The Russians are coming!

I know it has been said a trillion, million times, but garden really is a wonderful tonic. I was feeling a little down today, and so finally I took myself outside and started to water part of the garden. This led to watering the vegetable patch, which led to cleaning out some bok choy that had raced away to seed.

In its place I planted at tomato plant that had volunteered in one of my pots. I am not sure what species it is at this early stage, but I suspect that it may be a cherry tomato. It was growing very strongly, so it would have been cruel not to give it more soil and a chance to grow.

To make room for the seedling, I also cut some lettuce. As I pulled one head from the garden a wriggly worm fell back into the soil and raced back into the moist dirt and out of sight. It was a thrill to see that our new garden already has a nice healthy population of worms. Go worms, go!

Before going inside I harvested a couple of the black Russian tomatoes as well. Well, at least I have the salad for dinner - tomatoes and lettuce!

Black tomatoes are known for their strong, earthy tomato flavor, which often has a slight saltiness. Black tomatoes have a very dark skin that starts as dark red or dark green, but becomes almost black as the tomato matures and ripens.


Nearly 50 varieties of black tomato are now found in Russia,. he best-known black Russian tomatoes are the black Krim, a sweet and salty dark greenish tomato named for the Crimea; and the black Russian, a large purple tomato with greenish-black flesh.

French Bread Recipe

French Bread Recipe.

2 TBL. Dry Active Yeast

2 TBL. of Sugar

3 Cups of warm water.

1 TBL Sea Salt

4 Cups of Unbleached White Bread Flour

2 Cups of Unbleached Whole Wheat Bread Flour

Mix sugar and yeast in a small mixing bowl.

Add warm water and let yeast mixture dissolve for five minutes.

Your yeast mixture should be frothy.

(Kitchen Aid instructions)

If you don't have a kitchen aid, hand knead your dough.

While yeast is dissolving, in a separate small mixing bowl mix white flour and sea salt.

Once yeast has dissolved pour into kitchen aid mixing bowl.

Add white flour mixture to yeast mixture one cup at a time, hand whisking mixture until 

smooth, after every cup.

Attach your dough hook and mixing bowl to your kitchen aid.

Add wheat flour one cup at a time mixing well with the dough hook.

Knead the finished dough with dough hook for five to seven minutes.

Your dough should be slightly sticky.

Cover with damp cloth and let the dough rise for a total of one hour.

During that hour punch down the dough and slightly stir every 10 minutes,

this gives your dough the unique french bread texture you are looking for.

On a floured surface divide dough into two sections.

Roll each section into a long rectangular form.

Fold over rectangle length wise then fold into french bread form.

Pinch all edges.

Place both rolls on a greased jelly roll pan.

Make 1/4 inch deep slashes across loaves.

Let loaves rise for 20 minutes.

Bake at 400F for approximately 18 to 24 minutes,

or until the bottom of the loaves are golden brown.

original recipe link