***CHRISTMAS OPEN DATES***
We will be open at Spa Terminus on Friday 20 & Saturday 21 December 08.00-13.00 each day. We will be closed between Christmas and the New Year and
Re-open on Friday 3 & Saturday 5 January at 08.00
WE WISH ALL OUR CUSTOMERS A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND BEST WISHES FOR 2020
Winter greens
Photo © Puntarelle&Co
December
Through autumn our shelves groan with the weight of English Apples, Pears and Quince. Pumpkin Squash varieties increase and nutty-flavoured Fenland Celery arrives for its short season. While all of these are around for a little while longer, December brings a welcome bitterness in the form of Brassicas and Chicories. With luck we have had a touch of early frost to bring extra flavour to the English grown Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts and Kales that start to arrive. Chicories from Italy range from the mildly bitter Puntarelle to the varieties of Radicchio like Tardivo, Treviso and Castelfranco, which also bring colour to the arch. And although January is when we normally see new season Citrus from Italy, some Oranges, Lemons and Bergamot find their way to us this month. There are vibrant Pomegranates and Persimmons too.
With three short weeks to go to Christmas, your festive shopping needs are on our minds, so, the tasty, zesty and colourful will be lining our shelves to take
you into the holidays.
Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co in the month of December:
Pink Radicchio /Black Cabbage
Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands
As British grown Greens benefit from colder weather, we’ll have Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Cavolo Nero/Black Cabbage, varieties of Kale, crinkled-leaved Savoy Cabbages and purple/green hued January King Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, Brussels Tops and Kalettes.
Expect creamy Cauliflowers & Romanesco too.
Leafy Cima di Rapa, and heads of Puntarelle with their juicy centres that are perfect for salads (particularly with anchovies) and beautifully bitter outer leaves perfect for adding to soups and stews.
Organic varieties of Pumpkin and Winter Squash continue through December.
Root vegetables include Celeriac, Parsnips, Swede, Turnips, Salsify and several varieties of Potatoes. Heritage Carrots and French Sand-grown Carrots which are sweet and store really well.
Silky-textured British Leeks and sweet, flat Sicilian Onions – Cipolla Ramata - that are so good roasted whole.
Italian Citrus
Photo © Puntarelle&CO
English Apples, Pears and Quince continue this month.
There are sweet/sharp Pomegranates and yielding, vibrant orange-fleshed Persimmons from Italy. The first of the Camone Tomatoes arrive now too.
The New season Citrus deliveries from Italy can never come quickly enough for us. The earliest, Miyagawa Mandarins, often arrive from Italy early in autumn, followed by Bergamots and Navelina Oranges but now the Lemons arrive too, closely followed by sweet juicy Nova Clementine Mandarins and, briefly, unwaxed Sicilian Pink Grapefruits (a rare find in the UK). These are closely followed by the Blood Oranges. And soon – sometimes December, sometimes January – there will be bitter Seville Oranges for marmalade coming in from Spain.
We have Cranberries, both fresh and dried, Vacuum-packed Chestnuts, Walnuts in their shells and a selection of other Nuts and Dried Fruits.
Castelfranco Radicchio
Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands
For salads, December brings new season Chicories including members of the Endive group like large-leaved Escarole and tight-leaved Belgian Endive. The Radicchio group including Tardivo whose red and white leaves curl into a twist at the top, looser-leaved Treviso and yellow/red-speckled Castelfranco, which is the mildest of the bitter-leaved chicories.
Christmas Kraut & Cranberry/Chilly Water Kefir
Photo and recipe © London Fermentary
London Fermentary News:
In December, as we enter winter, you will see a return to our fridges of our popular Immune Booster ferment along with a very seasonal Christmas Kraut. You’ll also find a new seasonal Water Kefir added to the range, which we hope you’ll like as much as we do - Cranberry & Chilli flavour.
Leeks with Caerphilly and mustard
made according to the recipe in
The Sunday Night Book by Rosie Sykes
Photo and recipe ©Evie Saffron Strands
Our recipe suggestion this month is one you may want to keep in mind for making over the festive season. It’s the perfect solution to when you just want ‘a little something’, rather than yet another big Christmas meal. It uses Leeks, which are very much in season, for a delicious take on the dish ‘Welsh Rarebit’. This recipe is based on the one in Rosie Sykes’ The Sunday Night Book which is full of easy, comforting recipes. The kick of mustard in this easy recipe will wake up the most jaded palate.