Hi,

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Bob

"Bob Smith (UK)" wrote
First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

Yes the plants are thorny and my wife has an allergic reaction to being
scratched by them. Not had a spiky fruit though, ridge cucumbers have spikes
but they rub off easily.

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Not tasted them either but I know the French fry them stuffed with
something. (but then they eat anything rather like the Chinese) :-)

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 16:33:01 +0100, "Bob Smith \(UK\)"
bob@nospamplease wrote:

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

They shouldn't be too spiky. Silly question but I suppose you are
looking at the courgettes under the female flowers and not the stalks
under the male flowers?

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Never tried it myself but you are supposed to be able to fry them in
batter. I don't know what the taste should be like but it always
struck me that the flowers are so insubstantial that the end result
would taste mainly of batter.

In message , "Bob Smith (UK)"
writes
Hi,

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Bob


Hi
with regards the flowers, when I lived in Mexico many years ago, soup
made from pumpkin flowers was a popular dish. Very delicate flavour. I
never found out the recipe but enjoyed it often in restaurants. I
imagine courgette flower would be similar.
Paul.

Found this on Google http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/37955/
--
Paul reply-to is valid

On 27/7/05 5:39 pm, in article , "Paddy"
wrote:

In message , "Bob Smith (UK)"
writes
Hi,

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Bob


Hi
with regards the flowers, when I lived in Mexico many years ago, soup
made from pumpkin flowers was a popular dish. Very delicate flavour. I
never found out the recipe but enjoyed it often in restaurants. I
imagine courgette flower would be similar.
Paul.

Found this on Google http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/37955/

And the batter to be used in frying them is a light tempura which allows the
flavour of the preferred *male* flowers to be enjoyed. Stuffing them with
various recipes and baking them is another big favourite.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Bob Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote in message
...
Hi,

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?


The courgettes are more 'hairy' than spiky. But this just rubs off when you
wash them.

Kase



--
Great ringtones, games and wallpapers for your mobile
http://www.funkibug.co.uk/

Remove YOURPANTS before replying

"Sacha" wrote in message
.uk...
On 27/7/05 5:39 pm, in article ,
"Paddy"
wrote:

In message , "Bob Smith (UK)"
writes
Hi,

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are
growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the
other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the
effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Bob


Hi
with regards the flowers, when I lived in Mexico many years ago, soup
made from pumpkin flowers was a popular dish. Very delicate flavour. I
never found out the recipe but enjoyed it often in restaurants. I
imagine courgette flower would be similar.
Paul.

Found this on Google http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/37955/

And the batter to be used in frying them is a light tempura which allows
the
flavour of the preferred *male* flowers to be enjoyed. Stuffing them with
various recipes and baking them is another big favourite.
--

Apparently Day Lily flowers are edible and can be similarly battered, fired
and eaten.

Andy

andrewpreece wrote:
[...]
Apparently Day Lily flowers are edible and can be similarly
battered,
fired and eaten.

A Chinese visitor cooked dried ones for us once: did nothing for me
at all.

--
Mike.

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 20:43:30 +0100, "andrewpreece"
wrote:

Apparently Day Lily flowers are edible and can be similarly battered, fired
and eaten.

Day lily flowers are good in salad. Prince Charles said so, and I
agree!

Pam in Bristol

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 16:33:01 +0100, "Bob Smith \(UK\)"
bob@nospamplease wrote:

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

Are you absolutely sure they are courgette plants and not ridge
cucumber which someone else mentioned? I've never had a spiky
courgette. It might be a case of suck it and see!

Pam in Bristol

The message
from "Bob Smith \(UK\)" bob@nospamplease contains these words:

Hi,

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

The leaves are often a bit rough and stalks rather bristly. The early
young courgettes can also have some bristles. I run them under the tap
and wipe the bristles off with my hand, very easy, later fruits don't
seem to be affected.

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Lots of things don't taste good until cooked. Fish and chips for
example :-)

Janet

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 16:33:01 +0100, "Bob Smith \(UK\)"
bob@nospamplease wrote:

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

Are you absolutely sure they are courgette plants and not ridge
cucumber which someone else mentioned? I've never had a spiky
courgette. It might be a case of suck it and see!


Thanks all.

They are courgettes - I picked one today. They are more like stiff hairs,
and did come off when I washed it. The ones in supermarkets must be "ready
rubbed" or something. Probably get knocked off in transit.

Bob

Bob Hobden wrote:

"Bob Smith (UK)" wrote

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

Yes the plants are thorny and my wife has an allergic reaction to being
scratched by them. Not had a spiky fruit though, ridge cucumbers have spikes
but they rub off easily.

I have had courgettes that have needle like spines on them that if you
catch them the wrong way will pierce the skin. The stalk tends to be
quite spiky - cold and wet up here today.

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Not tasted them either but I know the French fry them stuffed with
something. (but then they eat anything rather like the Chinese) :-)

They are edible and quite ornamental on the plate. I think there is a
trick to cooking them deep fried in a tempura batter or something.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Bob Smith (UK) wrote:
Hi,

First time I have grown courgettes this year, and I have a couple of
questions.

1) The plants are spiky and thorny. The baby courgettes that are growing
are also spiky. Does this go away, or do you have to "shave" them?

2) People talk about eating the flowers. I tasted a but of one the other
day, and it didn't taste wonderful. Not horrid, just not worth the effort
as far as I can tell. Do the flowers get a good flavour when cooked?

Bob

Courgettes do lose the spikes..think of the larger fruit(marrow) they
disappear either as they expand or they drop off as the picked(dead)
plant loses some freshness.
The courgette flowers are probably regarded as a delicacy but given
time they will lose their 'celebrity chef' status and we can go back to
growing them for the fruit!

Chris