Ohhhh I'm so EXCITED! Look what I got today!!!!!
These are very special zucchinis. Very, very special.
Well, they're special to me.
These are very special zucchinis. Very, very special.
Well, they're special to me.
Have you ever been totally obsessed with a vegetable that you thought you'd never be able to get your hands on in your home country? A vegetable that you'd once tasted in a far-away place, a paradise that you were convinced was some kind of special haven for that elusive vegetable? Do you see that vegetable floating above your bed at night and cook with it in your dreams? (or is that just me?)
Well today that beautiful vegetable that I've been drooling about since last July when Tony and I were in Greece is now sitting with five others in a basket right beside me. A little family of six gorgeous white zucchinis, just waiting for me to do with them as I wish. They are right here. In the flesh. Looking at me! Oh this is so exciting!!!
A new fruit and veg shop opened recently just a few blocks from where we live and I'd paid them a visit last week to meet the owners and inspect their goods. It's a high-tech shop with the vegetable section in a separate refrigerated room. Very impressive. And I was delighted to discover the owner is Greek. I couldn't help but mention my obsession with white zucchinis and nearly fell to my knees when he said "Oh yes, the sweet Greek ones".
Oh my god, I actually squealed with glee, like a teenager meeting Justin Bieber. The poor shop owner didn't quite know how to take my reaction and cautiously said, "Er, I'm not sure if I should be telling you this but we do get them in occasionally". WELL SWALLOW ME WHOLE I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS HEARING. And the poor guy couldn't believe what he was seeing. I was practically crying.
I left the shop and have been back every day since, and TODAY, they were there.
I need a day to calm down before I decide what to do with them but rest assured because I swear on Aunty Betty's grave that the next recipe that I post on this blog will definitely feature white zucchinis.
I would love to know about your vegetable obsessions. Not in a creepy kind of way. Just in an empathetic kind of way (so as not to feel like I'm the only one with this disorder).
Love these! They are used a lot in Lebanese cooking and are called cusa (pronounced coo-sa). I think they are best served hollowed out and stuffed with a mixture of cooked rice, minced lamb, lebanese 7-spice mix and pine nuts. Then bake in the oven. Sooo good! Looking forward to see what you do with them.
ReplyDeleteOops sorry, should mention, I realise you are vegetarian! The veggie version usually subs out the lamb with diced tomato, it's delish :)
DeleteThat's quite ok Christie! Believe it or not but the first recipe I'll be posting for these little babies will be stuffed zucchinis, or "Papoutsakia" as they're known in Greek. As you mentioned, they are traditionally made with meat but my recipe uses tomato and onion and other spices. I'm about to post it now actually!
DeleteYou're not the only one with this disorder Lisa! I obsess over green beans but they have to be extra long and thin, i always look for long skinny beans! They are not easy to find and that s what makes it an obession. You always want what you cant have! Jackie
ReplyDeleteOh a fellow vegetable obsessor!!! Funny but I love long skinny green beans as well! Perhaps it's a green vegetable thing ;-)
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