Peggy, row covers may be an answer with flea beetles. I don't have much experience using them. My primary veggie garden is so exposed that I have trouble with wind blowing just about everything away (even the plants :o(. Some areas don't have trouble with flea beetles and some years are worse than others. In my garden, brassicas suffer the most. The worse time comes early in the season but I've learned the flea beetle larvae are feeding on the roots of the host plants throughout the year. These flightless critters grow up in and hang out in the soil as adults. The idea of using row covers for protection reminds me of using plastic tunnels and then discovering that I'd inadvertently created a wonderful home for ants! I am not, however, saying that if wonÂt work. One thing, the more stones or debris on the soil surface - the more problems I have with the flea beetles. So, some gardens have had very few problems and others have seen brassica devastation. To suppress the critters, rotenone/pyrethrum spray not only on the growing plants but on the soil surface has worked well. When the plants are small, it is easy to overspray around them onto the soil. As with any pest - if you don't have 'em or can live with Âem, don't spray 'em. And, even if rotenone/pyrethrum is organic and isn't very persistent, it IS a poison. Steve

Here's an easy one & can be reheated: HOT CABBAGE SLAW (serves 4) 3 cups shredded green or white cabbage 1 tsp salt 1 TBL butter 1/2 cupmilk 1 tsp caraway seeds 1/2 tsp tarragon or more Pepper to taste Put the cabbage ina 1 qt pan. Rinse & drain. Sprinkle w/the salt, cover & place over medium heat. When the cover is hot to the thouch, reduce the heat to low & cook 5 minutes. Add butter, milk & caraway seeds. Add teh tarragon & pepper & stir to blend. Bring to a boil. Serve hot.~~Craig Claiborne This is forgiving as far as quantities: GERMAN SWEET & SOUR CABBAGE (serves 4) 4-6 slices bacon 1 small cabbage, coarsely chopped 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 1/3 cup sugar Salt & pepepr 2/3 cup white vinegar Fry bacon until crisp; drain, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon. Place cabbage in a large saucepan; cover w/water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium & cook 10-12 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain & return to suacepan. While cabbage is hot, stir in onion, sugar & salt & pepper to taste. Let stand over low heat, tightly covered for several minutes. Reheat reserved drippings in a small saucepan. Stir in vinegar & bring to a boil. Pour over cabbage, stir & let stand 2-3 minutes. Top w/crumbled bacon.~~Food for Thought

Here's a couple of recipes for you. Cabbage just says "Autumn" to me, for some reason :-) I've made the first recipe often - we like it as a side dish with roast turkey or pork. The second is a recipe I have in my files to try that sounds good, with the bonus of being a one pan meal. Becky * Exported from MasterCook * Slow-Braised Cabbage with Apples and Cranberries Recipe By :Becky Chatham Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3 tablespoons brown sugar a generous pinch each of cinnamon, cloves and freshly grated nutmeg salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 head red cabbage -- cored and shredded 1 large onion -- chopped finely 1 garlic clove -- peeled and chopped finely 2 large cooking apples -- peeled, cored and chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon butter SERVES 6 Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Lightly grease a large casserole dish. Mix the sugar, spices, salt, and pepper. Layer the shredded cabbage with the onion, garlic, apples, and cranberries, seasoning each layer with a pinch of the seasoning. Sprinkle the vinegar over top, and dot with butter. Cover and cook for about 2 hours, giving the mixture a stir halfway through cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary before serving. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Pork Tenderloins Braised with Red Cabbage Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3 pork tenderloins 1 cup Pinot Noir 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 bay leaves -- crumbled 2 cloves garlic -- mashed Ground cloves 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 thick slices bacon 1 large red onion -- thinly sliced 4 medium carrots -- peeled, sliced or julienned 1 red cabbage -- (2-pound) cored, thinly shredded 1/2 cup beef stock (homemade or canned) 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Steamed baby carrots -- for garnish Trim the tenderloins of all fat and silver skin. Combine the Pinot Noir, 1/2 cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, garlic and a pinch of ground cloves in a noncorrosive bowl and whisk to mix well. Add the tenderloin and turn to coat well. Marinate, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the refrigerator for 8 hours or longer, turning 2 or 3 times. Remove the tenderloins to drain on paper towels, reserving the marinade. Cut the tenderloins into halves. Brown in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan. Remove the pork. Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch strips. Add to the saute pan. Cook over low heat just until light brown. Add the onion and sliced or julienned carrots. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage. Cook until it begins to wilt. Add the reserved marinade with the garlic, beef stock, salt and pepper; mix well. Add the pork, covering with the cabbage. Cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes, turning the pork once. Remove the pork to a plate. Cook the cabbage, uncovered, until any remaining liquid is reduced to syrup. Adjust the seasonings. Slice the pork. Spoon the cabbage onto plates and arrange the pork on top. Garnish with steamed baby carrots. Yield: 6 servings Credits Recipe from: The Vintner's Table Cookbook: Recipes from a Winery Chef by Mary Evely (Simi Winery) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Chinese white sauce was good. Less salty than the brown sauces. But I adapted and used less of the salty ingredients. And used no-salt chicken broth, for example. Also used the velveting technique for the meat. Kind of makes the slurry for thickening the sauce ahead of time. I too like the sweeter "sweet and sour" profile in my Asian sauces, but hubs is not a fan. Hence my quest for less sweet, less salty sauces for our stir fries. I used to make stir fry about once a week to use up bits and bobs of vegetables I had on hand. Kind of stopped due to my sauces mostly being a bust so it wasn't that great of a meal. Plus I usually used tofu as the protein so that was two strikes against it in hubs book. Plus back when we lived out East we had a great local takeout place . . .plus I used to be able to afford good quality store bought stuff, but either can't get or can't afford nowdays. Wanting to get back into it, motivated to try and up my game . . . not sure how long this phase will last . . . My local groceries do not carry the Mori-Nu tofu in the aseptic cardboard boxes that is shelf stable. I never liked it for stir fry, but used it. I had too many fresh tofu cartons go bad on me . . . the best I could do with the silken tofu, even the extra firm, was bake it and try and dry it out a bit. On the flip side, it makes the best sub for creamy eggy stuff, like dips, cream pies, quiche, smoothies, pudding, fake scrambled eggs, etc. I am going to have to stock up next time I am in a big town. Our foodie run is usually to nearby Horrocks in Battle Creek, 45 miles away.