Giant watermelon

 As the first chicken mushrooms featured in last week’s post declined, a second round sprouted right next to two of them. The new mushrooms are more intricately structured as well as more like the picture in the guide book. As dry as it’s been, I can’t imagine where they got the moisture. This is the one on the end of the log.

Second chicken mushroom next to the declining first mushroom on the end of the log

This is on top of the log.

Second growth on both sides of the fungus on top of the log

The vine dried up on my largest watermelon, so I rolled it to the edge of the high tunnel and had Terry bring it to the house on the Gator. I put it on the bathroom scale. It weighed 41.4 pounds!

Melon on bathroom scale registers 41.4 pounds

Sadly, it was overripe. As you can see by the photo, the melon is split around the center, and the surfaces were grainy.

Cracks in the center indicate overripeness

I salvaged what I could for eating and made much of the rest into watermelon juice. I was careful to not get too close to the rind where the melon picks up bitter notes. Like making jam, this too turned the kitchen into a big, sticky mess. I had to wipe the counter four times before it lost that shiny, sugar-covered patina.

Watermelon juice = big sticky mess

The raspberry harvest continues to be great. Terry estimates that he has picked 100 pints. Yesterday I made another batch of jam and a tart loosely based on Ruth Reichl’s recipe for Oléron Berry Tart.

Raspberry tart

The filling is made of almond flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and egg yolks. One layer of raspberries is baked with the filling, and a second layer is added after the tart cools.

Inside view

I have enough crushed raspberries for four more batches of jam in the freezer. For the first two batches, I used fresh crushed raspberries, and the jams set up nicely. In other years, I have not had such good gelling. I wonder if freezing the juice makes the difference. I’ll know soon. Meanwhile, it’s time to can the sauerkraut.