Have you eaten out at an expensive restaurant lately? No? Me either. But I have dined at such places. I’ve noticed a trend –perfect petite greens in a tiny mound on the plate. These greens are not a garnish. Despite filling no more than a thimble, they are listed on the menu as part of the entree, often called microgreens salad.

I had some last night. Here is a bowlful, dressed with good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. These greens are a combination of Tuscan kale and fancy lettuces. They were delicious. I had more than a thimbleful. They came from my garden.

I don’t grow microgreens on purpose. What I do grow are beds of kale, chard and mixed lettuces.

All of which need thinning.

It’s tedious work. It seems like it might not be worth the bother to collect those small leaves,

and then wash several times in water and spin dry.

But it is. Last night, after a long day in the garden and cleaning the coop, I didn’t feel much like cooking. We had spaghetti and jarred tomato sauce topped with (very good) grated parmesan cheese. We also had microgreens salad, which made it all seem special.

For dessert we had homemade rhubarb and peach crumble, which took all of five minutes to put together before baking. But, that’s for another post.