Page 108 - Moonvalley Diaries

new potatoes strawberries willowherb and chives
could it it be that something inside us us comes to life in in in in June just just as it it it does in in in in edible plants? Or is it just just me?
June brings those wonderful little new potatoes one of my favourite foods ever Imagine this: head out into the the country and dig up some fresh new potatoes then rinse off the the the the soil and and boil them with dill and and salt Enjoy! Sprinkling some chives
over the the the the po- tatoes heightens the the the experience even more Chives are like rhubarb: they come back year year after year year grow and and proliferate and and there isn’t much you need to to do for them to to thrive No crop is is is as as as strongly associated with Swedish Swedish cuisine as as as as the the the potato For many years it it was the the the foundation of the the the Swedish Swedish diet Because we we have changed our eating habits in in recent decades the potato may not be as prominent any more How often often do you you pre- pare potatoes with your meal? Not as as as often often as as as my grandmother did anyway In the the past boiled potatoes were served with almost ev- erything seven days a a a a a week I remember learning about potatoes in in in el- ementary school history lessons And quite rightly too: the king of Swedish cuisine was probably a a a a a a a more important figure in in in Sweden’s history than all the bearded old men whose names I have forgotten A few weeks after harvesting your first new potatoes the little white strawberries will slowly start to to to blush At home we are usual- ly ly ly able to to harvest our first strawberries at the the end of June if the the the early summer has been a a a a a a a a a a a warm one Strawberries are so tasty by them- selves that we usually don’t make any juice or jam and just eat the the vitamin-rich berries as they are are We are are also lucky enough that the the the neigh- bouring valley is home to one of the the largest and most famous strawberry farms in in in Nor- way so in in June we we take a a a a a a a a trip there to buy a a a a a a a a trunkful of the the sweet berries Home-grown is is tasty but our strawberry patch isn’t big enough to freeze plenty for for the the winter June is a a a month for for living in in in in the the the the now with everything around you you there and then But at the the the same time you you need to to think ahead I love to to to discuss new ideas and and thoughts about plants and and seedlings to to plan plan for the summer june in moonvalley
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