Love Thy Neighbor Sharing an Edible Garden & Summer Recipes

Their six, expansive fenced garden beds are more than impressive.  This summer I watched their garden burst into life with color and captivating earthy aromas.  But, of course, their talents don’t stop there.  Maria and her family also bee keep. An,often times, lost art that I get to witness right next door.  Their bountiful beehive turns out gorgeous, golden honey. They cultivate some of the most beautiful variety of carrots, peppers, tomatoes, basil, lettuce and cucumbers that I have ever seen.  Their edible garden puts even the most well-stocked organic grocers to shame!

 

Some people are just naturals when it comes to gardening.  Though I am not blessed with a green thumb, I am so lucky that my neighbor is. I felt compelled to share these photos on my blog so that everyone can enjoy the beauty of this garden. But I can promise this, it’s even more beautiful when you taste it!

After a recent haul of their garden, I took home some gorgeous cucumbers, tomatoes, and basil. I made a yellow cucumber zoodle salad seasoned with purple basil, hot peppers, olive oil, Newport Sea Salt , pepper and vinegar.  Then I stewed up some orange tomatoes and carrots with onion, basil and olive oil and laid them over a dish of bow tie pasta.  It was one of the best meals I have prepared this summer and the freshness was to die for! I also threw together a pepper, tomato & basil sauce. Perfect over pasta or grilled chicken or fish. I love cooking straight out of a garden, there is really nothing like the flavor when you go from the dirt to the dish.