I have never had a green thumb.
There have been times in the past where I tried to grow chiles from seeds, or keep basil on my windowsill, or even keep a jasmine plant alive. All of these endeavors were met with withered leaves and brown stems. (I even managed to kill a cactus in high school).
Luckily, The Country Boy has what the French call la main verte, or a green hand. Perhaps it’s because the whole hand – and not just the thumb – is concerned (or perhaps it’s just because he’s from the countryside, or more patient, or just generally better at interacting with the world than I am), but TCB can keep pretty much any plant alive and thriving, including an orchid that was, for all intents and purposes, dead.
Today, the orchid thrives, alongside two sisters, two avocado plants (grown from pits), a smattering of fresh herbs, several tomato plants, and the beginnings of a lemon tree.
(I asked TCB recently if he’d ever like to be a farmer. He looked at me as though I was insane.)
But while TCB is very good at keeping our plants alive, I’m somewhat less talented at using them up at the appropriate times. Exhibit A was the recent state of our chive plant, which had grown woody and sprouted beautiful purple blossoms. I harvested some to make a tasty potato salad just in the nick of time: the heat of the past few weeks led our chives to be infested with pucerons, which TCB managed to fend off by removing pretty much all of the remaining greenery and adding coffee grounds.
I may not be married to a farmer, but as he told me around my birthday, if I tell him what I’d like to have around, he’ll do whatever he can to keep it alive.
Chive and Corn Potato Salad (serves 4)
5 salad potatoes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
300 grams corn kernels
1 small bunch chives
1 avocado, diced
salt and pepper
chive blossoms, for garnish
Wash the potatoes and cook them for 20 minutes in salted boiling water. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and mustards. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and rinse them slightly under cold running water, until cool enough to handle. Slice directly into the serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, or chill until ready to serve if you’d like to serve the salad cold.
Add the corn, avocado, and chives to the bowl, and toss well to combine. Garnish with chive blossoms and serve.