Beetroots have been around since the Romans who enjoyed their earthy charm. The root and leaves have been eaten for centuries. They also had a moment of glory when it was discovered that beetroots could be converted to sugar but these days these brightly coloured vegetables are known more for […]

It’s very cheering amidst the autumn rain to be picking sweetcorn. Luckily we had sunshine, which was very timely as far the corn was concerned, a last little push in the ripening process and now we have an entire crop to consume. Crop being a rather grandiose term for our […]

The time we have been waiting for all summer has arrived. The tomatoes have ripened and we are enjoying them with nearly everything. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. We grew 15 varieties of tomatoes this year, all selected for their flavour rather than prolific production or uniform size. The names are […]

August really is the month in Ireland for home grown Mediterranean vegetables. Tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and courgettes are all sun-loving fruits that are eaten as vegetables. The ‘sun loving’ being the reason they take all summer to ripen. Our courgettes have been taking their time. We’re still hovering around the […]

We have a rabbit in our garden. It has been hopping about devouring beans and kale and now it’s systematically chomping through a row of cauliflowers. This is an unusual problem for us as the garden’s walled and although birds cause devastation the rabbits usually stay out. It’s not easy […]

It’s a busy time in the garden, lots to sow, transplant and weed but not a vast selection to eat. There are plenty of green things – salad leaves, herbs, baby spinach, a few bolting leeks but for the rest we are waiting. This month’s recipe is in anticipation of […]