The garden in full Spring bloom

Beans on Toast - a la Anna

Pick your broad beans on a sunny morning, in your PJ's, before anyone has even got out of bed.  Shell them in the quiet of the kitchen while enjoying a coffee.  Pop the shelled beans in the fridge for later, and get on with the morning rush.

At lunchtime, take out the beans.  Put 1T of butter in a frying pan and heat up gently, add the broadbeans and 1 clove of crushed garlic.  Stand their gazing out the window and idly stirring the beans till they are almost cooked (about 3 or 4 mins), add 1T freshly picked thyme (the Central Otago kind, of course), and a grind of salt.  Let fry for about 2 mins more.  Stir in 2T cream cheese and swirl about till it breaks down to a slurry.  Pour over your toast of choice, in this case, I just put on fresh cheese topped bun.

Cricket Ball Artichokes

My dinner last night, 3 cricket ball sized artichokes, with my own mayonnaise....

With a whizz stick in hand...put into a glass jug 1 egg, 2T white wine vinegar or similar clear coloured vinegar, the rind of one lemon peeled off, the lemon juice and 2 cloves of garlic.  Whizz till all is chopped up.  With the stick blending going, start pouring in oil of choice (something light, like Canola).  You will need to add at least a cupful.  Once it goes thick it is ready, if it isn't thickening just add more oil.

Pea Straw Magic

When we put the garden beds to sleep for the winter, we covered them in a thick layer of pea straw each.  With the spring tiny little shoots came up, then pea vines, and now peas!  I thought they would be straw from something industrial, like peabeans, or chickpeas...I'm not sure what I was thinking actually.  What came up appears to be Mangetout.  Wow, today I went out and picked a colander full, and there must be at least twice this amount again, ready to be harvested.

Artichokes are for Eating

The Artichoke is a fine plant.  It is such a great grey, with large spikey leaves and a fabulous presence in the garden.  But the best bit is the artichoke itself, just eat it cooked, dipped in mayonnaise...mmmm

Don't the Raspberries look great!

But I am dying to know if they will be ready before we move, first week in December.

If anyone knows how long from flower to fruit, please post in the comments.