Vegetables

[Martin]

Whatever has happened to vegetables ?
When I was small we'd get up early and go mushroom picking across the airfield, get back home and fry them up (in lard back then). They actually smelt mushroomy and the juice (?) on the plate was black, just right to be mopped up with a bit of bread. Nowadays the 'shrooms from the supermarkets don't smell, don't taste and don't even colour the oil they are fried in. I'm sure it all can't be down to my chain smoking, drinking and furred up tongue.
It's the same with carrots. The ones I used yesterday were so odourless, I had my beak touching one and breathing in deeply before I got a small whiff of carrot. I remember carrots having a lovely strong smell and taste, not any more it seems.
Tomatoes, well, they have gone down hill. Once again, odourless and tasteless. When my dear old gran was living in Leiston she had a big old wooden framed greenhouse that she would grow toms and cucumbers in. When we opened the door the smell of tomatoes was almost overpowering, it was even a stronger scent than what was on the soil around the base of the plants. My gran used to walk her dog across the common and take with her an old shopping bag, small fireplace shovel, and a bit of old newspaper. She thought nothing of picking up the horse fruit, taking it home and scattering it around her toms. Oh they did taste so good.
New potatoes, in fact, spuds in general, they've gone downhill as well, tasteless. They used to be so nice and we always looked forward to the first new potatoes of the year. The last time I tasted decent spuds was when I had an allotment in Plymouth back in the 1990's, it was a taste of how things used to be.
Whatever happened to peas in the pod ? Mum used to sit there with a bowl on her knee for the peas, bucket by her side for the pods. I loved raw freshly shelled peas and even when they were cooked they had taste and smell.
I grew broad beans on that allotment, great tasting things. Last year I bought a bag of frozen ones, I was so disgusted after one portion that I threw the rest out. YUK !
Runner beans, they have become bland and all but tasteless, Radishes are another that seem to have lost their bite, the two things that haven't really been watered down too much are Parsnips and Swedes.
I'm fed up !

[tarmmaker]

Grow yer own then! Easier than suicide!

[Martin]

Suicide ? No chance, you don't get rid of me that easily, sorry. Maybe I didn't phrase the original line quite right, it wasn't meant to read like that. Have edited it.

[LANDROVER ROGER]

Totally agree Martin.I try to buy as much produce from Farmers Markets.All their own seasonal produce that retains the smell and original flavour.Johnny Tesco can shove his muck where the sun don`t shine.

[dunc99]

I agree that the best produce will come from farmers' markets.

Every farmers' market I have been to has been massively overpriced. If they were not so greedy everyone would benefit, not just the ultra rich.

[gray_marian]

dunc99, Barter with them...... they would rather sell than take it home.....

[Martin]

Last time I went to a farmer's market I came away with six Ostrich burgers !

[LANDROVER ROGER]

dunc99, Barter with them...... they would rather sell than take it home.....

That is the way to do it.I sometimes return when they are packing up for the day.Get some bargains at that time.

[thomas methvin]

I get most of my vegatables from the nut-house