This week's market report from Wild Harvest features black truffles, cox apples and brassicas as well as a whole host of other fruit and vegetables currently in season which you can see below:

Wild Mushrooms & Truffles

We have bought and sold our first few Italian white truffles. The quality is good for the start of the season, but has a couple of weeks to go before a shipment’s aroma permeates every corner of our premises.

This spectacular natural condiment normally has the good manners to hang around for New Year’s Eve celebrations before season end.

We now have a solid supply of autumn black truffles, which should see us through to winter/melanosporum/Perigords in December.

Trustworthy fresh cep supply is hit and miss. Fingers crossed for a strong Polish season this year.

This meaty treat is so well suited to the final quarter of the year that we hold frozen and dried versions to bridge gaps in the availability of quality fresh porcini (as the Italians call them).

Russian girolles cling on, and we may well have seen the last Scottish of the year.

Chanterelle are in great shape from Bosnia and Sweden.

Trompette and pied de mouton are also hailing from Bosnia right now.

Fruits

As plums go the way of peaches (off our seasonal highlights list) more robust fruits are bustling to fill their spots in our vans.

The English cox apple is being harvested now, and has no match globally for my mouth.

Russets and bramleys are also available for seasonal and local dishes.

Muscat and chasselas grapes are still excellent.

In the same manner as cox apples, Turkish figs represent a top class fruit at a humble price point.

Quince are now in good shape.

Fresh chestnuts are readily available.

Whilst the odd pear can be found which doesn’t generate an expensive dentist bill, it’s eyes peeled for the later harvested crops that make a mess of your face.

You may wish to turn to exotic or preserved fruits to widen this offering. Something we are well positioned to help you with.

Next seasonal stop Citrus Central.

Vegetables

We’ve flexed our buying muscles this year when it comes to the squash family.

Whilst the fantastic ironbar squash is virtually year round now thanks to Portugal, some of the other varieties are rooted in Autumn.

Yes we will get involved in the ornamental Halloween pumpkin, and can get hold of other worldly mixed squash for a stunning table decoration. We’d much rather focus on flavour and texture however.

We are trading turban (giraumon in French) onion (potimarron), spaghetti, blue/green Hokkiado (kuri) squash to name but a few.

The flavour packed chervil and parsley roots are in place to get us through till spring.

Salsify, Jersusalem chokes, crapaudine red beets and a multitude of radishes have taken root.

Our baby root veg offering remains strong, as does the allium section.

Brassicas  are in excellent shape including black cabbage (cavolo nero) and the fine dining challenge that is the Brussel sprout.

Fresh pulses continue for now.

Game

Grouse prices have dropped to where they are likely to stay until the season wraps up on the 10^th of December.

Other than my favourite mallard duck, availability is strong across fur and feathered lines.

Pheasant will be plump enough for our liking in a week or so.

Christmas Classics

As the heart of our little outfit lies in celebratory food stuffs, we fit into Christmas plans well.

Whether it be:-

• Protein (game, turkey, specialist French poultry, cooked hams, caviar, smoked salmon, beef etc).
• True Foods fresh stocks to free up the range and a set of hands.
• A broad range of nuts and dried fruits.
• Chestnut products galore, embracing the fantastic Imbert range.
• The Duca D’Alba brand of fantastic sourdough ferment panettones.
• Classic seasonal produce such as fresh Brussel sprouts and cranberries.
• Outstanding Cacao Barry chocolates to cover your yuletide log.
• A range of Japanese style skewers for canape season.
• Looking for a product to save time during the Xmas rush from the clever people at Sosa? Why not try a Prosouffle stabiliser with your prunes and armangac? Or want to generate a warm smile on a stressed shopper’s phizog? Try a fun packed frankincense aroma or gold powder.
• If caught short, or looking to reinvent we can get hold of mince pies and Christmas puddings. Don’t ask me to buy crackers please.

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.