A few words from Patricia of Phantassie Organic

Patricia Stephen at Phantassie Organic Market Garden in East Lothian.

Et Voila! and le petit chou (when referring to the delicious Brussel Sprout stick tops) are what I find myself saying when writing this week’s note to the Phantassie customers. Fred’s Frenchness and enthusiasm are infectious, n’est ce pas?

Here at Phantassie Organic market garden we grow all the veg we can grow in Scotland that are not the trad “Scottish” field-grown veg. My particular passions are Oriental greens for ease of prep and maximum winter nutrition and winter squash for flamboyance and flavour. I doubt I am going to get Fred too interested in the first but am working on the second (see this week’s menu). It helps that some of the best varieties originate in France.

Phantassie is also an organic wholesaler providing a comprehensive service to Edinburgh’s creative restaurant sector; aiming to convince them that they can support organic and sustainable growing locally, throughout the UK and further afield by offering good produce and service, and a guaranteed provenance to highlight on their menus. Fred has long been an enthusiastic customer as we have the same beliefs; nurtured soil, no shortcuts. Healthy plants reared without “chemical help” produce more flavourful, nutritionally superior veg in a system that regenerates the land as it goes, encouraging biodiversity and good water management. Chatting with Fred about seeds and plants when I visit him at Newton Garden, chomping as we go, is always fun.

Sometimes as Fred gets swept away with the glories of all the other food earth provides us with, I feel that it is my job to be his plant-food conscience, and I look forward to continuing that role! I think what he and Betty are doing now to provide home meals - made with pride and connected to their origins so you too can connect to that around your own table - is truly the meaning of soul food and comfort food, satisfying so much more than appetite. Here at Phantassie we are very happy to be part of that.

Bon appétit indeed.

Patricia

Visit Phantassie's website to find out more about their veg box deliveries and upcoming markets.