Smoky Mountains Around Town / August 2018

Page 10 Around Town
Never Paint Your Nails Again!
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Cheryl Massey
Eastbend Automotive
Oil Changes, Tires, Brakes, Tune-Ups and Friendly Service!
(Next to 1885 East Parkway, at the corner of Highway 321 and Mills Park Road)
103 Mills Park Road, Gatlinburg • (865) 325-8266
Four Times Better Than Beets
to increase nitric oxide & lower blood pressure
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By Erin Elizabeth
While known as a salad green with a tangy, slightly peppery kick,
arugula is actually a relative of the cruciferous family, which
includes radishes, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli.
Like other members of this family, arugula contains a number of
medicinal nutrients, including cancer-fighting compounds and
carotenoids known for their importance for good eyesight.
It’s an excellent source of fiber, vitamins A, C and K, folate,
calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and
manganese. Arugula also provides high levels of protein, thiamin,
riboflavin, vitamin B6, zinc, copper and pantothenic acid (vitamin
B5).
Its flavonoid content helps improve blood vessel function, increase
blood flow, lower blood pressure and lower inflammation. Arugula
even has cleansing properties to counteract the poisoning effects of
heavy metals in the system, particularly in the liver, and helps
eliminate pesticides and herbicides from your body.
Arugula has long been considered an aphrodisiac, and modern
science supports this notion, showing trace minerals and
antioxidants help block absorption of environmental contaminants
suspected of impacting your libido.
Arugula Is a Heart-Healthy Food - Arugula also contains about 480
milligrams (mg) of nitrates per 100-gram serving, which your
body uses as raw material to make nitric oxide (NO), an important
biological signaling molecule that supports normal endothelial
function and protects your mitochondria.
Acting as a potent vasodilator, NO helps relax and widen the
diameter of your blood vessels, supporting healthy blood flow and
oxygenation of your tissues. It also carries away waste material and
carbon dioxide. A diet high in nitrate is a natural strategy
recommended for the treatment of prehypertension and
hypertension , and helps protect against heart attacks.
Raw beets are perhaps the most well-known for their ability to
lower blood pressure (thanks to their nitrate content), but arugula
actually contains the highest levels of nitrates of any vegetable. For
comparison, 100 grams of whole red beets provide a mere 110 mg
of nitrates to arugula’s 480 mg.
Arugula is a cool season crop, and can be added to your fall garden
plantings. It’s forgiving and can tolerate low-fertility soils and
frost, and is really easy to care for. But it does best in humus-rich
soils with a pH between 6 and 6.8. Seeds germinate best at
temperatures between 40 and 55 degrees F. Plant seeds directly
into your garden bed, but avoid planting in a spot where you just
harvested another cabbage family crop.
There are two main types of arugula. Common arugula (Eruca
sativa) is best for eating and cooking, and produces large, lush
growth, while the wild Italian arugula (Eruca selvatica), has a
bolder flavor tends to be more stemmy. The Italian variety will also
bolt faster.
Plant your seeds about one-fourth inch deep, 1 inch apart. Rows
should be about 3 inches apart. Seedlings will sprout in about 10 to
14 days. Arugula will do well planted next to lettuce and peas. For a
continuous harvest through the fall, plant new seeds every two
weeks up until about four weeks before your first frost date. Dry,
hot weather will speed bolting. If temperatures are still on the high
side, you can slow bolting by providing shade and making sure the
soil doesn’t dry out.
Mature arugula is ready to harvest in about 40 days. “Graze”
harvesting means selectively picking just a few leaves here and
there to add to your cooking. The smaller the leaf, the milder its
flavor. Use a pair of garden shears to cut back about one-third of
each plant, selecting the largest leaves in each bunch.The
remainder will continue to regenerate and grow back.
Once the arugula starts to flower, it’ll start turning bitter. At this
point, your best option is to pull the whole plant out by its roots.
Salvage whatever leaves you still find edible and compost the rest.
The arugula tends to bolt quickly, so keep an eye out for the telltale
signs of flowers and harvest right away.Ideally, harvest at a time
when it’s cooler and shadier, as the leaves will wilt quickly when
cut in full sun.
Arugula is a popular salad green, but can be added to any number of
dishes, such as sandwiches and hot or cold pesto. It will lose some
of its peppery punch when cooked.
How to Save the Seeds - Arugula seeds are easy to collect and save,
and can be stored for up to five years. The plant will produce small,
white flowers. Once flowers emerge, small seed pods will start to
form along the stem. If you like, you can actually eat the seeds.
They have a strong spicy kick, similar to a radish. Once the plant
bolts, the leaves will turn bitter and begin to brown.
There are a number of ways to collect the seeds. Some will cover
the stem with a nylon stocking to catch the seeds as the pods break
open. Alternatively, clip the stem, tie a paper bag around it and
hang upside down to dry.
To check if the seeds are ready to be collected, gently shake the
seed pod. The seeds are ready when you hear them rattling around
inside the pod. Eventually, the pods will break, releasing the seeds,
or you can crush the pod if you like. To separate the seed from the
chaff, Heirloom Organics suggests the following method:
“If your seeds are in a bag already, you can shake the bag or stick
your hand in the bag and crumble the dried seed pods. You’ll end up
with a pile of tiny dark seeds mixed in with papery seed pod chaff.
To separate this out, you can do it the old-fashioned way, which is
to put everything in a shallow pan and blow the chaff off the top of
the pile. The seeds weigh more than the chaff, so they will stay put.
Another way is to put them in a sieve that has holes bigger than the
seeds, but smaller than the chaff and shake.”
Store your seeds in a paper envelope or jar in a cool, dark, dry
place. Alternatively, store them in a zipper bag in your refrigerator.
865-474-0407
Thank You
Hidden Hills Animal Rescue would like to thank the following
local businesses for their support:
Crystelle Creek Restaurant
1654 East Parkway, Gatlinburg
Foot Gear
1004 Parkway, #301, Gatlinburg
Ober Gatlinburg
1001 Parkway, Gatlinburg
Misty Mountain Soap
601 Glades Road, (Morning Mist Village) Gatlinburg
849 Glades Road, (Covered Bridge) Gatlinburg
The Smiths
680 Glades Road, #2, Gatlinburg
Kountry Antics
600 Glades Road, # 2, Gatlinburg
Fowler’s Clay Work
1402 E. Parkway, #10, Gatlinburg
Jim England Restaurant Group
Best Italian & Howards Steakhouse, Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg Elks Lodge #1925
968 Parkway #7, Gatlinburg
Chef JDs LLC
600 Glades Road #4, Gatlinburg
KaTom Restaurant Supply, Inc.
305 Katom Dr, Kodak, TN
Paul Murray Gallery
1003 Glades Rd., Gatlinburg
Holly & Willow’s Pet Barn
170 Glades Rd., Gatlinburg
Ship Pub
170 Glades Rd., Gatlinburg
Anakeesta
576 Parkway, Gatlinburg
Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival
P.O. Box 753, Gatlinburg
Trail Entrances: • Patriot Park • Butler Street at Ashley • Jake Thomas Road
Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales
To August 11
The new Pigeon Forge Greenway runs alongside the Little
Pigeon River and stretches four miles from one end of town to
the other connecting beautiful residential areas and to bustling
commercial zones. Take a break from your run, walk or biking
venture at the Plaza at Butler Street and Ashley Avenue. There
you can access park benches, the water fountain, and a memorial
dedicated to former City Commissioner, English McCarter. The
Pigeon Forge Greenway is also a great way to enjoy the scenery
of Little Pigeon River.
The Riverwalk Greenway in Pigeon Forge features a nice paved
trail you can walk, run or bike. The Riverwalk Trail is located on
the east bank of the Pigeon River and is nearly two miles long at
this time.
The Riverwalk Greenway is a beautiful spot for locals and
visitors alike to enjoy nature and serenity without ever leaving
the city. The path is lit at night and there are benches to stop and
enjoy the scenery.
Tunes & Tales is a summer-long street performance festival
featuring costumed musical performers, storytellers and artisans
portraying characters from time periods as far back as the 1800s.
Gatlinburg will present the 13th season of Smoky Mountain
Tunes & Tales daily in downtown Gatlinburg through August 11.
This popular event truly highlights one of Gatlinburg’s greatest
assets in the walkability of the city and provides guests with an
interactive, educational and entertaining experience the whole
family can enjoy.
“Gatlinburg is a walking town. Tunes & Tales enhances our
visitors’ experience as they stroll the Parkway in the evenings,”
said Marci Claude, PR Manager. “The performers bring to life
traditional Smoky Mountain heritage and culture in a fun and
interactive way.”
The collection of personalities and performers arrive nightly at 6
p.m. in the center of town. Visitors witness a magical
transformation of sidewalk to stage as the characters disperse
along the downtown Parkway for an evening of entertainment
and storytelling.
Like Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales on Facebook.