Brussels sprouts apology

Anything to do with growing herbs and vegetables goes here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Odsox
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5466
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 2:21 pm
Location: West Cork, Ireland

Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277150Post Odsox »

Over here we are having a supermarket war on fresh vegetables, with Lidl winning so far with sprouts at 10c per kilo. At that price we had to buy some, even though I have loads of them in the garden, and I have to say they were a major disappointment.
They were distinctly bitter and I can't fathom why that would be. I grow the most popular (and presumably commercial) F1 variety and always have done, and my sprouts are always sweet and never bitter.
In the past I may have made some rather disparaging remarks aimed at those that mentioned that they hate sprouts because they are disgustingly bitter, so to those members I must apologise, even including that young lady who lives at the top end of Scotland :shock:

Mind you, if you grew your own ........ :iconbiggrin:
Tony

Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.

tosca
Barbara Good
Barbara Good
Posts: 160
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277151Post tosca »

I am going to be growing my own next year now we have settled in. This year we will have to have frozen as our Lidl doesn't stock fresh. :( They are one of my favourite veg.

User avatar
diggernotdreamer
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1861
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:23 pm
Location: North West Ireland

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277152Post diggernotdreamer »

I have never experienced bitter sprouts, only been growing my own since we moved to Ireland as I didn't have garden space for long term things like that before. I always bought mine from the organic farm shop or Waitrose and they were very nice. I just googled bitter sprouts and read that a response to stress by sprouts ie not enough water or cool weather could make them bitter, or being stored badly causing them to lose moisture could be a factor.

I really like Rubine, the red ones and have grown half tall as I thought they would stand up better to the atlantic gusts we get here and they have been really nice and tender especially when halved, cooked in butter with bacon and a grating of nutmeg. I hope to get better at growing them, any recommendations for other good varieties to grow :santa:

niknik
Living the good life
Living the good life
Posts: 434
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:50 pm
Location: Spain

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277153Post niknik »

I have always found sprouts to be bitter, whether frozen, fresh, organic or whatever, and avoided eating them as much as possible, until someone said to put a teaspoon of sugar in , when cooking them. now I love them, maybe I´ll try growing some and see if can get them to be non-bitter. I thought that was just the way they came!

User avatar
Green Aura
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9313
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
latitude: 58.569279
longitude: -4.762620
Location: North West Highlands

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277154Post Green Aura »

Apology accepted. :tongue: :lol:
Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin

User avatar
doofaloofa
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 1351
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2012 9:50 am
Location: Wesht Cark, RoI

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277159Post doofaloofa »

I am bitter because i can't grow decent sprouts
ina wrote: die dümmsten Bauern haben die dicksten Kartoffeln

User avatar
Millymollymandy
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 17637
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 6:09 am
Location: Brittany, France

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277160Post Millymollymandy »

:santa: Glad you got to experience what revolting bitter sprouts are really like! :iconbiggrin:
boboff wrote:Oh and just for MMM, :hugish: (thanks)
http://chateaumoorhen.blogspot.com/

User avatar
Odsox
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5466
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 2:21 pm
Location: West Cork, Ireland

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277161Post Odsox »

Millymollymandy wrote::santa: Glad you got to experience what revolting bitter sprouts are really like! :iconbiggrin:
I'm glad I only bought a kilo, and I can say with hand on heart that those sprouts will be the last I buy. :pukeleft: :lol:
I do pity people who have no idea what a home grown, freshly picked sprout tastes like.
Tony

Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.

User avatar
Millymollymandy
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 17637
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 6:09 am
Location: Brittany, France

Re: Brussels sprouts apology

Post: # 277166Post Millymollymandy »

You will have to send us one each, at least to Maggie and me. :-)
I do believe you, you know!

Not that I can grow them here as I guess you have to start earlyish in the year and I don't sow my brassicas (kale and PSB) until July to be planted out mid August after the worst of the flea beetles have gone. I can then enjoy some rocket and radishes too.
boboff wrote:Oh and just for MMM, :hugish: (thanks)
http://chateaumoorhen.blogspot.com/

Post Reply