Food - 5 min read
A week of cooking from the garden
By Mei Tanaka - 10 May 2026 - 3 views
Photo: Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Seven dinners, one small raised bed, and the slightly humbling discovery that silverbeet does in fact go in everything.
The deal I made with myself was straightforward: every dinner this week would feature at least one thing pulled out of the garden that day. The garden, for the record, is one raised bed and three pots on a sunny step.
Monday was silverbeet and ricotta tart. The pastry was bought. I am not a saint. Tuesday was a roast tomato pasta with the last of the basil and a punishing amount of garlic. Wednesday was the leftover tart.
Thursday I panicked. The bed was looking thin. So I leant on the herbs - a chickpea and lemon soup with all the parsley I had and a fistful of mint on top. It worked.
Friday was a guests night. I cheated and served roast chicken with whatever lettuce I could rescue. The salad got compliments. The chicken got eaten. The garden got name-dropped.
Saturday was the most pleasing one: a frittata, every green thing chopped fine and folded through eggs. Sunday I gave up and ordered pizza, but I did put my own basil on top before serving. It counts.
Monday was silverbeet and ricotta tart. The pastry was bought. I am not a saint. Tuesday was a roast tomato pasta with the last of the basil and a punishing amount of garlic. Wednesday was the leftover tart.
Thursday I panicked. The bed was looking thin. So I leant on the herbs - a chickpea and lemon soup with all the parsley I had and a fistful of mint on top. It worked.
Friday was a guests night. I cheated and served roast chicken with whatever lettuce I could rescue. The salad got compliments. The chicken got eaten. The garden got name-dropped.
Saturday was the most pleasing one: a frittata, every green thing chopped fine and folded through eggs. Sunday I gave up and ordered pizza, but I did put my own basil on top before serving. It counts.
