Summer Veg - whatever has happened?

[Petrushka]

More specifically, broad beans and Jersey Royals.

Broad beans have more or less absent for a few years round here and the pathetic specimens that come my way are just not good enough.

Jersey Royals used to have a peculiar taste all of their own that simply meant Summer. Recent year's crops have been tasteless and little different from other potatoes.

What on earth has happened to these tastes of Summer?

[Serial_Apologist]

More specifically, broad beans and Jersey Royals.

Broad beans have more or less absent for a few years round here and the pathetic specimens that come my way are just not good enough.

Jersey Royals used to have a peculiar taste all of their own that simply meant Summer. Recent year's crops have been tasteless and little different from other potatoes.

What on earth has happened to these tastes of Summer?

What I would like to ask is: what has happened to the mainstream old spuds (as opposed to new potatoes), eg Maris Piper, as generally available in Tescos or Sainsburys these past couple of months? Tasteless, and overcooked to a mush if boiled for more than about 12 minutes. And apples generally on sale in supermarkets are either dry and wooden in texture or tasteless, and yet so full of water as to almost drown one with the first bite.

[MrGongGong]

Broad beans we have in abundance and this years are some of the best ever
and "international kidney" ?
Other spuds are fine
don't be fooled by the "Jersey Royals" bullshit they are just International Kidney spuds
easy to source and simple to grow (even in a bag in the yard !)

[Madame Suggia]

My pineapples are coming on.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Broad beans we have in abundance and this years are some of the best ever
and "international kidney" ?
Other spuds are fine
don't be fooled by the "Jersey Royals" bullshit they are just International Kidney spuds
easy to source and simple to grow (even in a bag in the yard !)

International Kidney are easy to grow, as are most potatoes. But for something really special, try either Pink Fir or Anyas

[MrGongGong]

International Kidney are easy to grow, as are most potatoes. But for something really special, try either Pink Fir or Anyas

indeed
Pink fir apple are rather good imv

[umslopogaas]

It has been a very wet and not very sunny summer. Lots of rain means spuds pumped up with water, and lack of sun means less photosynthesis, which means low content of sugars and compounds derived from them that give flavour. Net result, watery tasteless spuds.

My Pink Fir Apple spuds seem to be coming along fine, but they are not nearly ready yet for harvest. Havent got any Anya this year, but I did once grow some and they were very good. I dont think its worth growing ordinary maincrop, they are very cheap to buy.

Cant comment on broad beans, I dont like them and dont grow them. Runners and French Beans seem to be OK, though a bit slow: we need sun!

[MrGongGong]

Cant comment on broad beans, I dont like them and dont grow them. Runners and French Beans seem to be OK, though a bit slow: we need sun!

I didn't used to like broad beans at all until I discovered that when you buy them they are old, picked when very young (pea size) they are delicious.

Artichokes will be good this year (Globe ones !)

[umslopogaas]

Thanks Mr GG, that makes sense. I dont actively dislike them, I just dont think I like them enough to make the effort to grow them. Maybe next year I'll give them a try.

[jean]

It has been a very wet and not very sunny summer. Lots of rain means spuds pumped up with water, and lack of sun means less photosynthesis, which means low content of sugars and compounds derived from them that give flavour. Net result, watery tasteless spuds.

I've noticed that.

Even when you grow your own, the difference from year to year with the same variety in the same soil is real and can be very disappointing.

[jean]

I didn't used to like broad beans at all until I discovered that when you buy them they are old, picked when very young (pea size) they are delicious.

Strangely, Tesco have some excellent ones at the moment - young, small and sweet, but with very well-filled pods.

I've just bought some reduced on their sell-by date -people clearly didn't appreciate them. My own are looking good (no blackfly!) but won't be ready for ages.

[MrGongGong]

Even when you grow your own, the difference from year to year with the same variety in the same soil is real and can be very disappointing.

One of the things I love about growing stuff (and French wine!)
is that every year IS different, some years are good for some things and others for other things
having a "glut" of one thing means that the repertoire of possible recipes expands

It's only a problem if you grow a limited range of things.... of course, growing the same thing in the same soil without rotation will give you a deterioration of quality unless you do epic amounts of muck digging or other fertiliser

[jean]

I am talking about the weather and other factors I have no control over, not my failure to rotate or dig properly!

[Serial_Apologist]

the weather

Over which you have no more control than you do MrGG's capacity for misinterpretation!

[Mary Chambers]

I love broad beans, but I like them reasonably mature. The ones sold in the shops always seem to have been picked too soon for my taste.

The last peas I bought (from Tesco) were so tiny they were barely there. Might as well have had sugarsnaps.