[oldcow]

I'm Italian and I know those well, they're edible lupins. I love them...
BTW, I checked and in Italy they're sown in October/November.

[Swing Swang]

Love 'em to bits too oldcow. Much less popular in Portugal now than 30 years ago when the were the only bar nibble served in some places. In the cheaper taverns so many skins were thrown onto the floor that it was like walking through a couple of inches of leaf litter by the end of the day. Happy memories.

Anyone wishing to prepare them at home should check out how to prepare them because thery are very, very bitter after soaking and boiling. Traditionally they'd be left in a string bag in a brook for 5 days, but I leave them soaking in water/changed 2-4 times per day/ for 5-7 days before brining with good quality salt for at least a day.

SS

[mumofstig]

well, that's one I've never heard of, and if the prep is that bad..........I know why I haven't 

[Swing Swang]

You can buy them pre-prepared in jars or vacuum packed bags mumofstig. They're great fun to eat as there is a knack to nibbling/twisting/squeezing the bean into your mouth which if you get wrong either squirts you in eye with brine, or flies 10m across the room!

My OH calls them 'choofs' because that's what they do!

[JayG]

My OH calls them 'choofs' because that's what they do!

Is that "choofs" as in "choof-choofs" because they travel across the room at high speed or a reference to something that happens a considerable time after eating them? 

[Swing Swang]

Choof as in choof-choof, but we rhyme it with 'look' (south of England) rather than 'hoot'.

Haven't experienced any 'more tea vicar' type problems with them though!

[oldcow]

Luckily they don't have any "funny effect" - luckily because when I eat them I have a hard time stopping.
SS, did you actually grow them in the UK???

[Kleftiwallah]

Similar looking seeds swing.  but rougher skin.

Definitely lupins (of some sort)  and the leaves follow the sun round.   More info at planting out stage.   Cheers,   Tony.

[Swing Swang]

Oldcow - I've never grown them in the UK, but my father did when I was younger. They grew and harvested OK, but they took up a lot of space for the yield so he never repeated the experiment. I'd have a go if you've never grown them over here because it's always exciting to try something new. I'd direct sow them under cloches now if I was going to try them again.