When I think of allotments I think of potatoes, onions and carrots: traditional, wholesome vegetables. I think of men in their retirement, in their wellies, in their sheds with a flask of tea and home-made sandwiches; I think of Arthur from Eastenders. It’s a stereotypical, totally out of date view that doesn’t fit at all with me (allotment holder, nowhere near retirement and the wrong sex to boot), my fellow allotmenteers or friends I know who also grow veg.
Growing vegetables has gone all popular and I am one of those who has jumped on the band-wagon. My stereotypical view must be a product of the time in which I have ‘grown up’ (which is an ongoing process!) and as growing your own is becoming more of a lifestyle and environmental choice I imagine that in a few years the stereotype will have a different ring to it. Instead of carrots and onions, this future view will hopefully include an image of the endless variety of vegetables and fruit that allotment holders grow – what strange tastes they have, how adventurous they are...!
On the weekend I braised my first red cabbage (and stuck it in our new chest freezer in little bags ready to accompany some roast meat or other) and I roasted our first patty pan, and despite being warned in the recipe books not to consider using any larger than the palm of your hand, (ours was the size of a small UFO) it was absolutely fine once I’d removed the seeds. Very nice roasted alongside courgettes and baby plum tomatoes in some olive oil and salt and pepper – a flavour and texture somewhere between a courgette and a butternut squash. I’ve never eaten a Jerusalem artichoke and I understand that they will be ready to eat in the next few months and although we grew sorrel and never got around to eating it, it will be there again next year to try then.
Trying new vegetables, especially ones you can’t get in the supermarket is wonderful but equally wonderful is providing all your own basics, onions too. Last year we didn’t grow them thinking that they were so cheap and readily available to buy, so why bother. But actually, when you add up the cost of all the onions you use, almost daily in our case, it does make sense. The stereotype still has some value I think.