Cover Story

[pigletwillie]

Can you belive that SR is a Gp. She does need to go to a proper hairdresser though and have a scrub, I still like her more than the "clothes horse" de tame.

[Peter]

Piglet, that explains a lot.
I know a couple of lady doctors and they all have suspect dress sense.

Likes are so subjective, good job too.

[fruit&vegvirgin]

mmmmmmmmmm Monty!!!
I shall look out for the coat though. I got her superduper veg book for Christmas, and its rather offputting coz its all so beautiful. I dont think she gets mud on anything apart from herself...

[nick the grief]

I've got her flower book, but I picked it up from a Publisher outlet for a fiver! SHe has the sort of face you want to punch ... very hard! Do you think the cabbage patch dolls were modelled on her

If we are talking favourites well it has to be Geoff Hamilton or Geoffrey Smith. Both seem to have that boyish enthusiasm that made you want to go out & do it. And they were Gardners thru & thru not bankrupt jewllers & GP with no raised bedside manor

(PS I don't really like just in case you were wondering)

[fruit&vegvirgin]

pmsl @ cabbage patch dolls modelled on the coat!! yeah, Geoff Hamilton was lovely, but he was in my younger days when I got worried about fancying older men that knew what to do with a spade...

[Lesley Jay]

I don't think you lot are being fair on the poor girl.

[smallblueplanet]

Too right they are!

Joe Swift is the worst of the lot! Thinks he's a poormans Deirmuad! Boring.

[JennieAtkinson]

I really enjoyed reading all that .......... however, getting back to the patty pans, do they make good soup and can you keep them long after harvesting ?

[Jaxom]

Saw an old program with Sarah Raven in and she had long hair with an Alice band holding her hair back. I thought she looked pretty. At this time she hadn't formed a symbiotic relationship with her coat. You would think that a kind soul would take her to one side and help her out?
Perhaps we should send a letter and ask her nicely to ditch the coat or get it surgically removed, as it is so disturbing to watch.
New well fitting clothes may cheer her up and make her sound less depressed.
I must admit that I feel more sorry for her than any thing else.
Jax

[Jaxom]

Now back to Patty Pans. I've never tasted one so would be interested to know how they compare to courgettes or marrows in the texture and taste department?
Jax

[smallblueplanet]

Striped Custard Marrow (Terre de Semences) from Organic Catalogue is what we grew.

Patty Pan - "A small, round flattish summer squash, yellow, green or white in colour with pretty fluted edges. It's sometimes known as a custard squash or custard marrow and can be cooked in a similar way to courgettes. They don't need to be peeled, just washed clean and the ends trimmed.

Bake them in the oven, slice and fry them in butter or eat them raw in salads. They go well with Mediterranean ingredients - garlic, onions, tomatoes and lots of fresh summery herbs."

from bbc food



As I said above - We grew some custard marrow successfully last year (started 'em early) and you can eat them when they're quite small (1-2" across - when they're still thin skinned - just chop em up like courgettes) and also when they get large (6" or so - when the skin is 'hard' they need peeling) they have a nutty buttery taste and can keep for a while too.

We kept some well into winter (wasn't aware they'd keep so hadn't saved many). Just the ones we had left when the winter weather arrived.


I liked them lots, thought they held a better texture (smoother more solid) than courgette for stuff like bolognese & chilli. Like courgette they take up a flavour nicely. We used them in exactly the same way as courgette but peeled them when bigger - just chop 'em up when small, they look like little ufo's.

Got some Pattison Panache to try as well this year - got more of a green stripe to them according to the picture. Not planted them yet so plenty of time to try them - organic catalogue has some groovy-looking yellow ones!

scallopini yellow link

[smallblueplanet]

Help! I fancy some of the yellow ones now.....there is no cure!

Anyway whilst looking for them I came across these on ebay.co.uk - Franchi are Italian normally bought from seedsofitaly.co.uk, doesn't mention a use-by date though.

Custard White seeds

[fruit&vegvirgin]

jax, you make me laugh! symbiotic relationship with the coat indeed!

[nick the grief]

I know what you mean Jax, Comfort Blanket. I keep thinking of Men in Black 2 & Hitchhikers Guide, maybe she's really an alien and thought thats how folks were supposed to dress on earth

I'll have a look in the tin SBP, I may still have some seed from the little blighters I grew last year. If I have they are yours. I'll PM you If I find em.

FVV - you've made an old spade guru feel very happy

As for Joe swift, hmmm not sure about him. I keep thinking what does a garden designer from darkest London know about veg & wild flowers. If I remember right His graden isn't as Big as Andrews and is "low maintenance" nuff said really

[smallblueplanet]

If ya find 'em nick I'll swop you some cocozelle or striata d'italia ordinary courgettes if you'd like?