Food for 'Tauk

Cucumber Slaw

By Genevieve Salamone

Early this summer, my father decided he wanted to take up gardening and grow some vegetables in our backyard. He bought one of those starter kits from Home Depot, you know, where you plant the seeds in those tiny discs of dirt? Well I thought for sure it wasn't going to work - I have no faith in planting and gardening, probably because I dislike both (all that dirt, bugs, ew!) So I made fun of him a little, but lo and behold, the little dirt discs started to sprout baby plants.......and I was excited about it! We were going to have our own tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, parsley, and I thought that was so cool (I think I was a little overenthusiastic about it.)

Photo by Genevieve Salamone

So another reason I don't like gardening; it takes time. A lot of time. And I'm not a patient person at all (just ask my little brother). After the little sprouts started to form its own jungle in the corner of our kitchen (mom just loved that) Dad planted them outside, and at first you couldn't see anything from the kitchen window, just the same old dirt patch as always.

Time went by. Mom's birthday passed, my brother's graduation flew by; Fourth of July came and went. Still no vegetables, but the plants were growing taller each day, and I started to see little flowers popping up on the tomato and cucumber plants, and the tiny basil plants were starting to take shape, and the sweet smell of fresh basil starting wafting through the kitchen.

Next thing I know, just a few weeks ago, I hear my dad shouting from the backyard. Mom and I ran to see what the heck the fuss was about, and sure enough, Dad found a little baby cucumber growing among the dense (and kind of prickly!) leaves of the cucumber plant. We went on a mad hunt for baby cucumbers then, but found only a few pinky-finger sized cucumbers beginning to grow - and grow they did, fast. The other day, Dad brought in a cucumber that had to be at least 12 inches long and was as thick as my forearm. So we cut it up ate it with dinner. YUM!

We're stilling waiting on the tomatoes, but there are some green ones hanging out, taking their sweet time to turn red. Oh, and the basil is my favorite, and I have so much fun picking them. There are four basil plants in all, and they form lovely little bundles that I pick and put on the windowsill over the sink for Mom (she loves the smell, too).

So I have a totally new appreciation for gardening. My Dad schleps outside every morning to water his plants, and when he comes home he waters them again. It's funny to watch him garden - mom and I sit and laugh at him because he looks like your typical Italian alpha male, with shorts, a white tank top, his white socks pulled up to his knees and his feet in a beat up old pair of loafers. Mom tells me stories of her grandfather, and how he used to love to garden. I remember my great-grandmother shuffling around the garden, pulling weeds for hours before picking some basil or parsley to go along with dinner.

Maybe gardening is one of those things you appreciate as you mature. There's something to be said for growing vegetables in your backyard and feeding it to your family. It connects you to the earth in an extraordinary way. So now I'm writing this as an ode to gardeners, and to my Dad, to say sorry for making fun him, and thanks for the basil...but where are the darn tomatoes!?)

Combine vegetables in a medium bowl with a cover. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, lime juice and zest, sugar and salt and pepper. Once combined, slowly drizzle in olive oil to create your dressing.

Pour dressing over your veggies, and toss gently to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour prior to serving. The longer this one sits, the better!

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