Happy "Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day"!

[furtech]

Seriously-- Zucchini! I wish I had more neighbors who gardened. I've recently discovered that I love home-grown tomatoes. Never liked what can be had in a store (even "heirloom" tomatoes at WFM!): they all taste like yuck. No flavor, wrong texture and picked too green. Then my Bro-in-law served some heirloom tomatoes from their garden and I was blown away at how wonderful they were. At first I thought it was the heirloom part...but no-- it was that these tomatoes were picked ripe from the garden just a few hours previous.

For those so interested, it turns out there is a great book about this called Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit that is both depressing and fascinating. Before fresh tomatoes I thought they were only good for ketchup and spaghetti sauce.

Wow-- veered off-topic! Happy Z-Day! (<--not zombies or Zoie, for better or worse...)

Comments

[tcreynolds]

Oh ho ho guess what I picked yesterday! =D

[fenris-lorsrai.livejournal.com]

somehow every time we've planted zucchini we only get ONE zucchini off each plant. It's a really big awesome one, but just one.

I have no idea what we're doing wrong.

[dustmeat.livejournal.com]

Yup, heirloom tomatoes are the main reason to grow veggies. I wish our soil was better for this.

[merrycalliope.livejournal.com]

Is it really? Because I've got plenty to sneak. Tellow squash, too. I've already managed to pawn some off on the manager of the complex. XD

[dexter-fox.livejournal.com]

Our local soup kitchen is happy to take extra zucchini, avocado, citrus, and whatever else is over-abundant. Might want to check them out.

[vulpesrex.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had a Vegetable Epiphany with Bell Peppers, in my youth. Watched a neighbor's house and yard for a couple weeks, and his small garden had an incredible yield of delicious green bell peppers. Before that, my main experience with bell peppers was when they were cut in half, cleaned out, and stuffed with something like meatloaf, and then baked to death.

Zucchini - When I lived in the desert between Phelan and Victorville, I had a "close" neighbor (only three miles away, towards Adelanto) who seemed to be "blessed" with bushels and bushels of the stuff - which he and his domestic partner would gift to their neighbors who weren't growing the things. To me, they had an unpleasant taste. Sort of like how week-old grass clippings smell. What I can taste of squash has always been - well, underwhelming, and usually cooked too soft. So I never order anything where the primary ingredients are zucchini or squash. Gimme something with Taste!

Maybe it's something wrong with my taste buds. I've only had abalone once, but that experience made me bequeath my lifetime apportionment to the Sea Otters of the Pacific. Calimari was like chewing steamed elastic, as far as flavor and texture are concerned.

*******
I'm flying off to Magdeburg via Bavaria this year, arriving in Munich on Tuesday morning, and (probably) taking the train in on Wednesday. Leaving Magdeburg early Monday, and two days (or whatever is not eaten by train travel) back in the south, flying out of Munich on Wednesday morning. Any suggestions on what to see in that part of the country?

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Just so. I spent a decade or so in the world, finding tomatoes completely unappealing (with the curious exception of cream of tomato soup, and ketchup) - and then, one day, I tried some of Dad's, from our nearby allotment. Such a different matter! (And there's also so much to be said for peas straight from the pod..)

I really ought to take the time to check out the vegetables vendor at the local market in town. I've no idea if they're local, though - could well be just the same mass suppliers as the supermarkets, but maybe not. As well as the improved quality, I'd enjoy reducing the carbon footprint of what I'm eating, and help support the local economy.