Market Report - UK seasonal update 27 March 2016
This week's market report from Wild Harvest features white truffles, gariguette strawberries and wet garlic as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below:
Wild Mushrooms & Truffles
We now play a waiting game for black summer truffles.
They are being dug up, but I suggest they shouldn’t be.
We are drilling our suppliers daily for news of summer truffles with enough nose and marbling to justify a trip in an aeroplane.
Until then lean on preserves and/or frozen Chinese truffles.
I predict our opening gambit will be placed mid April.
Fresh morels are flowing nicely from Turkey and prices are currently keen.
South Africa have just started what is probably the last of their cep flushes until the winter.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
We are seeing flashes of early St George mushrooms from Bulgaria, but prices are prohibitive.
It does bode well however for an abundance before St George’s day at the end of April.
Both for this mushroom and it’s highly prized cousin mousseron.
Pied de mouton continue from Portugal.
There are American chanterelle and Portuguese girolle on the market, but we are staying clear as they aren’t nice and unlike some years we have far stronger wild mushroom options.
Fruits
Eyes peeled for the first wild strawberries, and my personal favourite berry the cross bred mara de bois.
Tomatoes improve weekly from Italy, France and Spain.
Heirloom mixed tomatoes are now coming from Spain and France rather than Holland (their Winter home).
Flavour, variety and price have all improved as a result.
Here’s a list of some other good fruits to kick April off with:
- Blood oranges
- Clementines
- Leafy unwaxed lemons from Southern Italy
- Finger limes
Vegetables
We are busy sourcing a good field grown crop from the UK, to supplement the excellent champagne rhubarb from the Wye valley.
The supply of which is sporadic and limited.
Wet garlic is coming from Egypt, but we will switch supply to France soon.
Wild garlic is now abundant from the UK so we have been able to drop prices as a result.
Please find below a list of just some other vegetables in fine form for Fools Day:
- Early green asparagus from the Wye valley (limited supply)
- Monk’s beard
- Fresh peas & broad beans
- French white asparagus
Eyes peeled for the first wild asparagus (as wild as I am in fact, cultivated in France) which normally arrives early May.
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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