NASTURTIUM

Tropaeolum majus is a great companion plant for just about any of your veggie-producing plants. This year, it was seeded in the raised beds in the greenhouse, around the tomatoes, but it's helpful just about anywhere. Sqaush, cucumbers, tomatoes... it helps attract the good bugs and keep the nasty ones like potato beetles at bay. Nasturtium have thin, vine-like stems and broad heart-shaped leaves. In July ours produced these vibrant orange and yellow five-petaled flowers, though they also come in reds.

Harvesting and cooking: Those flowers are not only beautiful and nutritious, but truly tasty. Harvest simply by plucking off the flowers by hand and put into a soup or salad-- it's best to harvest directly before use because, like squash blossoms, they wilt quickly when removed from their stems. Nasturtium flowers taste like a peppery mustard and contribute a soft, chewy texture (as well as color!) to your dish.

Storing: Though the flowers will not store well, the buds can be pickled as "capers." Though true capers are pickled buds of a Mediterranean flower we do not grow here, Sandor Katz (Fermentation King) claims he likes the taste of pickled nasturtium buds even better. Click here for a basic caper recipe.

Other uses: Though I have not tried these yet, I am told ground nasturtium flowers are good for seasoning cream cheese (or you can stuff the flowers with herbs and cream cheese like you would a squash blossom) or even make a pesto! As always, I'd love to hear of your adventures!

This salad, if you're interested, has our salad mix (green and red romaine, tatsoi, mitzuna, arugala, beet leaves, sorrel), carrot greens, kale, sweet peas, cherry tomatoes, grated parmesan, house vinagrette, cucumber, and nasturtium flowers!