Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Locally Grown Produce.

Although Andy and I live in a unit with a very small, not-so-sunny back paved-area/patio, we always try to grow things. One of the first things we planted after I moved back to Townsville in 2006 was a pineapple. We simply chopped the top off of one we got from the market and stuck it into the ground. Somehow it managed to survive several transplantings and a few moves, and earlier this year you may remember my excited post about the mini-pineapple growing from the centre of the spiky plant.

We watched it grow, with absolutely no idea how to tell when a pineapple is ready to be picked.

Turns out we didn’t have to worry about it. In one of the almost nightly rainstorms we’ve had since the end of November, the weight of water and pineapple got to be too much for the stalk to bear and the little pineapple tipped over. Andy tried tying it up, but on closer inspection it looked like ants were getting into the base of the fruit, so he chopped it from the plant and brought it inside.

It was pretty green, and for some weird reason Nacho liked chewing on the spiky top.

But, thanks to 34 degree weather and 90% humidity, it didn’t take long for the pineapple to ripen on our benchtop. We peeled it, removed the bad spot where the ants were more ambitious than us, and were left with a small but good-looking pineapple.

Look how small it is compared to this mango. Sure, it’s the biggest Bowen Mango I’ve ever seen, but still. It was a small pineapple. The perfect snack size.

We cut it up and ate it all in one go.

I’ve found that a lot of pineapples are good, but not great. They are either too sweet, or too tart. This one was the perfect combination of sweet and sour, tangy but not too harsh. I may be biased, because it’s come from my backyard, but I think it was the best pineapple ever.

Pineapple isn’t the only thing we’ve gotten from our sad-looking garden. The herbs are still going fine, as always, and we’ve even gotten some small but good Hungarian Wax Peppers (not spicy).

Our eggplant, however, bears many pretty flowers but refuses to set any fruits.

Everything else is sort of struggling along, except for the catnip plant, which Nacho loves.

13 comments:

Amira said...

that is so cool that you grew your own pineapple! Just letting you know my e-mail isn't working at the moment (i have no idea why!) so sorry if you sent the seitan recipe i didn't get it.

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

SOOOO fantastic!!

Anonymous said...

How awesome that you grew a pineapple! It's such a cool looking plant too! What are you going to do with the peppers? I gotta start a patio garden! Nacho is so cute with the catnip!! I should grow some for my kitties too.

Anonymous said...

wow its amazing that you can grow and eat your own fruits!

Amy said...

Adorable!!!!!

DJ said...

This is so exotic to me - growing your own pineapple! (wistful sigh) Oh well, I'll get back to digging over the cabbage patch! ;P

Amira said...

thanks so much for your comment and I was able to get into my e-mails (i'm such a computer spas!) and I've printed off your recipe and the seitan is in the oven right now! Thankyou so much, I'm so excited to try it!

Amy said...

How awesome that you grew that from a chopped off plant top! Haha, I love that Nacho wanted to chew on it.

Your garden is doing better than my (potted) garden. Something ate all my rocket one night (green caterpillars) and my 8 year old rosemary plant died :(

My catnip however is taking over the entire backyard (much to Toby's happiness, like Nacho, he loves to chew on it) and we're forever pulling out little shoots! Nacho is just adorable, thanks for sharing her :)

Léna, said...

just have to say this:
a lot of vegan bloggers post pictures of their kitties. and they're all very beautiful and cute kitties.
but.

this is the first time i've gotten SQUEE excited about kittie photos on a food blog.

well done.

urban vegan said...

My kitties would love their own catnip plant. GOtta' get one. Nacho is the sweetest.

Hungry Hungry Dancer said...

home grown fruits and veggies are always the best. your not biased im sure its true that that little piece of fruit is AMAZINGGG

Vaala ◪ said...

I've been wanting to find out what was happening with your pineapple. Awesome to hear it tasted great.

the little one said...

Rock on woman! Now that's local! Sweet.