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Seeds from Italy News
Vol 2, # 4 December 2002
We publish four times a year and include information on all aspects of Italian vegetables, herbs and flowers: selecting, growing, harvesting and storing and cooking. We would be happy to receive and if space permits, publish your experiences in these areas.
This newsletter is sent out to all people who purchased seeds from Seeds from Italy as well as anyone who requested a catalog and included their email address. If you want to unsubscribe, simply send me an email: send to
bmckay@growitalian.com In the subject line just put unsubscribe. Conversely, if someone you know wishes to subscribe, do the same but put subscribe in the subject line. There are some duplicates (typically if you requested a catalog, then ordered). I think I have finally figured out how to get rid of the duplicates so that should not be a problem any more.
If you have a friend who is interested in all things Italian (at least for vegetables, herbs & flowers, please feel free to forward this to them.
1. 2003 Catalogs
2. What is new.
2a. Free Seeds.
3. Fall Trial Garden Results
4. A Reader Saves a Seed
4a. Woodchucks Prefer Franchi Vegetables-addendum
5. Recipe. Escarole Soup
6. An Interesting Web Site and a great magazine
7. 2003 Trial photos and customer growing results.
1. 2003 Catalogs. They are finally back from the printer (where they have been for more than three weeks). I started mailing them and should have all of them out by the end of the week. (I actually have the first batch going out today) If you got this newsletter, you will get a catalog. Everyone who ordered last year, or who requested a catalog but 'forgot' to order will get a catalog this year. If you do not get a catalog in the few weeks and you want one, drop me a note.
2. What is new.
New varieties are in stock. We have another fifty or so varieties this year. Only two items are out of stock at the factory and will not arrive until mid January: Un Metro (meter long bean & Signora della Campagna borlotti bean). There are a bunch of cutting chicories
(spadona, zuccherina di trieste, etc), cutting endives, new eggplant, peppers, flowers, etc. We also have certified organic seed. The catalog only lists eight but since it went to the printer I decided to pick up another 12 of them. They will be up on the web site in a few weeks (as soon as my November order comes in from Italy). Two of the varieties of mushroom spawn are in; the others will be here in January. I also have garlic for planting. While it was impossible to bring in garlic from Italy, I have a very nice hardneck and a
softneck. Both have excellent taste and are quite large (3 bulbs weigh @ 8 ounces).
We also have Franchi gift boxes. This is the perfect Christmas or birthday gift for the special gardener. In fact, they are the perfect gift for yourself also. A collection of 20 herbs and vegetables, packed in an attractive box by
Franchi. The selection includes genovese basil, nantes carrot, white cauliflower of
Jesi, Broccoli Calabrese, Rossa Verona Chicory, Milano onion, Fennel of Parma
sel. Prado, Maraviglia de verano canasta head lettuce, Romane lettuce bionda
ortolani, Violetta Lunga Eggplant, Giant of Napoli Parsley, Yellow Asti pepper, Cuor di Bue tomato, Rapid Red
sel. Sanova radish, cultivated arugula, tromba d'Albenga zucchetta, Striato d'Italia Zucchini, Lingua di Fuoco (bush) borlotto bean, bush green bean vanguard & Maraviglia d'Italia pea. The peas and beans are in the much larger 250 gram boxes, not the two ounce packs. This is a great selection. They are packed in a wood presentation box (which you can later use as a seed tray) They are a good value. If you figure out the price of the seeds (17 packs at $2.50 and 3 boxes of seeds at $4.25, that is $55.25. The cost is 49.95, so you save $6.75. Our other gift box is packaged in a printed whiteboard box, but has the same seed selection but at an even lower price ($44.95). We can include a card with a message if you send these to a third party.
We also have a really nice gift basket. Five packs of our most popular seeds (San Marzano Tomato, Red Pear Tomato, Basil, Arugula and Lettuce Misticanza mix in a very nice Nantucket style basket which can be reused as a seed holder, letter holder, etc. It also has a decorative watering can. Price is $24.95. Finally, we have Seeds from Italy gift certificates. They come in $15, $25 and $50 denominations. They are printed on photo paper and have a great photo from the trial garden. We can send them to a third party and include a message.
2a. Free Seeds. I have a bunch of seed packets returned by a garden center that are so beat up I could not donate them to my usual sources. (Somehow they managed to tear the tops of about 250 packs.) Anyway, there is nothing wrong with the seeds so what I will do is one of two things:
a. If you order more than $10.00 worth of seeds, I will include one of our beat up packs. Let me know what variety you would like. (On line orders, put your request in the comment section While I can not promise that I will be able to give you exactly what you ask for, I will give you something in that particular seed family if I have it.
b. If you work with a non-profit organization (a school garden, a community garden, whatever, etc. and they would like some seeds, let me know.
Be advised this is all first come, first served. Once they are gone, they are gone.
3. Fall Trial Garden Results
CALABRESE BROCCOLI. I had a hard time with broccoli this year since it was the favorite food of the woodchucks that constantly broke into the garden. Nevertheless, between the spring sowing (which was munched at least twice but came back) and the fall planting, I have a decent report. This is definitely not like your typical hybrid broccoli and has at least three characteristics which differentiate it (four if you consider it is the woodchuck's favorite food). First is taste. It tastes different than hybrid broccolis. I heard Molto Mario (of Food TV Fame) describe it as slightly bitter, but I would not call it bitter. Rather, I would say that it is much more assertive tasting. This makes it perfect for cooking with pasta. Secondly, it is variable in terms of how long it takes to mature. Typically, you get a smallish (as in 4 inch) central head somewhere between 60 and 80 days from setting out five week transplants. This is great for the home gardener-who wants all their broccoli to mature the same week. This is not so great for the farmer who may wish it all to mature at the same time. Final characteristic is that it produces an enormous number of side shoots. Most broccoli will, after you cut the main head, produce side shoots from the main stem. The Calabrese, after you cut the main head, grows huge side stems which then produce lots of side shoots. I am talking lots! If you are going to let it grow side shoots, give the plant plenty of room; space at 24 or 30 inches, because that is how much room it will take up. It is quite amazing to watch one.
Growing broccoli is pretty easy. Most broccoli prefers the cooler weather of spring and autumn, although the Calabrese did fine all through the summer. You can direct seed if you wish; sow 3-4 seeds every 12-30 inches (depending if you are letting it grow side shoots), thin to one. Transplants work even better. Place 2-3 seeds/cell of your starting tray and cover with a thin coat of growing media. It will be up in 3-7 days, depending on temperatures. Thin to one. Keep well watered. Set out when they are six or so weeks old (don't use old transplants with woody stems. They do not work well). You can set out from 3-4 weeks before the last frost. Broccoli prefers fertile soil and benefits from regular watering. In the spring, put a paper collar around the plant since cutworms love them. Cover with light weight row cover if you have some to keep off cabbage worms. You might want to do two crops. One in the spring, and another set out sometime about 90 days before your first frost. Try not to plant broccoli or any brassica (kale, cauliflower,
cabbage,etc) in the same spot within three years since sometimes club root becomes a problem.
FALL CHICORY & ENDIVE/ESCAROLE TRIALS. Chicory. In late July I planted Treviso (radicchio) and rossa verona tardiva and four green leaf chicories: Catalogna gig. di
Chioggia; Selvatica da Campo (Wild of the fields); Catalogna Brindisina; and Catalogna
Pugliese. They were all direct seeded. All the green leaf chicories did extremely well; they were ready from the middle of August when they were about 10" high and they continued to grow until the first frost in mid-October. We had some snow and very cold weather in late October which damaged some of the stems (the plants froze, the snow made them fall over and some stems broke). They seem to be able to take temperatures down to about 18-19F (Actually they survive much colder temperatures, but quality of the outer leaves suffers. Right now it is 10F, we have had two more snows, and they are still doing ok, although they are quite frozen). All were excellent in both salads and cooked. I could not tell any real difference in taste. All had that characteristic 'bitter' chicory taste with nice crunchy stems. The radicchio were much more cold hardy. Both are surviving as of this date (29 November) although they are under 8" of snow. Nice heads, although a bit small since I should have direct seeded in the first week of July or put them out as transplants. For
treviso, give it at least 80 days, perhaps a bit more if the weather is cool. The rossa verona tardiva is very interesting. Developed a very nice deep red head; next spring I suspect it will develop the very nice little rosettes that characterize grumolo types of chicory.
Endive & escarole. Direct seeded Green Full Heart, Bionda & Cornetto Bordeaux escaroles in late July. Use the thinnings for salads and left the plants at 12". Should have left more for green full heart which is a huge plant (give it 16"). They were ready in early October. They did not do particularly well with the cold weather, but I suspect the main problem was the snow which pulled down the frozen outer leaves (last winter I had cornetto bordeaux in the unheated greenhouse and it survived the winter). Excellent taste & texture (they made many a soup this past month). Also seeded a patch of endive mix which was one of the hits of the summer. There are 8 varieties of escarole & endive in the mix. I cut most of them for salad greens when they were 4-5" high and left a few to grow out. Nice very frilly leaves on the endive. A really great mix. They were ready to cut for salad in 35 or so days.
4. A reader saves a seed. I received this letter a few weeks ago and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. It is one of the kinds of things that make this seed business more fun than anything I have ever done. I called the author and assisted him in getting his saved seeds sent off to Franchi
Sementi. They are always on the lookout for new varieties and I hope they not only trial it, but produce it. I asked him if I could publish his original letter in the newsletter and he gave his permission. Here is the letter. Hope you enjoy it.
Dear Franchi Sementi Company,
This is a story about an immigrant family that came from Sicily over 100 years ago. This was my father, Charles I. Navarra who brought back a seed for a summer squash called “Napolitano”. Dad guarded this seed for all his worth, but it was hard because his brother-in-law shared the same garden lot, and he would plant zucchini which crossed the squashes. Dad preferred Napolitano because it was a far better flavor and use.
Dad is gone now, and I have the seed now and am also guarding it and propagating it for 15 years. I traveled to Italy in 1996 and tried to get some fresh seed in Naples, Palermo, Florence, and Pompeii and etc. They all said that they had lost that seed.
I now have that seed, which is as good as it gets, and would be happy to send it to Franchi Sementi to re-establish this lost seed. I would like to get their address to send them a new start of
Napolitano. I have a photograph of this squash if you would be interested in seeing what I am talking about.
I am sure it will be appreciated in Italy. It will give me great pleasure to do so.
My name is Sal Navarra
4a. Those of you who regularly read this may remember my somewhat tongue in cheek recommedations of the five woodchucks who visited the Seeds from Italy trial garden this past summer. All prefered Franchi vegetables to those grown from seeds from a rival seed company in Maine. Some readers have suggested that this may be due to the fact that Massachusetts woodchucks are somewhat challenged in the taste department. Well, a reader from Wisconsin relates a story that is proof conclusive that woodchucks, who everyone knows have a keen sense of taste, prefer Franchi vegetables over all others. Below is the unedited version:
Bill
Finally read your newsletter. (It's been very very busy). The woodchuck I inherited from the neighborhood waited until I picked all of my nice roma tomatoes. I put them in the garage. Next morning I walk into the garage and a big fat woodchuck is sitting on his haunches next to the bushel basket of tomatoes eating right from the basket. I guess he figured he let me pick them too before he ate them. Anyway he took off and now I suspend my vegetables. And I still don't know how that critter got into the garage.
Anyway I guess it's six out of six prefer your vegetables
I emailed the writer and asked if I could include his story in the newsletter. At the same time, I related a similar woodchuck story. Here is my story and his response.
My request: Paul That is priceless. Reminds me of the time I chased a woodchuck into the basement space under the barn. I closed the door, went in the house and got a pair of heavy gloves, a flashlight and a trash barrel. Forced him into a corner, grabbed him real quick and dropped him in the barrel. Anyway, that is a great story. I am just about ready to do the next newsletter. Can I put that in as a sequel to the previous edition?
His response: "Sure put it in. One note though, that was the biggest ground hog I ever saw and I've been around awhile. Must have been about 20 pounds. If I would have had a leather glove, he would have gnawed my arm up to the shoulder. Before he left, he made the standard clicking sound with his teeth when they get scared. Sounded like a chain saw."
Is there still anyone who doubts that Franchi Vegetables taste superior (at least to Woodchucks in the Northeast and Midwest?
5. Recipe. Escarole Soup. There are as many ways of making escarole soup as there are cooks in Italy. This is a variation on how my mother used to make it. Wilt in some olive oil a clove of garlic, a small chopped onion and 2-3 ounces of pancetta cut into bite size pieces. Don't let things brown. Chop and add 2-3 stalks of celery (home grown is better. Add five or six cups soup stock or water. Add a couple of tomatoes roughly
choppped. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Clean a head of escarole and chop into pieces that will fit onto a spoon when cooked. Add that to the soup. Cook until everything is done. To serve, cut some slices of really good bread. Grill or toast, rub with garlic, put a soup dish and ladle the soup over the grilled bread. Variations: forget the bread. 15-20 minutes before everything is done, add a cup of cooked canellini beans. (If you do not happen to have a cup of cooked Franchi Sementi canellini beans hanging around, use a can of progresso beans. Variation # 2. Instead of beans, add some broken pieces of pasta.
6. Site of the Quarter. This is really lovely. Send an postcard with an Italian scene to a friend or whatever.
http://www.terraditoscana.com/postcards It is non commercial (it is a welcome portal to things Tuscan).
A great magazine. Not sure if I have mentioned in the past the magazine, La Cucina
Italiana. This is a US version of an Italian magazine of the same name. It is full of great recipes, information on various Italian food products, travel to Italy, etc. It comes out bimonthly. I have seen it at Barnes & Noble, but I am sure you can find it at any good bookseller or magazine stand. (If you can not find it, go to
www.italiancookingandliving.com; I think you can buy a single issue there or subscribe). Even more interesting is the Italian version if you read Italian. The latest issue had a seven or eight page spread on different kinds of chicory and escarole and how to cook them. The stuffed escarole is something I have to try.
7. Photos of the 2002 trial garden will be up on the web site in a week or two. I finally got a decent digital camera in late september and took some photos. Next year I will try and get a series of photos from start to finish. There are no reader growing results since no one sent anything much in. If you would like to send in a paragraph or two on how things grew (or did not grow) for you, I would be glad to publish it. Email address is
bmckay@growitalian.com
Good growing and good eating
Bill McKay
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