Fruit and vegetables

[angieram]

13 minutes ago, Sith Happens said:

On the subject of potatoes why was I always told when young that you could only have mash potatoes from old spuds when quite clearly that's not the case..

 

Because they are horrible just plain boiled? 

Roasts are okay, jacket potatoes too but I much prefer boiled potatoes either skin on or just scraped.

[Sith Happens]

Just now, angieram said:

Because they are horrible just plain boiled? 

Roasts are okay, jacket potatoes too but I much prefer boiled potatoes either skin on or just scraped.

No I meant I was told you could only make mash from old spuds, you couldn't make mash from new spuds. 

[RoyMac5]

11 minutes ago, Sith Happens said:

No I meant I was told you could only make mash from old spuds, you couldn't make mash from new spuds. 

You need a variety of spuds that are 'floury' rather than waxy, it's not to do with size or age but variety.

[Gritstone Ram]

34 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

You need a variety of spuds that are 'floury' rather than waxy, it's not to do with size or age but variety.

They soften different and your mash can end up lumpy 

[angieram]

1 hour ago, Sith Happens said:

No I meant I was told you could only make mash from old spuds, you couldn't make mash from new spuds. 

Sorry, misunderstood. As others have said, different varieties best suit different purposes, but you could do whatever you want with them.

I always assumed these "crushed" potatoes they serve in posh restaurants are new potatoes that didn't mash very well!

[Eddie]

22 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

One of the problems is the way veg is 'prepared' it seems to me. You get a bag of washed carrots and other root veggies or potatoes then surprise, surprise they don't last. To store root veg they need to not have their skins washed off, cleaned sparingly. They used to be stored over winter in 'sand clamps', but now you might get 5 days out of them in the fridge! 

I've found that a big problem with preserving many supermarket vegetables is what a lot of people do - just slinging them in the fridge in their shrink-wrapped containers. Don't put bags of spuds or onions in the fridge - take them out of the bags and keep them in boxes away from light. Mushrooms too contain a huge amount of water, and they will 'sweat' in shrink-wrapped packs when slung straight into the fridge. We empty the containers, dry the mushrooms off and put them in paper bags, then return them to the refrigerator. 

[Gritstone Ram]

4 hours ago, angieram said:

Loving all the replies to this thread, especially those of you who are already busy growing your own.

We always had home grown produce when we were young but never really got into the habit as an adult. We have a really heavy clay soil, but we have apples and raspberries, plus French beans which we grow in pots. 

Next year we are buying a greenhouse so we can start to grow a lot more. Ah, retirement!

I’ve had an allotment for a couple of years and I sometimes find there isn’t enough hours in the day. 
A greenhouse would be good for tomatoes, cucumbers and chilies but you can go for things like melons if you feel adventurous. It is trial and error with a lot of it. 

[Mostyn6]

Wish i had a garden. 

[Ghost of Clough]

1 minute ago, Mostyn6 said:

Wish i had a garden. 

Have you considered growing stuff in the windows and/or balconies?

[Mostyn6]

2 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Have you considered growing stuff in the windows and/or balconies?

Considered but not feasible sadly 

[Angry Ram]

25 minutes ago, Mostyn6 said:

Wish i had a garden. 

I’ve got a garden. Strictly grass shrubs and trees. Veg is over rated.

[GB SPORTS]

I had a contract from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to sample where supermarket Fruit and Veg comes from.(about twelve years ago)

 

Apparently they couldn't trust the main retailers to be honest about it! they where wanting to see what food miles where being added and obviously get some idea of the environmental impact of that. The  results actually astounded me with resect to how much we actually fly in, also how much "Fairtrade" produce is far from being "Fairtrade". Although i couldn't say it was my conclusions apparently there was quite a rumpus between the BERR and the Department of International Development over the fact that the Fairtrade subsidy's where not going to the Farmers but to the coffers of dodgy banana republic governments.

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, Gritstone Ram said:

A greenhouse would be good for tomatoes, cucumbers and chilies but you can go for things like melons if you feel adventurous. It is trial and error with a lot of it. 

Not so much trial and error if you keep in mind the 'roots' of the veggie you're growing. We grow aubergines in our small greenhouse, but if the conditions aren't right you'll get good plants and no fruit , the flowers don't set - they (understandably) love heat and humidity. But the tomatoes and chillies not quite so much. Try growing varieties with smaller fruit - they need shorter seasons, so are more likely to ripen. But now I agree it's trial and error with variety. ?

[angieram]

1 hour ago, Gritstone Ram said:

I’ve had an allotment for a couple of years and I sometimes find there isn’t enough hours in the day. 
A greenhouse would be good for tomatoes, cucumbers and chilies but you can go for things like melons if you feel adventurous. It is trial and error with a lot of it. 

Melons, yay! 

[angieram]

13 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Not so much trial and error if you keep in mind the 'roots' of the veggie you're growing. We grow aubergines in our small greenhouse, but if the conditions aren't right you'll get good plants and no fruit , the flowers don't set - they (understandably) love heat and humidity. But the tomatoes and chillies not quite so much. Try growing varieties with smaller fruit - they need shorter seasons, so are more likely to ripen. But now I agree it's trial and error with variety. ?

If the tomatoes don't ripen they make great green tomato chutney. ?

[RoyMac5]

2 minutes ago, angieram said:

Melons, yay! 

Just don't google Minnesota Midget's ! ?

[RoyMac5]

Just now, angieram said:

If the tomatoes don't ripen they make great green tomato chutney. ?

We also use them as a base for fruity brown sauce. 

[sage]

7 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Just don't google Minnesota Midget's ! ?

Googled that within 5 seconds of reading your post. Disappointingly its a type of a melon. 

 

[Grumpy Git]

On 23/12/2020 at 23:19, Kinder said:

One of my ancestors was convicted of stealing a bag of potatoes and deported to Australia. Apparently he was a difficult prisoner and ended up serving 15 years in Port Arthur prison on Van Diemen’s land. All for a bag of potatoes.

With a sentence that severe they must have been King Edward's?

[ram1964]

On 23/12/2020 at 23:19, Kinder said:

One of my ancestors was convicted of stealing a bag of potatoes and deported to Australia. Apparently he was a difficult prisoner and ended up serving 15 years in Port Arthur prison on Van Diemen’s land. All for a bag of potatoes.

Yeah but they were king Edwards, and he didn't like having his potatoes being taken ??????