by Paula D.
on October 1, 2025 3:16 pm in Food / Recipes
I have wonderful news. I’m predicting a fantastic tomato harvest this year! The NYC Zone 7 tomatoes are going to be spectacular due to all this rain we’ve been schlepping through. It is a juicy, divine blessing for our tomatoes. Let us be grateful.
NYC Zone 7 tomato harvest is gonna be spectacular this year due to the consistent rain this summer, and when your tomatoes are ripe and ready, make my decadent tomato pie.
One of the biggest problems for heirloom tomatoes is inconsistent watering — we get busy, we forget, the soil dries up, and next thing you know, our precious fruits have those little black bottoms (blossom end rot). No glory there. Consistent moisture means the plants can really stretch out — leaves lush, flowers bright and deep, expansive roots. We’ll see more vigorous growth, fewer weird cracks from sudden gulps of water, and bigger clusters of juicy red tomatoes.
With this news, I’d like to share again with you my Glorified Tomato Pie Recipe. Make this “wow factor” dish with your lush, homegrown Rockaway Beach tomatoes!
The Glorified Tomato Pie
Ingredients:
For the rustic crust:
1 2/3 cups flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted butter
7 to 8 tablespoons ice-cold heavy cream or milk
For the pie:
3 large tomatoes
7 oz gruyere cheese (shredded)
8 oz mozzarella cheese (shredded)
About 16 basil leaves (whole)
One small white onion
3-4 tablespoons mayo (vegan works great too)
3 eggs
½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
½ tablespoon fresh ground pepper
½ tablespoon salt
Additional salt for tomato roasting
Directions:
For the rustic crust:
- Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Slice tablespoon-sized pieces of room-temperature butter into the dry mixture using a fork or pastry blender until it resembles small balls. Gradually add the heavy cream to the mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time. Use your hands to combine and form a ball.
- If the dough is warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes or until it is no longer sticky and is suitable for rolling.
- Flour your surface (I use wax paper) and roll out the dough. Trim the edges with a butter knife for a clean look. Flip the wax paper over the pie dish and shape the dough. I discovered that curling the crust edge over in a rolling way looks nice and prevents the crust from breaking off at the edge. Refrigerate and cover with plastic wrap for at least a half hour. Will keep uncooked up to 3 days in the fridge.
For the pie:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the tomatoes .25 inches thick and lay them on a salted baking sheet. Salt both the top and bottom of the slices. Cook for 20 minutes on the bottom rack to remove excess liquid.
- In the meantime, chop the onions and combine in a medium-sized bowl with the shredded mozzarella and Gruyère cheese. Add the red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Drop in 2 eggs and mix well.
- Layer the pie crust with the following: a layer of tomato, a layer of the cheese mixture, and then a layer of basil leaves. Repeat this two more times.
- Crack and scramble the last egg. Using a pastry brush, coat the crust edge with the egg for a golden finish.
- Cook the pie uncovered at 375°F for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let the pie cool for at least 45 minutes. This is important as it needs time to firm up. Eat and Enjoy!
What do tomatoes have to do with the 4th of July? Absolutely nothing — but I’ll wish everyone a wonderful Independence Day weekend anyway!
by Paula D.
on October 1, 2025 3:12 pm in Gardening
In May, I discovered the most wonderful surprise in my garden —a peanut sitting right on top of the soil! It was split open, and a tiny sprout was starting to grow. I tucked it into the soil with my fingers and thought, imagine? It must have come from the pile of peanuts someone leaves for the pigeons and squirrels outside the Beach 91st Street Community Garden gate, almost every morning.
At our last monthly garden meeting, I went looking for the peanut plant but wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for. Luckily, garden member Lucy was there. I told her about my little peanut experiment, and she immediately identified the plant in my plot—it had grown! It’s currently about three inches tall. I was overjoyed and started bombarding her with all the questions.
Georgia is the leading peanut-producing state in the U.S., accounting for over half of the total production, and get this, by U.S. Law, peanut butter must contain at least 90% peanuts to be labeled as such. The remaining 10% can consist of optional ingredients like salt, sweeteners, and hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Peanuts are not nuts!! They are classified as legumes. A legume is in the pea family – a pod-like fruit containing seeds.
My first thought was: Wait… did I just plant a tree in my 3-foot by 5-foot garden plot?! Lucy reassured me that peanuts aren’t trees. That’s when it hit me—I had absolutely no idea how peanuts grow. So embarrassing! But Lucy knows a thing or two about peanuts and explained that they actually grow underground. And… they’re not nuts at all. They’re legumes! Mind blown.
My second thought is, how many peanuts will one plant actually produce? Lucy smiled and said, “Several handfuls!” She explained that peanuts need plenty of sunlight and well-drained, sandy soil to thrive (Hello, Rockaway!) She recommended trimming a branch off my nearby tomato plant to give the peanut more light. She thinks it may be a bit shaded right now, and since I have plenty of tomato plants, I decided I’m okay with this sacrifice.
Watering should be regular, keeping the soil moist but not soggy. As the plant matures, little yellow flowers will bloom. After pollination, these flowers send “pegs” down into the soil, and that’s where the peanuts actually form. I was fascinated! Lucy said the plant needs time and space for those pegs to do their thing underground.
For harvesting, she told me to wait until the leaves start yellowing in the fall. According to the National Peanut Council of America,that’s about 150 days after planting. That’s when you gently dig around the plant and pull it up, shaking off the soil to reveal peanut pods clinging to the roots! Then, you need to dry them for a few days before roasting or storing.
After 25 years of gardening, there’s still so much I don’t know—and it’s a joy to keep discovering more, especially with the help of friends in the community garden. I’ll definitely follow up on my peanut plant come harvest time.
Source: peanutsusa.com
Far Rockaway through Breezy Point, and all in between – the big ol porches with wicker furnishings are iconic. They hold a place in time—before me, before the boomers, before their parents. These porches are portals. A glimpse into another version of Rockaway: a place where women’s long, lacy dresses touched the sand, parasols twirling, walking next to the gentlemen in tophats. Not a Croc in to be seen! Where summer homes were grand, dance halls held the drama, and fishing piers lined the Irish Riviera. All the porches whispered, the secrets woven into the wicker chairs, from then to now.
I remember watching Oprah as a kid—an episode where she went on about the charm of Southern porches. The screen flashed images of wraparounds, decked out with ornate wicker furniture made cozy with decorative pillows; flower pots and hanging baskets, too. “When I grow up, I want all that.”
And here I am.
This summer, my own porch needed a serious refresh. The deck hadn’t been stained since it was rebuilt eight years ago? The light fixtures were rusted from the salty storms. And the wicker furniture – shabby and not sheik. Oprah would scowl.
I dragged everything out to the yard and got to work with spray paint and an old tarp. By the 4th or 5th chair, my finger started hurting, my shirt was spray-paint-sticky, and I caught myself thinking, “Maybe this is why people buy the fake plastic stuff.” It’s so much easier. I get it. As we get older, convenience starts to matter, finding time gets harder, you need energy, and maintenance costs money. I thought about giving in.
Wicker is one of the oldest furniture-making techniques in recorded history.
But then, I looked closely at my wicker loveseat and saw its spiral patterning and intricate weave that looked like thick lace with tiny imperfections. I realized – this is art, culture, and history woven together. And worth all the effort for as many years as I am able.
My next thought was, “I need to know everything about wicker.”
I assumed its origins were African—something connected to basket weaving. But no. I learned that wicker goes back 3,000 years to ancient Egypt. Archaeologists have found woven chests, baskets, and even a chair seat made of wicker buried in King Tut’s Tomb. That’s how long humans have been doing this.
This is art, culture, and history all woven together. And worth all the effort to maintain for as many years as I am able.
I also learned, wicker isn’t a material. It’s a method – the weaving technique. The material can be rattan (palm), bamboo, willow, reed, or technically anything really. The word “wicker” is Scandinavian, meaning “to bend,” and vikker, “willow, ” meaning bendable willow.
Here’s a little timeline I pieced together from the Googlevers Wicker’s path across history:
- 3000 B.C. – Wicker weaving is invented by ancient Egyptians for functional and decorative uses. Wicker is one of the oldest furniture-making techniques in recorded history.
- 1620 – The Mayflower lands with a wicker baby cradle. Woven furniture enters America.
- 1851 – Cyrus Wakefield, “Father of the Wicker Industry,” established the Wakefield Rattan Company in Massachusetts, leading the way in bringing wicker furniture into mass production in the U.S.
- 1860–1880 – The Victorian Era was the golden age of wicker. Ornate, curvy linear designs became widely popular, especially among the upper class.
- Early 1900s – The Arts and Crafts Movement, rooted in a reaction to industrialization, gains momentum. In New England and other parts of the country, wicker furniture sees a revival as people embrace handcrafted, simple designs made from natural materials.
- 1960s – Wicker has another surge in popularity during the countercultural movement. Influenced by bohemian styles and a return to natural, earthy aesthetics, wicker became a staple in homes, sunrooms, and patios, particularly coastal regions where laid-back, eclectic design flourished.
- Mid-2000s – Synthetic Wicker becomes widely used in commercial-grade outdoor furniture. It’s valued for its durability, low maintenance, and weather resistance, but lacks the charm and history of its inspiration.
Wicker has lived many lives — and I’m learning that I have too. There’s a past that lives on my porch, and a future I’m looking forward to. And at present, a summer to enjoy. Wicker is woven into history. Into porches. Into places like our Rockaway.
Source: patioproductions.com, wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicker, wickerwoman.com
I’m so excited to share that the old potato I had sitting on my kitchen counter—the one that started sprouting—has actually started growing in my garden! Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes for it. I just threw it on the ground for fun. If you remember, I wrote about this a few weeks back: How To Grow A Potato From A Potato.
One month and a week later, the leaves are a vibrant green, sturdy, and healthy. The plant is about 4 inches tall, and at maturity, it can be as tall as 3 feet.
Now that the plant is thriving, I’m feeling the pressure to care for my potato propagation properly. So I did some digging (pun totally intended) and researched how to care for potatoes and what signs to watch for when it’s time to harvest.
I’ve gathered the helpful tips for you, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just into potatoes.
Soil: The best soil for growing potatoes is a loose and deep loam that holds moisture and also drains well. And lots of organic matter. Luckily, for those without ideal soil, potatoes are famously hardy and adapt to many difficult soil types.
Water: Keep soil consistently moist but not soggy. Water deeply once or twice a week, especially during dry spells. Avoid overhead watering to prevent blight.
Blight: Potato blight is a fungal disease that causes dark patches on leaves and rots tubers, thriving in warm, damp conditions. To reduce the risk, try to keep the foliage dry. Harvest potatoes as soon as the foliage dies back to prevent tuber infection. Since we water bucket by bucket at the Beach 91st Street Community Garden, I’m not too worried about over watering – but it’s good to be aware of the signs, just in case.
Light: Potatoes need full sun, at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Hilling: When plants are about 6–8 inches tall, mound soil or straw around the base, covering the lower leaves. Repeat every few weeks to protect tubers (the potatoes) from sunlight, and this helps boost yield.
I feel hilling will be a little bit of a challenge. This is the process of mounding soil or straw around the base, covering the lower leaves to protect the potatoes and help yield more.
When to Harvest: For new potatoes, harvest 2–3 weeks after flowering. Similar to garlic, for mature potatoes, wait until the foliage turns yellow and dies back— about 120 days after planting.
Years back, I traveled to Peru and the Andes Mountains, where the potato was first domesticated by Indigenous peoples 8,000 years ago. Hearty and adaptable, potatoes have nourished civilizations for centuries. Often underestimated, they’re packed with energy-rich carbohydrates, along with vitamins C and B6, potassium, fiber, and even antioxidants—especially in the cute, colorful varieties.
I haven’t traveled to Idaho yet—the potato capital of the U.S.A.—but it’s definitely high on my list now. Why? During my potato research, I came across the most exciting place: the Idaho Potato Museum. There’s a giant potato with a pad of butter on it – out front (naturally) – and everything you could ever want to know about this amazing vegetable inside. The museum explains why Idaho is so ideal for potato growing and how the humble tuber put Idaho on the map.
Until then, I’ll be tending to my little potato patch on Beach 91st Street and dreaming of Idaho. I’ll keep you posted on the potato progress!
Source: idahopotatomuseum.com, backyardgardenclub.org, wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato
