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The Loma Prietan
September 2001Eating Green: An Uncommon Resource
by Kay Bushnell
Folks who decide to include more organic vegetables and fruits in their meals are often motivated to grow some of their own food. One local resource that specializes in helping home gardeners grow their own organic food is Common Ground Organic Garden Supply.
For nearly three decades, Palo Alto’s nonprofit Common Ground Organic Garden Supply (650/328-6752) has offered classes on organic gardening and a wealth of supplies for home gardeners. The store’s informal atmosphere and friendly, knowledgeable staff make it a favorite resource for both experienced and novice gardeners.
Whether customers garden in pots on an apartment balcony or on acres of land, Common Ground allows them to purchase only the supplies they need. Seeds at Common Ground are sold in amounts as small as a spoonful, along with heirloom gardening tools, organically grown vegetable starts, and organic herb plants. Organic fertilizer, compost, potting soil, and soil amendments are sold in bag and in bulk.
Customers return year after year to Common Ground because of the helpful attitude of its staff. Anyone with a question about gardening can usually find an answer by talking with the staff or consulting the extensive horticultural library, information files, and active bulletin board postings.
Among the jars of seeds available at Common Ground are those for the common red beet, a vegetable that can be grown easily in local gardens. Very fresh beets with crisp green tops can provide the fixings for two dishes. Slice off and rinse the greens well. Chop the greens coarsely, and in a small covered skillet in an inch of water simmer them until they are tender. Sprinkle them with a little olive oil before serving. The following delicious Red Velvet Soup makes a stunning presentation at any meal. Its rich, red color makes it one of the most beautiful of soups.
Red Velvet Soup
Enjoy the creamy texture, stunning color, and superlative taste of this unforgettable soup. Be sure to wash, chop, and steam the tasty beet greens separately, and serve them dressed with a little olive oil.
1 pound red beets (about 3 2-1/2” beets)
3 medium russet potatoes or 2 large potatoes
2 cups beet cooking liquid
1 cup soymilk or rice beverage
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup OR sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice (or to taste)
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon pepperScrub the beets and cut off most of the stalks, leaving 1 inch of stalks attached. Do not remove beet skins or roots. Scrub the potatoes and place beets and potatoes in a large cooking pot. Cover the potatoes and beets with water and boil them until they are tender, about 40 minutes. With a slotted spoon remove beets and potatoes from the pot, and set the red cooking water aside. Cool and peel the potatoes and beets, removing the thin beet roots. Reserve 3/4 of one beet and slice it into julienne strips (matchstick-size strips). Place the remaining beets and all the potatoes in a blender or food processor with about 2 cups of red cooking water. Blend until very smooth.
Return the blended beets and potatoes to the cooking pot. Add the soymilk or rice beverage, vinegar, rice syrup or sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and julienned beets. Taste and adjust lemon juice and salt. Add more red cooking water if a thinner soup is desired. Heat gently and serve. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of thinly sliced chives or green onion.
Makes 6-7 cups of soup
Copyright, Kay Bushnell