Zwinkels: courgettes from 's-Gravenzande

Who's behind it

Grower Zwinkels is in 's-Gravenzande, in the heart of Westland. Jan Zwinkels started the business in 1970; the third generation now runs it, with brothers Johan and Guus at the helm. They do everything themselves, from growing to sales, which keeps the line between greenhouse and kitchen short. The family grows one crop in full breadth: courgette. Under the brands CourgetteFleur (since 1997) and CourgetteRoyale they supply from February through November.

Why these courgettes

Because Zwinkels focuses on one crop, you get the full range: green and yellow courgette in standard, mini and midi, plus courgette flower and specialities such as Fioretta and Primo Fiore. Bumblebees do the pollinating, and pests are kept in check with natural enemies like predatory mites and parasitic wasps. The business is GlobalGAP and GRASP certified.

You notice two things in the kitchen. The flower closes around ten in the morning, so harvesting happens early, while it's still open. And the courgettes go straight into their final packaging after harvest, with as little handling as possible. That way they keep longer on your bench and hold their flavour.

In your kitchen

The yellow courgette and the courgette flower stand out most. Yellow brings colour to the plate: slice it thin for a raw carpaccio, or grill it briefly so the colour holds. The minis are plate-ready, so you use all of it. Put yellow and green side by side for colour contrast in a side dish.

Because Zwinkels harvests before ten and delivers quickly, you can stuff the courgette flower and briefly fry or poach it the same day. On your menu, name where the courgette comes from: one grower from Westland, specialised in courgette.