Dragon Fruits 2018

Dragon fruits plant has been growing quite well.  Given that they are protected and kept warm or away from the harsh summer sun.  From the seed germination to maintaining healthy stalks, it's a learning experience.  All the YouTube postings really helped me to learn how this particular tropic cacti would behave.  It's still unpredictable how it will be this year, but it made it through the winter of 2017-2018 - 35F - 40F - 65F; spring of 2018 - 65F-80F, summer of 2018 -85F - 110F, and now the fall of 2018.  During the winter period of 2017-2018, luckily I improvised and wrapped the plant with heavy mil clear plastic and a rope holiday light.  The rope light is switched to turn on at dusk till early morning.
The only think I am really reluctant to do right now is to thin it out to several planters.
I am hoping to see some blossom and fruits in 2019.
                                                                      Early Spring 2018

 

September 29, 2018

 It's getting wild.

Polly's Lemon Zucchini Cake with Fresh Cranberries

This zucchini cake has become one of my favorite healthy cake.  My promise to myself this year is to bake or cook by adding a little bit more nutrient than to just use plain white flour.  If you have already been doing that then, you got a head start to a healthy life.  And even though it says, "Lemon" zucchini, I didn't have enough fresh lemon from my mother's lemon tree, so I used orange zest and cranberries.  I normally zest lemon, lime, and oranges in summer when they are available.  Then, I package them tight in freezer ziplock bag.  I use them through out the year.

 

My mother gave me a few zucchini, and I didn't really know what to do. Zucchini is bland and is not a favorite of mine.

I came across this recipe at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/10754/lemon-zucchini-bars/

Yes, the original recipe is titled "bars", but mine is so fluffy, I call it the cake.

INGREDIENTS I used for my cake are -

1-1/4 C  Organic cane sugar

3/4 C Avocado Oil 

3 eggs

2 Tbsp Orange Zest from my mom's orange tree - I did not find Lemon Zest in my freezer.

Instead of 1/4 C fresh Lemon Juice, I used 1 C Frozen Cranberries - this is fresh cranberries purchased when available, and being froze.   Boil 1 C frozen cranberries with 1/2 C sugar with 2 Tbsp water for 15 min or till mushy and liquid evaporated to 1/4 C and cooled.

1-3/4 C Grated Zucchini - Squeeze as much liquid out between palms of your hand or by placing them in the cheese cloth to squeeze.   (*for this recipe, I only had 1 C of zucchini)

2 C All-purpose flour

2 tsp Baking Powder without aluminum

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Kosher Salt

I did not put nuts or use confectioner's sugar for decoration.

Preheat oven to 400'F about mid-way through you mixing the ingredients.  I don't like to heat up the house in summer time or waste energy if I can help it.

METHODS - Manually with hand whisk or use your favorite electric mixer

Beat eggs for 2 min using whisk, start adding sugar 1/4 C at a time.  Beat eggs and sugar until pale in color - this is how you give the cake the fine crumbs.  Add avocado oil, orange zest*/ Lemon zest

Shift flour, baking powder, baking soda three to four times.

Sprouting Cherimoya Seeds

I tried to germinate Cherimoya seeds from organic Cherimoya I purchased at one of the food co-op.  I thought the organic ones would not be so 'zapped' by whatever during the transport and its seeds are not sterilized.  Of course, I have no clue at this moment about the agricultural import process and what all that sterilization would do, but that organic Cherimoya cost me $12 for less than 1 pound size.  Tried a couple of different ways to germinate the seeds, but no reaction.  I was very patient.  I decided to discard them and try the seeds from Cherimoya I purchased from the Asian market.  I know for one thing that Cherimoya seed takes a 'long' time to germinate - at least three months.  And its worth the waiting.  After planting the seeds in organic soil (placed inside the house - next to the patio door,) Cherimoya seeds finally sprouted.And I am glad I planted about 10 seeds.
    This is the sprouting of the first seed.  I was so happy to see it.  I saw it carrying this big o'le pod on its head.  I was concerned that it is to heavy for it... so... I took it off to help out.  Well.  A big mistake.
After watching a few others sprouting and weather got warmer, and I was too busy to tend to them a couple of days, those seeds sprouted with big pod on their head grew bigger and taller than the first one.  Sad.  So the 1st one remained dwarfed as is.  Now I know the pod contains some kind of nutrients it needs to grow until it is all used up, and it drops off on its own.

These ones followed after two weeks.

They are quite strong to hold up those big o'le pods up.

It can even hold it at an angle.

Sorry, Number 1.  I removed your pod too early.

A new ones coming through.

 These groups was taken outdoor.  They seemed to know that they are not indoor, and they are not sure to poke their heads out or not.

 See how they seem to hang onto their pod.

Their future is yet to be seen.  I don't know if they will grow and make it in Sacramento as the other Cherimoya I had a few years ago.  That one died from frost bite one winter because I used the wrong cover to protect it during the winter.

Summer 2018 Status:
Transferred to Outdoor.

 During the hot summer heat of Sacramento, all plants are protected by ground cloth/cover wrapped around  awire cage on one side to prevent sun burn.