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Brassica harvest soaking

spookessspookess Posts: 63
in Fruit & veg
Hi. I have just harvested my cauliflowers as the curds were starting to separate. I am very happy as this is the first time I've grown brassica. The calabrese are a bit small but there's enough for a Sunday lunch for the 2 of us 😊
My question is, do any of you soak your brassica harvest in any solutions to remove any little critters? I seem to remember my cousin mentioning my grandma used to soak blackberries in water with (i think) baking soda which made the nasties float to the top. 

Any suggestions?
Also, for storage?

I have rinsed them all and put them straight in the veg drawer in the fridge. I read they will be ok for a week or two in there? I don't really want to freeze them as if they are anything like frozen cauliflower I have bought before I don't think they taste of anything and are too squidgy. 


Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Anything brassica type I give a half hour soak in salty water, then drain and rinse before cooking.  Primarily because some of the critters have really good disguises, and I will never forget my sisters screams on finding a caterpillar (blanched, frozen, then cooked) on her plate, the only time my mum grew caulies.  My mums reaction. Don't shout, they'll all want one.
  • spookessspookess Posts: 63
    fidgetbones said:
      My mums reaction. Don't shout, they'll all want one. 
    🤣🤣 Like her style. 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Don't grow caulis but plenty of cabbage and broccoli.  It all gets soaked in salted water to help float off any lurking slugs and snails.  We use netting now and have had no caterpillars since we started doing that.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    Nice looking veg @spookess. My attempts at broccoli this year don't look that good :(
    East Lancs
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    When I was a child, if we found a caterpillar in our dinner we weren’t expected to eat it ... we were allowed to put it on the side of our plate. 

    If we didn’t find a caterpillar in our dinner we assumed we’d eaten it 🐛 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • PlashingPlashing Posts: 328
    We soak them in water with a drop of vinegar it soon brings them to the surface ,then give the the veg a rinse and you will be fine.
  • spookessspookess Posts: 63
    Dovefromabove said:
    When I was a child, if we found a caterpillar in our dinner we weren’t expected to eat it ... we were allowed to put it on the side of our plate. 

    If we didn’t find a caterpillar in our dinner we assumed we’d eaten it 🐛 
    🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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