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Broccoli is actually a member of the cabbage family and the word Broccoli comes from the Italian word brocco meaning branch or arm. The more common cousin of Purple Sprouting, broccoli as we know it today actually evolved from Purple Sprouting. It is thought to have developed into the vegetable we know and love today in Roman times from its close relative, the wild cabbage. Its name certainly would suggest a Mediterranean origin!!! The Broccoli was then brought to the UK and America in the early 19th century; however, it took over a century before it became as popular as it is now.
Nutritionally, broccoli is naturally very high in Vitamin C as well as soluble fibre. There is also a compound within Broccoli that can work wonders with the immune system, helping to boost anti-viral and anti-bacterial capabilities.
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The carrot is a member of the parsley family along with celery, parsnips, fennel, dill and coriander. Carrots have been grown in England since the 15th Century, although the ancestry of the carrot can be traced back to Afganistan when they were originally white or purple.
The characteristic bright orange colour of modern carrots comes from β-carotene, which is turned into vitamin A by our bodies. Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyesight - so it's true what they say: carrots can help you see in the dark!!!
It has been estimated that every member of the UK population will consume 10,866 carrots on average in their lifetime.
The longest carrot ever recorded in the UK was in 1996, it measured a staggering 5.14 meters long.
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One of many vegetables in the Brassica species, cauliflower is a real British favourite and finds itself on the plates of many families all over Britain, especially on Sundays.
Whether eaten cooked, raw or pickled, cauliflower is a highly nutritious vegetable. Low in fat and high in fibre, cauliflower can make a fantastic component of a healthy diet and certainly contributes to your 5 a day!!! As well as high in fibre, cauliflower contains very high levels of folate, water and vitamin C. Cauliflower is a great culinary substitute for potato as it is very low in carbohydrate.
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Earliest records for cultivated cabbage date back as far as AD 77!!! Although modern cultivated cabbage groups are thought to have originated in Germany and have undergone cross-breeding in the late 1900s.
Green cabbage is arguably the most popular of all the cabbage varieties. With its crisp texture and wonderful bright green leave the green cabbage is a real chef's favourite. Packed full of moisture this cabbage is often deceptively heavy for its size.
Green cabbage can be enjoyed in many ways, boiled, steamed or stir fried. It lends itself to being left as a side dish or shredded and stir fried in butter with a couple of twists of black pepper.
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The mushroom is neither vitamin, mineral, animal or vegetable, it is in fact a fungus; a whole different species in itself!
According to Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics left behind nearly 5,000 years ago eating mushrooms paved a path to immortality. It was not only the Egyptians who believed that a mushroom had super-human powers, in Roman times mushrooms were referred to as Cibus Deorum, translating to food of the gods.
Wild mushrooms have been picked for thousands of years but the first country to cultivate the mushroom was France. In some accounts it states that Louis XIV set aside special caves just outside Paris specifically for their cultivation.
Nutritionally mushrooms are low in fat, sodium and calories. Mushrooms are a great natural source of antioxidants, which can protect your DNA from damage. Mushrooms also contain high levels of B vitamins, iron and potassium.
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When the new season's potatoes are ready you can be sure summer is here! It might not have felt like it this year with the gloomy May we have had but the sunny weather is on its way!
New potatoes are harvested early, when the plants are still growing, this means that the tubers (technical word for potato!) are still young and have 'fluffy' skin which rubs of easily. Once the plants get older and wilt the skins start to 'set' to protect the tuber - this is the skin you will find on standard potatoes. Because all potato plants in the UK stop growing in the autumn this marks the end of the new potato season. Once the end of summer/autumn comes around you will start to find new season baking varieties are ready and 'set skin' salads such as Charlotte, which tend to be waxier than fluffy new varieties.
What is better than freshly dug new potatoes, cooked with a sprig of mint and served with butter melted over the top? Goes with every meal from barbeques to salads or with your meat and two veg! Wonderful....As they are so young and fresh proper fluffy skinned new potatoes melt in your mouth.
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The Pea is the most common member of the Legume family and interestingly is classed as a fruit even though in cooking terms Peas are very much treated as a vegetable. The optimum temperature for getting peas to maturity is 13-18˚C and this process usually takes 60 days from planting to harvesting.
Culinary uses of the pea can be traced back to medieval times in Europe where it made up a large part of a staple diet. From My Farm peas are kept in their pods to keep them as sweet and tender as possible so that when you eat them they are in the best condition they can be.
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Earliest records for cultivated cabbage date back as far as AD 77!!! Although the modern cultivated groups are thought to have originated in Germany and have undergone cross-breeding in the late twentieth century to produce this tender and sweet pointed form. Pointed cabbage is popular with both customers and growers alike as it cooks quickly and has a very short stem meaning wastage is minimal.
Regarded amongst people in the know as a very good source of Vitamin C, pointed cabbage is a very versatile vegetable that is great as a side dish or as an integral part of a hearty British meal.
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First cultivated around 6,000 years ago in Peru, it was the Spanish who 'found' the potato whilst searching for gold. They excitedly returned to present their new exotic vegetable to royalty in 1536.
The potato is recognised as one of the most important agricultural crops in the world, taking fourth place close behind maize, wheat and rice. Potatoes have been a staple part of the British diet ever since they were introduced in the 16th Century and are so versatile they can be enjoyed in some way with every meal.
The 'harmony' variety is a very smooth rounded potato. It is known for its very pale white skin and flesh. This is an early maincrop potato and is suitable for boiling.
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Marfona has an almost ‘buttery' flavour and a smooth waxy texture making it a very popular variety for baking. Marfona is great baked in both the microwave or the oven. It is 3 on the waxy / floury scale. Marfona has a white to yellow skin and light yellow flesh and is grown predominantly in England, harvested from August and available most of the year. This is a Second Early variety. Marfona is suitable for jacket potatoes, potato wedges or boiling.
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The word Broccoli comes from the Italian word brocco meaning branch or arm. Purple sprouting, as it most commonly known, is the original form of broccoli. Compared with it's more common cousin it has long stems and small purple flower heads.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli was first cultivated by the Romans; however, it has only been widely grown in the UK for the last 30 years. It is now becoming a favourite winter vegetable due to its amazing versatility.
As a cruciferous plant (same family as the cabbage, closely related to the cauliflower) purple sprouting offers some fantastic nutritional benefits. Broccoli is low in calories and is one of the most nutrient-dense foods. It's an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, folic acid, and fibre. It's also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and the vitamins B6 and E. Broccoli also contains the carotenoid lutein, glucosinolates, and phytochemicals that are considered by some scientists to have anticancer effects.
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Rhubarb is a plant native to Asia and traditionally was known for its medicinal uses. However, it was in this country in the 17th Century that the first accounts of its use as a foodstuff was recorded, this came after sugar became an affordable commodity to the average consumer.
From My Farm Rhubarb is grown outside in fields and not forced grown in sheds. This gives it a darker red colour than a lot of other Rhubarb you may see in shops. The From My Farm team all think that this gives it a deeper more rounded taste though. So check out the recipes page now for great ways to use this most fantastic of ingredients.
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Spring Greens are another member of the Brassica family; their closest relation is Curly Kale. Unlike most Brassicas, Spring Greens do not form a head, just large green leaves.
They are also an excellent source of Vitamin and Folic Acid.
As with all Brassicas, freshness is the key to their great flavour. All From My Farm Spring Greens are grown in your region, reducing the time they take to get to store, making them packed with goodness.
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A member of the rose family, along with close cousin the raspberry, the strawberry is the only fruit to have its seeds on the outside. In fact, the average strawberry has a whopping 200 seeds.
First cultivated by the Romans as far back as 200BC, they also have the title of one of the first packaged foods as in the 16th century strawberries were sold in cones made from straw.
This English summer staple is low calorie and fat, high in vitamin C, fibre, folic acid and potassium. Did you know that 8 strawberries contain more vitamin C than 1 orange? That's more than 140% of your RDA of vitamin C.
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Sweetcorn is a variety of maize with a high naturally occuring sugar level, giving the characteristic sweet flavour. It is a good source of starchy carbohydrate and contains some essential vitamins too.
Sweetcorn, it is thought, was first grown by Native American tribes, and was a component of the diet of the Inca's, Aztecs and South American Indians.
Sweetcorn tastes absolutely fantastic boiled, steamed or roasted. Or why not finish off on the barbeque for that chargrilled flavour, something you can really get your teeth stuck into on a beautiful summer's day!
For this season, From My Farm sweetcorn will be supplied simply with a tag and the husks still on so that they are at the peak of their freshness by the time you get them home.
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The tomato is a savory, typically red, edible fruit, as well as the plant (Solanum lycopersicum) which bears it. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler climates.
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Product range may vary between stores.