green pardon peppers

And of course, "green" now having taken on a larger meaning

to indicate sustainable, healthy growing practices. 

Well, at this moment before summer becomes fall 

and the green shimmer at the farm changes to a golden glow 

(tasting those persimmons yet?)

our persimmons last November

We wanted to celebrate our "greens!" 

So, a shout out to our thriving chard and kale plants 

which continue to inspire the chefs.

There always seems to be a dish on the menu at the girl & the fig

 featuring garden greens. Right now we are serving
the panisse cake with a chickpea purée,
sautéed garden chard, and marinated sheep's milk feta.

Most often, like our chefs, you will cook these leafy greens. 

But you certainly can enjoy them raw too. But, how to deal with the bitter taste? 

Eating Well magazine shares the secret on how to "squeeze your greens:" 

"There's an amazing tool for transforming bitter, dark leafy greens 

into a tender melts-in-your-mouth salad.
It's only an arms length away, and it costs nothing: your hands!   

Watch how the Food Network recommends massaging greens: 

Seriously, try this. It will expand your idea of a salad. 

It's a quick process and retains much of the nutritious benefits to the greens. 

There's been a lot of talk lately this new way to "love" your greens:  

"It's almost like kneading bread dough. It only takes a couple of minutes,

but you'll be amazed at the difference. 

That tough cellulose structure breaks down — wilts, actually — 

and those leaves that once seemed so coarse and fibrous turn silky. 

You can feel it happening. You can see it too — the leaves 

will darken and shrink to almost half their pre-massage volume. 

The flavor changes as well. That pronounced bitterness mellows, 

revealing some of the same depths of sweet green flavor 

you normally get only through long, slow cooking."

greens love you, so love 'em back!

Mom always said it was important to "eat your greens." Here's a new way.

Let us know how it tastes once you've tried it!