Tea Time Talk: A Nederland Photo Essay

by ~2 mins

This week’s Tea Time Talk covers our latest trip to Nederland, CO with hail, prairies, and parasitic conical plants.

Here are the top 3 most popular posts from this week.

  1. Silken Tofu vs. Soft Tofu: What’s the Difference?
  2. 5-Minute Easy Garlic Bread Recipe
  3. 9 Types Of Tofu You’ve Never Heard Of

What we’re lovin’ this week

  • Chickpeas / garbanzo beans – we’re experimenting with dried chickpeas instead of canned. Surprisingly, dried chickpeas are more flavorful and worth the extra effort. I fry hydrated raw chickpeas in canola oil with a lot of salt and whole cumin seeds.
  • Tofu cubes + chicken bone broth + wakame seaweed soup for breakfast
  • Spring rolls with tofu and shrimp

Try out this recipe

Did you receive this bulbous brassica in your CSA box? Or have you eyed it in the produce aisle and wondered what to do with it? Kohlrabi, a cousin to cabbage and broccoli, is sweet and mild.

Anna with kohlrabi
What is this kohlrabi thing? I had no idea what to do with it when I received it in the CSA box.

Kohlrabi was a staple in Alex’s grandma’s garden. I can picture the beautiful leaves peeking out in spring after the cold Ohio winters. Grandma Jo’s Garlic Kohlrabi with Pancetta recipe. Grandma Jo used to grow kohlrabi in her vegetable garden in front of the

Grandma Jo’s Garlic Kohlrabi with Pancetta recipe

Garlic Kohlrabi with Pancetta main image

I can’t stop thinking about…

Portrait view of tall pine trees and a dirt path in the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO

Our visit to Nederland, CO about a 30-minute drive from Boulder. I desperately needed a mini-vacation, and Alex wanted to get out of the humid 93ºF / 34ºC heat. We traveled to about 8,000 ft. / 2400 m altitude for cool breezes and even rain + hail.

Alex says he likes pretty pictures. Since my brain is fried this week, I’ll leave you with photos from our trip that I can’t stop thinking about.

A view of the scenic lake at Nederland, CO
The day starts with bright blue skies and bubbling rapids.
Alex in front of the lake at Nederland, CO looking towards the water
Alex in front of the lake at Nederland, CO
Anna in front of the lake at Nederland, CO looking at the camera
The stormy clouds begin to roll in as we stroll along the banks of the Barker Reservoir.
A view from the youth center parking lot while hail and rain descend in Nederland, CO
Then it started to rain. And hail.

As quickly as the storm rolled in, it cleared away. We decided to get out of Nederland downtown and explore the Caribou Ranch Open Space. The reviews promised beautiful wildflowers and some intriguing history about Stevie Nicks and Elton John recording songs near this open space.

Landscape view of Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO with tall pine trees and open grassy areas
We discover the Caribou Ranch Open Space has a light and airy feel. Big birch and pine trees line the dirt path we hiked on.
Anna in front of landscape view of Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO with tall pine trees and open grassy areas
Close up look of wild flowers including white and purple daisies at the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO
There were daisies in all sorts of colors — white, purple, yellow.
Close up look of wild flowers including white, purple, and pink daisies at the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO
Close up look of white and purple daisies at the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO

We hiked through some wooded forests.

Portrait view of tall pine trees and a dirt path in the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO
Close up look of dry dead tree trunk and roots with a lot of craggy texture
Eventually, we made it out to the prairie where we saw a beautiful field of wildflowers. There were also plenty of craggy dead tree stumps adding character to the grassy fields.
Alex at the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO in front of a field of wild flowers and trees
Anna and Alex at the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO in front of a field of wild flowers
Alex + me in the prairie
Portrait view of tall birch tree with textured bark and lenticels in the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO
We discovered this twisty birch tree with textured bark and lenticels that gave it personality and gravitas.
Close up look of a birch tree with textured bark in the Caribou Ranch Open Space in Nederland, CO
What do you see on the tree trunk?

Finally, it was time to go home. We were greeted on our way out by this eye-catching conical plant with spiky leaves and tiny beige buds. I’ve tried looking him up but I can’t find what type of plant it is. Google thinks it’s a parasitic broomrape plant.

Close up look of a cone-shaped plant with tiny white flowers that I haven't yet identified. Could be a broomrape plant?
Alex thought this was a cannabis plant from afar. After all, we now live in Colorado.

Do you know what kind of plant this is? If so, leave a comment to let us know.

Anna looking down chopping vegetables
About Anna Rider

Hi! I'm Anna, a food writer who documents kitchen experiments on GarlicDelight.com with the help of my physicist and taste-testing husband, Alex. I have an insatiable appetite for noodles 🍜 and believe in "improv cooking".

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