Terrarium Time!

Is there anyone else out there who is itching to go outside, get your fingers in the soil, harvest fruits and veggies....?  Though it is not quite time for this yet, there are ways to get your hands (and dining room floor) dirty.  Terrariums are a great way to experiment and exercise your green thumb during the cold winter months allowing you to design a little indoor garden ecosystem of your own.

For the gardeners who aimlessly show up at garden centers looking for something green to tend to in the winter, many are now carrying a variety of terrarium supplies, plants, and containers.  I happened to be one of these aimless wanderers last week.

I became interested in terrarium gardening a few years ago when I visited the Philadelphia Flower Show.   Here I saw not only great little displays in all kinds of containers, but I also was introduced to the supplies and plants themselves.  I was so excited by the possibilities.

I bought a hanging terrarium and a few supplies that day along with some colored sand, glass pieces, and stones, and eagerly planted my own little world.

I visited Terrain the following summer and discovered,  a huge selection of jars, supplies, and small terrarium plants.  They had wonderful displays that made my mind race.  What kind of container?  What size?  Lid or no lid?  What kind of design?  What plants? The possibilities seemed endless!

Finally I chose a jar and some plants and brought them home.  Terrarium containers often range in price depending on size and complexity.  Some can be quite expensive so I have had fun looking for containers at garage sales and antique stores, hunting for unique shapes and styles!

So with my interest piqued and a few successful terrariums under my belt, this winter I decided to experiment with a few more of these mini gardens, to see what I could come up with.

Over the last year or so, I have collected both closed and open containers, have tried orchids, mosses, ferns, african violets, and succulents.  It is interesting to learn the environment in which particular plants will work, and those that will grow well together.  Some prefer closed, humid environments, while others enjoy some air circulation.

Here are a few examples of my experiments so far.

One of my favorite terrarium tools...the mister.

I have directly planted the plants in soil in some of my containers, where I have added a layer of stones or gravel for drainage.

In the closed cloche however, I left the plants in their pots arranging them in levels using small terracotta pots.  I like the variation in height and texture that this creates.  I rarely have to water these plants, as the humidity and moisture circulates throughout the jar.  To ensure that the container is not completely sealed, I added a layer of moss around the base.  The fern does so well in this particular environment that I need to cut it back every once in a while.

I have found that when leaving the plants in their pots, they should be kept in a closed container, as open ones tend to dry out a bit more.

Certain plants however, such as succulents, do not like to be kept in a closed, humid environment.  Paying attention to these requirements along with monitoring the plants will lead to a deeper understanding of their individual and group needs.  

In the terrarium below, I noticed that many plants were drying out too quickly.  I took a branch from a jade plant and planted it here, as jade plants do well in a drier climate.  I added some chartreuse moss for color, a little Japanese bridge and little figure of an old man to this miniature world.

The design of each container is part of what makes this process so enjoyable and exciting.  I have included rocks, shells, sea glass, and even geodes that I have collected over the years as landscape elements.  I find that this returns these collected treasures to the landscape and highlights them on a microcosmic scale. 

Most importantly when making your terrarium, use your imagination, experiment, and soon you will have a unique understanding of the little environment that you've created!

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Snowy Saturday Recipe-Creamy Cauliflower Winter Soup

Ok Ok, so winter is upon us.  There are mounds of snow everywhere.  And they don't seem to be getting any smaller.  After days of shoveling and being cooped up inside, I decided to attempt a soup recipe that was sure to raise my snowy spirits.

This recipe was inspired by a creamy cauliflower soup that I often order for lunch at a restaurant in New York City.  It is hearty and filling, and the perfect comfort food on a winter night.  I decided to try to recreate the flavors of this yummy dish, while adding a few elements of my own. 

I began the soup by cutting up a head of cauliflower into flat segments, so that the pieces would caramelize when browned, adding a nice roasted flavor.

In a large enamel soup pot, I began to saute the cauliflower in olive oil and Italian butter that I found at my local grocery store.  This butter is sweeter than regular butter, and created a complex richness in the soup.  I also added a piece of pancetta that I had been saving in my freezer and browned this along with the cauliflower.  I often try to keep a piece of this handy in order to flavor soups and sauces.

Next, I chopped shallots, onion, and garlic and added them to the pot along with a dash of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and dried french thyme for flavor.

Once the veggies were softened and browned, I added two boxes of chicken stock, freshly chopped parsley, and about 1/4 cup grated grana padano cheese (parmigiano would work well too).  I allowed this to simmer for a few minutes so that the flavors could become incorporated.

In the meantime, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees, and chopped up bread pieces to use as croutons, tossing them on a cookie sheet with olive oil and rosemary seasoned salt.  

 

On a separate cookie sheet, I spread chopped kale that I drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with steak seasoning, salt, pepper, and smoked spanish paprika.  I wanted the kale to be a smokey and crispy element that would add complexity to the soup.

While these were baking (making sure not to let the kale burn), I removed the pancetta pieces from the soup pot and pureed the soup using my immersion blender.  Once the soup was creamy, I added about two cups of milk, and a little more butter to get a thick but smooth consistency.  Salt and pepper were added as needed.

Next, I made a chili oil to drizzle on top of the finished soup.  I don't keep chili oil in my pantry, so I mixed olive oil with chili pepper, smoked spanish paprika, chipotle seasoning, and a splash of tabasco.  I let this sit for a while so that the dried spices would become incorporated into the olive oil.

When the kale was brown and crispy, I added some slices of imported capicola to the cookie sheet so that I could crisp it and crumble it over the soup.  This would add a smoky crunch that would balance the nutty flavor of the kale and the sweetness of the soup.

Once everything was finished, it was time to assemble the soup!

I put the left over kale and crispy capicola in a little bowl on the side to munch on and add to the soup.  The flavors combined into a perfect balance between sweet, nutty, smoky, and salty.

This is a wonderful soup to make and freeze to have for lunch or dinner.  Just save the crispy kale and croutons in an air tight container to add as a garnish and enjoy!  Yum!