A small tuber called crosnes (pronounced crones) is gaining momentum among upscale restaurants, according to a report in the February/March issue of Mother Earth News. Crosnes, which are reportedly sold for up to $40 a pound, are easy to grow but they are a labor-intensive crop that must be harvested by hand.
Also known as Chinese artichokes or chorogi, crosnes (Stachys affinis) can be planted in fall or early spring in full sun, and they need steady moisture to produce a crop, according to Richard de Wilde and Linda Halley of Harmony Valley Farm in Viroqua, Wisconsin. They started growing crosnes a few years ago at the request of Odessa Piper of L’Etoile restaurant in Madison.
Heirloom vegetable expert William Woys Weaver says that proper spacing is also important. He recommends planting them 3 inches deep and at least 12 inches apart. When the tubers are harvested, some will remain behind and they will grow the next spring, but should also be thinned to 12 inches apart. He advises that crosnes should never be allowed to flower; instead, they should be cut back by half when they reach a foot tall.
In perfect conditions – warm days, cool nights, and plenty of moisture – each plant can produce up to a dozen big tubers.
Mother Earth News gives one source for the tubers this spring: Marche aux Delices, 888-547-5471; www.auxdelices.com.
(Mother Earth News, 800-678-4883; www.motherearthnews.com)