Festive veg varieties

[RuthC]

Are any grow-your-owners out there trying some heritage, new or interesting varieties of festive vegetables to enjoy this Christmas? What types have you sown and why? Or do you have favourite ones you sow each year? Do you manage to grow all or most of the veg you eat on the big day?

[Two_Sheds]

I do my best to ignore The Day, tbh.
I did try to impress the sceptical inlaws last year, by producing all the veg myself (and serving up more than they could eat).

Pumpkin, beetroot, spuds (roasted)
kale, cabbage, sprouts (boiled till mushy)
sweetcorn and peas from the freezer.

No special varieties, although Rodima was an excellent red cabbage for the Prawn Coleslaw (Mr Sheds wanted to make Prawn Cocktail but forgot to buy lettuce)

[zazen999]

We have chili and the trimmings [nachos, guac, salsa, sour cream, loads of strong cheese] on the day. The chili peppers [red and green] look very festive and I bring chili plants indoors and drape tinsel round them instead of Christmas trees. The red ones look particularly festive.

[Jardiniere]

I dont get to eat my own veg at Xmas cos we go back to england to be with the children (and grandchild) so i have to put with tesco's best...and i cant use any of my 15kg ryanair allowance to transport veg!!! Or if we go by train - lug veg between Gare Austerlitz and Gare du Nord.This year am growing sprouts too!!!!!

[Flummery]

I don't grow maincrop spuds but I do use all my own veg for the rest. Leeks ('cos I love them!) Jerusalem artichokes for the same reason - they make a fantastic spud and arti-mash. I don't cook sprouts at Christmas. I'm 60 now and my Mam can't make me eat them! I always freeze a few broad beans for a Christmas dinner treat and we generally have greens of some kind - kale or chard. If I manage to keep a pumpkin, that is used roasted.

[Wren]

We have my gorgeous scarlet emperor runner beans kept frozen from the harvest. It always gladden me to have a taste o summer garden in the winter darkness. It sort of offer you hope for the summer warmth an light again. Parsnips are pulled the on Xmas eve, i buy in carrots to roast with my own stored onions and my own fresh picked rosemary, its yum as the sweetness of the roasting onions marries with the carrots. I throw a few cloves of my June harvested garlic in with fluffy roast potatoes . The rich, dark green, cavolo nero Kale is a winter treat we all savour. Now i have my lottie be sure that next year i will have my sprouts and will eak out the swede to last long enough into the darkness, so good mashed with butter an hopefully i will have winter king cabbage too or i might find a sweeter pointed sort.

Wren

[JamesR]

This year Ive grown all the veg myself – and Ill have a whole load of Christmas recipe books ready to do them justice!! I always cook my Brussels with bits of smokey bacon and garlic and bake parsnips with loads of freshly grated parmesan. i love braised red cabbage too – the spices always smell wonderful, Sometimes I add apples too

[Lovage]

It could be roast roots - carrot, parsnip, Kohl rabi, beetoot and celeriac although I'll have to buy in parsnip

It could also be red cabbage cooked with apple, onion and all-spice not tradittional but very Christmassy

Boxing day is usually salad - beetroot and rocket + land cress, great colours for Christmas and nice contrast of flavour and texture

[Edwardo82]

Loving all the tasty ideas, think I will be using my swede, parsnips, kale, tatties (if any are left over) and a load of frozen greens.

I did not see any mention pickled onions! Started mine off round about June/July with a few chilli's and herbs and spices. Looking forward to that treat on Boxing day.

[margo and barbara]

do we have to take leaves of sprouts

[zazen999]

Hi

If you have a look at your thread, a couple of people have answered you already.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...uts_41079.html