All Hail Kale Caesar and Lovage!

Tender baby kale is wonderful in a salad raw.  If you massage the leaves vigorously a little while, it breaks down some of the fibres, enhancing the sweetness while it tenderizes. This recipe does a neat job making their own dressing and croutons.  I find the dressing easy, but each time I make croutons the results vary.  Skipping the anchovies makes it more vegetarian and adding a bit more Worcestershire sauce will compensate.  We've been eating a lot of this salad at the farm lately, so much that I am planning on planting a bunch more kale for a steady supply.








Lovage is very underrated.  It can be used in cooking as a replacement for celery - one of the dirty dozen veggies for pesticides.  It has a strong flavor and is not pleasant raw.  

The leaves taste like celery and you can add a small handful to soups, stews, vinaigrettes and salads.  A small amount heightens the flavour in recipes allowing you to use less salt in the dish.  If you are new to this herb start off by using a tablespoon or so and see if you like it.  In soup and stew making I use a whole cup of the young leaves and stems and I do not find it too strong. I also add minced lovage to omelets, salads and even vinaigrettes.    

Lovage also freezes well.  Chop it up and freeze in a container or bag.  Proper freezing techniques would tell you to blanch in boiling water and then freeze.  Blanching removes surface bacteria and enzymes which can cause flavour changes during freezing.