Market Report - UK seasonal update 29 August 2016
This week's market report from Wild Harvest features cep, muscat grapes and white beetroots as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below:
Some affordable variety from Romania almost completes our Autumn/Winter mushroom collection.
With a couple of notable exceptions being the autumn chanterelle and giant puffball, which need rain to be encouraged to surface.
- Girolles-Russia & Scotland
- Pied de mouton-Romania
- Trompette-Romania
- Cep-Sliced from Romania to guard against infestation
Summer truffles are now past their best and prices are going up. I suspect a gap of fresh truffle supply is imminent. This only lasts for a week or two normally before the Autumn truffles start, which overlap with the mighty black Winter/Perigord truffles.
Fruits
With modern market forces it’s rare that a crop can be considered both luxurious and affordable. The Bursa black fig variety from Turkey can claim that status. These dumpy blue/black fruits have depth of flavour, exotic looks and sugar content. We have had a couple of weeks of patchy availability and quality. They are now flowing nicely and represent superb value for money.
This week marks the start of three fruits which have not been bred too far from their wild origins. As a result the fruits are small and acidic rather than large and full of sugar. Not sold?
Careful preparation of crab apples, elderberries and damsom plums can provide perfect foils to rich game dishes and wild mushrooms for example.
- Muscat grapes
- Strawberry grapes
- Greengage plums
- Mirabelle plums
- Cob nuts
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Charentais melons
- Mara des bois strawberries
- Tomatoes galore
Vegetables
The French were less keen than the English to forget about turnips when the spud came back from South America.
The boule d’or turnip is much loved there (think of Baldrick Black Adder fans) for it’s golden hue and sweet, mild nature.
Enough marketing blurb it’s nice and we are selling it.
White beetroots are back on the availability list, as are lovely sweet onions from Cervennes.
The latter being perfect raw, or as the star of a savoury tart.
Here are some other notable vegetable nibbles in bullet pointed brevity:-
- Swiss & rainbow chard
- Coco blanc AOP beans
- Borlotti beans
- Sweetcorn
- Peas and broad beans
- Yellow long beans
- Black cabbage
- Red meat and pink China radish
- Mixed coloured kale
- Coloured & romanseco cauliflowers
Game
Woodalls Promo
If you have toyed with the idea of presenting English charcuterie September is the month to do it.
We have joined forces with our supplier Woodalls to offer significant discounts across their ham and salami range.
This includes 3 new salamis.
- Spicy Cumberland
- Norfolk mustard
- Black pepper & garlic
8 generations of Woodall family experience translates into consistently excellent cured meats.
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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