August 13th: More ready for harvest.

This weekend, I’d hoped to have my chef friends to prep something with my first real harvest. 

Alas, they weren’t available. so I did my own cooking.  My harvest included the following from both the Miracle Gro and Better World beds:

• Basil

• Eggplant

• Tomatoes

• Jalepeno peppers

Miracle Gro eggplant.

Miracle Gro pepper.

Better World eggplant.

Better World pepper.

Better World tomatoes.

Better World tomatoes.

Better World raspberries begin to ripen!

Miracle Gro tomatoes.

Miracle Gro tomatoes.

A handful of Better World peas.

Test Bed Two: Miracle Gro tomatoes.

Test Bed Two: Better World tomatoes.

Figs not ripe yet.

 And so to dinner...

I diced up the tomatoes and served them raw, sprinkled with aged cheddar and chopped basil.

The difference in the taste of the tomatoes was very subtle. My dinner guest (a self-confessed food snob) and I agreed the Better World tomatoes were slightly sweeter, with a tart edge.  As for the basil, there was no question that the Better World basil was a powerhouse of fuller flavour, with a peppery taste that added a boost to the tomatoes. The Miracle Gro basil, while good, was bland and papery in comparison. 

The main course was a Thai-style, basil & eggplant on rice. 

Much more subtle. We confess to not being able to perceive much difference. It may be that the cooking (partly fried, partly steamed) neutralized any noticeable differences. Still, the idea that the organically-grown eggplant and basil was free of artificial chemicals rested easier on my mind, as well as on my tongue.