The Kitchen Garden

Be It Ever So Humble

The onion is right at home

By Jan Leitschuh

Is there a savory recipe on the planet that doesn’t begin with “sauté an onion . . . ?” If there is, I don’t want it.

Despite their eye-watering chopped nature, onions add a depth of flavor unique to their savory selves. It’s a familiar friend in vegetable form. The aroma of onions frying in a pan just spells home cooking — unless you’re a Jain monk forswearing root vegetables, including onions.

And the humble onion is a virtual health food superstar. Surprised? Abundant in quercetin, this powerful antioxidant acts like an antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory agent. Our friends the onions are prebiotics, which make our immune-system-supporting gut biome happy. Quercetin also helps lower blood pressure in hypertensive adults. Organosulfur compounds released when we chop and dice help reduce cancer risk. What are a few tears among friends?

And the common onion is thought to exceed the heart-protective properties of red wine. So, it would seem that onions might be a useful thing to grow in the kitchen garden.

Fun fact: Plant now.

Indeed, those cute little bunching onions and scallions are easy to grow, pull, rinse and chop up. Great for adding to a morning omelet or a casserole.

But who wanted easy? I wanted big! I wanted to grow humongous sweet onion bulbs like my friend in Texas. I wanted gorgeous, flavorful flattened globes like the delicious ones from our Southern neighbors in Vidalia, Georgia.

And I was failing, year after year. Weeds, small scallion-sized bulbs, chewed tops — any number of issues.

Well, cry me a river. Time to research. I turned to a favorite source, Mr. Encyclopedia, Taylor Williams, Moore County’s horticultural guru at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

“You’ve got three types,” explained Williams. “You’ve got short-day, long-day and intermediate-day onions. Intermediate and short-day we can grow. Long-day — absolutely not. They won’t make a bulb.”

There’s a clue. Onion bulb production is related to the length of the day. To successfully grow bulbing onions, use short-day varieties that form bulbs with 10-12 hours of daylight. Intermediate, or day-neutral, onions form bulbs with just a little more sunshine, 12-14 hours of daylight. Both, says Williams, produce decent bulbs here.

“Imagine . . . a line between San Francisco and Washington, D.C., which separates the country into regions for the sake of onion production and day length,” explained a Cooperative Extension pamphlet. “South of the line, you will want to grow short-day or day-neutral (sometimes called intermediate) varieties of onions for large bulb production. Short-day onions need a mild winter like we have in our U.S. Hardiness Zone 7 conditions.”

So, no more buying the little brown bulbs in packets from the home improvement store, as I did way back in my Wisconsin youth. Those are long-day onions, better suited for more northerly climes, says Williams.

“The size of the onion bulb is dependent upon the number and size of the green leaves or tops at the time of bulbing,” says Dixondale Farms, a specialty onion plant grower in Texas (“We know onions!”). “The triggering of this transfer, or bulbing, is dependent upon day-length and temperature and not the size or age of the plants.”

“Get the bundles of little plants with the green tops attached, 50-75 per bunch. Texas Granex 1015Y, or Texas Supersweet, will do well here,” says Williams. “For red onions, Red Creole and Red Candy Apple will work. They just don’t get as big.”

Georgia Sweet, Sweet Red, Texas Sweet White, Texas Early Grano and Texas Grano are similar varieties mentioned as doing well throughout the South. One other caution from Williams: “Don’t buy plants that have pink roots. There is a (fungal) disease called pink root, so avoid that.”

Once the proper varieties are located, I turn my attention to soil. After years of loving attention and compost, my soils are good and pH-balanced, with proper amounts of lime. But for onions, yearly applications of further rich compost is beneficial, especially in the hot Sandhills, where organic matter burns up quickly.

“Onions have a very small root system,” says Williams. “That means all the goodies, nutrients and water, must be nearby, or below the roots. So that means organic matter.”

Sulfur is also important for onions, says Taylor, usually supplied by organic matter. Sul-Po-Mag, a common and popular Sandhills soil enricher made from a naturally occurring mineral, also gently supplies sulfur.

One mineral that may be missing for premium onion growth? Boron. The solution is simple, and quite minimal, since the margin for boron is slim — too much can be toxic to peas, lettuce and most vine crops. “Some plants are sensitive to boron,” says Williams. “Just add a pinch of 20 Mule Team Borax in a gallon of water in your watering can. You don’t need much. Use care, it’s very easy to overdo.”

Once the soil is ready, plant now. “Ideally, you’d plant on either side of March 1,” says Williams. “You want the longest opportunity for the tops to grow. Once an onion hits its daylight requirement, it will grow its bulb, and you need leaves to do that.”

Remember that the farther north you are, the more hours of daylight you have during the summer (Alaska, Land of the Midnight Sun, anyone?); the farther south, the fewer the hours of summer sunlight. So getting an early start is another key to bigger bulbs. Bulbs take about 110 days to mature, so March onions get the maximum growing light before the summer solstice in June.

And don’t worry about planting early and getting a cold snap, says Williams: “I’ve never killed an onion due to cold.”

One might think: If I plant 75 little plants, that’s a lot of onions. No worries. After the tops start growing, harvest/sacrifice a few daily, as scallions and then later green onions. The young onions are delicious in salads, omelets, as garnish, in casseroles. Bulbs grown for scallions or green onions can be planted 1-2 inches deep and 1-2 inches apart in rows that are 18-inches or more apart. Bulbs grown for traditional onions are planted the same depth, but 5-6 inches apart in rows that are 1-2 feet apart.

Strong and vigorous onion tops are vital to size and flavor, since the green leaves manufacture the sugars that plump out the bulbs. “For each leaf, there will be a ring of onion,” says Dixondale’s website. “The larger the leaf, the larger the ring will be when the carbohydrates from the leaves are transferred to the rings of the bulb.”

How do you grow leaves? “Once you’ve got two or three leaves on it, you need nitrogen,” says Williams. “Use fish emulsion, blood meal, just tank ’em up. You’re eating the vegetative part of the plant, so nitrogen is what you need.” He suggests mixing a cup of an organic nitrogen source in a watering can, “ . . . and just baptize them. Do it weekly for best growth.”

Remember those short roots? “Don’t let onions stress in water or nitrogen,” says Williams. “Just be sure to start with plenty of compost, since our soils don’t hold water or fertilizer. Add on a few inches.”

Farmers growing field crops plant their onions through black plastic, with a drip tape beneath. No drip tape? “Mulch,” says Taylor. “Onions do not suppress weeds.” If you don’t plant through some sort of barrier (including newspaper or brown butcher paper), be prepared to weed like a fiend, especially after a rain.

And those chewed tops? “Thrips,” says Williams. “It will look like speckles on your tops. Neem oil is the material of choice as soon as you start to see decent-sized leaves. Starting early to mid-April, hit them several times a month. That ought to keep them off.”

Sometime in mid-to-late June, the onion tops will begin flopping down. Now is the time to pull and dry your onions for storage. “Just take care not to bruise the necks, as that damage will shorten your storage life,” says Williams.

Oh, and those burning tears we get from chopping onions? There is a solution. It’s all about chemistry. Onions contain aromatic chemicals called sulfoxides. Cut into them, damage the cell walls, and release the chemicals that convert to noxious, annoying, eye-watering gases. But peeling and sticking an onion in the freezer for 20-to-30 minutes before chopping really helps, by slowing down the chemical conversion. Others swear by holding a piece of bread in the mouth, but I suspect the spongy texture just blocks the gasses from the eyes.

Armed with new wisdom, this year will be my year for onions. Cue the (happy) tears of a clown.  PS

Jan Leitschuh is a local gardener, avid eater of fresh produce and co-founder of the Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative.

Good Natured

Mushroom of Immortality

Promoting a natural body balance

By Karen Frye

Reishi, with its extensive health benefits, was highly revered by emperors and sages thousands of years ago. Some Far Eastern cultures associated the use of reishi with good health, good fortune and happiness, restoring youthful strength and balance, and adding years to a lifespan.

This King of Mushrooms§ is classified as an adaptogen, which promotes natural body balance; it helps the body cope with stress, tension and fatigue. The main compound in all of the medicinal mushrooms is a potent immune enhancer, beta-D glucans, which reishi possesses in high concentration. Unique to reishi is another compound, ganoderic acid, an antioxidant that protects cells from free radical damage. It supports liver function and reduces the release of histamines. The reduction of histamines in the body is important in the control of allergy-related symptoms — useful if you are someone who has seasonal allergies and are looking for a natural remedy.

Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of using reishi to maintain a healthy immune system. You can find the actual mushrooms in the markets of Asian countries, where they can be part of a daily diet or even used in a tea. While you may find them in their natural form in some markets in the United States, usually we have to use them in a capsule or tincture.

Medicinal mushrooms have become the focus of a lot of attention, with studies using them in the treatment of cancer, heart health, and respiratory problems like asthma, bronchitis and allergies. Reishi is at the forefront with its ability to reduce inflammation and balance the immune system, making it useful for inflammatory autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis.

Another reason to use this mushroom is what it can do for your mind. Many holistic health practitioners have recommended reishi to calm the mind and reduce tension. Its calming effect can bring good sleep, provide a sense of peaceful wellbeing, sharpen concentration and increase willpower.

Nature provides us with many incredible foods to restore or maintain good health, physical strength and a strong mind to have a fulfilling, joyful life, no matter our age. PS

Karen Frye is the owner and founder of Nature’s Own and teaches yoga at the Bikram Yoga Studio.

In the Spirit

Three Top o’ the Mornin’

New additions to the Jameson family

By Tony Cross

When I think of Saint Patrick’s Day, my mind immediately goes to green beer and Jameson. Let’s talk about the latter, and how you can still have a good time without compromising your body’s well-being the morning after.

A little over one year ago, I was asked if my company would like to participate in a Bartender’s Ball in Raleigh. The event was held at a nice craft cocktail bar, Watts & Ward, who would be the host to over 350 bartenders from across the surrounding counties. It was sponsored by Jameson, who used the party as an opportunity to showcase their ever-popular Irish whiskey, as well as three whiskies new to the Jameson family: Jameson Black Barrel, Caskmates IPA Edition, and the Caskmates Stout Edition. There were different stations at different bars that night. Our job was to integrate the Black Barrel Whiskey into one of our mixes. We blew through four kegs (that’s 400 cocktails) of our Black Barrel Strawberry Mules, in just over one hour. It was so much fun for a couple of reasons: 1) the look on everyone’s faces when they took their first sip; and 2) being able to keep a long line moving at a brisk pace showcases our product and means even more when they are all bartenders. Since that night, I’ve been able to team up with Jameson for other projects and balls. In January, we took our kegs to Raleigh Beer Garden and emptied six of them containing our Jameson Grapefruit Mules in two hours. Insane. So, I guess you can say that I’ve had a little experience with the new editions of Jameson. Here’s a rundown on all three (on sale this month at our local ABC), and why enjoying them at home or in your favorite establishment can change up your normal pickleback routine. 

Jameson Black Barrel Whiskey

As they tell it on their website (and rightly so), in big, bold print: “Triple distilled, flame charred, for a rich smooth taste.” It’s no secret in the bourbon whiskey — and now even craft beer — community that re-aging in charred barrels adds much more complexity and depth in the finished product. The same holds true for this Irish whiskey. This is the first of the three on this list that I was able to taste and tinker with over a year ago. I was impressed by how complex it is. Vanilla and a toasted nuttiness stuck out to me; it’s not over the top, but just enough to sit there on your palate, empowering you to want more. That’s right: Good spirit on my tongue makes me feel empowered. To each his/her own. Anywho, enjoy Black Barrel neat, or even with ginger beer. May I suggest our draught ginger beer? I mean, after all, 300 bartenders can’t be wrong . . .

Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition

Jameson took their signature Irish whiskey and added it to an undisclosed “craft” brewery’s IPA barrel. The result is a very clean, drinkable and interesting whiskey. Whatever notes you may pick up on your palate, try again by pairing with a mid-range hoppy IPA. How do the flavors change? You might taste notes of apple, spice and citrus; the hops should shine through a bit after that beer pairing, too. Drink this neat, as an IPA back, or even with sparkling water and grapefruit bitters.

Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition

So, the story is:

Shane Long, owner and brewer from Franciscan Well Brewery, sat down one day for a meeting with Dave Quinn, head of whiskey science, at Jameson. Shane wanted to swap barrels, because he believed that his stout and Jameson Irish whiskey would complement each other greatly. Turns out he was right. The Stout edition is definitely a sipping whiskey. I mean, it’s still Jameson, but it doesn’t make me want to make crazy cocktails with it. It’d work, but with the notes of chocolate and coffee, I just want it neat. Or in an Old-Fashioned. Close enough, right?

What’s great about all three of these additions is that there are no sugary additives, which will hopefully help out with that morning-after hangover.

Caskmates Stout Old-Fashioned

2 ounces Jameson Caskmates Stout

1/4 ounce rich demerara syrup

5 drops Crude Big Bear Coffee and Cocoa Bitters

1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a chilled mixing vessel. Add ice and stir enough to get it chilled and properly diluted. Strain over a rocks glass with large cube. Take an orange peel, expressing the oils over the drink, and rimming the glass before placing it in.   PS

Tony Cross is a bartender who runs cocktail catering company Reverie Cocktails in Southern Pines.

PinePitch

Classical Guitar Performance

Virtuoso French classical guitarist Gabriel Bianco will perform a solo concert presented by the Sandhills Community College Fine Arts Department on Tuesday, March 26. The free concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Dempsey Student Center, Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road, Southern Pines. For information, call (910) 695-3828 or visit booka@sandhills.edu.

Anyone See Woody?

Take a 1.5-mile hike in the longleaf pines on Sunday, March 3, at 3 p.m., looking for the eight species of woodpeckers that call the Sandhills home. Bring binoculars if you have them. Free and open to the public at Weymouth Woods/Sandhills Nature Preserve, 1024 Fort Bragg Road, Southern Pines. For information, call (910) 692-2167 or visit
www.ncparks.gov.

Eyewitness to History

A decorated World War II veteran, Dr. Carver McGriff was 19 years old when he landed on Omaha Beach on the 6th of June, 1944. On Thursday, March 14, he’ll be the guest speaker commemorating the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion in the Given Memorial Library and Tufts Archives Spring Colloquium. Cocktails at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the Overlook Room, Pinehurst Country Club, 80 Carolina Vista Drive, Pinehurst. Cost is $100 and proceeds benefit the library and archives. For information and tickets, call (910) 295-3642 or visit www.giventufts.org.

Empty Bowls Fundraiser

Enjoy live music while sampling food from great Sandhills chefs on Sunday, March 3, from noon to 2 p.m. during the Empty Bowls fundraiser benefiting the Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care, at the Country Club of Whispering Pines, 2 Clubhouse Blvd., Whispering Pines. For more information, call (910) 693-1600 or visit
www.sandhillscoalition.org.

A Gentleman in Pinehurst

Enjoy an evening with Amor Towles, author of the New York Times best-selling book A Gentleman in Moscow, the story of Count Alexander Rostov who lives out his days under house arrest in Moscow’s grand Metropol hotel. Presented by The Pilot and The Country Bookshop on Thursday, April 4 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Pinehurst Resort, tickets include an autographed paperback copy of the book, a cash bar featuring a signature Russian cocktail and an introduction to the author, followed by his remarks and a book signing. Tickets are available at ticketmesandhills.com.

St. Paddy’s Parade

Irish pride will flow through the streets of Pinehurst from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the 18th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Enjoy music, dancing, Irish cheer and plenty of children’s activities,
395 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst. The rain date will be Sunday, March 17. For information, visit www.vopnc.org/events.

Dismal Swamp and the Underground Railroad

Eric Sheppard is the featured speaker for The Great Dismal Swamp, Part III: Arts & Humanities Lecture Series on Sunday, March 17, at the Weymouth Center for Arts and Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. This last lecture in the series will focus on the Underground Railroad and Moses Grandy. Tickets are $10 for members; $15 for non-members. For information, call (910) 692-6261 or visit weymouthcenter.org or ticketmesandhills.com.

Back the PAC

The Pinecrest Athletic Club will hold its Third Annual Back the PAC fundraiser and auction on Saturday, March 16 from 6 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Fair Barn. Monies raised support all Pinecrest High School sports teams. The evening includes silent and live auctions and will be catered by Elliott’s on Linden. Last year’s auction netted over $90,000. Tickets are $50 and include beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres and music by DJ King Curtis. Tickets are available at Pinecrest High School in the main office, at wwweventbrite.com or by contacting Lisa.A.Hees@gmail.com. For more information contact Christa Gilder at Christa.gilder@mzero.com.

The Rooster’s Wife

Sunday, March 3: Kaia Kater. A Montreal-born Grenadian-Canadian, Kater brings her trio and her old-time banjo skills, jazz-fueled voice and deft song craft to the Spot. Cost: $15. 

Friday, March 8: Mark Stuart, David Jacobs-Strain. This guitar-centric night features two virtuoso players and their extensive catalogs of original songs. Jacobs-Strain is a fierce slide guitar player, and a song poet from Oregon. Stuart draws from his deep rock, blues, country and folk roots. Cost: $20.

Sunday, March 10: Bruce Molsky’s Mountain Drifters. Renowned fiddler Molsky presents his new group and self-titled debut album featuring two of the best next generation traditional players — Allison de Groot on banjo, and guitarist Stash Wyslouch. Cost: $15.

Thursday, March 14: Open mic with the Parsons.

Sunday, March 17: James Maddock and The Black Feathers. It’s all-England night with rock ’n’ roll lifer Maddock and The Black Feathers sharing the bill. Expect a storyteller’s sense of narrative and the lines between folk, classic pop and rock magically blurred. Cost: $15.

Tuesday, March 19: Pumpkin Bread Band. Original acoustic music blending influences from traditional folk songs and fiddle tunes with modern sensibilities and intricate arrangements. Cost: Free to members.

Friday, March 22: Fireside Collective. This Asheville-based band plays original songs on stringed instruments, intended for modern ears. Memorable melodies, contemporary songwriting, interesting arrangements and colorful harmonies are in the offing from these festival favorites. Cost: $15.

Saturday, March 23: Sidecar Social Club. Pamela Partis is hosting this Vision 4 Moore benefit for the Moore County Veterans Support Fund of MOAA (Military Officers Association of America). From speakeasy jazz to Latin dance halls, soulful R&B to ’50s rock, a lively musical romp. Full bar available and One Nine Drive serving dinner. Cost: $35.

Sunday, March 24: Keith Ganz Trio. Jazz lovers, unite. Guitarist, composer, arranger and producer Ganz and friends deliver a splendid night of instrumental jazz. Cost: $15.

Sunday, March 31: New Reveille. String-band instruments and modal Appalachian melodies are at the core of New Reveille’s music, but there’s nothing old-fashioned about the perspective of its songs. Cost: $20.

Unless otherwise noted, doors open at 6 p.m. and music begins at 6:46 at the Poplar Knight Spot, 114 Knight St., Aberdeen. Prices above are for members. Annual memberships are $5 and available online or at the door. For more information call (910) 944-7502 or visit
www.theroosterswife.org or ticketmesandhills.com.

True South

Regrets, I’ve Got a Few

The penitence of parents

By Susan S. Kelly

Lent looms and then — BOOM — the season of gloom is upon us, those 40 days and 40 nights during which one is meant to repent. But if you’re a parent, guilt knows no season. It’s just always around, or in literary lingo, omnipresent.

Take my 38-year-old son, who not long ago revealed to me that as a child, he used to stand over the trash can while eating cookies so he wouldn’t drop crumbs on the floor. Oh, what this casual confession says. I never told him to do this; he just wanted to avoid the problem, or hearing about it. That he was so amenable pains me, the way he was when I just took him out of one school and sent him to a magnet that required a 45-minute bus ride. This would be the same son who, as a 2-year-old, kept waking at 3 a.m. for so many consecutive nights that I finally took him out of the crib, set him on the floor with a cut-up orange, and said, “Fine. Have fun. See you in the morning,” and went back to bed. No wonder that, later, when he woke up sick in the middle of the night, he always walked around my side of the bed to wake his father instead. Can I catch a little slack here? I remember when I was answering so many children’s questions and child-related telephone calls that I couldn’t take my own temperature because I couldn’t keep my mouth closed around a thermometer for three consecutive minutes.

At least I managed to rescue his brother, whom I happened upon in his room with the mini-blind cords wrapped around his neck because he’d been playing “Pirates.” The same child who, because I told him to visit the dermatologist, wouldn’t do anything about his warts except wrap three fingers on one hand in duct tape for six weeks because he’d heard it would make warts go away.

Confession may be good for the soul, but on the whole, I think I prefer yesteryear’s Lenten mite boxes, where all you had to do was part with some of your allowance. Though I probably failed in that department too, since I once discovered a child trying to extract a nickel from between the car seats with tweezers. Those kinds of memories can be assuaged with this one: How short a space in time elapsed between my daughter telling me tearfully that she didn’t want me to die (“Don’t worry, honey. It will be a long time before I die.”) to telling me that she wished I was dead. That was probably about the same era that her phone’s voicemail message was “My give-a-damn’s busted.” At least I escaped another friend’s fate, who discovered a pamphlet titled “How to Take Care of your new Tattoo” in her daughter’s Kate Spade pocketbook.

Oh, the countless little deaths I delivered, including, say, the April Fool’s morning that my daughter danced into the kitchen and merrily, mischievously, announced that she hadn’t done her homework. I barely looked up from the bagged lunch I was fixing in order to comply with her school’s eye-rolling rule of packing no disposables, only recyclables. Would it have cost me anything to play along, to acknowledge her 7-year-old April Fool’s effort? Two decades later, I still cringe at the memory.

Thank heaven that friends’ stories go a long way in the “I’m Not the Only Mean Mother” department. Names have been omitted to protect the guilty, but one friend who’d reached the end of her parenting rope with her tantrum-throwing 5-year-old picked up the phone, mimicked dialing as he writhed on the floor, and said, “Hello? Yes, is this the adoption agency? I have a child available . . . ” And this from another mother’s shame vault: The afternoon she took the car keys and got in the car and began backing out of the driveway, all the while calling, “OK, I’m leaving now, hope you can take care of yourself,” while her child wailed with despair. One acquaintance told me that when her son was disconsolate about a terrible grade he’d made on a test in fourth grade, she’d taken him in her room, sat him down, and said, “Listen. You were planned, and I know a lot of people in your class who were accidents.”

Still, surely for every painful-to-recollect instance, there’s a corresponding instance of sweetness, and I offer these up not as defenses, but to keep myself from weeping. Such as the child calling during his first week at boarding school, desperate with fear, panicked and frantic because he was washing clothes for the first time and “the washing machine in the basement is stuck and I’m required to wear a collared shirt to dinner and they’re all in there wet” — and my assurance, four hours away, that the machine was simply between cycles, wait a few minutes and it would begin chugging again. The same child I sang “My Best Beau” to, from Mame, when I was rocking him to sleep as a baby. I sang “Baby Mine” from Dumbo to his sister in the same rocking chair. The three children whose old-boyfriend box of letters and memorabilia, whose Jack Daniel’s bottle filled with sand from the summer job at the beach, and whose slab of crudely painted wood commemorated a summer camp mountain bike competition, are all still in their bedrooms somewhere, though the three themselves are long gone. You take comfort where you find it, in the baby album entries you made so as not to forget the child who said, “I did that later ago,” meaning already, or “I won, now you try to win me.”

And when that doesn’t work, there’s always the adult child to give an old scenario a new spin. “Relax, Mom,” the tweezer-wielding son reminds me. “It was a double-headed nickel.”

Terrific. Allowance issue absolved. Back to atoning.  PS

Susan S. Kelly is a blithe spirit, author of several novels, and a proud grandmother.