They say "Give a woman a zucchini plant and you will never eat anything else!" and it probably holds true to a fair degree. At least each meal will contain some form of zucchini as long as the season lasts. Personally I think it is an excellent vegetable - mild and versatile, as good raw as cooked - and luckily my family is very accommodating to my cooking. They give me the freedom to create any dish I like in the kitchen, and are grateful to boot. Each day I get happy messages "Wow! Best dinner ever!" or huggs with gusto as thanks for cooking for them. To me it is a win-win-win situation, as I love to grow food and cook, but find cooking for one so boring that I will only set foot in the kitchen if I get to cook for a whole family or at least a couple of friends.
Although I do go overboard with the zucchini, I'm pleased to report that the Purple Queen potatoes are a success this year. Black as night when I pick them, they keep their lovely deep purple colour when cooked. The insane two month heat wave we have had has impacted their growth, and as it is a small variety anyways the intense draught has made them smaller than ever. Never mind. I think doll sized potatoes are sweet!
The beetroots are this years absolute winners! They do love this kind of weather, and contrary to potatoes they abhor the wet and cold. As with all the vegetables in my kitchen garden I have had to water them a lot, but they have coped with the dryness much better than the beans. Being me, obviously the beetroots I grow are not only red but also white, yellow and striped. In the beginning we eat them simply boiled with butter, but soon enough I will start making more interesting dishes too.
Meanwhile in the fleece poly tunnel the brassicas are growing wild. Perhaps the fleece covering retains the moisture in the ground better than in the outside raised beds, as they do not seem to suffer as much as many of the other vegetables. I water and water, and while doing so I prowl the space like a maniac, hunting for kale butterfly larvae and keeping a look out for the fruits of my labour. Imagine my pleasure at getting a first and really quite perfect head of broccoli!
With that I wish you a perfect last week of July!
