The first tomato of the year
Yes! The first tomato from the bathroom greenhouse window. Mmmmm. The result of using compost that wasn't hot enough. A little seedling that appeared out of nowhere in a plant I had repotted. And I had my first big harvest of greenhouse window lettuce. I can't believe I only ever had houseplants in there.
So for the next few days, homegrown salads! 
I bought a salad spinner on Saturday. I know. Its a gadget that I've always considered silly. Totally uneccesary. And then I had a salad at the The Classic Diner in Malvern on Friday. The salad was just greens. But the balsamic vinegarette on the salad was perfectly applied. Each little leaf had the perfect amount of dressing sticking to it, like it was sprayed on with a fine mist. Not too much, not too little. It was amazing. You probably think it wierd that I'm getting this excited about some leaves and some dressing, but I just can't explain it. So I tried to recreate it at home. Now I have the salad spinner and I need some spray mechanism for dressing. I know I've seen spray bottles for oil products, but I looked at Target on Saturday and they didn't have one. Anyone use something like this that they can recommend? And what if I just use a regular sprayer like you mist plants with? Would that work with a vinegarette?
Now I can't wait to get greens out of the garden. Some mustards and several kinds of lettuce, some beet greens. Yum. If spring ever gets here and I can plant anything outside. Although I'm glad nothing was in the ground yet, because all the rain we've had, it would have rotted. Hopefully this weekend.
posted by meresy_g at Monday, April 16, 2007
9 Comments:
Now that is a sight for sore eyes. Lovely indoor gardening!
I love our salad spinner.... it leaves just the right amount of water on the leaves. As far as a mister goes, it seems like you'd want the kind that comes with spray "butter". You can always dump out that crap and fill it with your dressing.
good idea. I hadn't thought of that. It probably would be the least likely to get clogged. Thanks.
I am drooling... a tomato! In April! I think that this is your reward for dealing with sordid chicken-rearing duties last week. *grin* Hope you enjoy it!
Your vegetables look great. I am jealous of your window.
I have one of those stainless steel type misters for olive oil. It doesn't work all that great, and is messy. I think that a spray bottle would work much better.
I am just as excited about my own attempts to grow our salad plants and herbs. They taste fantastic fresh from the garden, or from the window boxes on our deck railings. And I am haunting the second-hand places looking for a salad spinner because they are $30 in the kitchen shop; not going to pay THAT!
Yay the first tomato of the year and some lovely salad too I see.
I use a bit of olive oil mixed together with some balsamico and sprinkle that over my salad with a teaspoon (less is more). Then some freshly milled black pepper and bon appetit!
I looked online at Amazon at those stainless steel misters and none of them get very good ratings. Silly that they can't make one that works well.
I got my salad spinner at Target. It is an Oxo brand and I think it was $22.95? More than I wanted to pay, but it is very sturdy and should last for a very long time.
What a lovely first tomato! I can't wait til ours come in. I've been plucking radishes and baby spinach from the garden... oh, and a few blueberries. :)
I was going to ask if the spinners were expensive - then saw your comment, Meresy. Thanks.
Annie
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