Friday, October 8, 2010

A Garden Tale Worth Repeating .. Jimmy Nardello Peppers


'Jimmy Nardello'
Returning to my tour of Stone Edge Farm and Vineyards, head gardener Lena introduced me to these delectable sweet red peppers with an intriguing name.

Back home, my curiosity roused, I searched the internet before labeling the photographs I had taken as we explored the farm's ornamental and edible gardens, and the estate's modernist architecture and art.
I found the story about how the peppers were named on the 'Iowa Source' web site.
Reading the history of one Southern Italian gentleman, Giuseppe Nardiello, and his descendants exemplifies the endlessly engaging encounters that a love of gardening affords.

Needless to say, I'm itching to buy seeds and grow a crop next year--at T's community garden, of course! A side note: My Italian father introduced me to a melange of sauteed sweet peppers, and although I was not inclined to indulge as a child,
the zealous foodie I've become is mad about this dish.

8 comments:

  1. Melange of sauteed sweet peppers sounds delicious, is it simply cooked in olive oil? Or are there other ingredients?

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  2. Hi Terra,
    A mix of peppers and olive oil... that's it: Delish!!

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  3. Hi Alice, Jimmy Darnello? I learn something new again. I'm kind of crazy over chillies. I don't eat that much but I enjoy watching the many varieties grow. I have loads of Bird'e Eye Chillies. My Black Pearl is fruiting...

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  4. Sweet peppers are all too often overlooked. Where it not too cold here, I'd grow some.

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  5. I get so entranced reading the descriptions of seeds in my Seed Saver's Book. Even though I realize that just because it traveled by covered wagon across the country it doesn't necessarily taste amazing, I just can't help myself!

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  6. I grow sweet peppers every year. I just ate lunch, which included a cabbage dish with sweet peppers from our garden. This pepper is a beauty.

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  7. Simple, fried peppers with crusty bread becomes a wonderful dish!

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