Product Description
March is the biggest sowing month of the year along with April, so as GFW members and the oldest family run seed brand on the planet specialising in endangered, heritage and local vegetable variteies with provenance and lost flavours, I wanted to put together a small bundle of seeds to sow this spring you may not have considered before and with the current seed shortages in mind.
PIMIENTO DI PADRON – An historical variety brought back by Franciscan monks from Tabasco in Mexico to Hebron in Galicia. At the time they were harvested fully mature (red!) and powdered but only in the 1700’s did they begin to be pan fried green with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. The saying is ‘one is hot and one is not’ but in reality it is more like 1 in 6 or 8. They have a superb falvour and are highly prized and expensive to buy, if you can find them. Sow spring
SPINACH OF ASTI – I will make a bet with you. Your supermarket doesn’t sell true spinach! Mine neither…. They sell this stuff called baby leaf which never existed 8 years ago, its quick to grow, mechanically harvested, thick and doesn’t wilt unlike true spinach. Its also – meh. True spinach is far superior and can be sown in spring for summer and in autumn for winter. This regional variety from the Alps comes from the home of Spumante, but doesn’t have the same effect alas! Use with Ricotta to make cannelloni or Torta di Spinaci, even Dahl or Bulgarian Spinach Banista etc! Sow spring and autumn
COURGETTE TONDO OF PIACENZA - this round variety hails from Emilia Romagna and is traditionally used in 2 ways. grown to the size of tennis balls, they are often cut in half and stuffed with the two local ingredients of the area, Parma ham and Parmesan cheese and roasted in the oven. The flowers are often stuffed in the same way before being dipped in tempura batter and fried till lightly golden. They are then served with parmesan shavings as an antipasto. Sow spring and early summer
TROPEA ONIONS - Featured in Stanley Tucci's excellent series 'Searching for Italy' and by the Hairy Bikers in their 'Mediterranean Adventure' series where they called it the best onion in the world, red onions actually originated in Italy. The Tropea is considered such high quality and so sweet that you can almost eat it like an apple! It caramelises beautifully but is also lovely raw and it is almost impossible to find the fruits in the UK. Sow spring and autumn.
Normally these varieties retail at £2.99 each plus £2.99 P&P but for GFW members we are offering them for just £11 delivered with a catalogue and sowing guide which is a saving of £4. Packet styles may vary. Free P&P unless other items are purchased wtih this offer.
