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Padron: Spain’s Historic Pepper

January 29, 2024 by jkirksey

Pilgrims following the ancient Camino de Santiago de Compestella (The Way of St. James), will no doubt encounter Padrones, the signature tapas dish of Galicia in Northern Spain. Padrones are young Padron peppers blistered in olive oil then sprinkled with course sea salt. Seems simple enough. But the Padron has something other peppers don’t – heritage and a secret.

The St. James Connection
As legend has it, St. James the Apostle spread the gospel in what is now Northern Spain. At some point, he returned to Judaea (reason unclear), where Herod Agrippa had him beheaded. The reason for St. James’ killing is muddy, though historians believe the execution probably had something to do with James’ reputed bad temper and sassy mouth.

Followers sailed James’ remains – body and detached head – back to Northern Spain for burial. Upon docking, the boat was tied to a large stone mooring called a ‘pedron’, and a revered monument was born.

Eventually the stone ‘pedron’ was moved a few miles inland where it became the centerpiece of a church dating from tenth century. The village Padron flourished around the church. Visit Church of Santiago today in modern Padron, and see the ancient stone.

As for St. James’ body; it was taken further east and secretly buried. Many years later the corpse was rediscovered. Construction of a massive cathedral was begun in 1075 to hold the Saint’s remains. For over nine hundred years, the Santiago de Compestela Cathedral in Santiago, Spain has been the destination for pilgrims traveling The Camino de Santiago known as The Way of St. James.

St James
The Pedron
Modern Day Pilgrims

Now, back to the peppers.

Padron – The Peppers. The Tapas. The Secret.
Padron pepper seeds were first brought to Northern Spain by Franciscan friars returning from Mexico. The pepper thrived, and soon took the name of the village Padron. Today over 3000 pounds of these peppers (also called Pimentos de Hebron) are produced each year in areas around the Padron municipality.

The peppers are small, cone shaped, and usually look a little wrinkled. Padrons are harvested young for the Galicia region’s world famous tapas dish – Padrones.

Nothing fancy here. A order of Padrones is two dozen or so young Padron peppers blistered in a good olive oil, then sprinkled with course salt and served hot. If you decide to try Padrones (the tapas), be ready for celebrated secret of the Padron pepper.

Padrones – The Tapas

Most young Padron peppers are mild and easy to eat. But about one in ten (as the local estimate goes) are fiery hot. Hot or mild; there is no way to tell the difference by looking. As the Galatians waiters are fond of saying:

Os pementos de Padrón, uns pican e outros non (“Padrón peppers, some are hot, some are not”).


Growing Padrons
Until just a few years ago, Padron seeds were hard to find in the States. Not so much these days. Seeds sold by many online seed sellers.

Here in North Texas, I start my Padron seeds indoors around mid-February. They are very easy to grow and seem to have few problems with pests or disease. They need full sun, and will tolerate heat if they are watered regularly and mulched well. Padron plants continue to produce even through our triple digit dog days in July and August.

For Padrones – the Tapas, peppers should be picked when they are young and still green. These will be 1-2 inches long. Six healthy plants are enough to feed my personal serial cravings for Padrones.

All Padron peppers, if allowed to grow, will become fiery hot.  A very tasty, but very hot, Chipotle powder can be made by smoking then grinding Padron peppers that have become red.

Filed Under: Gardening, Newsletters

Native Gardens for Pollinators

October 18, 2022 by Donna Hagar

Join the Somervell Master Gardeners for our last program of the year, Native Gardens for Pollinators! Monday, October 24, 2022, 6:30pm at the Somervell County Citizens Center, 209 SW Barnard.
Our own Master Gardener, Tessa Ownbey will be describing the native plants and other features needed for creating your own pollinator garden. Learn how to attract all sorts of butterflies, bees and other creatures for a sustainable and interesting landscape!
Tessa is an 18 year certified Master Naturalist, a long time Master Gardener and Master Composter and is NPSOT certified in Landscape Maintenance. Tessa recently retired from Fossil Rim Wildlife Center as Director of Education and now spends her time with her husband on their 17 acres in Bosque County, which they have dedicated to wildscaping for insects, songbirds and neo-tropicals, and as a refuge for their 6 children and 13 grandchildren.

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Gardening, Newsletters

Astronomical Events that Affect Our Environment

August 30, 2022 by Donna Hagar

We’ve all heard of people who really do plant or harvest their gardens by the moon or stars! Join the Somervell County Master Gardeners on Monday, September 12, 6:30 pm at the Somervell County Citizens Center, 209 SW Barnard, Glen Rose, to hear Robert Slaughter discuss just how astronomical events can and do play a part in our environment!

Earth as seen from spaceThe Universe and the Earth’s Natural Environment. How do events that occur millions, even billions of miles from the Earth affect our environment? Does the Earth itself affect our natural world? In this presentation, Robert Slaughter will delve into the processes that can change the world we live in, from the Sun, to the Moon, to highly energetic events that occur billions of miles from the Earth. We will look at these and other processes that affect the world we live in.

Filed Under: CHES, Gardening, Newsletters Tagged With: astronomical, environment, Gardening

How Do I Love Thee

February 4, 2020 by grecker

The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives. – Gertrude Jekyll

 

How Do I Love Thee

Georgette Recker

Somervell County Master Gardener

 

If you believe the messages put out on social media or even just walk through a store and smell the chocolate, you have already realized February is the month for love.  And, although we love our friends and family, our pets, our homes, and even our morning coffee, the theme of this month’s newsletter will be the love many of us feel for our gardens.  Whether they are vegetable, flower, or even rock, our gardens are in need of a little tender loving care this month. The sunny days we experience on and off in February are perfect for zipping up our jackets and stepping outside to assess how best to pour a little loving on our favorite spaces.

 

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Gardening, Newsletters

The Leaves Are Falling?

February 4, 2020 by grecker

The Leaves Are Falling?

Georgette Recker

Somervell County Master Gardener

Autumn is the time of year when leaves wither and fall to the ground.  We expect it, and some of us even look forward to the event. However, if you are noticing leaves dropping from your live oak trees now that we are anticipating spring, you may be having very different feelings.  As Texas is experiencing the ravages of oak wilt, seeing any of our well-loved, prized beauties dropping their leaves to the ground can be concerning especially when we think of live oaks as being evergreen.

Live oak trees are not true evergreens, and it is normal for them to drop their old leaves in spring. Although oak wilt may attack live oaks in late winter or early spring, the symptoms of the fungus are usually not apparent until summer.

http://agrilife.org/plantclinic/files/2010/09/Live-Oak-Leaves.jpg

Signs of normal live oak leaf drop include yellowing of leaves and/or brown or black spots or blotches.  Some leaves may even have veins that turn brown while the remainder of the leaf stays green. While these signs and symptoms may mimic oak wilt, they are typical of a spring time process called senescing – or the dying off of old leaves.

http://agrilife.org/plantclinic/files/2010/09/New-Buds-on-Live-Oak.jpg

There are some things you can look for to determine if the leaf drop your live oaks are experiencing now is normal and healthy.  Check the dying leaves for new buds at the leaf petiole. These new buds will start small then will grow as the older leaves die.  Once the old leaves drop off you should see tiny new leaves develop. Seeing these signs should assure you that your tree is likely experiencing a normal yearly cycle.  If, on the other hand, you do not notice the buds, check for dead branches by breaking a small stem on the tree. If it breaks with a snap and has a brown interior, the branch is most likely dead.  Healthy trees will usually have some dead branches; however, if more than 10% of the branches of a tree are dead, you should seek the help and advice of your county Extension agent.

Ong, Dr. Mark.  “Live Oaks Dropping Leaves.”  Texas A & M Agrilife Extension.  Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab, 24 March 2008  Web. 3 February 2020.  

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Gardening, Gardening Tips, Newsletters Tagged With: #liveoaks, #oakwilt

Meet the Gardeners

February 4, 2020 by grecker

This month begins a chance to meet the Somervell County Master Gardeners.  Each month the newsletter will highlight one member and help you get to know who might be sneaking around the county pulling weeds and gathering seeds.  We are a fun group comprised of many different personalities, but we all have one thing in common.  We love to garden! If you’ve ever thought about joining the group, stay tuned.  There will be more information in the coming months.

 

Meet the Gardeners

Name

Cyd Brown

What year did you become a Master Gardener?

2019

Do you hold a position in the group?

Secretary, Director for Texas Master Gardener Association

What are your gardening special interests?

Using native plants in landscaping.  I also think plant propagation would be very interesting; l want to learn how to reproduce beneficial native plants I already have and propagate them to increase their abundance.

Is there a particular gardening book you enjoy?

My sister recently gave me a book, “Plant Propagation” from the American Horticultural Society that should prove to be interesting. I refer to “Native Texas Plants” by Sally and Andy Wasowski and “How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest” by Jill Nokes on a regular basis.

Have you had a particular gardening success?

Not yet. The house beds and landscaping are just getting started; although I have gotten two mountain laurel seeds to sprout.

What do you enjoy about being a Master Gardener?

I enjoy learning new things about gardening and plants and I enjoy the company of my fellow Master Gardeners greatly.

I also enjoy “digging in the dirt”. I always feel better after weeding, planting, etc.

Do you have a favorite plant?

I love gardenias and grew some in North Carolina. I probably won’t grow any here because of the different climate.

 

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Favorite Plants, Gardening, Newsletters

January Checklist

January 28, 2020 by grecker

 Planning

___ Increase humidity for house plants by placing on trays of pebbles with water added being careful that water does not touch the bottom of the pots.

___ Plan your vegetable garden.

Planting

___ Plant/transplant perennials, roses, shrubs, and trees. Do not plant right after rainy weather or before a freeze in the teens.

___ Start Spring vegetable seeds indoors.

Watering

___Water perennials as needed only if temperatures have been mild/dry.

___ Thoroughly water new trees after planting.

Pruning

___Cut back and remove dead upper portions of perennials.

___ Prune fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches, and plums.

Fertilizing

___ Fertilize heavy feeder, cool season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, and other greens.

 

Month-By-Month Gardening in Texas by Dan Gill & Dale Groom

Filed Under: Gardening, Gardening Tips, Newsletters Tagged With: january checklist

From the Gardener’s Kitchen

November 10, 2017 by lheideman

 Pumpkin Bread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 cups sugar                                                        2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup oil                                                                3 1/2 cups flour

4 eggs                                                                    1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups canned pumpkin                                   1 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup water                                                      1/2 tsp. ea. ginger and cloves   

                                                                                1 cup coarsely chopped pecans           

 

Cream oil & sugar in large bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well.  Mix in the pumpkin.  Mix the soda with the water, then add alternately with the other dry ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Stir in pecans.

Can be baked in one large bundt or plain tube pan  or (2) 9×5 loaf pans. Other smaller size pans should be filled only half full.  Spray pans with Pam (or other brand of “non-stick” spray)

Bake at 350 degrees.  Large pans need about 90 minutes.  9×5 loaf pans take about 60-70 minutes.  Smaller pans need a little less time.  Just be sure bread is done – should be starting to pull away from sides before you take it out of oven.  Cool 15 min.  Run knife around the edges, and bread should come right out of pan.  Allow to cool completely before you wrap it.

Since this is a moist bread, it spoils rapidly and should be stored in the refrigerator.  Serve cold. Or warm a few slices in the oven/microwave.  Good when spread with butter, jelly, cream cheese, etc.

  • If using fresh pumpkin from your garden – use 2 2/3 cups pumpkin. Eliminate the water.  Mix soda with other dry ingredients.
  • For a lower calorie bread that’s just as good:  substitute 1 cup applesauce for the oil, cut the sugar to two cups.

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Newsletters, Recipes

Garden Gifting

December 3, 2016 by lheideman

by Jes-c French, Somervell County Master Gardener

The holidays are right around the corner, and now is a great time to start thinking about gifts. For those hard-to-shop-for loved ones, sometimes a gardening gift is just the solution you need. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a Poinsettia or a Christmas Cactus, but I’d like to offer a few different suggestions.

norfolk-island-pine-araucaria_heterophylla

norfolk-island-pine-araucaria_heterophylla

Houseplants are a perfect gift year round, as outdoor temperatures won’t hinder their growth. I’d recommend Geraniums for their beautiful flowers. Another popular indoor plant around Christmas time is the Norfolk Pine. Don’t worry; they make beautiful houseplants, even after the holidays have ended.

For those who are planning a garden, seeds would also make a nice gift. Carrots, turnips, spinach, radishes, lettuce, collards, beets and broccoli are some of the vegetables that can be planted by seeds shortly after the New Year in Somervell County.

An indoor herb garden might make a good gift for those who like to cook, even if they don’t traditionally spend their time gardening. Gardening gifts don’t have to be limited to seeds or plants, either. For the gardeners in your life who learn well from books, contact a Master Gardener to see the gardening library at the Extension Office.

 

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Gardening, Newsletters

Try Something Different!

December 3, 2016 by lheideman

by Shirley D. Smith, Somervell County Master Gardener

I have never been afraid to try something different in the garden.  In fact, tell me it can’t go where I live and I will more than likely attempt that very plant as soon as I can find it!  Gardening is a never-ending search for the different, the fun, the unusual.  That’s just one of the many things that makes gardening so much fun.

bat-faced-cuphea

bat-faced-cuphea

firecracker cuphea

firecracker cuphea

A couple of years ago I tried two members of the cuphea family. I locally found the bat-faced cuphea (Cuphea Ilavea) and a cuphea called Firecracker (Cuphea ignea).  The bat-faced cuphea did not make it through the first winter even though I did mulch it fairly well.  The taller Firecracker cuphea is still in my garden.  It did nothing all summer, but as soon as the cooler weather of fall (finally!) set in, it bloomed and here at the end of November it is still going strong and so pretty.  See photo I included.  They were both planted on the north side of my house.  I will mulch this Firecracker heavily and hope that it will come back next spring.  As you can see from the photo, it is healthy and happy and doing very well.

“There are over 250 species of Cupheas, which include annuals, short lived perennials and small shrubs. Most are native to Central and South America. Cupheas bloom from spring through fall, and are excellent plants for attracting hummingbirds to your garden, as well as stunning additions to your butterfly garden.”  The Garden Helper.

These plants are winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-12. Somervell County is in Zone 7.  So you might want to grow the bat-faced cuphea as an annual,

plant or houseplant. In the garden, both of these are best grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. They will tolerate part shade. They are easily grown from seed started indoors 10-12 weeks before last spring frost date. They tolerate high summer heat (I can attest to that!) and also tolerate some drought, but perform best with regular moisture. Plants can become leggy as the growing season progresses, in which case stem tips may be pinched as needed to maintain good plant form. If grown in containers, plants may be overwintered indoors in bright, sunny locations with temperatures in the 60s and reduced watering. Plants may be propagated from tip cuttings in the fall for overwintering. It is generally best to start new plants each year.  The above description would apply to the Firecracker cuphea except I do leave mine in the ground and just mulch it.  So, if we have a mild winter I expect to have the Firecracker come back.

Happy gardening!

 

Filed Under: Current Newsletter, Gardening, Newsletters

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