Market Report - UK seasonal update 1 February 2016

The Staff Canteen

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

This week's market report from Wild Harvest features perigord truffles, blood oranges and Forced Yorkshire triangle rhubarb as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below: PorchiniWild Mushrooms & Truffles The South African porcini season has kicked off. Rather like the mighty Scottish girolle it is thought that the spores of this mushroom were brought in with imported European pine trees. You can picture the joy of an Italian immigrant stumbling across her beloved porcini. Like it’s European cousin, SA cep seasons are temperamental and weather reliant. Unlike our continent’s offering SA worms seem to have no interest in this prize. One cooking tip however is to up your seasoning, as the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t produce the same intensity of flavour as our half of the globe without a little help. Other than that Portugal are producing yellow & grey legged chanterelle and pied de mouton. Some lovely trompettes are flying in from the US. Winter truffles from Italy & the Perigord region are excellent and are fully mature now. blood oranges 1Fruits South Africa features heavily this week. Baby honey figs are hailing from there. These little mouthfuls of fun have thin skins and delicious content. Enjoy them now as the season is only likely to stretch until mid March. Here are some other February fruits in fine form:-
  • Bergamot & Seville oranges
  • Cox apples
  • Blood oranges
  • Leafy clementines
  • Quince
  • Passe crassane pears
  • Finger limes
Vegetables For sure it’s cold, but not cold enough to decimate our green and pleasant land’s wild food larder. Three cornered garlic is being foraged in excellent condition, and acts as a nice precursor to the abundant spring crop of wild garlic or ramps. As with fruits above cop a look at a small variety of very nice vegetables:-
  • Forced Yorkshire triangle rhubarb
  • Rainbow chard
  • Monk’s beard
  • Crosnes
  • January king cabbage
  • Parsley & chervil roots
  • Crapaudine beet
Game Update February marks the end of the game bird seasonal offering. As levels of venison and wood pigeon are high enough to be considered pests (delicious pests) we will forge on with these wild lines until April. As usual, this is just a small selection of what we have on offer. 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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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 2nd February 2016

Market Report - UK seasonal update 1 February 2016

IN ASSOCIATION WITH