Joy's Organic Kitchen

I have often been asked how I prepare healthy food on a daily basis. This is my way to show you my daily life with food: shopping at the Hollywood Farmers Market; turning beautiful produce into delicious feasts; buying, storing and cooking food within the confines of my busy life; and doing it all on a budget. I hope you will get some ideas that will fit into your life; and an expanded way of looking at food and its connection with your body, your health, your community and the planet.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Cantaloupe and Lemon Verbena

Lemon verbena is a tender perennial that flourishes in Southern California. Its lemony-scented leaves are great in tea and sprinkled over salads and desserts. You can also dry them and put them in sachets to lightly scent your clothes or linens. I have not done this, although our lemon verbena plant is big enough that I could make many sachets with it.

It has grown to 5 feet in all directions, and has draped itself over and through a trellis fence. Rambling through its branches are a gloriosa lily, a tomatillo, a rose-scented geranium, and a serrano pepper plant.

The other day I braved the jungle to pick a few lemon-scented leaves that I sliced and scattered over fresh cantaloupe. It was a great combination - the verbena tasted peppery when combined with the sweetness of the cantaloupe. Yum.