Millymollymandy Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 The topic on Jerusalem Artichokes has reminded me of a vegetable I see every autumn in the shops that I have absolutely no idea what it is. I can't remember the French name either - not very helpful, I know!It looks similar to a miniature peanut in its shell, but smaller and more knobbly bits. It's about 3cm long and about 1/2 - 1cm wide. It's brown. I used to live in Ain in Rhone Alps. Maybe it was something native to that region. Haven't seen any yet in the shops where I am now in Brittany.Anyway, I've never seen mention of them in the French gardening magazines (where incidentally, I see Curly Kale, Parsnips, Purple Sprouting Broccoli - all stuff I grow because you don't see them for sale in the shops!). But never mystery veggie.Do you have any ideas? If you know the French name I would recognise it, just can't remember it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesLauriers Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 The description sounds like Tamarind Pods to me.http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/tamarindo.htmUsed in asian/carribean cooking to give a sour taste, it's made into tamarind paste. Grand Frais sell them (along with many other exotics) and I think I've seen them in Auchan too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millymollymandy Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 No, not tamarind. Much smaller! Smaller than a peanut shell. I wish I could remember what it is called in French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millymollymandy Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 I've remembered, they're called CROSNE. Has anyone tried eating them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Why is nothing to hand when you need it? HA! It is. You can buy them in the Baumaux catalogue. Plant Feb. Harvest Nov. Crosne de Japon. www.baumaux.com Excellent firm. Have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millymollymandy Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 Thanks for the link - looks an interesting site. Even have purple sprouting broccoli - and lots of chillies!!However, don't think I want to GROW the crosne! Just wanted to know whether they were worth eating. Look a bit like hard work to prepare such little things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Thankyou, you have driven me mad with this today. No I haven't tried them, I look at them, I look at them often but I have never bought them. Heck I only bought a madonna's bra green pointy patterned cabbage/cauli thing last month, and the name of that escapes me for the moment, after eyeing the darned things up for so long I can't remember. I've bought several of them since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 I shouldn't bother buying crosnes, by the time they have gone brown they are not worth eating imo although they are really lovely when they are fresh. Having said that on my heavy clay soil I rarely found time to clean enough to eat so don't bother with them any more even though they are easy to grow. The English name is Chinese artichokes; the full French one is crosnes du Japon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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