Bread and Butter Pickles from Peeled Green Papaya Strips

I have nearly all these ingredients, will make a BIG jar of refrigerator pickles using a version of this recipe but using crisp raw green papaya strips, UNcooked, in place of the cucumbers.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bread_and_butter_pickles/

Green papaya idea....I have a jar of Jamaican jerk that Mary Jo gave me, and I have two jars of home made jerk based on two very differing recipes...I will peel a green papaya, clean out the seeds, slice it into 1 inch thick "steaks", brown each side slowly in coconut oil and roasted sesame oil, then smear a thin layer of jerk on the top side, put the lid on the skillet to warm the jerk and meld it into the papaya, then serve. I suspect it will be yummy. Since there will be a hole in the center of some of the slices where the seed cavity ease, I might crack in a raw egg from the girls, put the lid on, and cook the egg within the slice to add protein to the dish.

I'm not wild about the taste of moringa, raw, all by itself, right off the tree, but nonetheless I made a salad this morning that was easily 1/3 moringa leaves, the rest being mixed brassicas, garlic and onion leaves....I forgot to add the nasturtium leaves. I tossed a handful of Jamaican Cherries on top. The dressing was kombucha tea/olive oil/left over basil pesto in the blender...one of THE best salads I've ever eaten and doubtless one of the most nutritious. I literally could not taste the moringa leaves, which I normally add to soups, stir fry, and omelets.

My kombucha tea is a few weeks old and wonderfully vinegary and so today I'll use some to make an olive oil Italian style dressing to pour on a salad of mixed brassica and nasturtium and onion and moringa and garlic and Lesbos basil leaves, and peeled cubed green papaya, topped with ripe Jamiacan cherries. While I'm at it I'll pick two papayas on the monster plant out by the street that are FINALLY showing signs of ripening. If all goes well they will ripen indoors in a few days and be transformed into luscious, nutritious fruit smoothies with frozen bananas and a whole range of added nutrients. Nothing like winter gardening in coastal central Florida!

Green Papaya Salsa Recipe

I have OODLES of green papayas on five plants, and so I am going to increase my use of unripe papayas in my main dishes. I very rarely eat salsa, but this recipe makes my mouth water. I need to buy just the orange juice, will use my own Filipino Mexican Tree Peppers in place of the jalapeno, and buy a big bag of corn chips!

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/01/green-papaya-salsa-recipe.html

So much for forecasts of 70-80% chance of rain and severe thunderstorms!!!

Tampa's Independent Tree Service

If all goes well I will soon be getting another load of mulch from Independent Tree Service who has done good things for me and students and friends for several years now.

http://www.independenttreeservice.com/