Already the mizuna is in a mood to replicate
First thaw brings a minor miracle to the garden: the greens we planted last fall are bouncing back.
Mizuna, mustard, collards, tat soi. They are soaking up the sun and putting on new growth. But not for long. After their long winter nap, what these plants want to do is replicate. So they quickly elongate and make flowers. There’s only a brief period–a couple of weeks, maybe–that we can harvest and enjoy. The mizuna and mustard green leaves add a wonderful zing to salads.
Yesterday I foraged a big bowl full of tat soi and stir-fried it in the cast-iron wok. Seasoned with a little rice vinegar, it was delicious. I was snacking on it before we could even get it to the table.
How do you like to cook your tat soi?
We are engaging the concerns of a hungry planet--slowly--right here in our kitchen garden in the District of Columbia, about a mile from the White House.
Ed: I actually LIKE tatsoi when it bolts–the leaves don’t get bitter and the flowers are delicious!