Chef Ben Tish creates pork belly, roasted halibut and brown butter panna cotta recipes

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Dear chefs, Five fun-packed, festive, fevered, full weeks of trading until we come up for air and celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. Wild Mushrooms

The last week of Bulgarian ceps, I predict, before we switch to South Africa
Girolles are now American
The glut of trompette is slowing and prices therefore rising. We will be buying from France to start the week.
Pied de mouton from France
Chanterelle gris from Finland
Chanterelle jaune from Spain

Truffles White truffles are still excellent and at a good price. Autumn truffles continue, but I suspect we will wash our hands of them come December and the start of the mighty Perigord season. Fruits Time for a bit of citrus focus. As common a condiment as salt and pepper in today’s cuisine, here are just some of the fresh and preserved lines gracing our premises in New Covent Garden Market.

Meyer lemons are due to come over from the US with girolles this week. Native to China (as so many fruits are), these little beauties are thought to be a mandarin/lemon cross, producing a mild orange scented juice and zest.
I went on at some length about Italian bergamot oranges last week. I still haven’t made that vodka infusion, but I did manage a refreshing weak black tea with a slice of this fascinating fruit floating in it.
Buddha’s hands - The joy in these alien fruits lies in candying the skins.
Finger limes
Clementines - both leafy and naked from Spain
Unwaxed leafy lemons from southern Italy
Kaffir limes and their leaves
Our year-round offering of fresh lemons, limes, kumquats and grapefruits
Candied orange and lemon strips
Moroccan-style preserved lemons
Frozen lemon juice
Frozen bergamot puree
Frozen blood orange puree
Frozen cactus lime puree
Frozen lemon

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puree
Frozen crushed lemon (a personal favourite) complete with just the right levels of zest to make a stunning classic lemon tart
Frozen lime puree
Frozen mandarin puree
Frozen grapefruit puree
Frozen yuzu puree

I guess it shows an impatient and gluttonous nature, but it would be nice to have decent blood and Seville oranges join the party. I guess you need to save some interest for January.

Vegetables No real shift here from previous weeks’ updates. As a reminder, here is what we had to report last week:

Jerusalem chokes and their milder helianthes cousin.
Funky carrots, radishes, turnips and chards.
Unusual squash remain strong.
Purple sprouting broccoli
Cima di rapa still good
Lots of unusual members of the chicory family
Beets and roots, clever Dutch and English flowers and shoots.
A fine range of alliums and spuds aplenty.
The mighty Alexander, a favourite and oft-neglected part of our foraged line. Cook the stems and use the leaves and flowers for garnish. Flavour profile akin to celery, asparagus and parsley. Here’s a link to a nice piece written on Jersey.

Also notable - crosnes (aka Japanese artichoke) prices have come down and mild conditions mean that our mighty offering remains intact. Caviar Promotion for Holiday Season Whilst other suppliers may be ramping up caviar prices for Christmas and New Year, we will be discounting our consistently excellent farmed oscietra to encourage decadence. As usual, this is just a smattering of what we have on offer. Call in on 0207498 5397 to speak to the team about what other treats we have in store for you today.

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