Winter Roots
I woke at the crack of dawn, dreaming of crunchy roast potatoes. Fortunately I didn’t have a stash of Kerr’s Pink in the flat or I think I would have been chomping away long before 5am.
Not one to delay gratification for too long, I waited for daylight and then headed down to the plot to source a roast dinner of monster proportions.
It was a bit too wet and claggy for doing anything awfully productive but I gathered up the wilting courgette plants and stuffed them into the compost bins with a load of decaying comfrey and then turned my attentions to the joyful task of harvesting.
I’m good at picking and may have got a little carried away considering I only have myself to feed – I suspect I may explode after tonights meal.
Not content with the bucket of winter roots, I thought I ought to try out the peculiar purple sprouts, I don’t want any nasty surprises at Christmas.
When I came to bag everything up, it became clear that I had at least a months worth of roasts in my sacks and so I split the bounty 3 ways to share with my neighbours.
Turned out to be a very profitable move as I ended up swapping one fine parsnip for a bottle of wine – a perfect kind of alchemy. I’ll be growing more of those next year!
beautiful veggies! Dinner looks delicious.
Ohhh those look yummy! Thanks for sharing…and making my hungry, lol!
I like purple brussels but mine have never got very big. Parsnips for wine – what a fine trade.
Mmm, I picked my first sprouts today, too. They were sold as ‘Sprouts that even the kids will eat!’, which I fell for. Strangely enough, the kids did actually eat them without moaning (too much). Unfortunately, their essential sproutiness is lacking, as far as I’m concerned – they didn’t taste of anything much. Will be looking out for ‘Sprouts that your kids are guaranteed to hate’ next year as well, I think!
Sprouts your kids will hate sounds the way to go!
I haven’t actually tried mine yet, will update on the taste when I get round to cooking them. Cooking is just not as much fun as growing and picking.
Ooh, I was so hoping that those purple brussels would taste as good as they look – I shall wait to hear your verdict, Earthwoman.
I’ve got to disagree though, cooking is just as much fun as growing and picking – sprouts lightly steamed and then fried in butter with bacon and chestnuts … fit for a king. Purple sprouts would be fit for an emperor perhaps, but only if they tasted good!
Your winter roots look yummie and the purple strouts beautiful, but they turn quite ugly when boiled I prefer them raw. It’s the same with Purple Broccoli, a soup made of them looks horrific but taste excellent, but you know you eat with your eyes too ! So the purple broccoli they end up raw on the plate as well./ Tyra
Must try purple sprouts, but I guess like climbing french bean TRIONFO VIOLETTO I grew last summer, they lose their colour when cooked. Enjoying your blogs, west London allotment growers unite!