Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

DD1 had a trip to Romania to watch bears( she's crazy like her Ma!) and they still live very much the way that peasant folk have for centuries, she says the noticeable thing is they pickle and preserve anything it's possible to do it to, they make but don't eat cheese in the warmer weather, it's stored for winter use and they eat fresh meat in the spring and early summer when the young stock are big enough to take the place of the older, slaughterable stock and the surplus male beasties are despached. They salt and smoke any surplus to needs meat too, and use it sparingly during the cold months. A lot of thier food is vegetarian and based on hearty root veg and grain dishes with warm spices like paprika, we must have had a similar cuisine here in the UK in the past, I'd be interested to find out just what it was like and maybe give it a try!

[Deleted User]

HO ho Very droll JKO you know perfectly well I don't mean the BEARS!!!

JKO where's your post gone? it's dissapeareded!!!

His post said 'Clever bears!' before it went away!

RAS

One of the things I have decided is that I want to grow condiments........

It strikes me that a lot of very basic food is a lot nicer if you have some flavourings to counter taste fatigue.

My plot friends get peed off with coriander because it runs to seed? I like the seed for use in curries and Mediteranean dishes. I save poppy and mustard seeds as well. Going to try cumin and fenugreek this year.

But ditto lots of other things that we can grow like sage, bay, thyme and chives. Needing a bit more care fennel, dill seed, mustard, caraway, chilli and paprika.

Have tried growing horseradish but it did not really take so will try and get more slips this year. Would like to try to grow lemon grass but I understand it is harder.

jk0

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

HO ho Very droll JKO you know perfectly well I don't mean the BEARS!!!

JKO where's your post gone? it's dissapeareded!!!

His post said 'Clever bears!' before it went away!

Oh, I posted that, and thought better of it lest I upset you. Thanks for taking it in good humour.

[Deleted User]

I thought it was FUNNY!!!!!

RAS

OOh - welcome womble and other newbies, to a world of discussion and outside of the box ideas.

Frugalsod

RAS wrote: »

One of the things I have decided is that I want to grow condiments........

It strikes me that a lot of very basic food is a lot nicer if you have some flavourings to counter taste fatigue.

My plot friends get peed off with coriander because it runs to seed? I like the seed for use in curries and Mediteranean dishes. I save poppy and mustard seeds as well. Going to try cumin and fenugreek this year.

But ditto lots of other things that we can grow like sage, bay, thyme and chives. Needing a bit more care fennel, dill seed, mustard, caraway, chilli and paprika.

Have tried growing horseradish but it did not really take so will try and get more slips this year. Would like to try to grow lemon grass but I understand it is harder.

Yes I must look into that as well. I use a few spices and it might be easy to grow them.

pineapple

RAS wrote: »

My plot friends get peed off with coriander because it runs to seed?.

I have the same problem.
It seems that to have a good continuous supply of coriander leaf, you have to sow it in succession. But I find my oregano, rosemary and thyme go on from year to year and the flat leaf parsley is indestructible. It can be left a second year but is better replaced. One of the oregano plants is the hot n spicy variety (like pineapple herself ).
I love French tarragon but find it a bit slow to grow so have just bought another two plants.
A bit late in the day, I just remembered I have some nasturtium seeds saved from last year. The flowers are edible and the leaves are a lovely peppery addition to a salad! :T

Nargleblast

Agirlcalledjack mentions taking a sprig of rosemary and putting it into a little jar of water. When it develops roots (about a week?) it can be potted on and grown into a new plant. So I now have a few rosemary sprigs in water in little shot glasses all lined up on my windowsill.

Witless

I was in Halfords today and spotted this - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_786587_langId_-1_categoryId_165650#tab1

I didn't buy it as there would have been an element of duplication of kit I already have, but it could come in useful.

Given the unit cost of the components, it's about the right price.

This looks useful too - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_745417_langId_-1_categoryId_165650#tab1