If Jack had bought zucchini seeds instead of magic beans there’s no telling what he would have found at the top of that stalk. The giant, for example, might not have been gluten intolerant and consequently far less likely to be interested in grinding his bones, leaving Jack more leisure time to find the goose that lays the polystyrene eggs. I sometimes wonder if weeding allows too much time for random thought.
Last year I was late getting my zucchini into the ground, so this year I overcompensated, grew more plants than I needed and now innocent people are suffering. I read somewhere that “If your neighbours shut their windows and doors when you walk by, you know you grew too much zucchini.” My neighbours have moved to Labrador and changed their names.
It isn’t just that zucchini is easy to grow, nor is it how amazingly prolific it can be; the problem is using it before it rots. David’s mother left us her recipe for pineapple zucchini loaf but the freezer has only so much space. I gave some away until people started avoiding me and I was forced to seek other methods of preserving this mild, versatile vegetable that produces its fruit so quickly that I’m afraid to leave my garden untended overnight.
Two plants would have provided enough, leaving more space for carrots, peas or poison ivy. Zucchini can grow four feet in all directions, smothering anything in its path; that’s why I place them at the ends of rows where I can keep an eye on them all summer. Also, when planted at the ends of rows, they don’t interfere with other crops while they’re in the garden all summer and early fall.
Since I’m also growing vining winter squash nearby, I won’t save the seed of either plants as they can cross-pollinate and I have enough seeds of both plants to last two more years. I plan on following Marc Rogers’ advice in his book “Growing and Saving Vegetable Seeds” in the next two years. The directions are a bit complicated so I won’t write them down here, but I will give you Eleanor Lowther’s not so secret recipe for Pineapple Zucchini Bread, that makes two loaves:
3 eggs ¼ cup oil or butter
½ cup applesauce ½ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla 1 ¼ cup flour
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp. baking powder
1 T. baking soda 3 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups shredded zucchini ½ cup chopped walnuts
1 ½ cup crushed pineapple ½ cup raisins
Directions: In a large bowl, beat very well the eggs, oil/butter, applesauce, sugar and vanilla. In a small bowl stir together flours. Set aside ½ cup. To the rest, add baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add flour to the first mixture and blend. Add zucchini, walnuts, pineapple and raisins and mix. If needed, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time till mixture is thick, not runny. Pour into two buttered bread pans and bake at 350 F for 50 minutes.
The loaves keep well in the freezer, which should take care of our contribution to the bridge club goodies for months to come.
