on the market. Wild Garlic Leaves from France, (and Cornwall), are one of the first products to influence seasonal changes on menus, not to mention the new scent in the lanes and woods! Wild mushrooms are still thin on the ground and we are really waiting for Morel from Turkey to start later this month. March sees the start of French soft fruit and arguably the most famous variety of strawberry - Gariguette. They have now reached a size, colour, and flavour grading to be classed as Extra. This special grade above Class I is packed in a two kilo tray. Another French strawberry is Clery which is classed as a round because of its traditional shape. Both, especially at this time of year, are true SOFT fruits and should 
be handled with great care. In other news - melons are coming down in price and Moroccan fruit has returned; air pineapples, in particular bottle and Victoria, are very scarce; a great selection of plum; bargains to be had on mangoes both air and sea-freight (PLEASE ASK); and what about dates? Fresh Medjool is finishing for a bit, Deglet Nour are good and Barhi on the branch are here.
The good weather in the south of France is having positive effects on our salads - the heads are getting bigger and brighter and the prices are coming down too! Our three favourite artichokes are now available - Calico - perfect to use for its heart, - Salambo - for its wonderful purple colour and the heart, and finally baby violet in bunches (also from Spain) are still in perfect condition and getting better value. Tomatoes have always carried great importance with us and we are always checking and adding to our list of colourful and FLAVOURSOME varieties. Why not try the French cherry vine, Marmande, Coeur de boeuf, San Marzano, Coeur de pigeon, Noire de crime, Torino or one of many more that will come in the future? 
Finishing with the sad news - Romanesco Cauliflower has left the market for a little while as the Spanish season came to an end. They should be back from Brittany at the beginning of April. We have no more than one or two weeks left on the Sweet onions A.O.C from Cevennes before we swap to the Chilean production. Our source for cauliflowers assures us there will be no problem with volumes for a few weeks.
It all began in 1932 when the first Isigny-sur-Mer dairy co-operative was formed. In the beginning there were just 42 dairy farmers who joined forces to promote and defend the good name of the Isigny terroir, famous for its milk and butter. In 1945 the co-operative had 180 members, which rose to nearly 800 by 1970. But it was in 1979 that Isigny Sainte-Mère came into being, following the merger with neighbouring Sainte-Mère-Eglise Dairy co-operative. The two co-ops had interlocking zones for their milk collections; they shared the same drive for ever higher quality standards, the same ambitions: everything was bringing them together. Both were built on a respect for skills passed down the generations, a respect for the terroir and the men who shaped it before passing it on to later generations. The Isigny Sainte-Mère dairy Co-operative has become a world famous dairy group and today exports account for over 40% of the total business. Located between the sea water of the English Channel and the fresh water of the Bessin and Cotentin marshes, the Isigny terroir enjoys a damp and mild climate, as well as a soil rich in clay and silt. The bocage has lush and varied vegetation: the grass is particularly abundant and enriched by the alluvial deposits. The milk from these pastures gains from such generosity on the part of 
Mother Nature: it is rich in trace elements and has high butterfat levels, which gives all the Isigny Sainte-Mère products their distinctive flavour, starting with the butter and crème fraîche.It was important to protect the authenticity of these products and to have the Isigny region officially defined. So, very early on, the Isigny milk producers syndicate invested in applying for the protection of Appellation d'Origine Controle (AOC) status. This was granted in June 1986, when Isigny's butter and crème fraîche were recognised as AOC products. The Isigny AOC zone comprises 193 communes: 110 on the Cotentin and 83 in Bessin. In 2000, as in 1990, the Isigny Sainte-Mère co-operative received the Prix d'Excellence at the French national agriculture show in Paris. This prize is awarded to the dairy manufacturer which wins the most medals from its successive entries to the Concours General Agricole (national food industry awards). How can we explain such acclaim? The key in the words a quest for the roots of quality. This quest includes preserving traditional skills and manufacturing procedures, respecting product manuals for AOC, Red Label and Organic Agriculture products to the letter, as well as traceability. One result was that Isigny Sainte-Mère became the first integrated French food producer to quality for ISO 9001: 2000 Quality 
Assurance accreditation in January 1990. Today, this level of certification is an assurance to the consumer that from the milk intake to finished product, every input has been positively identified and checked before going on sale. What is more, in 1998, the co-operative has invested in certification for Agri Confiance. This project is just as innovative and will integrate the supply chain even more tightly. The Agri Confiance standard means complete traceability: it sets standards for every participating farm, with a very rigorous accreditation manual. This gives consumers an additional safeguard for their food. In time, this will allow the progress of milk to be followed from the farm to the table. This is a new pledge of quality, authenticity and provenance.
The first Wild Strawberries arrived from Spain this morning. They have a very good flavour but they are fragile and due to limited quantities, they are only sending once a week at present. These are Argentinean Red William pears that are re-packed by the Italians with very attractive red waxed stalks. Charentais melons are back from Morocco again after a few weeks of absence. We are trying to 
select fruit that is deep orange inside with a good strong flavour. There are many plums around at the moment as some varieties finish and new ones such as Gaviota start. Large Chilean Larry Anne offer an alternative to South African fruit.
Peas in pod are really sweet and we should be able to follow the seasons through Spain, Italy, France and the UK. A good reason to include them on a menu with this sort of consistency. Broad beans are coming into their own now too and with the same supply as for the peas in pod, they too are a long term bet. New season fresh French Grelot onions in bunches. A much smaller bulb than the Italian, they 
are ideal for all sorts of things or just for eating pretty much as they are!The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
