This week's market report from Wild Harvest features mousseron, English apples and mixed kale as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below:
Wild Mushrooms & Truffles
Both Poland and Romania are having an abundant cep season, as is often the case when summer temperatures spoil the girolle crop. Sizes are currently garnish friendly and caps are good and firm. Prices are keen and infestation is minimal. Virtually as good as this mighty mushroom gets.
Girolles are very much still usable from Russia and Scotland.
Mousseron a.k.a. fairy ring mushrooms are nice from Bulgaria.
Autumn chanterelle in both yellow and grey legged forms are in from Spain and Sweden. We now need abundance to drive prices down.
We are seeing limited volumes of pied de mouton from Scotland.
Trompettes are growing, but in very small quantities.
Cauliflower fungus continues.
In a nut shell the autumn mushrooms are late, but have turned up to the party and October is looking fungally positive. Black Autumn truffle supply is limited, but we appear to be at the start of yet another excellent, stable white truffle season.
Fruits
As stone fruits fade away we welcome decent English apples in the form of Cox’s.
Turkish Bursa black figs are excellent and offer great value for money.
Fresh chestnuts have arrived to compliment our preserved lines. The mild flavour and richness of this distant relative of the conker works superbly with warming autumn/winter dishes.
Foraged crab apples are in good supply to form the basis of pallet cleansing jams and jellies.
Pear Williams are readily available in red and green forms.
Quince come into their own now. For once I feel we have a more romantic name than the French for what they call “coing”.
We are working a trio of high end grapes. Fragolini a.k.a. strawberry grapes from Italy, and the mighty Muscat & Chasselat Moissac from France.
Vegetables
Mixed kale is in fantastic shape and adds a healthy splash of colour to plates.
Black cabbage is excellent, but sounds so much nicer when called cavolo nero.
Squashes are peaking. We are selling the other worldy ornamental ones for table decorations alongside iron bar, spaghetti and potimarron varieties to name but a few.
Romanesco, purple & yellow cauliflowers roll on.
Our foraged sea vegetable range remains intact.
Carrot, beet and exotic root options abound.
Rainbow and swiss chard are in great condition.
We even have access to Brussel sprouts if (like me) you see these as than more than just something to tolerate at Christmas, like a loathsome great aunt.
Game
Partridge, venison, hare & wood pigeon are in solid supply.
Grouse and mallard are more sporadic.
We will start with pheasants this week, but they will take a couple of weeks to be at their plump, affordable and tastiest best.
Wild boar from France is readily available on request.
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.
