OCTOBER
Friends, it is October already! Who do shop at Puntarelle, could spot that the produce shifted significantly last weekend. It is lovely to see autumn vegetables and get inspired to cosy meals at home. We are still open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from 9 am to 2 pm, please do come to shop, we need you guys. Please do follow us on Instagram, we do little videos every week, to see what’s around. Meanwhile, enjoy October news.
Elena x
English Apples
Photo © Puntarelle & Co
October arrives with a cascade of autumn fruits and nuts. Stone fruits give way to juicy Grapes and plump figs. The English harvest of Apples and Pears changes in variety by the week and the Quince perfumes the arch. Milky Kent Cobnuts are joined by creamy Wet Walnuts and soon there will be Chestnuts too. Vibrant autumn colours come too in the orange, yellows, greens and mahogany of Winter Squash and Pumpkins, the reds of early Pomegranate and the first deep orange Persimmons. It’s a very definite seasonal shift but there is much to look forward to in the autumn basket.
Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co in the month of October:
English Quince
Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands
Apples from our favoured farm in Kent include Early Windsor, Greensleeves, Spartan, Orange Pippin, and Worcesters. They provide us with Pears too, in varieties like Doyenne du Comice, Conference and Triumph of Vienna - an old French variety with red flush, russet-patched skin and smooth, juicy white flesh.
Knobbly, hard, fuz-covered Quince arrive to scent the arch and mystify those who have never encountered them before.
This month Italian Peaches and Melons are finally edged-out by Fragola Grapes, with their flavours of strawberry/exotic fruits, and the early unwaxed Navelina Oranges. The start of the new citrus season always excites and zingy Miyagawa Mandarins and Bergamots star this month.
Berrgamots
Photo © Puntarelle & Co
What would autumn be like without milky Wet Walnuts and luscious Black Figs? They should arrive throughout October from France and Italy.
Look out for the arrival of sweet/sharp, juicy Pomegranates in colours ranging from ivory, through pink to deep red. And we may see the first Kaki and Italian Persimmons, the latter best eaten when they turn into transluscent deep-amber jelly bombs
Seasonal vegetables
Photo © Puntarelle & CO
Rainbow Chard, Swiss Chard, Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Cauliflowers and crunchy Kohlrabi and creamy Celeriac are star vegetables this month. And there’s the second growing of the year of Purple Sprouting Broccoli.
Brussels Sprouts seem to appear earlier and earlier each year, so you can expect to see some this month.
Winter Squash and hard-skinned Pumpkins are starting to arrive.
We have Chanterelles and Girolles from Scotland and expect to have them throughout the month, supplemented by mushrooms from France/Italy.
Coco de Paimpol (fresh Haricot/Coco Beans) are still coming through.
New season Artichokes, bitter-leaved Chicoria and Cima di Rapa arrive and we can expect to have them through autumn.
Photo © London Fermentary
London Fermentary News:
Smoky Kraut is back to production! Not much to say here, It is a very nice kraut for people who love smoky flavours. You will find this deliciousness in London Fermentary fridge this month.
London Fermentary has an online shop and this month introducing home delivery across the country!
Pears with maple syrup and vanilla
Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands
With such an amazing crop of Apples and Pears coming into the arch at this time of year, we have to point you to this simple recipe that is so perfectly seasonal. You can find a full version in Nigel Slater’s book Tender: Volume II. It’s delicious but if you want to add a little texture, a scattering of a few toasted almonds is good.
Pears with maple syrup and vanilla
(serves 4)
4 large pears
4 tablespoons sugar
750ml water
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2-3 drops vanilla extract
Peels the pears, cut in half and scoop out the cores. Bring sugar and water to the boil, add the pears and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes until just beginning to feel tender. Lift the pear halves from the syrup and discard the liquid.
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/Gas 4.
Place the pears in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle them with the maple syrup and the vanilla extract. Bake them for around 1 hour or until the pears are meltingly soft and pale gold here and there.
Serve with or without cream.