A Year of Pulses
Last year was the designated United Nations 'Year of Pulses'. To be honest, I didn't know this until I went to the talk by Josiah Meldrum from Hodmedod’s, at River Cottage's 'Meet the Experts' day last April. Of course, by then I had already bought my seeds for the year, so, for me at least, the year of pulses starts now.
As well as many varieties of fresh beans and peas I already grow a few pulses. The definition of a pulse is a member of the legume family which is left to dry naturally on the plant before being harvested. Last year I grew borlotti; butter; cannellini and kidney (chilli) beans. The borlotti we always eat demi-sec, but the rest are dried and used throughout the winter. The butter beans, although excellent, are not lima beans, but actually a variety of runner bean called Greek Gigantes, sold by Real Seeds.
This year I am hoping to find some marrowfat peas. They can be used to make wasabi peas, which I love. I'm also going to dry some of my surplus broad beans: I usually freeze them, but I've heard they taste wonderful when dried and rehydrated to make an Italian bean dip. They are also known as fava beans (and go well with a nice Chianti apparently). I am also growing soya beans but will harvest them green. Unfortunately, the UK isn't ideal for growing chickpeas which I also like and use a lot.
As well as many varieties of fresh beans and peas I already grow a few pulses. The definition of a pulse is a member of the legume family which is left to dry naturally on the plant before being harvested. Last year I grew borlotti; butter; cannellini and kidney (chilli) beans. The borlotti we always eat demi-sec, but the rest are dried and used throughout the winter. The butter beans, although excellent, are not lima beans, but actually a variety of runner bean called Greek Gigantes, sold by Real Seeds.
This year I am hoping to find some marrowfat peas. They can be used to make wasabi peas, which I love. I'm also going to dry some of my surplus broad beans: I usually freeze them, but I've heard they taste wonderful when dried and rehydrated to make an Italian bean dip. They are also known as fava beans (and go well with a nice Chianti apparently). I am also growing soya beans but will harvest them green. Unfortunately, the UK isn't ideal for growing chickpeas which I also like and use a lot.
A pulse which I have already added to my seed collection new for this year is lentils. I have since discovered that they are very low-yielding for the space and effort required. If you see me, next autumn, bashing my plants on the ground and stamping on them it might well be that I'm in a bad mood - or I may just be threshing my new crops.
Submitted by Jane, plot 9
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