The Garden Keeps Giving

Green peas, fresh from the Cafe Drake HRV gardens, are a true treat and taste of Summer.

Prepping them is something of a chore however. The anticipation of steaming these sweet emeralds helps the shelling time pass. That and the Gin and Tonic on the left. We savored the peas in an almost unadulterated form, with just a pat of butter, a dash of coarse sea salt and a smattering of snipped dill and mint leaves.

The lull after Daffodil, Tulip, Rhodenderon, Iris and Peony seasons has finally lifted with the return of various lilies. Soon, the Zinnias, Cosmos and Bachelor's Buttons.

The Garlic Scapes, sometimes called Green Garlic, are finally tall enough to trim. They'll soon lend their mild flavor to salads, omelets and even a pesto or two. If you don't have them in the garden, no worries; they're available at most farmers' markets this time of year as well as grocery stores. So head over to the Cafe Drake HRV recipe archives and make a batch of our garlic scape pesto!