Purple pod peas from Co. Antrim to Michelin star restaurant

James Kilkelly

Josh Toombs has been growing Carruthers purple podded peas for 50 years in Lisburn, County Antrim.

Now the rare vegetable, carefully cultivated in his back garden, is on the menu at Raymond Blanc's Michelin star restaurant in Oxfordshire.

The peas found their way into the award-winning kitchen with a little help from Radio Ulster's Gardeners' Corner programme.

David Love Cameron, a scholar at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, contacted the show at the beginning of the year looking for the uncommon ingredient.

Mr Toombs, 83, responded and got in touch, armed with Carruthers purple podded peas.

Josh watched his own father grow the rare seeds.

"They are very easy to grow. The only thing is they are 6ft high and they need very strong sticks or the wind will blow them down.

"It is great to know they are serving them up in the restaurant and they hope to grow them for future years and include them in their menu."

Read more.......... http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-29559225

Greengage · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:38 pm Post subject:

I bet there are loads of people growing unusual stuff in their gardens, i remember an uncle of mine growing Yellow tomatoes back in the day and he used drive everyone nuts not telling where he got the original seed from.
Talking of unusual I could never get celeriac to grow for me and if you look at some utube videos of Allotments they just seem to throw the seed down and no problem huge plants.

Good guy · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 9:42 pm Post subject:

My dad used to grow a vegetable called Golden Nugget back in the '70s. They were like a spherical yellow courgette and were best used no bigger than a tennis ball. They were delicious steamed or wrapped in foil and baked. We ate them like a boiled egg - slice off the top/stalk, add butter and pepper and yummmm. The seed was from Dobies; I have found nothing like them when I've searched.

Blowin · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:24 am Post subject:

In the 'Price of a Pea' thread I mentioned two pea varieties I was given by a Sussex gardener. One was Alderman and the other was very similar to the ones you've shown. His were up to the top of 8ft canes and yielding prolifically so I'm wondering if that's what I've got. Safely tucked away for next year.

tagwex · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:35 am Post subject:

The local restaurants in west Cork will be delighted with you Blowin - additional income for that world cruise maybe?