Spring Time Excitment
The month of March brings an exciting time as our native lands start to slowly warm up springing into action. Countless interesting flavours and textures which have all been dormant over the cold and so very damp winter months start to reemerge sparking inspiration across many minds.
Mother Nature may have been showing her colours a little early this year but be careful as we are firmly in the shoulder period and a cold winter snap could still appear slowing everything down even in some cases crippling future flavour excitement.
One thing we can be sure of now though is that we are not far from the UK growing season its so close we can smell it but hold yourself back as its easy to spring forward to early and you could find a hiding wasp giving you a nasty sting.
Below you will find some ideas as to what the month of March can offer - Watch out though it's not all good news.
The March Glimpse
It's easy to get early UK asparagus on your menu and be the first to name Jersey Royals but be careful as these early flavours will demand high prices and in some cases may not be as flavoursome as a later crop.
March this year has been weirdly mild and I can't help but think a cold snap could still arrive let's hope not as the daffodils are looking GLORIOUS & the birch sap is already flowing.
£ - Affordable & in Good Supply
££ - Mid Range in Good Supply
£££ - Expensive in good Supply
£££££ - Expensive - Supply Could Be Difficult
Green Asparagus UK - Starts Week Comm 20/03 **GROWN UNDER GLASS **£££**
Fresh Morels - Turkey **£££**
Cavelo Nero - Lancashire **£**
Wild Garlic - UK **£**
White Asparagus - France **£££**
Jerusalem Artichokes - UK **£**
Smoked Garlic - UK **£**
Purple Sprouting - UK **££**
Swede - Northumberland **£**
Leeks - Northumberland **£**
Pak Choi - Lancashire **£**
Calcot Onions - Spain **£££££**
Figs - Brazil **££**
Jersey Royals - UK **£££**
Forced Rhubarb - Yorkshire **£££**
Blood Orange - Italy **££**
Pomegranate - Turkey **££**
April What A Month
April is all about the eggs or is it ??
This tricky month can bring amazing warmth or sometimes cold snow showers its extremely unpredictable. Spanish product starts to slow down so be careful as certain items can start to rise in price as a switch in seasons starts to mitigate.
What we do know is that from this point it won't be long until the main UK growing season starts to show its face - bring on the sun...
WATCH OUT items -
Jerusalem Artichokes - Finishing
Red Meat Radish - Finishing
Parsley Root - Finishing
Piccolo Parsnips - Finishing
Forced Rhubarb - Finishing
£ - Affordable & in Good Supply
££ - Mid Range in Good Supply
£££ - Expensive in good Supply
£££££ - Expensive - Supply Could Be Difficult
Nashi Pears - China **££**
St George Mushrooms - UK **££**
Asparagus - STILL UNDER GLASS - UK **££**
Watercress - UK **£**
Sweet Chinese Cabbage - Yorkshire **£**
Celeriac - Holland **£**
Broad Beans - Italy **£££**
Fennal - Italy **££**
Spring Greens - UK **£**
Green Sorrel - UK **£**
Jersey Royals - UK **££**
All We Need Is SUN
As the land warms up we will suddenly start to find ourselves inundated with daily new and intriguing flavours becoming available.
May offers bumper crops of local asparagus, wild garlic, new season mids, garlic scapes, peas, broad beans and other interesting vegetable varieties and it won't be long until we all start to see UK deep bed radish, sweetcorn and more things to excite
**Watch Out In May**
Onions - cross over in season higher prices
Sweet potatoes - cross over in season can lead to supply issues
Grapefruit - cross over in season can bring HIGH prices
Purple Sprouting Broccoli - Will Disappear
£ - Affordable & in Good Supply
££ - Mid Range in Good Supply
£££ - Expensive in good Supply
£££££ - Expensive - Supply Could Be Difficult
Cauliflower - UK **£**
Fresh Peas - UK **££**
Broad Bean - UK **££**
Broccoli - UK **£**
Jersey Royals - UK **£**
Cornish Mids - UK **£**
Wet Garlic - UK **££**
Wild Garlic - UK **£**
Outdoor Rhubarb - UK ** £**
Courgette Flower - UK **££**
Spring Kale - UK **£**
Elderflowers - UK **££**
Pine Berry - Holland **£££**
Strawberries - UK **£**
Morel Mushroom **£**
Glorious June
June brings exciting times for all as its truly the time to get your knees out as the land starts to warm through and summer sights are not far away.
By now we are getting a great supply of some UK produce but remember its not until July that we are in full swing for the UK season.
**Watch Out**
UK Asparagus - Finish
Morels - Finish
Apples - Expensive
Citrus - Expensive
Garlic Scapes - **££**
Gooseberries - UK **£**
Cherry - UK **££**
Courgettes - UK **£**
Spring Onions - UK **£**
Cucumbers - UK **£**
Runner Beans - UK **£**
Alphonso Mango - India **££**
Swiss Chard - UK **£**
Fresh Peas - UK **£**
Head Lettuce - UK **£**
Samphire - UK **£**
Rasberry - UK **££**
Truffle - Italy **££££
Radish - UK **£**
Heirloom Tomatoes - UK **£**
Globe Artichoke - UK **££**
Blueberries - UK **£**
Is it Summer Yet ???
By the time July hits we are in full swing with great affordability across all UK grown products - Direct from farm supply in rapid speed.
Now is most definitely the time you should be singing from the hills around the UK season - Crisp delicate flavours, fresh ideas and good standing for product to see us through until Autumn starts to appear in late September.
**WATCH OUT**
Shouldn't be much really depends on the weather
£ - Affordable & in Good Supply
££ - Mid Range in Good Supply
£££ - Expensive in good Supply
£££££ - Expensive - Supply Could Be Difficult
Sweet Corn - UK **£**
Heirloom Tomatoes - UK **££**
Turnips - UK **£**
All Lettuce - UK **£**
Blackberries - UK **££**
Greengages - France/UK **£**
Grelot Onions - France **££**
Kohl Rabi - UK **£**
Marrow - UK **£**
Aubergines All Types - UK **£**
Sugar Cone Cabbage - UK **£**
Fennel - UK **£**