Sunday, August 10, 2008

Here be Yams


New Zealand Yams
- Oca - Oxalis Tuberosa
This precious package arrived in the mail today - 7 little tubers rationed out from Green Harvest and now stored in a cool dark spot in the laundry until the frosts are over.

I'm nervous about how and when to plant them - the website says in Spring or at the start of the wet season. "Tubers start forming 4 months after planting and production peaks at 6 months."
If they get planted in September they'll be ready next March - still pretty hot here in NSW so I may try and hold off 'til October.

They're not the prettiest looking things but they have a wonderfully unique flavour. I was very tempted to put a couple of the yummy yams into the roasting dish but I know you shouldn't eat the seed crop. Hopefully in 9 months time there will be enough for a snack at least.

1 comment:

M-H said...

Ooooh! I'm not sure I'd have been able to resist. Of all the NZ food I miss, those yams, proper kumera, omega plums and crisp tart apples are the worst.