Chiff and Fipple Forums

Cucumber is the only edible gourd.

Squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, watermelon, aubergine, etc are all disgusting. Some more than others, but none of them are good.

s1m0n wrote:Cucumber is the only edible gourd.

Squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, watermelon, aubergine, etc are all disgusting. Some more than others, but none of them are good.

1) They're all delicious.

2) Aubergine isn't a gourd, or even closely related.

awildman wrote:Some people put sugar on their strawberries. Never could wrap my head around that one.

I put sugar on my strawberries. Clotted cream and sugar in that order.

I cut local (not the styrofoam California monstrosities) strawberries, sprinkle sugar on them, and put them in the fridge for a few hours to macerate, then eat them with whipping (heavy) cream or clotted (devonshire) cream. Mostly the former, being a lot cheaper in these parts.

I do the same with ripe peaches. Incidentally, I had an ex-girlfriend who was astonished to learn that peaches and cream was a recipe, not merely an expression.

benhall.1 wrote: 2) Aubergine isn't a gourd, or even closely related.

But entirely as noxious. Who'd want to be closely related to so foul an object?

s1m0n wrote:

benhall.1 wrote: 2) Aubergine isn't a gourd, or even closely related.

But entirely as noxious. Who'd want to be closely related to so foul an object?

It's fantastic. It is really one of my favourite foods. It probably is my favourite vegetable.

Very varied as well, from the wonderful, aromatic "pea" aubergines used in Thai cooking to the large, purple or white aubergines used in so much Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking.

Well, there's no accounting for taste. [headshake]

benhall.1 wrote:

s1m0n wrote:

benhall.1 wrote: 2) Aubergine isn't a gourd, or even closely related.

But entirely as noxious. Who'd want to be closely related to so foul an object?

It's fantastic. It is really one of my favourite foods. It probably is my favourite vegetable.

Very varied as well, from the wonderful, aromatic "pea" aubergines used in Thai cooking to the large, purple or white aubergines used in so much Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking.

Well, if you have any arthritic symptoms, I suggest leaving them alone.

kkrell wrote:Well, if you have any arthritic symptoms, I suggest leaving them alone.

I didn't know that. However, having looked it up, they are apparently no worse than (and better than some of these) potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers and chillis. I cannot imagine life without those things, so aubergines can stay, too.

OK, so I'm a bit late with response as yesterday, 4th, too busy with celebration and eating watermelon of course. No salt, never heard of such a thing. Chilled only and away we go.

A further question might ask, "how close to the rind does one eat?", leaving red, leaving some pink, eating into the bitter white rind itself? Or do you pre-cut the rind off prior to eating?

Here there are no longer the huge, long watermelon types which have been replaced with smaller, seedless, round balls basketball sized, or even softball sized.

When in season... I get my share and straight up, no injections or additions.

s1m0n wrote:Squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, watermelon, aubergine, etc are all disgusting.

Are we talking summer squash (which are disgusting), or winter squash? Winter squash, especially the darker orange varieties, baked and topped with maple syrup and walnuts, is exquisite.

While we're on the topic of eating our veggies, I can't think of any that I downright abhor with the passion that some of you have expressed. I tend to like them all, so for me preparation is the deal-breaker more than anything. That said, I am no fan of green bell pepper, but will eat it to be polite. When I prepare food with bell pepper, it's red or nothing.

I finally cast my vote: No salt on my watermelon, please. This does not universally apply in my household, though, and when certain parties recently salted a big bowl of watermelon I'd cubed up instead of just doing their own portion, there was nearly a slaughter over it - hence this poll. I've tried it voluntarily and involuntarily time and again, and salted watermelon repels me every time. It's as if it's been contaminated. Can't help it. For that matter, salting any melon is out of the question for me. Those of you in the other camp have my perplexed curiosity.

What I find interesting is how many have no opinion on the subject! I would never have expected that.

Tunborough wrote:Are we talking summer squash (which are disgusting)...

Try slicing them medium thick, dip in milk and dredge thru very fine corn meal. Fry in hot oil just until the cornmeal gets a little crispy. Great with all sorts of food.

Not a big fan of melon, although watermelon isn't too bad.

Sugar on strawberries - fine, if you like that sort of thing.
The late Clement Freud MP and self-publicist (not to mention dog-food publiciser) had a thing about ground black pepper on strawberries.

I saw this a few times and thought - that's so off-the-wall I'll try it.

It was disgusting.

I should have learned my lesson when I tried the Banana-and-tomato-Bake in the Rose Elliot cookbook.

Innocent Bystander wrote:I should have learned my lesson when I tried the Banana-and-tomato-Bake in the Rose Elliot cookbook.

Wow. That was from the cookbook's humor section, right?