Market Report - UK seasonal update 23 May 2016

This week's market report from Wild Harvest features girolles, chicken of the woods and green apricots as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below:

Wild Mushrooms & Truffles

It’s all about girolles now. Prices are keen and the quality is very nice from Bulgaria.

Whether you like adult or micro garnish sizes, this strange mushroom friendly micro climate has set the bar high for the rest of Europe.

Chicken of the woods are abundant from Hungary.

Mousseron and St Georges continue from Bulgaria.

We are buying just enough morels from the US/Canada to allow chef’s to exit their menus.

I expect a clean break for June when we offer a range of frozen and dried morels.

Summer truffles continue to improve, Italy and France have a glut.

For those who like to preserve at that critical point in the season when both price and quality is at it’s peak, watch this space.

I still see every shipment to fill our premises with truffle fragrance.

Fruits

The mighty agricultural force that is Spain is still dominating stone fruit supply.

Apricots, nectarines, flat, white and yellow peaches are all very usable now.

More sun is needed before they honour my fruit bowl. I tend to like stone fruit that’s on the point of collapse and makes a mess of your face.

If you want to roast a flat peach and serve it with a nice quenelle of something lactic we are good to go.

Gariguette strawberries continue.

We are now starting with one of my favourite things to eat. The mara des bois strawberry. This cunning cross delivers the succulence of a mainstream strawb, with a subtle but clear perfume linking it to it’s wild aka alpine/frais de bois parent.

Tomatoes are a joy to work with. Not because they are quiet and work long hours, but due to the flavour, shape and colour variety on offer. The heirloom mixes are very good, or contact us for a breakdown of some individual varieties. Burrata, bread, tomatoes, wine, basil and a cheeky slice or two of charcuterie. Sunshine eating at it’s best.

Vegetables

English green asparagus prices have come down.

As well as the year round fine tips and air freighted white “grass” as they call it on English markets we have excellent French white, English purple and delicate so called “wild” asparagus flowing through our chilled rooms and vehicles.

Round (aka hand grenade) courgettes are in good supply for fun Provencal style farci, or Italian ripieni depending on your influences.

If you ask me both words sound better than our “stuffed”.

Wet almonds, Jersey royals, peas & broad beans continue.

A variety of pretty and peppery radishes abound.

Now is the time to enjoy leaves foraged from the UK’s wild lands before the sun starts to scorch and claim victims.

As well as fairly well known treats such as wild garlic and sea beet, the likes of sweet cicley are now appearing.

As always that just scratches the surface of our seasonal offering, let alone the year round or preserved aspects of our range.

Call in on 020 7498 5397 to speak to the team about what other treats we have in store for you today. Visit the website here.

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