Market Report - UK seasonal update 17 August 2015
This week's market report from Wild Harvest features mirabelle plums, rainbow chard, and Muscat grapes as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below:
Girolle quality is still excellent from Scotland and Eastern Europe.
We are seeing some perfect pied de mouton from Sweden. Prices are high but it should be a matter of days now before the classic autumnal shrooms hit town in abundance.
Giant puffballs are being foraged in Norfolk in small quantities, so no time for a menu listing at this stage.
Summer truffles continue from Italy. We are however at the trickier end of the season, so expect price rises and possibly the dreaded fresh truffle gap before the start of the autumn truffles due by mid-September.
The Muscat grape season has kicked off nice and early. I’ve just eaten one and they are ready to delight with floral wine notes.
Mirabelle plums have started, 80% of these dainty golden treats are produced in the French region of Lorraine, and that’s where we get ours from.
Rather than force you to follow my prose, here’s a list of some fruits to excite the eyes, mouth and nose:
- Greengage plums
- Blood, flat, white and yellow peaches
- Yellow and white nectarines
- Apricots
- Charentais melons
- Cob nuts
- The flavour packed strawberry or fragolini grape
- Our massive tomato range is still holding strong
- Foraged rowan berries, ideal for jellies
Vegetables:
Rainbow chard is in great supply and provides a dash of colour to compliment the season’s hale and hearty centrepieces.
Chervil root has started early. It’s a matter of weeks before we extend our ancient and interesting root offering to see us through the winter.
As with roots the European squash offering is beginning to blossom. The chestnut flavoured (hence the name) potimarron is being harvested now.
As with fruits I won’t delay. Use these vegetables now and your plates won’t be grey:
- Roscoff onions with the AOC stamp
- Purple and yellow cauliflowers
- Borlotti beans
- Coco beans
- Coloured beets and carrots in both adult and baby form
- Sea aster is at it’s succulent wild best
- Poivrade baby artichokes
- Purple potatoes
- Iron bar pumpkins
Game:
We are up and running with grouse, venison saddles and wood pigeon. Grouse levels are low this year due to a cold snap at a crucial time in their life cycle in May.
Get them while you can, as keepers are suggesting a mid September close to the season and waiting for prices to fall may lead to disappointment.
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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