At Last, Something to Write Home About...

Look what I found in my veg patch!  Isn't it pretty?


After a very slow start to the season, when nothing seemed to be growing at all it seems that FINALLY things are getting underway.   Here in the Netherlands we've had an extremely cool start to the summer, days of rain and miserable, cold, grey skies.  Not surprising really that everything was so slow to get started.

This beauty is a variety of courgette called  Zucchino Romanesco.  Super.  Awesome.  Wonderful!  Probably the best tasting courgette you can grow!

We all agree that their flavour is excessively good.  Here is the validation.  My 6 year old does not usually touch courgette.  Her little nose wrinkles up sweetly in distaste and there is always an argument that she "just taste ONE bite"...
However she is a keen gardener so didn't need to be coaxed into trying "courgette from the garden" as she had "spotted it" herself on her morning reconnaissance of the veg patch.  On tasting, (and then reaching for another slice) she proclaimed that she ONLY likes "courgette from the garden!"
Result!

Homegrown veg 1
Supermarket veg 0

 If you are going to try growing courgettes in your next growing season, I'd really recommend this variety.  It gets a bit big but even in my small patch of 1.80 cm wide I manage to grow two plants side by side.  Ideally courgettes need 1m spacing each.  This year I stuck an old rose frame round the one plant and it is taking up a little less space in the bed, so clearly growing up a support is the way forward.
The fruit itself swells up to a rather large size very quickly, however I've found that it is still meaty and the seeds small even at the large size.  Always a bonus to have a bigger courgette which retains the fantastic flavour!

Soft spines cover the courgette, which can be easily rubbed off.

I love these courgettes simply sliced about a cm thick and then fried in a little olive oil.  Because of their ridges they appear as star shaped discs when sliced.  A sprinkling of sea salt or Parmesan is all it needs to finish. 

Now the reason I've not had my eye on the ball with regards to my veg patch this season, is because we have been undertaking a major renovation of our garden.   This was a major job taking up 3 weeks  and lots of very hard work, but more on that in my next post!