The little round ones!!!

[Hot_Potato]

I've got a couple of the 'De Nice a Fruit Rond' variety of courgette growing reasonably happily (now I've learned how to hand pollinate  ;) in a). a grow bag & b). a pot on the patio

Both now have a nice little round fruit on them - one much bigger than the other (the one in the pot).....what sort of size should they be before I cut them please?

I've not grown these before so not sure!.....if I didn't cut them - would they just keep growing to the size of melons maybe??

The biggest one right now is about the size of a golf ball, maybe just a bit bigger.

Silly question but - do you just slice them up like ordinary courgettes, before cooking in whatever way takes your fancy?

Thanks - H.P.

[Hot_Potato]

[djbrenton]

Yes they do grow to melon size but that tends to stop any more growing. They are best at around tennis ball size. One tip - I left some on late last year to grow to melon size ( they are prolific and I was fed up of picking them ). The ones I stored then kept firm till February so they do seem to store well.

They're quite good for stuffing or you can treat them like any other courgette.

[redimp]

I think they would make attractive if rather impractical marrows.  I have one or two of these left and I am going to leave one to grow to marrow size and harvest the other.

[dandelion]

Inbetween golf ball and tennis ball. That's how I've eaten them in Nice.

Petis farci nicois (little stuffed vegetables from Nice)

Recipe and picture in French:

http://www.nicerendezvous.com/FR/actu-1536.html

Recipe in English

http://www.nicerendezvous.com/EN/recipes.php?fiche=28

I'll be trying courgette flower fritters this year!

[Gadfium]

Grew the round ones last year, and best to pick them young. Wasn't particularly careful about slicing them off quick last year (my first stab at veg gardening), so I ended up tasting a whole range of sizes. Tennis ball and below were nicest, but even the lurking bowling balls came in very handy - they were grated into courgette bread, and went down a treat.

[Hot_Potato]

thanks everyone for answers - they certainly look nice stuffed (as shown in the French recipe) thanks for posting that Dandelion.

Will try to be patient and leave the golf-ball sized one a little bit longer to grow that bit more - I think they're fascinating  ;)

[Mrs Ava]

I am growing these also, purposely for stuffing as I have an array of normal looking courgettes.  I figured on tennis ball size.  Good to know they store as we are still eating squashes from last autumns harvest!  Had potato and pumpkin mash with bangers tonight!