Market Report - UK seasonal update 9 May 2016

This week's market report from Wild Harvest features summer truffles, charentais melons and green English asparagus as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below:

Wild Mushrooms & Truffles

The USA and Turkey jockey for position on who gets to finish the fresh morel season. This could happen any week now.

The other classic spring mushrooms of St Georges and mousserons are still flowing nicely from Bulgaria.

Bulgaria and Serbia are in contention for what are now the first girolles of true merit. It will take the likes of Russia, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania and (saving the best till last) Scotland to crop to raise the quality bar, and reduce prices further. These apricot and pine scented fungal flowers are the dominant summer mushroom, and provide the perfect garnish to light poultry and fish dishes.

The chicken of the wood mushroom is now available from Hungary.

In previous years this meaty treat was only available when UK pickers chanced upon a tender young specimen.

It’s a sign of a maturing market that we now have a line on imports.

Summer truffles from Italy become cheaper and more fragrant every week.

Fruits

Peaches, nectarines, cherries and apricots are now on offer from Spain.

I’d say if you are cooking with them fine, for a fruit bowl a week or twos more sun is needed.

Charentais melons are coming from Morocco and further afield. Prices will drop when the genuine article from Charentes appear later in the month.

Gariguette strawberries are still excellent, and basic Spanish strawbs are now worth eating.

Roll on the UK main crop.

Citrus now takes a back seat, whilst stone fruits do their stuff.

Our tomato range begins to flex it’s muscles as old favourites such as the pineapple tomato join the party.

Mango supply is hazardous, the best examples in current supply in my humble are the baby ones from Columbia.

Pineberry and strasberry supply has been tricky, but is showing signs of settling.

Wet or green almonds have started in Spain. Spare the time to prize away their furry green jackets and soft shells to reveal a milky treat.

Vegetables

English green asparagus is excellent, and prices are set to drop any day now.

Purple asparagus from England, white & now the delicate wheat like wild asparagus from France (about as wild as I am in reality) complete quite a line up.

Jersey royals, purple, ratte & AOC pompadour potatoes are just a few specialty spuds from our offering.

Tidy poivrade baby artichokes are in good supply.

Our wild and cultivated leaf offering is at full strength. Wild garlic is still coming from Norfolk, and you currently get the added bonus of pretty white flowers for garnish on most stems. We switch to Scotland soon to prolong the season.

Peas and broad beans are in good supply. I’ll scream when they are English.

Game

We give wild creatures a breather now until the glorious 12 August and the start of the grouse season.

Pheasant eggs have just appeared on the market.

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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