Heirloom Legends of Italian Cuisine | The Diggers Club

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legends of italian cuisine

Legends of Italian Cuisine

The Italians were the first to adopt tomatoes, hundreds of years before the rest of Europe and they don't use the word 'heirloom' because they have never replaced their varieties with multinational hybrids. Their revolutionary cuisine has swept the world.

BEAN 'BORLOTTI'

BEAN 'BORLOTTI'

An old Italian favourite for using as dried beans from late summer to winter. The best bean for minestrone soup.

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BEAN 'ITALIAN ROMANO'

BEAN 'ITALIAN ROMANO'

Out of Seed Savers' collection of 2000 beans, these are the favourite of farm manager, David Cavagnaro. Quickly gaining popularity in Australia, this wide, flat 12cm bean is delicious as a green bean and also provides ...

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BEETROOT 'CHIOGGIA' ORGANIC

BEETROOT 'CHIOGGIA' ORGANIC

Concentrically eccentric, this was traditionally grown just outside of Venice where it has been part of the cusine since 1538. 60 gram roots at 8 week harvest.

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BROCCOLI 'DE CICCO' ORGANIC

BROCCOLI 'DE CICCO' ORGANIC

ORGANIC! Traditional Italian sprouting broccoli. Harvest the central head first to promote vigorous side shoots for up to 6 months. Harvest in 9 weeks from ...

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BROCCOLI 'ROMANESCO' ORGANIC

BROCCOLI 'ROMANESCO' ORGANIC

A true geometric wonder of the heirloom world. These beautiful lime-green broccoli heads have a delicate flavour and feature a unique spiralling pattern. Ready to harvest 10-14 weeks from transplant. Heads grow up to ...

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CELERY 'DORATA D' ASTI'

CELERY 'DORATA D' ASTI'

Easier to grow than other varieties, remaining crisp and juicy without the need for blanching. Snap off the lime-green stems from summer through to autumn and winter. Harvest in 15 weeks, yields 1.1kg per plant.

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EGGPLANT 'LISTADA DI GANDIA' ORGANIC

EGGPLANT 'LISTADA DI GANDIA' ORGANIC

This fine Italian heirloom is early to fruit, productive and exquisitely beautiful. The 15-20cm fruit are almost seedless with fine textured flesh. Yields 3.5kg per plant.

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EGGPLANT 'ROSA BIANCA'

EGGPLANT 'ROSA BIANCA'

One of our most beautiful eggplants, this Italian heirloom is popular with chefs and heirloom vegetable connoisseurs alike! Plump round white fruit blushed with rosy pink. Rotund and sumptuous!

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EGGPLANT 'VIOLETTA DI FIRENZE'

EGGPLANT 'VIOLETTA DI FIRENZE'

Plump Italian queen of heirloom eggplants. Translates as 'Purple from Florence'. Creamy bitterless texture to hefty ruffled tear drop shaped fruit which are stunning from garden to table. Perfect size for a ...

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LETTUCE ITALIAN LOLLO MIX

LETTUCE ITALIAN LOLLO MIX

The ruffled leaves of these varieties make a spectacular salad of lime green, pinks and red.

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TOMATO 'COSTOLUTO GENOVESE' ORGANIC

TOMATO 'COSTOLUTO GENOVESE' ORGANIC

The oldest tomato derived from Pomo Doro Rosso Grosso - it is the Grosse Lisse tomato for Italian gardeners. A must-have for all cooks, the meaty ribbed texture is ideal for preserving and sauces, or just enjoy it sliced ...

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TOMATO 'PERIFORME ABRUZZESE'

TOMATO 'PERIFORME ABRUZZESE'

An exquisite, pear-shaped, saucy tomato as bottom heavy and thin waisted as Sophia Loren. The juiciest fruit and luscious flavour put it among the all-time greats, voluptuous or not!

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TOMATO 'SAN MARZANO'

TOMATO 'SAN MARZANO'

'The tomato' that launched a whole cuisine. Superior to all others for peeling and preserving for sauce and paste, pizza and pasta. Coreless and cylindrical, it is so productive you'll never need to ...

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ZUCCHINI 'LONG FLORENCE'

ZUCCHINI 'LONG FLORENCE'

Picked with its flower attached "before it's out of the cradle", this olive-green ribbed zucchini from Italy is the best selection for long harvest (4 months) or for flowers for stuffing. Its gigantic leaves are ...

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ZUCCHINI 'TROMBONCINO'

ZUCCHINI 'TROMBONCINO'

The zucchini with outstanding flavour that doesn't get too big too soon. Train the quick growing vines up a trellis so it hangs straight. Fruit reaches 1m but it is best picked at 25cms long. Huge yields, fruits for ...

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CAPSICUM MIXED ITALIAN FRYERS

CAPSICUM MIXED ITALIAN FRYERS

The best long sweet Italian varieties in green, red and yellow for roasting or frying. Including red Jimmy Nardello, green Lombardo and golden Bull's Horn.

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CAPSICUM QUADRATO D'ASTI GIALLO ORGANIC

CAPSICUM QUADRATO D'ASTI GIALLO ORGANIC

This Italian sweet pepper is huge and blocky, ripening from green to yellow as it becomes sweeter. Thick, crisp and chunky- these are the biggest capsicums we've ever grown at Diggers.

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ITALIAN VEGETABLE COLLECTION

ITALIAN VEGETABLE COLLECTION

Our cuisine has been transformed by the world's most passionate backyard gardeners. From simmering pots of Napolitana sauce to crusty pizza, the Italians know what fine food is. And this collection makes the perfect gift for the gardener that loves to cook. Collection includes: Italian Romano beans, Italian Fryers Mix capsicums, Lollo Mix lettuc...

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TOMATO 'NONNO'S ITALIAN PEAR' ORGANIC

TOMATO 'NONNO'S ITALIAN PEAR' ORGANIC

This selection comes to us from Mike Tedesco of WA whose grandfather brought it from San Giorgio, Calabria in 1924. Mike's family has been growing ever since (nearly 100 years!) and it is known as Nonno's ...

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ZUCCHINI 'COSTATA ROMANESCO'

ZUCCHINI 'COSTATA ROMANESCO'

The star for slicing! A standout Italian heirloom with heavily ribbed fruit that look like stars when sliced and served. Firm flesh that is perfect for steaming, stir-fries or grilling. Harvest in just 6 weeks, ...

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Member Exclusives

OLIVE GROVE COLLECTION

OLIVE GROVE COLLECTION

Start your own olive grove with this great value collection. Includes two plants each of ‘Frantoio’ for Italian style olive oil, ‘Kalamata’ for the table and ‘Manzanillo’ for stuffing and pickling.

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2yr membership +FREE vegie seeds

2yr membership +FREE vegie seeds

Membership: MNE2VS

Grow the best tasting vegies with free Carrot ‘St Valery', Broccoli ‘Romanesco', Beetroot ‘Bull’s Blood' and Silverbeet ‘Fordhook’ seeds (one packet of each, valued at $21).

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