Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: twinkletoes on August 04, 2008, 11:03:28

Title: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: twinkletoes on August 04, 2008, 11:03:28
Good morning all.  I am sorry but I am just sooooooo stupidly excited (I'm over 50 for heaven's sake!) but on Saturday I took home my first bestist supermarket size perfect cauli!!!  I am just soooo happy. It was even more exciting because I didn't even notice it :o :o.   It was only because I was weeding and one cauli caught my eye and I thought I'll take that before it goes mankey....then I noticed my little prize winner.  I've not been successful before with caulis.........sorry to be a bore ..... ::) ::)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D twinkletoes
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: ceres on August 04, 2008, 11:26:08
Not a bore at all!  It IS exciting when you've beaten the weather, the pests (sometimes of the human variety!), the diseases etc. and produced a fab specimen.  Hope it tasted good too!
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: calendula on August 04, 2008, 11:28:17
best feeling in the world  :) - been an excellent year for caulis
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: tim on August 04, 2008, 11:29:13
So how did you cook it? Or raw??
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: twinkletoes on August 04, 2008, 11:32:11
It tasted delish.  Tim - I had it cooked and raw and will have it again tonight with half a ton of runner beans (that are growing amok!).  It was too good not to have some raw as I was preparing it to cook (steamed) - I'm drooling again now....... ;D
twinkletoes
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: pippy on August 04, 2008, 12:51:47
My plot neighbour gave me one of his this year as he had 4 ready at the same time.  It's the first time I've ever realy enjoyed cauliflower raw!  ;D ;D  The supermarket stuff tasts like an old dishcloth by comparison.  I'll be trying to grow some next year!!
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: twinkletoes on August 04, 2008, 13:00:39
I agree pippy.  Also, it doesn't take so long to cook?  Heaven knows what is done to the veg you buy in the shops......perhaps best not to know? ;D
twinkletoes
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: pippy on August 04, 2008, 13:15:42
Yes - I did mine for 4 minutes in boiling water, then did a smashing cauliflower cheese with lots of powdered english mustard in the cheese sauce (you know the brand I'm sure!).  Just couldn't resist the raw stuff while I was cooking it tho .... and normally I'd wrinkle my nose at chomping the raw stuff.  Must be the freshness and lack of additives!  Made me feel quite virtuous - something I'm definately not when there's any cake in the house  :o
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: kt. on August 04, 2008, 14:00:19
They do say that caulis are one of the hardest crops to grow.  If you can grow caulis then you can grow anything.......  apparently ::)
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: cornykev on August 04, 2008, 16:36:30
Same here Twinkle, I was removing the yellow leaves from my cabbages when I notised a small colly that I never realised was there, so I whipped it out and it fed three of us for Sunny dinner.  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: Debs on August 04, 2008, 22:50:17
Same here Twinkletoes.  I have grown caulis for first time & have been really impressed with results.

Debs
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: bankieman on August 05, 2008, 06:46:48
Wish my Cau[is were as good?The heads dont stay compact but start to splay out and look horrible.Any ideas why this is happening?B.T.W new to allotments(3 months)and to forums - so please excuse mistakes.Im on a huge learning curve!
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: twinkletoes on August 05, 2008, 07:13:54
Welcome bankieman.  I was having the same problem with my caulis last year (first full season allotmenteering) and was quite disappointed.  That's why I was just sooooooo excited about my unexpected find.  So, don't give up on them. 
twinkletoes
Title: Re: Cauli-tastic......
Post by: manicscousers on August 05, 2008, 08:20:54
hiya, bankieman, welcome to a4a, we grow overwintering caulis, they seem to get all the moisture they need and not the heat so do better than our summer ones  :)