Hey y’all!
So I’ve gotten really into gardening lately—like, really into it. My backyard looks like a mini farm now with tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, you name it. I spend hours out there watering, weeding, talking to my plants… you get it.
But here’s the funny part: I absolutely SUCK at cooking. Like, I can barely scramble eggs without second-guessing myself. My kitchen’s a disaster zone the second I try to actually use any of the beautiful veggies I grow.
For me, it’s not about the eating—it’s the whole vibe. There’s something so peaceful about watching something grow from a tiny seed into a whole plant. It’s my therapy. Plus, it’s kinda badass to say “yeah, I grew that” even if I end up burning it in a pan later.
Anyone else in the same boat? Love the grow, don’t know what to do after harvest? Show yourself! 👇
by JayLiu90
6 Comments
Crazy thing about veggies… u can eat them raw and I personally think they taste better that way. Instead of cooking them focus on a dip for them maybe until your cooking skills improve.
Cooking is the fun part .. I’m a vegetarian and follow the basic Mediterranean diet …
Every dish starts with olive oil, garlic, and ginger.
Then the veggies.
Then the sauce.
Relatable. I stopped growing crops because they never got eaten. Now I grow plants for pollinators and wildlife and it is gratifying to see those interactions
The book “Salt Fat Acid Heat” has been a huge help for me. Cooking used to feel kind of magical. I could make something that tasted good by following a good recipe, but I could never explain _why_ it tasted good. And I had no chance at all of explaining why something didn’t turn out well. This book gave the why. I’m still in early days, but I can usually look at whats good in the garden and figure out what to make out of it.
We also give away a lot of produce to friends and neighbours. We sized our garden for a family of 4-5, and it’s just my wife and I right now.
I love growing and cooking veggies! Except tomatoes. I don’t really like them but I grow some every year because you can get some crazy looking varieties with awesome colors. They look like little alien eggs!
Other way around for me. Loved to cook & eat but didn’t know how to raise the food.
I’m no master of anything, by far, but I’ve gotten a pretty good handle on things with time.
My few admonitions: Season your produce well, but as needed.
Avoid overcooking & eat raw where preferred, practical & safe.
When you eat mouthfuls of different foods (that YOU GREW) from your plate & notice they taste good together, run with that.
Eat what’s in season. Preserve what you can & use that up over the next winter & spring. Your first mouthful from next year’s garden is a long way off. Spring is a leaner time than winter.