HERB - rocket

[DianaFiona@aol.com]

In a message dated 09/02/1999 8:17:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
collette at kricket.net writes:

<< 
 What is rocket?  Is is a pretty or is it used for something?
 Thanks
 Begga
  >>

    It's a fairly strong-flavored variety of green, much used on the 
Continent. The flavor is unusual--at it's height it is first spicy-sweet, 
then savory on the tongue. It does get a trifle bitter with age, but nothing 
like turnip or mustard greens. Unfortunately, although it works perfectly 
well as a cooked green, the special flavor I love so much disappears in the 
heat. Even grinding will ruin that aspect--I've tried to make pesto from it, 
but it lost the spicy-sweet taste. :-( So, to my mind it's best used in a 
salad, although I have so much of it I'll still cook it occasionally.
    The most common form of Rocket (Also known as Rockette and Arugula, BTW) 
has fairly broad leaves, and is a cool-weather-only crop, bolting worse than 
spinach in the heat (But the young and tender seedpods are very tasty!). So 
that's why I've been so pleased with the heat-tolerant variety I've had 
growing for the last couple of years--you don't get as big a crop, since the 
leaves are so finely cut, but it lasts a lot longer. Here's Pinetree's 
entries on both kinds of Rocket:

. ARUGULA OR ROQUETTE (38 days)  

A somewhat pungent salad green, a favorite of detective-gourmet Nero Wolfe. 
Easily grown in the spring or fall. Plant 4 seeds per square foot. Avoid 
planting in the summer as it bolts. Flavor is very difficult to describe--the 
young leaves are sort of nutty and mustardy or like salad oil. The older 
leaves can become unpleasantly bitter. It is wise to protect this plant from 
flea beetles with a row cover. 500 seeds .55

. ARUGULA-RUCOLA SELVATICA (50 days)  

A slower-maturing, spicier strain of arugula or roquette (Eruca sativa). The 
tender, dark green leaves are narrow and deeply cut, and have a more intense 
nutty and peppery flavor than other arugulas. The plants are short, under 8", 
and are slow to bolt, allowing a summer harvest, as well as spring and fall 
when planted successively. Highly recommended for those who love the piquant 
mesclun and salad mixes. 400 seeds .85

    I'll dispute the "under 8 inches" bit, though--I've had it reach at least 
a couple of feet tall, albeit sprawling out more than rising up.............

            Ldy Diana 
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