Adri Barr Crocetti

It may be too early to plant, but it is never too early to plan. From Arugula to Zahara Eggplant, gardeners are marking calendars and making lists, drawing up plans, checking availability and placing orders. In short we are getting hyped for summer.

Italians have a way with vegetables. There is just no doubt about it. And they have varieties that until recently were unavailable to us here in the United States. But now Italian seeds from companies such as Pagano and Franchi Sementi are available at many local nurseries. My neighborhood nursery, Sego in Studio City, California, has a large selection of Italian seeds. If your nurseryman does not carry them, Seeds from Italy will come to your aid. They are the exclusive U.S. mail order distributor for Franchi seeds, Italy’s oldest and best known seed supply. Over the years I have grown many vegetables from Franchi seeds, always with tremendous success. I urge you to plant their Zucchini Romanesco. This variant is creamy and tasty, a breed apart, easily the finest zucchini I have ever tasted. Currently the top seller at Seeds from Italy is Red Pear Tomato, another I heartily recommend. It is a big, but early tomato that will please every gardener and cook. Read the remainder of this entry »

Have you ever wondered why just about every Italian city and town have a street called via XX Settembre (20th of September?) Well, think Italian unification – Italians of the late nineteenth century wanted their capital in Rome. Now channel the Bersaglieri. Yes the Bersaglieri, those fast stepping infantrymen with the coolest hats ever. And I do mean ever. Decorated with Woodcock feathers, the hats are shown off to wonderful advantage when the Bersaglieri are on parade. Take a moment to look at the YouTube video. You’ll love it. However, I digress. Although the Kingdom of Italy was formed in 1861 at which time Rome was declared its capital, geopolitical tensions of the day prevented Italian patriots from taking control of the city. Nine years later on September 20, 1870 the Bersaglieri marched on Rome and ended the Papal States’ dominion over the capital, a rule that had lasted more than a thousand years. And that, dear Reader, is why Italian cities have streets called via XX Settembre. Celebrate with a traditional Roman dish, Pomodori Ripieni, Stuffed Tomatoes. Read the remainder of this entry »

Another in the ongoing series – Exploring Tomatoes

This low acid novelty looks a bit like a banana, well, kinda sorta – a 4 inch long bright yellow banana with a point at one end and very pale green stripes running the length of the fruit. Like I said, kinda sorta. This is one dependable and remarkably disease resistant plant. It is a determinate variety, and as such all its fruit will ripen at once, beginning at about 75 days and continuing over a two week period. The plant will then be “finished.” Known as “bush tomatoes” because of their low compact habit, determinate plants stop growing once the fruit on the top (or “terminal”) bud has set. These are not plants that will reward you with fruit all season long. Keep the determinate vs. indeterminate factor in mind when planning your tomato garden. Read the remainder of this entry »