Re: [gardeners] A matter of taste
Margaret Lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 25 Jun 1998 14:46:36 -0600
>
>That's the reason I'd rather consult my horoscope than my county
>extension agent about what varieties of fruits and vegetables to
>plant.
County agents are pretty good on old Amurrican food such as meat and taters
(as long as they're Idaho taters), but they know zilch about other cuisines
or even exotic foodstuffs (might's well use that word) like wild mushrooms.
>Yet, right here in Idaho we can purchase unusual and flavorful
>varieties from Ronninger's -- something most of us long time veggie
>gardeners know. My agent is never going to recommend that I grow a
>fingerling variety or Caribe but they have a taste that the grocery
>store varieties.
I think somethingis missing here, such as a verb?
>I think that over the next 20 - 40 years there is going to be a
>backlash against tasteless veggies. Producing food that can
>withstand the stress of shipping, machine picking, storing and
>processing has been a priority for good reason. We now have many
>varieties with excellent productivity that meet those needs. The
>next step will be to put flavor back into the equation. Flavor is
>going to one day be the edge in what sells and what doesn't. You can
>see that this is already the case when it comes to onions --
>Vidalias, Texas Sweets and Walla Wallas sell out rapidly despite the
>fact that they have poor storage qualities. People are ready for
>veggies that taste good now that they have discovered that veggies
>shouldn't be cooked to death.
>
>I bet Guido would rather have a sauce made with Amish Paste rather
>than those horrible Romas.
>
>Liz
>
Amen, sister. Romas succumb to every disease that blows through our
valley. Yet nurseries tell me the vast majority (well, maybe half vast) of
people who buy tomato seedlings ask for Romas. The fact that that's the
variety extension home economists know best is not a coincidence. Margaret