“ There is a correlation between flavour , the earth and how rich it is .
Shopping in the supermarket makes you lose the ability to recognise true freshness ”
www . citycottage . co . uk
I have to say I like Raymond Blanc ’ s philosophy when it comes to vegetables . He said once that his father made him taste the earth , and this taught him how good vegetables should be . I haven ’ t eaten earth on purpose - actually , plenty of it on the rugby pitch , but I do smell it .
There is a correlation between flavour , the earth and how rich it is , and absolute freshness . We supermarket fed duffers have simply lost the ability to recognize this freshness . You can ’ t tell a good spud when you never had the best spuds !
Easy to grow
The garden is a simple place . It has been the home of man since the beginning of time , and I have to say we live in the garden , the house is just somewhere to sleep - well , more or less .
However , growing good vegetables requires experience , care , time and a feeling for what you are doing . To know the difference between a potato from Kenya , and one from my garden , takes years of growing potatoes . That way I get to know what my soil is like , how the climate affects the flavour , how disease can change a crop .
Yes , they might be boring old cheap to buy spuds , but in truth , they are so much more .
But there is more to it than even that !
“ There is a correlation between flavour , the earth and how rich it is .
Shopping in the supermarket makes you lose the ability to recognise true freshness ”
Growing vegetables is something the whole family can get involved in , and can help improve your fitness too !
Call me a nutter if you like , but I am working to make it so that I do not rely on a supermarket for my supply of food . Sure , supermarkets have their place , but sourcing their food from around the world , how can we be sure this supply is secure ? We are already being outbid by China , India , the USA for commodities such as wheat and rice , how far off is the same price rise of peas and potatoes , plums and cherries ?
For us at least , we will continue to grow salads and cabbages , potatoes and onions , for flavour , for convenience and for our children to learn how to do it too !
Learn to grow in the smallest space ! Click to buy the book