By: Marketman

Marketman — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 10:29:31 +0000

Yes Virgilio, you are lucky to have both lily of the valley and wild arugula in your backyard! In the last few years cultivated arugula yield these large, sometimes very bitter or alternatively tasteless versions of a lovely wild original. In New York lately farmers have imported the seeds of the wilder variety and pick them when the leaves are extremely young. They are much better than the commercial variety. Surprisingly, in Manila, there are a few adventurous growers raising baby arugula and picking them very small as well. The weather here appears to be too hot and if they grow too big they get too bitter. I once grew arugula on the window sill garden of my apartment in Jakarta, they were wickedly bitter and nearly inedible. I have never tried pumpking oil but am intrigued. Have to keep that on my file to ingredients to try. Thanks for your comments, I am always pleased to hear when a reader has gained something from his or her visit to the site.

By: virgilio p. castillo

virgilio p. castillo — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 08:21:24 +0000

The wild baby arugola you mentioned, are they the same as the rock salad they call in the UK (Rucola where I live which is Vienna, Austria))? Just like how you described them, rucola has a peppery taste. Tastes like wallnuts, too. Like the lily of the valley, they grow abundant in our garden. I should say I’m lucky because some of the things people find fancy grow wild in our garden and we tend to ignore them!Try next time your arugula and this soft buttery salad you wrote with pumpkin oil and balsamic vinegar and tell me your verdict. BTW, do you think arugula will thrive in the Phils.? I’ll try your duck with compote this weekend. I enjoy reading your writeups. More power to you.

Comments on: The Last New York Supper

By: Marketman

By: virgilio p. castillo