Part 44

But when all is said, this is only one of several possible schemes, and every gardener as he learns his subject will be able to adapt it to his special soil, climate, and household needs.

LITTLE KNOWN VEGETABLES.

Extracts from a Lecture by W. F. Giles (of Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading).

Although the English gardener could grow these vegetables as well as the French and German, many English cooks have probably never heard of some of these, for the simple reason that they are so seldom asked for, and therefore there is little opportunity of learning about them. Of course the first question usually asked is, “Can such be grown in England?” And we assure inquirers there is no difficulty at all in the cultivation. Many can be grown entirely in the open air, whilst those which require shelter do not need much heat. Vegetables now play a very important part in our everyday life, and during the past generation or two have been so much improved, that there is now a varied assortment at our disposal at all seasons of the year. It is somewhat remarkable however, that, considering the large number of different types which are suitable for cultivation in countries with a temperate climate, only a small proportion are commonly grown in all, some of the remainder being perhaps largely grown in one country, and practically unknown in another. Even in the commoner kinds of vegetables different nations have their peculiar fancies. For instance, take potatoes. In this country we prefer white-fleshed sorts, which will cook floury, whilst in France yellow-fleshed kinds, which have a close, waxy texture, are more generally liked. Again, practically every Englishman prefers the delicious marrow-fat peas with wrinkled seeds, but on the Continent the small rounded sorts are still very largely grown for the “petits pois,” although where the marrow-fats have been introduced they are much appreciated. In this country also scarlet runner beans are very much liked, but they are seldom, if ever, used in France, although acres of dwarf beans are grown, the small pods of which are served up whole. Then in cabbages, whilst we most appreciate the tender, conical-headed kinds, in America the coarser Drumhead or flat-headed types are almost exclusively grown in some parts, and on the Continent it is rarely served up at all as a vegetable. The American specially enjoys sweet corn or maize, squashes, and wax-pod beans; the German, kohl-rabi and celeriac; the Italian, his finocchio or Florence fennel; the Spaniard, his capsicums; whilst in France large quantities of globe artichokes, aubergine or egg plant, chicory, salsify, and other varieties are used, which are, however, not generally popular in the other countries referred to. Even amongst what are usually looked upon as English vegetables there are many types which are almost unknown to the public in general, although of course they are familiar to the majority of gardeners. Such as yellow tomatoes, custard marrows, asparagus kale, white sprouting broccoli, couve tronchuda, mercury (Good King Henry), spinach-beet, are a few examples, and I shall hope to include some of them in my remarks.

=Aubergine or Egg Plant.=--There are several types of fruit of the aubergine; some are quite white, and of the shape of an egg, but they are mostly only used for decoration or garnishing. The round and long fruited dark purple are those used for culinary purposes, and they may be cooked in several ways; the fruit may be stuffed with chopped meat, egg, mushroom, &c., and herbs, and baked.

=Bush Marrows (Tender and True).=--Generally speaking the majority of marrows are of a trailing habit, but there are several which are known as “Bush” marrows, and these throw out no runners at all. Where space is limited these Bush varieties are very useful, but naturally they will not keep up a supply like the trailing types, which produce fruit all along the vines. In some parts of Bedfordshire the long white and long green fruited Bush marrows are grown for market purposes, but the round fruited kind (Tender and True) are a newer introduction. This is a very prolific sort, producing several fruits at a joint, and if cut when young they make a very nice dish.

=Capsicum.=--This plant is closely allied to the chilli, and is grown in much the same way as the egg plant. There are various types of capsicums and chillis; the pods of some large kinds which are fleshy are used as vegetables in some countries, especially Spain and America. In the former country it is largely in demand, and although it was introduced into Naples by the Spaniards in the sixteenth century, its use in Italy has not spread very much farther. When the fruits are used as a vegetable they are picked green, and after the seeds have been taken out they are filled with a stuffing made of meat, herbs, bread and crumbs, and are then baked. They can also be partly boiled, and afterwards baked. The long narrow fruits which one often sees in pickles are forms of chilli, and sometimes the dried pods are ground for cayenne pepper. The real cayenne pepper, however, appears to be made from Capsicum baccatum or bird pepper.

=Celeriac= is a form of celery in which the root has been developed instead of the leaf-stalk. It has been largely grown in Germany for a long time, and is there used both as salad and a cooked vegetable. It is grown in much the same way as celery, except it does not require to be put into trenches or earthed up. In the autumn the roots are ready for use; and abroad it is often the practice during growth to break off the lower leaves, which is supposed to induce better growth and size in the roots. To cook them the roots are peeled and quartered, and boiled till tender, and served up in the same way as beetroot, or they may be sliced raw, and fried in butter till nearly brown.

=Chicory= when blanched is largely used for salad, and is very wholesome; it is also cooked as a vegetable, in a similar manner to seakale.

=Chow-Chow or Chinese Cabbage.=--It has the appearance of the Cos lettuce. This vegetable is in season in the autumn or early winter. It requires no heat.

=Climbing French Beans.=--This type of plant grows almost or quite as late as the ordinary scarlet runner, but it has foliage like that of the dwarf French bean, and with the same kind of smooth pod. They can supply tender pods after the dwarf beans are over. There are several varieties of this class; one called the Earliest of All can be gathered as early as July, but probably Tender and True is the most useful if only one is grown, as this bears so abundantly. The pods should be cooked in the same way as dwarf beans.

=Couve Tronchuda or Portugal Cabbage= belongs to the Cabbage tribe, and is a plant in which the large midribs have been much developed. It is a delicious vegetable, quite easy to cultivate, and comes into use in the autumn and early winter; this plant has been highly praised by those who have tried it.

=Drumhead Kale.=--This is another type of kale not much known; instead of producing leafage or shoots like most kales, this forms a head, and it has large midribs, which are delicious when boiled; it partakes of the flavour of seakale. The cultivation is the same as for ordinary kales; this variety comes into use late in the autumn.

=Finocchio or Florence Fennel= is one of the favourite dishes of the Italians, and around Naples it is grown by the acre. Generally speaking, the plant has a slight resemblance to celery, and is used in much the same way; the flavour, however, is sweeter than celery; in fact it has a little taste of aniseed about it. This finocchio differs from the fennel largely used for fish sauce, &c., and is eaten raw as a salad, or cooked and served in the same way as is usual with celery.

=Garden Swedes.=--There are two forms, known as the white-fleshed garden swede and the yellow-fleshed garden swede, which are much superior for table purposes. They do not grow to so large a size as the field types, have no coarse neck at the top of the root, and the flavour is less strong. To those who like swedes I would strongly recommend these. They can be sown from April onwards, and should be grown in much the same way as turnips.

=Globe Artichokes= are grown plentifully in Italy, and can, with care, be grown in England. As I have noted in the following chapters, they can be blanched in the same way as the cardoon, which is closely allied to the artichoke; the stalks are blanched from October to March somewhat in the manner of celery, and when well cooked it makes an excellent dish. Abroad the cardoon is much in demand, and is served in a variety of ways.

=Kohl-rabi= belongs to the Cabbage family, in which the stem has been induced to form a bulb. For many years large coarse types have been grown in this country for cattle food, but the tender and fine leaved forms have, until recent times, been little cultivated on this side of the Channel. The bulbs should be used when they are about the size of an orange.

=Mercury or Good King Henry= is very well known in some parts of England, especially in the Lincolnshire district, where it is sometimes called Lincolnshire asparagus. It is a perennial, and proves itself to be a very useful plant.

=Orache or Mountain Spinach= is another plant which produces much leaf, and which is used in the same way as the ordinary spinach. There are white and red leaved varieties, and these reach a height of several feet. The plant is easily cultivated.

=Poirée or Swiss Chard.=--This would be in season from late summer until the early frosts cut it down, or the season may be extended by lifting the plants and storing them.

=Petits Pois.=--The small-podded, round-seeded sorts such as Earliest Blue are those used, although there is no reason why the small seeds of almost any kind should not do equally well. The pods, however, of the fine English marrow-fats would have to be gathered very young indeed, or the seeds would be too large. There are several ways of preparing “Petits Pois” according to the flavour desired. (See Recipes.)

I am sure when these vegetables are more known, they will be as much liked as those with which we are more familiar, and we are much indebted to Messrs. Sutton & Sons for not only the information about them, but the fact that the plants have been fully tested by them as amenable to cultivation in England, and that the seeds can be obtained from this firm.

=Salsify=, or, as it is sometimes called, the vegetable oyster, is a plant producing a long fleshy taproot, which is entirely buried in the ground. Salsify is cooked in various ways.

=Scorzonera= is a plant somewhat resembling salsify in character, but differs from it in the leaf and the colour of the skin, which is nearly or quite black. The cultivation and soil is the same for it as for salsify, and the roots should be cooked in the same way.

=Spinach-Beet=, another member of the beet family, is known as the “perpetual” or spinach-beet. It is a very useful plant, and if sown in the spring and summer, much in the same way as beet, continues to send up young foliage all through the autumn and winter. The foliage is used exactly like spinach, and can be had when ordinary spinach is not procurable. It is not necessary to deeply dig the ground, as it is only the foliage which is used. Those who are fond of spinach would do well to grow this for winter and spring supplies.

=Stachys Tuberifera= is a curious little vegetable, and has only been introduced into Europe from China or Japan during the past few years; its common name is Chinese artichoke; the tubers are used either boiled or fried, and they have a nutty flavour.

=Sugar Corn or Maize.=--This plant, a form of maize, is very easy to grow in this country; it makes a delicious dish, and I am surprised it is not more often used. Even when we have short, or poor, summers the earliest varieties seem to do very well here, and reach the stage at which they should be cooked, although they would not often ripen their seeds here, but they will not stand frost at all.

=Sugar Peas (Mangetout).=--These are cultivated in precisely the same way as the ordinary type. They have no tough membrane inside, consequently they are what is usually termed “stringless,” and as such are cooked whole. The pods of the best varieties are usually constricted, instead of being smooth and flat, and show the seeds through. The plants grow to various heights, but those attaining six feet or so give the best pods. The pods should be gathered when fairly young--that is before the seeds are much developed--boiled whole, and served up with melted butter.