June is upon us and is a wonderful month for produce from home and across Europe - a good time for setting up menus.
FRUIT
Local strawberries are in stock now and weather permitting should see us right through to October. Home grown raspberries will replace Spanish varieties and we welcome the short gooseberry season. Outdoor rhubarb is still in abundance despite the end of the forced pink varieties. Spanish stoned fruit is gathering momentum – apricots, peaches and nectarines have started and will improve in quality and price as the month goes on. European cherries will to follow suit. Melons from mainland Spain including canteloupe, galia and watermelon will become available. Ripened mangoes and papaya from Central America are now at their best but prices for passion fruit and physalis may vary due to limitations of supply.
VEGETABLES
Asparagus still continues to thrive in abundance with white and purple varieties being available to order. Early English cauliflower will start to come through along with spring cabbage, and sweetheart or hispi summer cabbage which is tenderer than its winter cousins. British peas and broad beans will follow on from the early Italian varieties as the month warms up. Jerusalem artichokes will still be about but will get scarce. Jersey royals (ware and mids) are coming through freely along with early mainland new potatoes from Cornwall and Pembroke. English parsnips and swede will still be available however purple sprouting is virtually at an end. Local baby produce including leeks, fennel and beetroots are thriving and why not try some rainbow chard available to order?
SALAD
As temperatures increase the quality of salad leaves improves too. British flat lettuce, iceberg, lolla rosso and oakleaf will all improve. Spanish cos, gem and curly endive will to be overtaken by British varieties. English tomatoes are available to order but tend to be more expensive than the Dutch varieties. Stunning English Heritage tomatoes are coming through nicely. Generally speaking all salads from the UK and Europe are fantastic!
LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCE
* Strawberries * Jerusalem Artichokes * Radish * Rainbow Chard * Rhubarb * Beetroots (various)
* Asparagus * Spring Onions
Contact our sales team to place your orders or for any other enquiries:
01743 46 22 44 (Option 1)
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