As I have said before, I grow things in my garden that I don't like to eat. But when I planted arugula I expected to like it. I don't ever remember eating it before, but I figured I had at some point in my life. I don't ever remember eating greens in salad that I hated, except maybe some of the really bitter ones. But I would have remembered this taste. It is earthy and maybe a little bit nutty. And I absolutely hate it. There is no way I could learn to love this plant.
Why am I growing something I've never eaten before? Well I'm growing a few things I've never eaten before - lots of Asian greens. I bought them from Pinetree and their packets are around a dollar, so trying a new green is really very easy, and doesn't cost much. It would cost more to buy it in the grocery store even if I only ate it once. The other greens I've tried, I have loved. I love the tatsoi, fun jen (my frilly boc choi), giant red mustard, and mizuna. All really yummy so my experiment was well worth it. Also it is fun to try new things. In my boring years I grow my tried and true crops, but some years you just have to expand your horizons.
Here is an update on my other veggies that I dislike, yet am still growing, on purpose mind you. My eggplant still doesn't have any blossoms. The hail really hurt it. As I write this a storm is coming north toward me that has had 1" hail. I'm really hoping it avoids me. It really bruises the fruit that already exists and just shreds the leaves. My other disliked veggie, zucchini, has had lots of bruised fruit this week from that hail. I'm hoping the rest doesn't need surgery after I pick it. But the really good news on the zucchini front is that I found a way to make it that I really look forward to. Melissa said she eats it like spaghetti squash, with tomato sauce. So I tried sautéeing with a little olive oil, then right at the end I sprinkle cheddar cheese on it. Then I top it with spaghetti sauce. Yummy. Thanks Melissa.
That's a brilliant solution. My gosh, you could even put spaghetti under it. Glad you found something you like!
ReplyDelete--Kate
I'm not a fan of eggplant or zucchini and yet i'm planting it! haha. So I can relate!
ReplyDeleteAnything tastes better with cheese.
ReplyDeleteI still don't grow zucchini. No one here likes it and yet it comes in my favorite Chinese dish so we make little piles to the side.
We do grow spaghetti squash though and we're trying delicata squash this year.
No one liked eggplant either but I'm hoping a nice Asian eggplant will change that this year.
So I see I'm not the only crazy person here. LOL
ReplyDeleteThe best reason, IMO, to grow arugala is as a flea beetle trap crop. Flea beetles LOVE arugula, and will descend upon it and ignore my other plants in favor of the arugula.
ReplyDeleteTry Costata Romanesca zucchini, it has a nutty flavor and is less watery than other zucchini. It is one tough plant, and produces lots of male blossoms for stuffed blossoms. YUM! Hope the hail missed you,
Ali in Maine
Oh, you guys!! I **LOVE** arugula! LOVE it. I wrote a whole post on it. Put it in sandwiches. Really. Don't put it in salads. It has to blend. I almost never eat a sandwich without my arugula! It's too strong for a salad, as it isolates. But put it on a nice mound of tuna salad on some ciabatta bread? You will wish you'd tried before. :)
ReplyDeleteThis bout of hail did indeed miss me thank goodness. 1" hail would shred so much of the garden.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have arugula when my flea beetles hit this spring. Maybe next year I'll try one plant and see if it serves as a distraction.
Karthryn, I don't know. I can't imagine that taste as anything but bad, but maybe I'll give it a try next time I have a sandwich. I really hate to pull the plants up. They are doing so beautifully right now.