#My Life as a Zucchini : Courgette

[schwarzfee]

[basketcasemp3]

we're all the same. there's nobody left to love us. ma vie de courgette / my life as a zucchini (2016) dir. claude barras

[amtskind]

a while ago i watched "my life as a zucchini" (ma vie de courgette, 2016) - a movie that honestly broke me, but that's not the point.

i spotted a little girl reading franz kafka's metamorphosis.

[gerandor]

i was talking about “my life as a zucchini” to a friend which i had watched years ago and googled the pics to show her and i saw this lucy character and realized she looked so much like sanji

[cinematicmasterpiece]

ma vie de courgette (2016)

[zamava]

Ma vie de Courgette (2016)

[video-recipes]

Courgette & butterbean bowl

Sophsplantkitchen on tiktok

INGREDIENTS

2 × large courgettes, cut in half and then into wonky triangles

8-10 cloves garlic

5 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 × 400g tins of pre cooked organic butterbeans + their stock (the water in the can)

For the cashew cream, blend:

1 cup of soaked cashews or sunflower seeds

3 tbsp nooch

Juice of one lemon

1/2 tsp salt

Ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves

Around 60-80ml of water for blending consistency

To serve:

Crunchy nutty breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread and 1 handful of almonds whizzed up in a blender, fried in olive oil, salt and garlic powder until crispy. Let rest on a plate lined with kitchen roll until ready to use)

Fresh basil

Lemon zest

[luminities]

Zucchini icons

[pualazzz]

I watched this movie today and I really liked the kids' designs :]

[sentimentosemimagens]

Filme profundo.

My life as a Zucchini (2016) dir. Claude Barras

[schwarzfee]

[animatejournal]

My Life as a Zucchini (Ma vie de Courgette) Director: Claude Barras | France, 2016

[iboatedhere]

(more thanks to @pragmatic-optimist @welcometololaland & @rmd-writes)

---

Henry fiddles with the tap, turning the water temperature down from scalding hot to just piping hot while the biodegradable sponge Alex insists they buy crumbles into nothing in his hand. 

He sighs and rinses the mug before setting it on the rack to dry, turning off the water, and leaning against the sink, looking out into the expanse of their backyard.

“Penny for your thoughts, sweetheart?” Alex asks from the table and Henry turns. 

“Do you think we should be growing our own food?” 

Wide eyed, Alex looks from the strip of bacon in hand to Henry and back again.

“I was talking about vegetables, darling.”

“Oh! Ha! Thank fuck,” he says as he shoves the last bite into his mouth. “Because you know I would get attached to that thing as soon as its little swine-eyes found mine and I could never…” He trails off and drags his finger across his throat. “You know.”

“I do,” Henry tells him. “Would it be enough to turn you into a vegetarian?”

“Hell no, but I would probably switch to turkey bacon. I’ve had enough of those feathery fucks to last the rest of my life.” He stands with his plate and coffee mug then nudges Henry out of the way so he can clean up after himself. “You want to start a garden?”

“We have all this land we're not using and who knows how long it’ll take the renovation permits on the shelter to come through. I have a bit of spare time.”

Alex eyes him warily and Henry pretends he doesn’t notice. 

“I was thinking I’d start with the basics…tomatoes, cucumber, courgettes…”

“That’s zucchini, right?”

Henry rolls his eyes fondly. “If you want to be American about it.”

“Well, since we’re in America. I think a garden would be nice. You gotta be careful though, my abuela had one and she was overrun with vegetables. She canned and pickled everything and still couldn’t keep up. She’d pay me and June ten dollars to go around to her neighbors trying to offload peppers because it was impossible to say no to two cute kids.”

“I’m sure I could find a food bank that would take them.”

“I’m sure you could,” Alex agrees before swaying into him. “Are you okay?”

Henry gives him a smile that must look as weak as it feels and Alex presses his lips together and tips his head to the side, giving Henry his best puppy-dog eyes.

“It’s just…you know,” Henry says because Alex does know and Henry doesn’t want to be the one to say it. 

The anniversary of his father’s death looms, the same way it does every year, but every year there seems to be more for Henry to mourn. 

His father never got to meet Alex. He never got to see how full of love Henry’s life is now. How happy he is. He’ll never set foot in this home or see the garden Henry wants to plant or hold the future children they might have.

Henry’s love for Alex grows with every passing day but there’s still a corner of his heart that is gray with grief that no amount of early morning kisses or late night conversations out on the porch will color.

“Baby,” Alex says, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Henry’s shoulder. He can’t mourn the way Henry does, but Henry knows he tries to shoulder the weight of it even if he can’t quite fit his arms around it. “You know it’s okay to slow down and relax.”

“Plenty of people find gardening relaxing.”

Alex sighs, the same way he always does when he knows he’s been beaten at his own game and pulls back. 

“Okay,” he says, “I can duck out of work early and we can hit up the nursery–.”

“Oh no,” Henry interrupts. “I’m not letting you anywhere near my garden.”

Alex blinks at him. “Excuse me?”

“You, my love, have what I believe they call a black thumb.”

“That’s a fucking lie, I do not.”

“You somehow managed to kill a cactus.”

“That thorny piece of shit had it out for me.”

“Of course, love,” Henry says, gathering Alex’s face between his hands, “whatever you say.”

[therewithacamera]

I grew courgettes this year. I bought one (1) plant and despite the shit weather in the UK, I got four (4) LARGE courgettes from it SO FAR. It is still putting those things out. I have given all my neighbours courgettes big enough to be human babies. I have eaten enough courgette that I will be sick of it for life (just kidding, I'm going to grow it again next year). I have made fried courgette, courgette cake, courgette soup, ratatouille, anything you can think of making with courgette/zucchini, I have made it. And I still have more left over. So yeah, these brownies are absolutely not a health thing. Also, the recipe I use for those brownies uses more sugar and chocolate than regular brownies so it's really not healthier (not that it matters to me lmao).

[tadpolesonalgae]

Hey Tabby! how was your day?

So this isn't exactly ACOTAR related but I also hope it's nothing personal?

I'm guessing you're from England as you often time your posts to England time and I'm terribly curious about all things around the world and I find it soo soo interesting how easy it is—in this day and age—to sort of just communicate with all kinds of people around the world? and I love seeing the confusion between Americans and Brits when it comes to a lot of things, especially food(I really like those videos on yt where some British students try American food, albeit I'm not on yt much and have only watched like 2 or 3 of those) and I saw a short today about this dish called 'beans on toast' I believe? and someone in the comment section genuinely thought beans on toast meant plain beans on plain bread for some reason and so many Americans in the replies were kinda surprised that's not what it was? and it was kinda hilarious tbh ngl. and out of nowhere, you popped up in my mind fsr?

however, I really like learning about all these foods and dishes that are so commonplace for one set of people and never even touched by another? (in 2 decades of my life, I've never had pancakes😭 I've only ever read about them as one of the greatest breakfasts on Wattpad)

I was wondering if you have a comfort food that you like eating when you're down? do you enjoy certain cuisines? Are you ever astonished that someone in the world hasn't tasted a certain food and that they simply must? do you like beans on toast? fish and chips?(I'm sorry these are the only English dishes Ik TT)

—🫀

‘I'm guessing you're from England as you often time your posts to England’

I am indeed from England 🫢

‘and I love seeing the confusion between Americans and Brits when it comes to a lot of things, especially food’

I haven’t seen those videos, but I’ve seen ones where people compare English and American for other words like pavement vs. sidewalk, courgette vs. zucchini, aubergine vs. eggplant, and some others I can’t remember at the moment! I think I’ve also seen some where Americans react to Cockney rhyming slang, as well as some expressions/idioms which was pretty entertaining 🤭

‘and I saw a short today about this dish called 'beans on toast' I believe?’

GIRL I'VE JUST MADE DINNER AND IT'S BEANS ON TOAST

I fully squawked and had to put my phone down when l read that 😭

‘and someone in the comment section genuinely thought beans on toast meant plain beans on plain bread’

I mean, everyone has different ways, but I know one of my friends freaked out when they found out I put the cheese on top of the butter but beneath the beans so it melts and becomes soft and stringy 🫢

‘(in 2 decades of my life, I've never had pancakes😭 I've only ever read about them as one of the greatest breakfasts on Wattpad)’

Honestly I think it’s one of those things relating to association? Idk what it’s like outside of England, but in primary school (roughly ages 4-11) we always had pancake races on pancake day, and during assembly we would have pancake flipping challenges too (to be fair, it was a C of E school, so maybe that affected it a little) so there are a lot of good memories surrounding pancakes which probably adds to the flavour enhancement :)

You also aren’t supposed to have them that often because they’re unhealthy to have all the time without balance, but that made them super special since once a year you’d get to have pancakes for breakfast! 🥞 (<- I’d call these American Pancakes)

And I’d like to specify, not American pancakes that are more stout and thicker, but ones that are thin that you can roll up with lemon and sugar or maple syrup 🤤

‘I was wondering if you have a comfort food that you like eating when you're down?’

Honestly in summer probably tomatoes on bread with salt and pepper, in the autumn winter it’s definitely soup, and spring probably beans on toast because they’re just so easy to make and don’t cause a hassle 😭

‘do you enjoy certain cuisines?’

I have to admit, my palette is not particularly extensive, but because of certain choices I’ve made for what I’m willing to eat, Italian probably suits me best :)

‘Are you ever astonished that someone in the world hasn't tasted a certain food and that they simply must?’

No, because one of my friends was such a picky eater. And I mean picky.

Anyway, having grown up with that, I’m more astonished when people have no limits at all—no allergies or spice tolerance, open to trying new things—basically someone who’ll eat absolutely anything amazes me.

‘fish and chips?’

Okay I’d say I’m pretty good at trying new foods and not turning my nose up at them, but anything with fish in I physically am unable to hold down 😭 (aside from tuna 🤔) I’m okay being around fish in supermarkets and that, or if people are eating it around me, but it’s not pleasant :/

Although, I LOVE vinegar. I used to put it in my water as a child and to this day have it with pasta 🫢

Honestly I’d like to learn more meals to cook. Someone I know recently learned how to make a sauce(?)/dip(?) called baba ganoush/baba ghanouj and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever had and would love to have it more frequently if I had the time to make it because honestly it’s 🤌🤌🤌 (my mouth is currently watering)

[tinyshe]

Garden Report 23.04.29

Yeah, I don’t know what to say: bad germination rate, bipolar weather, lots of hungry bugs ...

Things in the little grow lean-to have a really slow germ rate Unless you be a little marigold (go babies go). I mean, 14 days for a courgette/zucchini to germinate? Ptsz ! I got rhubarb seedlings by then! Radishes did their radish thing. Popped their wee heads up and just as fast, had them taken off by bugs. Only about 15% germ rate for the peas and I pre-soaked those things to give them a head start run. I’m not sure I want to try another set as I came across a nest of micelettes in the hay I keep for the hens (they are heeereee... and hungry). The autumn raspberries are monsters! The blueberries and the eldest white currants are looking like they are anemic. Their leaves are very strange. Either I got a disease or another unappreciated aerial spraying. Like wtf. Just stop.

Days are nicer and getting longer so the hens get out a bit more but yet, they don’t want to be out. They just fuss and want their meal worms brought to them promptly at four (teatime for hens, you know). I literally have to treat them like the kids, being real stern ‘go play outside’ and run them out with a stick ... then the hens want in the big house with me and sit on the back stoop and whine bc that’s what they do. So I have to herd them down the walk to the other end of the garden and tell them to stay there which they are semi compliant.

Flowers are blooming. Most the early bulbs are finishing up. The last of the tulips are passing. The Forget-me-nots, coral bells, jupiter’s beard and iris are taking off, The camilas are winding down but the rhodie is starting. The quince and the apples are glorious! The roses haven’t started but you can see the Lady Banks is going to be a riot of yellow in a couple of days -- just in time for a week long rain! I’m working on the rose tunnel out at the farm this weekend and feeling the need to overwhelm the project with plants instead of working with Time. Yes, I’m impatient.

I still haven’t down loaded pictures. I spent a couple of weeks being obsessed with the cloud formations, literally, my head in the clouds instead of my nose to the ground. So maybe instead of flower or garden pictures, there will be a series of clouds and sunrises.

I hope no matter where you are, you can grow a little green for yourself to help nurture your well being. A lovely potted plant to bring you joy, growing sprouts on the counter-top to eat and nourish your body or a little container garden to spice up your life -- I hope you can. If I can encourage you along the way, let me know. I will try to do what I can :)