Free Thai Cooking Lecture Sun, Mick & Sap | 25% off all metal yard art

tel: 512-280-1192 Friday, Nov 2, 2012

Nursery notes: 25% off all metal yard art, including trellises,

planters, benches, animal yard art. We have a large selection of

annuals. Fall bulbs have arrived! Onion sets available in 2 weeks.

____________________________________________________

Attention all Foodies! Coming this Sunday: Thai Herb Cooking

Demo with Sap Apisaksri (Sap's Fine Thai Cuisine), and Mick

Vann (gustidude.blogspot.com, Austin Chronicle). These amazing

chefs will show you how to make Thai stir-fry, and Tom Kha soup.

Not to be missed!!! (Nov 4, 2 p.m. Free)

Sap's Fine Thai Cuisine: 4515 West Gate Blvd, 78751)

Next Sun: A New Approach to Edible Landscapes, by Annie Welbes

Monterrey oak (aka Mexican white oak) is such a graceful super-

star of the oaks: resistant to oak-wilt, drought tolerant, fast-growing,

evergreen with pretty bronze color leaves in spring and not too fussy

about soil. We currently have some fine 7 gal. specimens on sale

for $49.99, 15 gal. for $124.99 and 30 gal. for $249.99.

_____________________________________________________

Central Texas Gardener (KLRU-TV): understory tree choice is

the topic for Tom Spencer and guest Meredith O'Reilly with a focus

on the carolina buckthorn, spicebush, and red buckeye. On tour the

CTG team visits Lazy Acres, Christine and Pete Hausmann's wild-

life-friendly family homestead. Sat. noon, 4 p.m. or Sun. at 9 a.m.

www.klru.

_______________________________________________________

'Chicken Sitting' lecture, Sat. at 2 p.m. presented by Vicky Barnes

henhousesitters.com and the Austin Backyard Poultry Meetup Group.

Learn all about water and food requirements, and protection against

common central Texas predators.

Holy Basil has a very aromatic, peppery flavor

Five Crucial Thai Herbs

by Chris Winslow

This Sunday at 2 p.m. we're hosting a Thai cooking event presented by

my friends Sap Apisaksiri and Mick Vann. In preparation for the lecture,

I thought it would be useful to highlight some of the top herbs used

in Thai cooking.

____________________________________________________

1. Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citrates)

This is a clump grass that's easy to grow and is used heavily in many

Thai recipes. It can grow to a height of 4 feet and loves a sunny expo-

sure. Lemon grass likes a deep soil, rich in compost, and a protected

spot away from the winter wind. After the first frost you should cut

it back and mulch heavily. The fleshy part base of each stalk is used

for cooking. It should be minced finely and ground in a food processor.

Lemon grass is used to make curries, soups, and teas. (1 gal. $7.99

5 gal $19.99)

_____________________________________________________

2. Galangal Ginger (Alpinia galangal)

An exotic ginger with greenish-blue leaves and beautiful white

flowers. It grows 4 to 5 feet in height and spreads via underground

roots or rhizomes. Galangal ginger, or kha as it is known in Thailand,

flourishes in the shade and requires some winter protection. If it is

planted outside, it should be placed in a protected spot and mulched

heavily for winter. It also does well as an indoor plant. Grown indoors,

it should be given a sunny spot close to a window. The fleshy rhizome

of this plant can be harvested for use in soups such as tom-kha - which

will be part of Sunday's cooking demo.

(4.5" round $4.99 1 gal pots for $9.99)

_____________________________________________________

3. Thai sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum var thyrsiflora)

Called horapa in Thai, this is an easy-to-grow summer annual herb

related to sweet basil. It has a paler green leaf with purplish coloration

close to the flower bracts. Like all basils, it enjoys a sunny exposure

and moist, well-drained soil. Basil always dies away after the first

bout of cold weather. However it can be grown in a sunny kitchen

window or garden room. One can also save the seed for next spring’s

planting. Thai sweet basil is used as a garnish for its aromatic qualities.

(4.5" round for $3.59)

_____________________________________________________

4. Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

This is also very easy to grow in the spring through fall garden. Its

leaves and flower bracts are purplish in color, adding a striking orna-

mental effect to the garden. Holy basil is always cooked before

eating. It is used for stir-fry and has a very aromatic, peppery flavor.

4.5" round for $3.59

_____________________________________________________

5. Thai Lime (Citrus hytrix)

This is a lime tree that can be grown from cuttings or seed. The

lime is rough and bitter and the tree is quite thorny. But it is the

leaves that are used in abundance in Thai recipes. The zest of the

fruits is also used in making curry pastes. Like most citrus, Thai

lime (known as Mak-root in Thailand) should be given a full sun

to part shade exposure.

Since most citrus isn’t cold hardy, Thai lime should be grown in a

container, so it can be protected in the winter. They are considered

heavy feeders and should be given frequent applications of plant

food, especially during the growing season (spring to fall). If you

have ever wanted to grow citrus, this maybe a good place to start.

4" for $7 1 gal. for $12.99

Happy gardening everyone!

Visit the website: www.itsaboutthyme.com