Within our gardens are many stories. Tales of the land, people and seeds here at 42 Acres. From curiously purple potatoes to sunflowers that taste like chocolate and many others. Our organically grown vegetables and plants are not just ingredients, they also capture the ongoing conversation between our chefs and growers, who work together to plant and cook a variety of seasonal dishes that are biodynamic, nutritious and equally as tasty.
This series, Weird Veg, will focus on the more unusual vegetables, flowers and trees that can be found on the land and in our gardens. Some are chosen for their flavour, some chosen for their seasonality and others for personal reasons – simply because we love them.
First up is the tromboncino, also known as zucchetta or the crookneck squash. Not a marrow, not a courgette, nor a musical instrument, the tromboncino is from the squash family. You may have seen this unusual veg at farmers markets or even as a decoration in shops or restaurants. Tromboncino, by classification, is a summer squash but as it’s hardy and grows to an enormous size we harvest and store ours to be used through the winter – it’s one of the star ingredients in our seasonal winter ratatouille.
Having a seasonal menu means getting creative with our dishes and produce, to ensure that all year around we can serve recipes that are nourishing and use what we’ve grown on the land. Tromboncino doesn’t often appear in ratatouille, but as the courgette season fades and the spring vegetables are yet to sprout this large, unusual vegetable fills in as a tasty alternative, with a slightly sweet and nutty flavour. It also makes an enjoyable, comedy edition within our bio-dynamic polytunnels.
