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Vegetable Marrow

Fruit and Vegetables

The Vegetable Marrow is any of several kinds of squash or gourd, the fruits of Cucurbita pepo. In English practice the flowers are not eaten, though these are a delicacy in Italy and Spain. The cubed flesh is plain boiled and, usually, mashed with butter (Francatelli 1852. Mrs.B, etc)

The Fatted Marrow. (from Leamington Spa Courier – Friday 22 December 1905)
The customs which prevail among the peasants of Shakepeare’s greenwood of making the most of the fruits of the kindly earth which Nature provides for them, is well seen in the case of the fatted and stuffed marrow which is prepared for a winter dish. Ramblers to the cosy wayside inns, and the dab-and-wattle cottages of the hidden villages of leafy Warwickshire, may often see, suspended from the rafters of the huge kitchen, by tapes of divers colours, the pride of tho marrow bed—a great green, or yellow marrow, grown to its present coarse size especially for the Christmastide feast. Like the boar’s head, the juicy sirloin, or the fruity plum pudding, the stuffed and baked marrow, with a sprig oi holly stuck in the middle of it, is a very tempting dish for the festive season, and all at home are ready for a slice out of it. As the Warwickshire jingle says:
The fatted marrow, long and round.
At Christmas board with holly crowned,
When nicely cooked is a fine dish,
And when you eat it you moot wish.



Original Receipt in ‘The Book of Household Management‘ edited by Isabella Beeton, 1861 (See Mrs.B)

THE VEGETABLE MARROW. – This is a variety of the gourd family, brought from Persia by an East-India ship, and only recently introduced to Britain. It is already cultivated to a considerable extent, and, by many, is highly esteemed when fried with butter. It is, however, dressed in different ways, either by stewing or boiling, and, besides, made into pies.




Original Receipt in Francatelli 1852;

No. 152. How to Cook Vegetable Marrow.
This is a cheap and excellent vegetable; let them be peeled, split them, and remove the seedy part; boil them in hot water with salt, and when done, eat them with a bit of butter, pepper, and salt.



See:
Stuffed Marrow
Fried Vegetable Marrow
Marrow and Tomato Chutney
Million Pie





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