The clock has sprung forward, days are getting longer, and the air, though still chilly, smells of a new season. Seedlings are popping up in little pots and fruit punnets-turned-seed trays in the makeshift cold frame in my allotment plot.
The brassicas that supplied greens throughout the winter are now bolting. Which means spring harvest time.
I have one leftover stem broccoli from two summers ago, and it’s producing new stems. Brassicas are hardy, and I tend to leave some to overwinter so I can pick new stems in spring.
A dozen cavolo nero plants, which still have plenty of leaves to pick, are also bolting, and I harvest the flower buds too. They look – and eat – like skinny, paler broccoli stems.
I have two generations of kalette plants, and the older one from two summers ago is also producing edible flower buds again.
Brassicas tend to take up a lot of space throughout summer doing nothing much, but in winter and spring, they are the stars of the allotment, supplying food when nothing much is left in the plot. Pretty much all brassicas have edible flower buds, and they are invaluable in these lean months. The spring buds are yummy, tender and quick to cook. Wash, chuck in the microwave for a minute or two, drizzle a bit of dressing, and that’s it.