Celebrating the Vegetable Kingdom
Inspired by the artful illustrations from the French Vilmorin seed catalog, growing obscure and forgotten vegetables.
Hello Everyone.
In many ways, Thanksgiving is a celebration of the vegetable kingdom. The beauty of winter squash and root crops, nearly forgotten heirlooms such as turnips and Brussels sprouts provide a feast for the eyes and appreciation at the table. To see a centerpiece featuring Romanesco broccoli, or a pumpkin tureen made carved from a Rouge vif d’etampes pumpkin may seem modern, yet is reminiscent of the artful illustrations dating back to the Vilmorin French seed catalogs from the 1850s which have inspired what I grow in my kitchen garden.
When I first became a gardener, it made no sense to grow the same vegetables I could find in the market. Instead, I turned to the old seed catalogs from the 18th and 19th centuries, in search of lost and forgotten chicories, salsify, and other curious root crops. What most of us grow in our gardens is dictated mainly by what we can find readily available as seeds or plants, but as a new gardener, and an ardent cook, I was eager to dig deeper.
It is easy to understand why modern cooks don’t bother growing their own food, yet for those like me who care about obscure vegetables, discovering old varieties is why growing food truly matters. It's hard to imagine what the cuisine of medieval Europe would have been without parsnips, a celeriac root, and even cabbage and I am grateful that I am not reliant on my garden for year-round sustenance. Yet these artful illustrations inspired me to track down seeds and attempt to grow heritage and heirloom varieties before they were lost forever.
While I may not be able to find skirret, (a cluster of finger-sized rhizomes with a sweet flavor); tuberous chervil, (the root part of a beloved salad herb); or sea kale, (the blanched stems are eaten like asparagus) all featured in the Vilmorin catalog, I have tried. I’ve learned that in many parts of Europe these lost and forgotten fruits and vegetables are still available often in farmer’s markets and in seed catalogs, or simply handed down through the generations.
Many European vegetables represent an equal part of history and cuisine, equivalent to a sense of place much like the terroir described by the taste of grapes and wines. On a recent Viking River cruise along the Seine, from Paris to Normandy (For more photos see my Instagram) there was a stop at a small Medieval village, La Rouche-Guyon to view the remains of a limestone castle tower and the kitchen garden.
Like many historic gardens, this one was originally created to feed the whole village, the perfect example of a community garden, yet had been neglected until recently and restoration was underway. Like most French garden designs, it is laid out in a geometric grid, appealing to my senses as a kitchen garden designer who loves this type of structure. Even with rampant weeds and neglect, the basic bones were still intact enough for gardeners to reconstruct the garden to resemble the original style and plant with historic crops. Anyone who has attempted to dig out a century of weeds, and reinvigorate soil, knows that this is no small feat.
Rows of heirloom fruit trees and perennial edible crops such as celeriac, rhubarb, and artichoke punctuated the corners, with a thick layer of ryegrass sown to nourish the soil. A perfect example of hügelkultur, a centuries-old, traditional way of building a garden bed from rotten logs and plant debris to trigger a natural ecosystem was a perfect example of using centuries-old techniques to restore a modern garden.
From the top of the limestone tower, it gave a clear perspective on how vital this garden was to feed the whole village, isolated along the Seine and besieged by soldiers and war for centuries. After the conflicts, it was left to expire but was now coming back again, a sign of hope.
The garden at La Rouge-Guyon and the illustrations from the Vilmorin catalog signifies to me the importance of growing food and paying homage to the role of vegetables in our survival. Our gardens are a blend of nourishment, as well as history, and when we glean beauty in the form of appreciation, we are giving back to the vegetable kingdom.
Our holiday table is a reminder of the past, the present, and the future and why growing a food garden truly matters. Be inspired to play with your food, in the garden and in the kitchen.
Bon Appetite!
Ellen Ogden
P.S. Do you enjoy cooking and writing about food? Consider taking my new online class on how to write your own family cookbook. Sign up for my cookbook writing class. Link here
Ellen Ogden is a food and garden writer, and author of The New Heirloom Garden book and The Complete Kitchen Garden. Designs and recipes for cooks who love to garden. www.ellenogden.com