Weekly Garden Thread - September 14th-20th, 2019

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.

This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.

It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go and... that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.

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At the Trumps’ second state dinner, a garden party under the stars

President Trump and first lady Melania are hosting Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife, Jenny Morrison, with a menu the White House said “highlights the lush, late summer season across the vast lands of America.”

The bounty of produce that will be served to guests in the Rose Garden includes sunchokes, which will be served roasted, pureed and encased in ravioli, and dressed with a lemony Parmigiano-Reggiano sauce. Bonus veggies come in the form of shavings of sun-gold carrots, baby kale and sunchoke chips atop the first-course pasta dish.

The entree, Dover sole, served with a fennel mousseline (a rich, hollandaise-adjacent sauce) has a classic feel. It’s accompanied by summer squash blossoms, whose green and gold hues echo the decor — and, certainly not coincidentally, the colors of the guest country.

Hyperlocal sourcing is in effect, with herbs from the White House garden topping a rouille, a mayonnaise-like condiment spiked with garlic.

Also traditional is the dessert, a gussied-up apple pie made with Lady apples from Pacific Northwest and Mid-Atlantic trees. The tart is accompanied with a scoop (or two, if you’re the commander in chief?) of ice cream spiked with Calvados, an apple brandy that offers a double dose of the trademark American fruit.

The Trumps greet the Australian PM for the state dinner.

Melania wore Paris-trained couturier J Mendel's seafoam green gown with a high neck and transparent sleeves.
The dress is embellished with vertical rows of bias-cut wavy ruffles falling to a narrow hand-pleated skirt.
It sells for about $6,000 on the Bergdorf Goodman website but is on sale for about $1,500.

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