MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

I am no gardener but seem to recall that there always was a warning about culling male fruits because they were the bitter ones. Any connection?

[Tizer]

No idea. In lockdown there's been a craze for growing your own veggies and I suspect Fothergill's ran out of the usual seed and probably imported some from abroad. Perhaps from Turkey - you remember where the PPE came from that had to be sent back because it wasn't safe to use? (Oh no, I've probably started a conspiracy theory! But then it could be a Russian variety called Novichok...)

[Wendyf]

I am no gardener but seem to recall that there always was a warning about culling male fruits because they were the bitter ones. Any connection?

Some varieties of cucumber get bitter if the female flower has been pollinated so you remove the male flowers.

[Stanley]

That's what I was thinking off Wendy and thought it probably applied to Courgettes as well.

[Tizer]

During lockdown we were eating courgettes grown by my cousin but they were OK, very tasty, no stomach upsets. Must have been a different brand to the Fothergill's!

[PanBiker]

Sally has some and has eaten a few with no ill effects, not from the same batch though.

[Stanley]

I always remember what Arthur Morrison said about cucumbers and courgettes. He recommended that they be sliced thin, salted, covered with vinegar and left overnight. The following day throw them away because in nutritional terms they are useless.

[Tizer]

In the 1990s The Times had a regular column written by a GP, Dr Thomas Stuttaford. I always remember him for two things in particular. He said don't bother eating lettuce because it has absolutely no nutritional value, and he was saying red wine in moderation drunk each day was good for our health before that became popular knowledge. Mrs Tiz and me used to refer to having our `daily stuttaford' when we poured a glass of red wine.

[Sue]

BBC radio news last night mentioned a man being seriously ill after eating home grown courgette and said it was due to seed from the Mr Fothergill's brand. I've looked on the web and only found this news story from July in the Mail... LINK

Mine were Fotgergills, , perfectly ok. The problem with courgettes is if you save the seeds from your own and regrow, then there is a chance that the more toxic form grows. I had been told about this some years ago .

[Wendyf]

I always remember what Arthur Morrison said about cucumbers and courgettes. He recommended that they be sliced thin, salted, covered with vinegar and left overnight. The following day throw them away because in nutritional terms they are useless.

He was wrong though, both courgettes and cucumbers are a good source of vitamins and other nutrients.

[Marilyn]

We spiral our courgettes (skin on) and use them as pasta or noodles. A good low carb alternative.

[Stanley]

In his defence; Arthur was a flawed man but on the whole a good GP. Yes he was incorrect but he didn't think much about cucumbers. Another thing he said was that the healthiest kids on his books were the ones weaned onto fish and chips!

[Sue]

We spiral our courgettes (skin on) and use them as pasta or noodles. A good low carb alternative.

I do too love it, but my spiriliser is in , you guess, FRANCE

[Big Kev]

I tried a spiraliser but decided it was easier (and much easier to clean a knife) to just chop up the (insert veg here) and add it to the sauce

[Tripps]

I bought a Spiraliser when bored and waiting for someone in Cambridge. It was 'reduced' which made it hard to resist. In essence it was like a big pencil sharpener.

Totaly useless.

I think I've thrown it away. I sometimes use a veg peeler to get thin slices of carrot or cucumber for stir fries. It makes one carrot go a long way.

[Marilyn]

Must be a man thing.
I love mine!

[Sue]

Must be a man thing.
I love mine!

I think it depends on the one you have. Mine was/is from Lakeland, has 4 different cutters is fast and brilliant. Long strands just like spaghetti make an excellent substitute. A different cutter prepares veg for stir fry faster than the blink of an eye

[Sue]

In fact I am missing mine so much I am tempted to buy another for here

[Tripps]

Must be a man thing.

More likely a 'tripps' thing. It usually is.

This the article I got from Dunelm. Sort of Spiraliser

You can get a bit too 'kuripot' . The Lakeland one looks very impressive. Get the behind me satan. Just saw that it is about £30. That makes it a lot easier to resist. I'll stay with the veg peeler.

[Marilyn]

Mine is only a small thing, just does the spirals and ribbon slices. £8
After I make the Zucchini noodles/pasta, I sprinkle them with salt,spread them on a plate and pop them in the fridge to air dry for several hours, then paper towel them, as you don’t want them wet. Throw them in the sauce to cook for about 3 or 4 mins.

[Stanley]

I just use the coarse side of my 4 sided cheese grater.
Something I have noted is that since starting walking without a dog my right knee is a shade better. I no longer get pulled up suddenly as Jack threw the anchors on to investigate a particularly attractive scent. That involved a sudden twist of the body widdershins and such movements aren't good for old knees. Not a cure but an improvement and I think I am walking better.

[Sue]

Must be a man thing.

You can get a bit too 'kuripot' . The Lakeland one looks very impressive. Get the behind me satan. Just saw that it is about £30. That makes it a lot easier to resist. I'll stay with the veg peeler.

But when the veg is free and growing prolifically ( oh to be back in France) £30 is nothing

[Tizer]

We've just booked our flu jabs. They're taking appointments for October at our surgery and it's going to be done in what is usually the waiting room and with the usual 2-minute per person schedule. Make sure you all get yours booked - it's more important than ever this coming winter.

[Sue]

Our flu jabs are booked too. When I had my shingles jab last Friday, I was told to book it on the way out of the surgery. Its in two weeks.

[Wendyf]

There has been no mention of flu jabs being available yet at the Earby Surgery though we both got a text saying we were eligible and inviting us to reply if we meant to refuse one.