Tuesday, December 11, 2012

SEEDS OF THE MONTH DECEMBER

Seeds of the Month for December

Got December's batch of seeds from the Seeds of the Month club.  I love receiving them in the mail.  Always fun!  Every month, I ask via a blog post about them.  I know what these are this month, but a few I'm not sure I've ever used in cooking.  Fennel?  Turnips?

For this month, they are:

Turnip, "Golden Ball"
Endive, "Broadleaf Batavian"
Cantaloupe, "Hales Best Jumbo"
Fennel, "Florence"

Anyone used and/or grown these particular varieties of each of these veggies (and fruit)?  Not sure what might be Spring or Fall.

Thanks as always for any tips and suggestions!

10 comments:

  1. First Man, you are being spammed.

    Don't know when one plants things in Texas--but I enjoy eating turnips, cubed, boiled, and sauteed in butter; or oven roasted (lots of recipes online, roast vegetables are "in.")

    I think endive might be a fall crop and I know cantaloupe is for summer. Fennel I don't know.

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    1. Thank you! I thought those went to the spam folder, I was checking from my phone. I didn't realize they made it past the filter. I have deleted them and marked them as spam so hopefully they'll go into that folder next time.

      I don't know that I've ever had a turnip now that I think about it. Sounds like they are used like potatoes. I do LOVE some cantaoupe, that's for sure. I'll have to google fennel, LOL!

      Thanks!!

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  2. Fennel is lovely. You can roast the bulb in with other roasted veg, and use the leafy tops as a really nice herb, we use it a lot over here - sort of aniseedy flavour. I grew turnips once, good in with other root veg. Can be quite bitter, but if you eat them when they are small they are nice. Mashed turnip and carrot with butter - very nice. Both good in soups and stews.

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    1. Thanks for the tips. I have had anise seed in recipes and it's good. Never had an actual fennel bulb. Mmm, turnip mashed sounds yummy. I love anything mashed, ha.

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  3. Fennel is summer I beleieve and wonderful with fish. If plant allowed to seed the seeds can be used in salads and seed bread. Yummy. Laura

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    1. Thank you Laura. I enjoy a good fish dish on occasion, sounds like it might be good with the fennel. I guess I have had fennel seeds lots of times, just never thought about growing it. Thank you!

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  4. Slice turnips and boil in water, add a little sugar to the water and it will take away the bitterness and make them tender. I add salt and pepper about a tblsp. of butter and crumbled bacon and some of the bacon fat. Yummy!

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    1. Oh my....doesn't bacon fat make EVERYTHING better? LOL. That sounds yummy. I might just have to buy some turnips and "test that out", ha. Thanks again!

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  5. Fennel is lovely when steamed. We steam ours in the microwave, with just enough water to cover the bottom of a square glass casserole and then cover. Micro for 10-12 minutes for 4 bulbs, check with fork for tenderness (akin to a cooked onion). Salt and butter.....yum!

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    1. Yum, that sounds really good. THANK you for that. I'm going to have to try growing it now. :-)

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