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 the dry seeds that can be used in casseroles and soups.

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BEETROOT 'CHIOGGIA' ORGANIC

BEETROOT 'CHIOGGIA' ORGANIC

Concentrically eccentric, this beet was traditionally grown in Chioggia, Italy (just outside Venice), where it has been part of local cuisine since 1538 – a true heirloom beetroot. Slow to bolt, tender, mild and sweet. Harvest at 8 weeks for 60g roots.

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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 transplant. Yields 1.1kg/plant.

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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 1kg. Does not produce side-shoots.

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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 '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 substantial meal.

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ITALIAN VEGETABLE COLLECTION

ITALIAN VEGETABLE COLLECTION

From simmering pots of Napolitana sauce to crusty pizza, the Italians know delicious food and quality ingredients, and they are undoubtedly some of the most passionate backyard gardeners in the world! This collection makes the perfect gift for the gardener that loves to cook. Includes Bean ‘Italian ‘Romano’, Capsicum ‘Jimmy Nardello’, Lettuce Lo...

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LETTUCE ITALIAN LOLLO MIX

LETTUCE ITALIAN LOLLO MIX

A mix of foliage colours with heavily-ruffled margins, Lollo (or coral) lettuces are spectacular in a salad and their fan-shaped foliage is perfect for holding ample salad dressing. This mix contains hints of lime-greens, pinks and reds.

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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 and eaten fresh. Fruits in 13 weeks from transplant, 300g fruit.

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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 (grandfather's) Italian Pear. This is a tall variety that grows best with two or three laterals. The fruit is dark pink when ripe with firm fl...

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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 eat an out of season hybrid again!

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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, yields 25 fruit per plant.

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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 extremely ornamental. The Italian name is Zucca Lungo di Firenze.

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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 months.

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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'

CAPSICUM 'QUADRATO D'ASTI GIALLO'

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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EGGPLANT 'LISTADA DE GANDIA'

EGGPLANT 'LISTADA DE GANDIA'

A stunning Spanish heirloom with showy lavender and white craquelure stripes, that's early to fruit, productive and exquisitely beautiful. Originally from from the Gandia region in the province of Valencia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, many have tried to claim it as their own, and there is certainly no debating it's popularity world-wide....

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Member Exclusives

ORANGE LONG HARVEST COLLECTION

ORANGE LONG HARVEST COLLECTION

Pick oranges all year round with this long harvest collection. Includes one plant each of Navel ‘Washington’, with fruit from May to September, Navel ‘Lane’s Late’ with fruit from September to December, and Valencia 'Delta Seedless' fruiting from September to March with fruit that stores on the tree for up to seven months.

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LOW PRESSURE COUNTRY SPRINKLER x 3

LOW PRESSURE COUNTRY SPRINKLER x 3

HARDWARE: HLOP3

A tried and true design, popular with all Diggers gardeners. Safe to use with dirty tank or washing machine water, as it does not get blocked. Covers a diameter of 10m. Not for high pressure.

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2 year membership + Garden Calendar and 2 Seed Packets

2 year membership + Garden Calendar and 2 Seed Packets

Membership: MNE2CA2

Join the club and receive an exclusive gift, valued at $30. A stunning calendar featuring key dates, a guide to which seeds to sow each month and plenty of space to add your own events. Plus two free packets of some popular seeds – Tomato 'Black Cherry' and Lettuce Heirloom Mix.

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