23 May 2012

Word(y) Wednesday: Garden Inspiration, Cabbage and Violets

Kapusta i Fiołek Ogrodowy


Kapusta
(pronounced Kah-poo-stah)

Cabbage





Fiołek Ogrodowy
(pronounced feeoh-wehk Ohgrood-ohvih)

Viola
The literal translation is Violet of the Garden or Garden Violet.


Fiołek
(pronounced Feeoh-wehk)

Violet


Bratek
(pronounced Brah-tehk)

Pansy
The word loosely hints to the fact that the Pansy is the brother or friend of the violet.  Or that the Bratek is the brat (brother) of the Fiołek.








Violas are related to violets and pansies.  Violas tend to last better through the winter, so some gardeners prefer to use them.  You can use any of these plants interspersed and bordering your cabbage, lettuce, and other plants to protect them from garden pests.






Violet, Viola and Pansy petals and leaves can be eaten: 

  • As part of a beautiful salad or dish garnish
  • Crystallized on a dessert
  • Make a jelly from them
  • Use to delicately flavor a cake or icing
  • Make a very traditional Torun dish called violet soup which is not common in modern cuisine
  • Even the leaves can be cooked like spinach.

I must stress, however, that if you decide to eat the flowers and leaves, do not eat them if they have been sprayed with pesticides.





These photos come from our last trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden's Vegetable Gardens.

I hope this inspires you to garden and to think about non-traditional ways to grow your own food.



Watch for the next few Wordless (Wordy) Wednesday posts for gardening ideas and to see what we are growing in our own personal garden. 


The majority of my seeds come from Dom itp. Some seeds they offer are sunflowers, pickling cucumbers, Polish wild strawberries, several different flowers including violets and garden violas, parsley roots (I highly recommend trying this in some of your recipes), and many other varieties.  Their prices are comparable to going to your local chain or gardening store.  It's like having a piece of Poland in your backyard.

Disclaimer: The links and banner for Dom itp are part of an affiliate program. While the company does not pay for me to post their links and banner, I do receive a portion of all sales made using the links and banner in compensation. If you do purchase something from them this way, I sincerely thank you.

Na razie...



Related Posts:

Word(y) Wednesday: Our Polish American Garden

Word(y) Wednesday: Chicago Botanic Garden

Word(y) Wednesday:  Piękny Jaś



4 comments:

Lisa said...

So very cool!

Toni said...

That wall box is just gorgeous! I need on like that in my backyard...I have a PERFECT place for one :) I'll have to get my husband right on that project. lol Also? Love the little organic signs encouraging people to grow organic!

Luisa Rodríguez said...

I absolutely loved it too!

Unknown said...

Thanks, ladies! I love the way they are approaching gardening at CBG as well, making it easy for people to learn about and do on their own.