Market Report - UK seasonal update 1 June 2015

The Staff Canteen

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

This week's market report from Wild Harvest features Alphonso mangoes, elderflower and wet almonds as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below: This week the summer offering snaps into clearer focus:

Wild MushroomsGirolles

Girolles are now of good quality from the Balkans. Prices will drop further and quality will get even stronger throughout the coming months. This pretty apricot coloured, pine scented mushroom is the fungal star of the summer and pairs perfectly with lighter dishes of fish, vegetables and poultry. Morels are now coming from the US and mousseron continue, but St Georges are now at the end of their short season.

Truffles

Italian summer truffles keep getting better and the price represents affordable luxury, if that isn’t an oxymoron.

Vegetables

Wild Garlic

The farm we work with for baby veg are opening up their offering to include yellow and purple carrots from next week. The season for wild garlic in the South of England is closing. Ring us for a run-down of our current foraged UK lines. Here are just a few seasonal teasers from our ever evolving seasonal vegetable range:
  • English, white and wild asparagus
  • Borlotti beans
  • Peas and broad beans
  • Sweet cicley foraged from Scotland
  • Wild leek bobbles (immature seed pods)
  • Jersey royal potatoes
  • Yellow French beans
  • Wet garlic
  • Multi-coloured radishes
  • Courgettes in flower

Fruits

pic 1Stone fruits are now up to speed. Apricots have the rosy blush that sunshine brings, and cherries are deep and flavoursome. It’s at this time of year that I get impatient for the late starting blood or vine peach. Grown in France as an early warning system for disease next to precious grape vines ,these bad boys normally appear mid July. Until then we carry the frozen purée. Wet almonds have arrived in their green fleeces. A touch labour intensive for chefs, but the milky fresh pay off rewards the effort. Elderflowers have started. I would wait until the end of next week for the real deal. Use to infuse for sorbets, coulis and ice creams. Alternatively deep fry the whole flower head in a light tempura style batter for my favourite preparation. The Charentais melon is coming from Morocco. I’ll make a bigger noise when this stunning fruit comes from Charentes.elderflower As with the veg here are some fruity appetisers:
  • Gariguette strawberries (soon to be eclipsed by peak season British berries).
  • Yellow, white & flat peaches
  • Yellow and white nectarines
  • Pineberries
  • A vast range of tomatoes
  • Strasberries
  • The mighty Alphonso mango
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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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 1st June 2015

Market Report - UK seasonal update 1 June 2015

IN ASSOCIATION WITH