September News 2020

French Mirabelle Plums

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

SEPTEMBER

As we enter September the last of the English Sweetcorn comes through our doors.  Quick-growing Courgettes are joined by other thin-skinned Squash varieties, preceding the slower-growing Squash/Pumpkins which keep so well for eating in the cooler months.  Climbing Beans like Runner Beans, Bobbi Beans and Fine Green Beans will be good for a little longer and varieties of Aubergine are at their most interesting.  English Discovery Apples arrive reliably in August but September sees the Apple harvest begin in earnest with more varieties by the week.  Plum types are peaking right now and the very short-season dusky Damson plum and golden, red-tinged Mirabelle make their appearance.  Kent Cobnuts arrived in August and will remain fresh and milky for a few more weeks before they mature in looks and texture.  Tomatoes and juicy, ripe Peaches and Nectarines go into September but get them while you can.  

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co in the month of September:

Organic Uk “Roast Potato” squash

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Runner Beans are at their most tender early in the season in August but they can continue into September when they undeniably become a little tougher and need a little extra attention.  Bobbi Beans and French Beans can provide a more tender alternative.  Fresh Coco de Paimpol (Coco Beans) and pink/white streaked fresh Borlotti Beans are with us still.

English Sweetcorn cobs are at their sweetest but won’t be around for much longer.

Courgettes are joined by other thin-skinned Squash varieties and Aubergine come in in a variety of types.  Tomatoes are still full of late summer sun.

English Heritage Carrots, creamy white Cauliflowers, Beetroot, Kohlrabi and Leeks all stand out on our shelves this month.  

The seasonal shift into meteorological autumn can be seen in the arrival of new season Kale and Cavolo Nero (Black Cabbage) and the first small Celeriac this month.  More interesting new season Potatoes also arrive now.

Mushrooms become more available in September.  Scottish Chanterelles and Girolles as well as Ceps.

The new season Onions are always welcome.  We hope for Cipolla Rosa di Tropea from Calabria and large, flat and sweet Cipolla Bianca di Giarratana from Sicily along with sweet, delicate-skinned French Oignon Doux des Cevennes.  

French Coco Beans

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

English Pears make an appearance now and will be with us throughout autumn, though they keep less well than our Apples, most of which will store well into the New Year.  Expect to see more and more varieties joining the always early Discovery Apple.

It’s purple-hued Marjorie Seedling Plum, Damson Plum and Kent Cobnut time and we may see some Wet Walnuts too.  Early in the month there are small, golden Mirabelle Plums.  

Expect French Black Figs and Muscat Grapes and strawberry perfumed Fragola Grapes from Italy.  Also from France, Blood Nectarines and white and yellow Peaches. 

Early varieties of Pumpkin Squash will come in and we may see some early Miyagawa Green Mandarins and Pomegranates by the end of the month.

Online order in process

Photo © London Fermentary

London Fermentary News:

A couple of months ago we created an online shop for our fermented vegetables and water kefirs. Where you can order every product from the range we produce, some products are exclusively available from London Fermentary website only. At the moment we deliver in London only, zones 1 to 4, every Friday morning. Please visit us and treat your self with delicious food and drinks for body and mind.

Green bean salad

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Before the fresh climbing beans come to an end, here is a simple recipe for a dish of green beans that makes a good starter dish or a light lunch.  It’s easily scaled up or down.  

Green bean salad

(serves 4)

800g Runner Beans (or Bobbi Beans or Fine Beans)

150g Berkswell (or other hard sheep’s milk cheese)

50g hazelnuts, skinned and halved

1 tablespoon Moscatel Vinegar

4 tablespoons good Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Wash Runner Beans, top and tail and slice them lengthwise 2-3 times (if using other green beans, just top and tail).  Drop into boiling, salted water for 3-4 minutes or until cooked to taste.  Drain, refresh in cold water, drain and leave to dry on kitchen paper.

Mix the vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil to form an emulsion.  Add the cooked beans.  Toss to coat then divide the beans on 4 plates.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave the cheese over the beans.  Add the hazelnuts and serve.

August News 2020

Italian Apricots

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

August 

Dear Friends ,
It is August already! And it is very quiet month for Puntarelle&Co. After super hectic spring and beginning of summer we are finding our selves in half empty shop, which we not use to :-). Many of you are away on holidays and we are so happy for you that you could get away after such a long lockdown period. Meanwhile we have time to rearrange and rebuild the shopping area inside our arch, to get it ready for autumn and winter. We are still open from Thursday to Saturday 9am to 2pm and the shop is bursting with the best August fruits.

August’s arrival means prime English Strawberries, Broad Beans and Peas fade out of the picture and Plums, Runner Beans and sweet Corn-on-the-Cob come into view.  The Cherries, which we’ve enjoyed throughout July, stay with us into August, getting ever darker and sweeter in summer’s heat until Plums edge them out of the picture.  This is the month when southern European Peaches, Nectarines, Greengages, Apricots, Tomatoes and Melons are bursting with juice and flavour.

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co in the month of August:

English Rainbow Chard

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Runner Beans arrive and are at their best early in the season when they’re at their most tasty and tender.  Towards the end of harvest they become tougher and need de-stringing and extra cooking time. 

Bobbi Beans start to come in too, a good alternative to French Beans.

In good years, fresh Peas retain their sweetness and they, along with Broad Beans are likely to be around into early August. 

August is the month for English-grown Sweetcorn, always a way behind its French counterpart.

We expect to have Fresh Coco de Paimpol (Coco Beans) right through August.

This is the month to look out for English grown Aubergines.

Summer Squash, including Courgettes and Patty Pan are more plentiful now.

The second crop of Broccoli, both purple and white, usually makes an appearance now and English Chard is reaching its best.

Borlotti Beans are in peak season now.  The beautifully red and cream podded beans cook down to a lovely softness in around 30 minutes.  They also preserve extremely well, either by drying the podded beans or by storing them in your freezer (no hassle of re-hydrating them later).  Just don’t expect them to keep their colour on cooking.

The summer Tomatoes are wonderfully juicy, including Cuore di Bue (Ox Heart) and Vesuvio.

French Coco de Paimpol beans

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

The English Cherry season continues into August, overlapping with the start of the Plum season.  Victorias and Opals are always the first to ripen here, soon to be followed by bloomy, red-purple Marjorie Seedlings.

Later in August, we see the first of the English Apple crop coming through our doors.  The sweetly-perfumed Discovery Apple is always the first to arrive.

We can look forward to plump, juicy Blackberries too.

The Currants usually extend into August so you can expect to find Blackcurrants.

We may also see some Kent Cobnuts late in the month.

Sweet, honeyed Reine Claude (Greengage) Plums begin to arrive from France and greengage-style plums from Italy too.

Italian Borlotti Beans for podding

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

 The best tasting Apricots arrive now and we try hard to source good ones from Italy and, we hope, some Bergeron Apricots which are good for eating and for preserving.

Also look out for some luscious Black Figs.

French Blood Peaches and Nectarines arrive riper and tastier than the late July crops.  Their touch of sharpness marks these stone fruits out from the non-blood varieties of Peaches and Nectarines which are more reliably sweet.

The fantastically aromatic Fragola Grape arrives this month and usually takes us into early autumn.  

Melon varieties become ever more fragrant and juicy in August.  Expect to see Honey Moon Melons and refreshing Watermelons throughout the month.

Water kefir

Photo © London Fermentary

London Fermentary News:

London Fermentary Fridges are oozing with refreshing botanical water kefirs and fermented veggies!

Seasonal flavours such as Raspberry, Peach & Verbena are available to refill from the tap as well as regular 300ml bottles. Fragola Grape flavour will be coming at the end of the months too.

All London Fermentary products are available to buy online for London home deliveries every Friday.

Apricot Noyau ice cream

Photograph by kind permission of Square Peg and Grant Cornett

To celebrate this time of high summer, here’s a reminder that those seasonal Apricots can make a delicious ice cream. This recipe is from the Kitty Travers’ book La Grotta Ices.  It’s lusciously fruity and creamy with a slight bitter marzipan flavour. I can’t recommend her book highly enough, both for the recipes and the evocative writing.  Here’s a taster.

Apricot Noyau Ice Cream 

Recipe by kind permission of Square Peg and Kitty Travers

(makes approx. 1 litre or 10 good scoops)

About 375g fresh apricots

150g sugar

170ml whole milk

170ml double cream

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon honey (optional)

1. To prepare the ice cream: slice the apricots in half and remove the stones; keep these to one side. Cook the apricot halves very lightly just until the fruit collapses. If using a microwave, place the fruit in a heatproof bowl with a tablespoon of water. Cover the bowl with cling film and cook on high for 2-3 minutes until tender. Otherwise simmer the apricot halves gently in a non-reactive pan, just until they are cooked through and piping hot (do not boil). Cool in a sink of iced water then cover and chill in the fridge.

2. Place a clean tea towel on a hard surface, then line the apricot stones up along the middle of the towel. Fold the tea towel in half over the apricot stones to cover them and then firmly crack each stone with a rolling pin (the tea towel prevents bits of the shell from flying all over the kitchen). Try to hit hard enough to crack the shell, but not so energetically that you completely obliterate it - you want to be able to rescue the kernels from inside the shell afterwards.

3. Pick the tiny kernel from each shell then grind them in a pestle and mortar with 20g of the sugar.

4. Heat the milk, cream and the ground kernel mix in a pan, stirring often with a whisk or silicone spatula to prevent it catching. As soon as the milk is hot and steaming, whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar and honey (if using) until combined.

5. Pour the hot liquid over the yolk mix in a thin stream, whisking constantly as you do so, then return all the mix to the pan. Cook gently over a low heat, stirring all the time, until the mix reaches 82°C. As soon as your digital thermometer says 82°C, remove the pan from the heat and set it in a sink full of iced water to cool – you can speed up the process by stirring it every so often. Once entirely cold, pour the custard into a clean container, cover and chill in the fridge.

6. To make the ice cream: the following day, use a spatula to scrape the chilled apricots into the custard then blend together with a stick blender until very smooth – blitz for at least 2 minutes, or until there are only small flecks of apricot skin visible in the mix. Using a small ladle, push the apricot custard through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a clean container, squeezing hard to extract as much smooth custard mix as possible. Discard the bits of skin and kernel.

7. Pour the custard into an ice cream machine and churn according to the machine’s instructions, usually about 20-25 minutes, or until frozen and the texture of whipped cream.

8. Transfer the ice cream to a suitable lidded container. Top with a piece of waxed paper to limit exposure to air, cover and freeze until ready to serve.

June News 2020

Veg display at Puntarelle

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

JUNE 2020

Dear friends, it was rather different last couple of months!
First of all, we are very happy to know that majority of you are well and safe. Some of you did come around to shop, some emailed us, with some of you we did talk on the prone, some of you were active on Instagram. Without you, we wouldn’t exist and we would like to say big thank you to you guys! A strong community of Puntarelle customers is still here, just in different form. In fact, it became larger and kinder during this pandemic. A lot of Bermondsey residents discovered Puntarelle and other lovely traders at Spa Terminus in this period. We are glad you are staying with us! Loads of you helped each other to shop or collect each other’s orders. Some of you shared food that was in shortage ( like flour ). This is all very nice and heartwarming. It gives us purpose, to carry on what we do and become better!

We have to be very flexible in these uncertain times and adapt as we heading to an unknown future. From June we won’t be doing essential boxes for collection, simply because most of you can come and shop safely now. As a consequence boxes for collections have dropped and it is very not cost-effective for us to do just a few essential boxes. We are open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm. However, we still continue with tailored orders made by direct contact with us, by email or text. For vulnerable and those who really cannot leave their home. We are super grateful to all who supported us with boxes collection during this time!

We had pretty stable four / five weeks in terms of how people shop. Every day was equal in terms of the number of customers in the shop. It was very comfortable for customers and our team. The pattern, how customers shop at Puntarelle, has changed now. Thursday and Friday there are very few people shop, while Saturday became extra busy and crowded. It is still very safe, but longer queueing time for people. We kindly ask you guys to come on Thursday and Friday as well, if you possibly can.

Thank you again and big love ❤️
Elena

---

Ok, news now…

The month of June is laden with expectations.  Soft fruits are in their prime and the range of stone fruits starts to increase.  Strawberries go from a couple of early varieties from southern Europe to English abundance, Raspberries and Gooseberries arrive and Apricots turn from good-for-jam to sweet enough to pick up and eat.  Rainier Cherries from France start the season and there are English Cherries to look forward to. This month we turn more to our local growers.  English Asparagus is still king, but there are sweet English Peas, Broad Beans and small crunchy Cucumbers coming through our doors. There are also cooling Melons from France and, hopefully, luscious Green Figs from Italy.  And there are Herbs aplenty this month. 

Stone fruits

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find here at Puntarelle & Co in the month of June:

Asparagus from our Kent grower continues into June.

Artichokes, Peas, Broad Beans, Cucumbers, Radishes, Spring. Onions and Spinach start to come from the UK rather than the rest of Europe.  

We welcome more varieties of sun-ripened Tomatoes from Italy and southern France.

Lots of Herbs including English-grown – Mint, Coriander, Parsley and Dill in particular this month.

From Italy comes Green and Purple Ligurian Basil and Lemon Verbena.

Tropea Onions & Heritage Radishes

Photo ©Puntarelle&Co

There are Italian Borlotti Beans and Courgettes – Round, Romano, Yellow and Green.

French Grelot Onions, Italian Tropea Onions and English Spring Onions

Early Corn-on-the-Cob arrives from Spain and France.

English Strawberries, Raspberries and the first of the Gooseberries arrive.

There are French Rainier Cherries and the English Cherries arrive late in the month

Tomatoes

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Small red/yellow Watermelons, Cantaloupe Melons and new season Sicilian Green Lemons - prized in particular for their highly fragrant zest.

White and Blood varieties of both Peaches and Nectarines (pêche de Vigne) start to arrive.  

Apricots start to arrive from Spain in May but June sees riper, sweeter and juicier fruits arriving from France and Italy.  

Green Almonds in their furry coats sometimes arrive from France this month and we’ll be on the lookout for luscious pale-fleshed Italian Green Figs.  

Water Kefirs

Photo ©London Fermentary

We were struggling to fill up our London Fermentary fridges lately. The demand was too high, here at our Bermondsey retail outlet and from wholesalers. But we got an extra helping hands and working on filling the fridges as much as we can. This month we expect to stock with seasonal ferments including our very popular Water Kefirs.  Expect flavours like Elderflower & Lemon ( possibly on the tap ), Summer Raspberry, and Peach & Lemon Verbena later in the month.

SEASONAL RECIPE:

We’ve mentioned this recipe for Apricots before, but as the Apricot season is underway, and it’s such a good one, it’s the perfect time to point you to it again.  It comes from one of our favorite food books Honey & Co: The Baking Book by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich.  

Baked Apricots with marzipan filling & almond crumble

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Baked Apricots with marzipan filling 

& almond crumble

(Serves 6)

12 ripe apricots

120g marzipan

60g soft butter

100g demerara sugar

For the crumble:

100g almonds, roughly chopped

20g sesame seeds

a pinch of fennel seeds

a pinch of ground mahleb or cardamom

a pinch of sea salt

50g runny honey

1 tsp oil

Cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan).

Cut the marzipan into 12 pieces.  Partially halve the fruits and remove the stones.  Stuff each fruit with a slice of marzipan and reclose it.  Brush each with soft butter and roll in demerara sugar before roasting for around 10 minutes until soft.  Mix the crumble topping ingredients and spread it thinly on a baking tray.  Roast in the oven until crisp.  Serve two apricots per person, with cream (their suggestion is for a 50/50 mix of double and soured cream whipped with a little brandy) and scatter some crumble over the top.   

June News 2020

Veg display at Puntarelle

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

JUNE 

Dear friends, it was rather different last couple of months!
First of all, we are very happy to know that majority of you are well and safe. Some of you did come around to shop, some emailed us, with some of you we did talk on the prone, some of you were active on Instagram. Without you, we wouldn’t exist and we would like to say big thank you to you guys! A strong community of Puntarelle customers is still here, just in different form. In fact, it became larger and kinder during this pandemic. A lot of Bermondsey residents discovered Puntarelle and other lovely traders at Spa Terminus in this period. We are glad you are staying with us! Loads of you helped each other to shop or collect each other’s orders. Some of you shared food that was in shortage ( like flour ). This is all very nice and heartwarming. It gives us purpose, to carry on what we do and become better!

We have to be very flexible in these uncertain times and adapt as we heading to an unknown future. From June we won’t be doing essential boxes for collection, simply because most of you can come and shop safely now. As a consequence boxes for collections have dropped and it is very not cost-effective for us to do just a few essential boxes. We are open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm. However, we still continue with tailored orders made by direct contact with us, by email or text. For vulnerable and those who really cannot leave their home. We are super grateful to all who supported us with boxes collection during this time!

We had pretty stable four / five weeks in terms of how people shop. Every day was equal in terms of the number of customers in the shop. It was very comfortable for customers and our team. The pattern, how customers shop at Puntarelle, has changed now. Thursday and Friday there are very few people shop, while Saturday became extra busy and crowded. It is still very safe, but longer queueing time for people. We kindly ask you guys to come on Thursday and Friday as well, if you possibly can.

Thank you again and big love ❤️
Elena

---

Ok, news now…

The month of June is laden with expectations.  Soft fruits are in their prime and the range of stone fruits starts to increase.  Strawberries go from a couple of early varieties from southern Europe to English abundance, Raspberries and Gooseberries arrive and Apricots turn from good-for-jam to sweet enough to pick up and eat.  Rainier Cherries from France start the season and there are English Cherries to look forward to. This month we turn more to our local growers.  English Asparagus is still king, but there are sweet English Peas, Broad Beans and small crunchy Cucumbers coming through our doors. There are also cooling Melons from France and, hopefully, luscious Green Figs from Italy.  And there are Herbs aplenty this month. 

Stone fruits

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find here at Puntarelle & Co in the month of June:

Asparagus from our Kent grower continues into June.

Artichokes, Peas, Broad Beans, Cucumbers, Radishes, Spring. Onions and Spinach start to come from the UK rather than the rest of Europe.  

We welcome more varieties of sun-ripened Tomatoes from Italy and southern France.

Lots of Herbs including English-grown – Mint, Coriander, Parsley and Dill in particular this month.

From Italy comes Green and Purple Ligurian Basil and Lemon Verbena.

Tropea Onions & Heritage Radishes

Photo ©Puntarelle&Co

There are Italian Borlotti Beans and Courgettes – Round, Romano, Yellow and Green.

French Grelot Onions, Italian Tropea Onions and English Spring Onions

Early Corn-on-the-Cob arrives from Spain and France.

English Strawberries, Raspberries and the first of the Gooseberries arrive.

There are French Rainier Cherries and the English Cherries arrive late in the month

Tomatoes

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Small red/yellow Watermelons, Cantaloupe Melons and new season Sicilian Green Lemons - prized in particular for their highly fragrant zest.

White and Blood varieties of both Peaches and Nectarines (pêche de Vigne) start to arrive.  

Apricots start to arrive from Spain in May but June sees riper, sweeter and juicier fruits arriving from France and Italy.  

Green Almonds in their furry coats sometimes arrive from France this month and we’ll be on the lookout for luscious pale-fleshed Italian Green Figs.  

Water Kefirs

Photo ©London Fermentary

We were struggling to fill up our London Fermentary fridges lately. The demand was too high, here at our Bermondsey retail outlet and from wholesalers. But we got an extra helping hands and working on filling the fridges as much as we can. This month we expect to stock with seasonal ferments including our very popular Water Kefirs.  Expect flavours like Elderflower & Lemon ( possibly on the tap ), Summer Raspberry, and Peach & Lemon Verbena later in the month.

SEASONAL RECIPE:

We’ve mentioned this recipe for Apricots before, but as the Apricot season is underway, and it’s such a good one, it’s the perfect time to point you to it again.  It comes from one of our favorite food books Honey & Co: The Baking Book by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich.  

Baked Apricots with marzipan filling & almond crumble

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Baked Apricots with marzipan filling 

& almond crumble

(Serves 6)

12 ripe apricots

120g marzipan

60g soft butter

100g demerara sugar

For the crumble:

100g almonds, roughly chopped

20g sesame seeds

a pinch of fennel seeds

a pinch of ground mahleb or cardamom

a pinch of sea salt

50g runny honey

1 tsp oil

Cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan).

Cut the marzipan into 12 pieces.  Partially halve the fruits and remove the stones.  Stuff each fruit with a slice of marzipan and reclose it.  Brush each with soft butter and roll in demerara sugar before roasting for around 10 minutes until soft.  Mix the crumble topping ingredients and spread it thinly on a baking tray.  Roast in the oven until crisp.  Serve two apricots per person, with cream (their suggestion is for a 50/50 mix of double and soured cream whipped with a little brandy) and scatter some crumble over the top.   

April News 2020

Personal message from Elena , London Fermentary and Puntarelle&Co founder:

It was only one month since our last monthly news, but it feels like ages. So much happened since then, all our lives have shifted dramatically, into something new… But, hey, life goes on, fabulous seasonal produce is still coming in! Like any other business in the country, we try to adapt to this new life. Puntarelle& Co and London Fermentary remain open for public. In order to follow government’s guidance and protect everyone’s health, we introduced a number of changes for safer shopping. For now being we are open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. We introduced online shop on both websites , www.londonfermentary.com and www.puntarelle.co.uk, where you can order boxes with fresh and fermented food for collection, so you don’t need to queue. We allow only limited amount of boxes to order per week, to make sure our team can manage extra load of work. We will also introduce delivery option to a few postcodes in London from next week. Our veg boxes are based on average basket of Puntarelle&Co and contain all seasonal essentials.

At this times our immune system is particularly vulnerable, not just because of virus, but also due to amount of negative information circulating in the media. Stress and worry is the best immune system killer. Try to focus on positive, it is spring in the air, the most beautiful time of the year, go out to the nature, park, garden if possible. Open your windows or balconies , if you cannot get outside, let the sun in! Staying at home for a while is great. Don’t we ever haven’t got enough time for our selves? Well, this is the time! It won’t be for long and it probably won’t happen again. Enjoy while you can, learn to be with each other at home, we so not use to it , we always busy. Sleep, cook from the scratch , teach your children to cook, dance , read, meditate, spend time with your loved ones etc. Look after your selves and eat well. Fresh and fermented foods especially, are here to assist you. I cannot emphasise enough how powerful ferments are when it comes to immune system. We selected a few boxes with fermented foods to order online , to support your immune system, with a great price.

All our team and my self would like to say huge Thanks to all our loyal customers and followers for your support!
Thank you to new local people , who discovered Puntarelle & Co lately, welcome to our community !

Big Love to everyone and apologies for possible mistakes in text ,

Elena x

Purple Artichokes

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

APRIL 

April heralds a real change in our arch, bringing Wild Garlic Leaves, Nettle Tops and Jersey Royal Potatoes.  English winter/spring Purple Sprouting Broccoli comes to an end this month and we see the very brief season White sprouting form this month.  Forced Rhubarb gives way to Outdoor Grown Rhubarb.  Earthy Morel Mushrooms and, briefly, St George’s Mushrooms are to be expected.  From Italy come Broad Beans, Peas and both wild and cultivated Asparagus.  Spring Herbs shoot up now and juicy radishes and small crunchy hothouse Cucumbers arrive.  We usually see some fantastic Wet Garlic bulbs this month too.  There are European Artichokes still, joined by early Courgettes.  April also brings the early varieties of Strawberries – French Gariguette but it’s not unknown for us to have UK-grown ones before the month is out.  The best Mangoes of the year arrive from India and Pakistan this month too.

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find here at Puntarelle & Co in the month of April:

Roman courgettes

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

April marks the last of the Purple Sprouting Broccoli and the shorter season White Sprouting Broccoli.  

We have earthy, saline Jersey Royal Potatoes. 

Vitamin C, iron and calcium-rich Spring Nettle Tops (bag with care!).

English Wild Garlic leaves feature strongly this month.  

Watercress comes in from France and there is English-grown too. 

New season UK-grown sweet, juicy Cucumbers and mild, crunchy Spring Onions.

Romano Courgettes and the first Ridged Cucumbers – so good for fermenting and pickling - from Italy. 

Wispy Wild Asparagus from Italy, as well as fat spears of the purple and white Asparagus varieties.  If we get a warm spring, there is early English-grown too.

Rainbow Chard from Italy.  

Italian Peas and Broad Beans 

Indoor and Outdoor rhubarb

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Fat, juicy bulbs of Wet Garlic – the first is usually from Morocco before the European ones arrives.

Outdoor-grown Rhubarb, from our preferred farmer in Kent, takes over from Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb.

April sees early varieties of Strawberries, including Gariguette and the best Mangoes of the year from India and Pakistan.

Heritage Tomatoes begin to take over from winter Camone and Marinda this month and large Provence Tomatoes begin to arrive. 

Radishes change from large winter varieties to small, crunchy spring ones.

Cool weather harvests of bitter Radicchio and Chicories like Puntarelle and Cime de Rapa reduce through April.  

Tropea Onions from Italy make a welcome return.

New season Aubergines from Italy are now coming in more variety of sizes and shapes and there are Spring season Green and Purple Artichokes, large and small.  

Morel Mushrooms are a feature of April and St George’s Mushrooms make a very brief appearance.

New season Tropea onions

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Immunity Box
Photo © London Fermentary

News:
Don’t forget to check-out our London Fermentary fridges when visiting our Puntarelle&Co. We have fantastic selection of boxes with ferments to order online, with a very good prices. Ferments are great supporters to immune system!

www.londonfermentary.com www.puntarelle.co.uk

Rich in vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, iron and calcium, considering Nettles as a weed seriously undervalues their nutritional benefits.  Here at Puntarelle & Co we have them in Spring and early Summer when they are at their vigorous best.  Like everything that grows wild, you need to be sure it has grown in a clean environment if you are going to eat it.  Buy from us or, if you have a trusted patch near you, go out and snip the tops.  Take care picking them or filling your bag as they pack a mighty sting until subjected to brief heat or cold.

Here is an idea for using them:

Nettle & Spinach Soup

(Serves 4)

Around 350g (12 oz) nettle tops

Around 350g (12 oz) spinach or chard

50g (2 oz) butter or olive oil

2 leeks or onions, sliced

1 medium potato, diced (optional)

Around 1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Cream to serve

Wash the nettle tops carefully (they sting until cooked) and the spinach or chard and drain both.

In a large pan, melt the butter and add the sliced leeks or onions.  Cook, without colouring, for 5-10 minutes to soften.  (Add diced potato at this point if you want a heartier soup).  Add the nettles and spinach or chard, cover and cook until just wilted.  Pour in the stock, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes. 

Liquidise then reheat and season with salt and pepper.  

Serve with a spoonful of cream atop each bowl of soup.

April News 2020

Personal message from Elena , London Fermentary and Puntarelle&Co founder:

It was only one month since our last monthly news, but it feels like ages. So much happened since then, all our lives have shifted dramatically, into something new… But, hey, life goes on, fabulous seasonal produce is still coming in! Like any other business in the country, we try to adapt to this new life. Puntarelle& Co and London Fermentary remain open for public. In order to follow government’s guidance and protect everyone’s health, we introduced a number of changes for safer shopping. For now being we are open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. We introduced online shop on both websites , www.londonfermentary.com and www.puntarelle.co.uk, where you can order boxes with fresh and fermented food for collection, so you don’t need to queue. We allow only limited amount of boxes to order per week, to make sure our team can manage extra load of work. We will also introduce delivery option to a few postcodes in London from next week. Our veg boxes are based on average basket of Puntarelle&Co and contain all seasonal essentials.

At this times our immune system is particularly vulnerable, not just because of virus, but also due to amount of negative information circulating in the media. Stress and worry is the best immune system killer. Try to focus on positive, it is spring in the air, the most beautiful time of the year, go out to the nature, park, garden if possible. Open your windows or balconies , if you cannot get outside, let the sun in! Staying at home for a while is great. Don’t we ever haven’t got enough time for our selves? Well, this is the time! It won’t be for long and it probably won’t happen again. Enjoy while you can, learn to be with each other at home, we so not use to it , we always busy. Sleep, cook from the scratch , teach your children to cook, dance , read, meditate, spend time with your loved ones etc. Look after your selves and eat well. Fresh and fermented foods especially, are here to assist you. I cannot emphasise enough how powerful ferments are when it comes to immune system. We selected a few boxes with fermented foods to order online , to support your immune system, with a great price.

All our team and my self would like to say huge Thanks to all our loyal customers and followers for your support!
Thank you to new local people , who discovered Puntarelle & Co lately, welcome to our community !

Big Love to everyone and apologies for possible mistakes in text ,

Elena x

Purple Artichokes

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

APRIL 

April heralds a real change in our arch, bringing Wild Garlic Leaves, Nettle Tops and Jersey Royal Potatoes.  English winter/spring Purple Sprouting Broccoli comes to an end this month and we see the very brief season White sprouting form this month.  Forced Rhubarb gives way to Outdoor Grown Rhubarb.  Earthy Morel Mushrooms and, briefly, St George’s Mushrooms are to be expected.  From Italy come Broad Beans, Peas and both wild and cultivated Asparagus.  Spring Herbs shoot up now and juicy radishes and small crunchy hothouse Cucumbers arrive.  We usually see some fantastic Wet Garlic bulbs this month too.  There are European Artichokes still, joined by early Courgettes.  April also brings the early varieties of Strawberries – French Gariguette but it’s not unknown for us to have UK-grown ones before the month is out.  The best Mangoes of the year arrive from India and Pakistan this month too.

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find here at Puntarelle & Co in the month of April:

Roman courgettes

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

April marks the last of the Purple Sprouting Broccoli and the shorter season White Sprouting Broccoli.  

We have earthy, saline Jersey Royal Potatoes. 

Vitamin C, iron and calcium-rich Spring Nettle Tops (bag with care!).

English Wild Garlic leaves feature strongly this month.  

Watercress comes in from France and there is English-grown too. 

New season UK-grown sweet, juicy Cucumbers and mild, crunchy Spring Onions.

Romano Courgettes and the first Ridged Cucumbers – so good for fermenting and pickling - from Italy. 

Wispy Wild Asparagus from Italy, as well as fat spears of the purple and white Asparagus varieties.  If we get a warm spring, there is early English-grown too.

Rainbow Chard from Italy.  

Italian Peas and Broad Beans 

Indoor and Outdoor rhubarb

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Fat, juicy bulbs of Wet Garlic – the first is usually from Morocco before the European ones arrives.

Outdoor-grown Rhubarb, from our preferred farmer in Kent, takes over from Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb.

April sees early varieties of Strawberries, including Gariguette and the best Mangoes of the year from India and Pakistan.

Heritage Tomatoes begin to take over from winter Camone and Marinda this month and large Provence Tomatoes begin to arrive. 

Radishes change from large winter varieties to small, crunchy spring ones.

Cool weather harvests of bitter Radicchio and Chicories like Puntarelle and Cime de Rapa reduce through April.  

Tropea Onions from Italy make a welcome return.

New season Aubergines from Italy are now coming in more variety of sizes and shapes and there are Spring season Green and Purple Artichokes, large and small.  

Morel Mushrooms are a feature of April and St George’s Mushrooms make a very brief appearance.

New season Tropea onions

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Immunity Box
Photo © London Fermentary

News:
Don’t forget to check-out our London Fermentary fridges when visiting our Puntarelle&Co. We have fantastic selection of boxes with ferments to order online, with a very good prices. Ferments are great supporters to immune system!

www.londonfermentary.com www.puntarelle.co.uk

Rich in vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, iron and calcium, considering Nettles as a weed seriously undervalues their nutritional benefits.  Here at Puntarelle & Co we have them in Spring and early Summer when they are at their vigorous best.  Like everything that grows wild, you need to be sure it has grown in a clean environment if you are going to eat it.  Buy from us or, if you have a trusted patch near you, go out and snip the tops.  Take care picking them or filling your bag as they pack a mighty sting until subjected to brief heat or cold.

Here is an idea for using them:

Nettle & Spinach Soup

(Serves 4)

Around 350g (12 oz) nettle tops

Around 350g (12 oz) spinach or chard

50g (2 oz) butter or olive oil

2 leeks or onions, sliced

1 medium potato, diced (optional)

Around 1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Cream to serve

Wash the nettle tops carefully (they sting until cooked) and the spinach or chard and drain both.

In a large pan, melt the butter and add the sliced leeks or onions.  Cook, without colouring, for 5-10 minutes to soften.  (Add diced potato at this point if you want a heartier soup).  Add the nettles and spinach or chard, cover and cook until just wilted.  Pour in the stock, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes. 

Liquidise then reheat and season with salt and pepper.  

Serve with a spoonful of cream atop each bowl of soup.

February News 2020

January King Cabbages

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

FEBRUARY

In February the colours of January continue with pinks, reds, greens and claret-splashed yellows of Chicories, stems of Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb turn from pink to red and the shades of citrus become more varied as more varieties arrive from Sicily.  Large, spikey Sardinian and fat, round, Romano Artichokes share space with an array of British root vegetables, including Celeriac and Jerusalem Artichokes, but, undoubtedly, February is the leanest month in the northern hemisphere’s growing calendar.

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find here at Puntarelle & Co in the month of February:  

Winter Selection

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

Vibrant pink-stemmed Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb will continue throughout the month.

Probably the last of the Seville Oranges for making bitter marmalade and buttery curd but there will be Clementins that work well too.

Un-treated, un-waxed Blood Oranges, Sweet Clementines and, if we are lucky, Pink Grapefruits.

Deep red, sweet-sharp, Pomegranates.

English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which is particularly good right now, and, creamy Cauliflowers. 

 Hispi Cabbage from southern Europe.

Crunchy, salty Italian Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes.

From Italy too, bunches of the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard, Rainbow Chard, Bulb Fennel, Roman Artichokes and spikey Sardinian Artichokes.

Bitter-sweet Italian Greens like Puntarelle and Cime di Rapa and new season Courgettes.

A variety of colourful bitter-sweet pink and red Radicchio and milder-leaved yellow/green Endive.

Roman Artichokes & Italian Aubergines

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

Vitamin and mineral-rich British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops. 

Winter Pumpkins.

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot, organic Heritage Carrots and Leeks.

Potato varieties are Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed La Ratte.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

London Fermentary Water Kefir

Our freshly-stocked londonfermentary.com fridge includes some new water kefir flavours. We have been playing with botanicals for a while, so now you can find refreshing Hibiscus&Ginger and Rose&Acai berri flavours.  Don’t forget your refillable bottles for “Kefir on the tap” option. In LF fridge you’ll find an extensive range of seasonal Fermented Vegetables too. Please , check LF website for latest Inspirational Fermentation Course dates www.londonfermentary.com

Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb & Tarocco Blood Orange about to go in the oven

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Here is a recipe using fruits that are at their best right now – that beautiful pink forced Yorkshire Rhubarb and Sicilian Blood Oranges.  It’s adapted from Nigel Slater’s recipe in Tender Volume II and I can think of no simpler way to celebrate these two wonderful ingredients together.  

Rhubarb with Blood Orange

(serves 4-6)

750g Rhubarb

4 Blood Oranges

Caster Sugar

1 vanilla pod

Heat the oven to 200C (180C Fan).

Rinse the rhubarb, cut off and discard the leaves.  Chop the stems into short lengths and place in an oven-proof dish.

Remove the peel from two of the oranges, cutting away any white pith, then slice the fruit thickly and add it to the rhubarb.

Squeeze the juice from the remaining two oranges, and pour over the rhubarb.

Add a good tablespoon of sugar and the vanilla pod.

Cover the dish with foil and cook in the oven until the rhubarb yields to the pressure of a fork.

Check and adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Allow to cool then spoon into serving glasses, cover with clingfilm, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour but will keep for 2-3 days.

January News 2020!

Italian Oranges & Lemons

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

January

December saw us enthusiastically embracing the joys of sweet, sour and bitter flavours in the form of Pomegranates, Persimmons, Brassicas and Chicories and crates of the new season Citrus from Italy.  January brings some welcome big-hitters in the vitamin C stakes with Blood Oranges, Grapefruits  and bitter Seville Oranges coming through our doors.  The first Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb arrives now too, it’s vibrant pink stems bringing a welcome burst of colour to the arch.  Chicory varieties become more varied now and this month brings the crunchy, mineral Monk’s Beard/Barba di Frate too.  

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co in the month of January:

Seville Oranges for marmalade

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Bitter Seville Oranges for marmalade arrive, usually early in the month, closely followed by sweet/sour Blood Oranges, the first coming in from Spain before the truly special Sicilian ones arrive.  There should be Italian Grapefruits too to join the Mandarins, Clementines, and Lemons that have been arriving through December.

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb starts its fairly long season, usually early in the month and continuing right through winter and into early Spring.

Varieties of Pomegranates continue to come from Italy.

English Apples from the stores of our favourite farm in Kent come to an end this month though we still source the best apples and, to a lesser extent, pears which do not store for as long. 

Winter Greens

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Highlights on the ‘Greens’ shelves this month include crunchy, mineral Monk’s Beard/Barba di Frate which goes so well with fish, Cima di Rapa, and, we hope for Broccolo Fiolare Minestra Cabbage for warming soups. 

There is English Rainbow Chard, Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Brussels Tops, Cabbages, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Cauliflowers and several varieties of Kale.  

Root Vegetables include Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots, Leeks, Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes and Potatoes.

Varieties of Pumpkin and Winter Squash continue through January.

Forced Rhubarb from Yorkshire

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

The cold weather Chicory salad leaves are arriving in greater numbers now, including the red Radicchios like Tardivo, Treviso, pretty-in-pink Rose, and yellow/cream red-speckled Castelfranco.

The bitter saw-toothed leaves of Catalogna Chicory and its cousin juicy Puntarelle (sometimes called asparagus chicory, for its looks rather than its taste) stand out now too.

The ripe, juicy Tomatoes of summer/autumn have long gone but winter varieties of Camone and Marinda Tomatoes with their crunch and salinity should see us right through winter.  

A glass of Yorkshire Rhubarb Water Kefir

Photo © London Fermentary

London Fermentary news: 

With the Christmas festivities behind us and many people looking for alternative drink options, our Water Kefirs are a healthy option.  The choice of  seasonal fruits may diminish in the winter months but even now there are some wonderful fruits to ferment.  Here is an idea of what you can expect to find in our fridges this month.  Water Kefir flavours joining the party in January include:

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb which ferments to the prettiest, most delicate of pinks, and zesty Wonder Mandarin.

Ribollita

Photo and recipe ©Evie Saffron Strands

Our recipe this month is the perfect way to banish all memories of Christmas over-indulgence.  We may have passed the shortest day in the northern hemisphere but that only marks the start of true winter in the UK and thoughts turn to warming  soups.  With a good mix of vegetables, some beans, bread, a little cheese and a big hit of iron-rich greens, you have a whole nutritious meal in a bowl.  What's more its flavours simply get better should you have any leftovers for the following day.

The Italian word ribollita means re-cooked, or re-boiled and every area of Italy has its own version.  In Tuscany it refers to a dish of leftover minestrone (soup) with the addition of cabbage and bread. This list of ingredients is not prescriptive and if you have other vegetables to hand, it takes well to substitutions – celeriac or pumpkin, perhaps.  The soup should be quite thick and hearty.  The toasted bread can be completely submerged in the liquor, which is more traditional, or placed on top.  

Ribollita
(makes about 12 servings)

250g dried Borlotti or cannellini beans, soaked overnight, brought to the boil and simmered for 1-2 hours depending on quality, or 1 x 400g tin of beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3-4 sticks of celery, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium leeks, halved and sliced
2 medium potatoes
2 large handfuls (about 500g) of Broccoli Fiolare (minestra cabbage), cavolo nero or other cabbage, shredded
1 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes
Water to cover
Slices of good sourdough bread or baguette
Best quality extra-virgin olive oil to serve
Parmesan

Having first prepared your beans, fry the onions carrot and celery on a medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add the leeks, garlic and the potatoes and fry for a further 5 minutes.  Add the plum tomatoes, broken up, with their juice and add water (do use the cooking water from the beans if you have it) to fully cover the vegetables.  Add the cooked (or drained) beans, bring to the boil, season, then simmer for 30 minutes.  Add the cabbage and simmer for a further 15 minutes, top-up with more water if necessary but keep the soup quite thick.  Check the seasoning.

Allow the soup to cool a little to appreciate the full flavours.  When ready to serve, fill the bowls, top with toasted sourdough bread or pour the soup over the bread and add a good slick of your best olive oil.  You may want Parmesan cheese on the table. 

August News 2019

Italian Apricots

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

August 

August’s arrival means prime English Strawberries, Broad Beans and Peas fade out of the picture and Plums, Runner Beans and sweet Corn-on-the-Cob come into view.  The Cherries, which we’ve enjoyed throughout July, stay with us into August, getting ever darker and sweeter in summer’s heat until Plums edge them out of the picture.  This is the month when southern European Peaches, Nectarines, Greengages, Apricots, Tomatoes and Melons are bursting with juice and flavour.

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co in the month of August:

English Rainbow Chard

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Runner Beans arrive and are at their best early in the season when they’re at their most tasty and tender.  Towards the end of harvest they become tougher and need de-stringing and extra cooking time. 

Bobbi Beans start to come in too, a good alternative to French Beans.

In good years, fresh Peas retain their sweetness and they, along with Broad Beans are likely to be around into early August. 

August is the month for English-grown Sweetcorn, always a way behind its French counterpart.

We expect to have Fresh Coco de Paimpol (Coco Beans) right through August.

This is the month to look out for English grown Aubergines.

Summer Squash, including Courgettes and Patty Pan are more plentiful now.

The second crop of Broccoli, both purple and white, usually makes an appearance now and English Chard is reaching its best.

Borlotti Beans are in peak season now.  The beautifully red and cream podded beans cook down to a lovely softness in around 30 minutes.  They also preserve extremely well, either by drying the podded beans or by storing them in your freezer (no hassle of re-hydrating them later).  Just don’t expect them to keep their colour on cooking.

The summer Tomatoes are wonderfully juicy, including Cuore di Bue (Ox Heart) and Vesuvio.

French Cuore di Bue (Ox Heart) Tomatoes

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

The English Cherry season continues into August, overlapping with the start of the Plum season.  Victorias and Opals are always the first to ripen here, soon to be followed by bloomy, red-purple Marjorie Seedlings.

Later in August we see the first of the English Apple crop coming though our doors.  The sweetly-perfumed Discovery Apple is always the first to arrive.

We can look forward to plump, juicy Blackberries too.

The Currants usually extend into August so you can expect to find Blackcurrants and, possibly, Redcurrants.

We may also see some Kent Cobnuts late in the month.

Sweet, honeyed Reine Claude (Greengage) Plums begin to arrive from France and greengage-style plums from Italy too.

Italian Borlotti Beans for podding

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

 The best tasting Apricots arrive now and we try hard to source good ones from Italy and, we hope, some Bergeron Apricots which are good for eating and for preserving.

Also look out for some luscious Black Figs.

French Blood Peaches and Nectarines arrive riper and tastier than the late July crops.  Their touch of sharpness marks these stone fruits out from the non-blood varieties of Peaches and Nectarines which are more reliably sweet.

The fantastically aromatic Fragola Grape arrives this month and usually takes us into early autumn.  

Melon varieties become ever more fragrant and juicy in August.  Expect to see Honey Moon Melons and refreshing Watermelons throughout the month.

Lime tree blossom water kefir

Photo © London Fermentary

London Fermentary News:

August is a very busy and inspiring month for London Fermentary as there are so many fantastic fruits and vegetables to choose from for our Water Kefirs and Fermented Veg.

Water Kefir flavours for August include:

Blackcurrant which is not only particularly delicious and good for your gut health but is packed with Vitamin C.

Raspberry, a London Fermentary favourite.

Fragola Grape, which was a very popular flavour last year.

Lime Tree Blossom, which proves that this fragrant blossom is good not just for making a tisane.

Fermented Vegetables include:

Our new Kimchi Spread which has all the benefits of our our regular Kimchi in a, for some, more convenient and useable form.

Apricot Noyau ice cream

Photograph by kind permission of Square Peg and Grant Cornett

To celebrate this time of high summer, here’s a reminder that those seasonal Apricots can make a delicious ice cream. This recipe is from the Kitty Travers’ book La Grotta Ices.  It’s lusciously fruity and creamy with a slight bitter marzipan flavour. I can’t recommend her book highly enough, both for the recipes and the evocative writing.  Here’s a taster.

Apricot Noyau Ice Cream 

Recipe by kind permission of Square Peg and Kitty Travers

(makes approx. 1 litre or 10 good scoops)

About 375g fresh apricots

150g sugar

170ml whole milk

170ml double cream

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon honey (optional)

1. To prepare the ice cream: slice the apricots in half and remove the stones; keep these to one side. Cook the apricot halves very lightly just until the fruit collapses. If using a microwave, place the fruit in a heatproof bowl with a tablespoon of water. Cover the bowl with cling film and cook on high for 2-3 minutes until tender. Otherwise simmer the apricot halves gently in a non-reactive pan, just until they are cooked through and piping hot (do not boil). Cool in a sink of iced water then cover and chill in the fridge.

2. Place a clean tea towel on a hard surface, then line the apricot stones up along the middle of the towel. Fold the tea towel in half over the apricot stones to cover them and then firmly crack each stone with a rolling pin (the tea towel prevents bits of the shell from flying all over the kitchen). Try to hit hard enough to crack the shell, but not so energetically that you completely obliterate it - you want to be able to rescue the kernels from inside the shell afterwards.

3. Pick the tiny kernel from each shell then grind them in a pestle and mortar with 20g of the sugar.

4. Heat the milk, cream and the ground kernel mix in a pan, stirring often with a whisk or silicone spatula to prevent it catching. As soon as the milk is hot and steaming, whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar and honey (if using) until combined.

5. Pour the hot liquid over the yolk mix in a thin stream, whisking constantly as you do so, then return all the mix to the pan. Cook gently over a low heat, stirring all the time, until the mix reaches 82°C. As soon as your digital thermometer says 82°C, remove the pan from the heat and set it in a sink full of iced water to cool – you can speed up the process by stirring it every so often. Once entirely cold, pour the custard into a clean container, cover and chill in the fridge.

6. To make the ice cream: the following day, use a spatula to scrape the chilled apricots into the custard then blend together with a stick blender until very smooth – blitz for at least 2 minutes, or until there are only small flecks of apricot skin visible in the mix. Using a small ladle, push the apricot custard through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a clean container, squeezing hard to extract as much smooth custard mix as possible. Discard the bits of skin and kernel.

7. Pour the custard into an ice cream machine and churn according to the machine’s instructions, usually about 20-25 minutes, or until frozen and the texture of whipped cream.

8. Transfer the ice cream to a suitable lidded container. Top with a piece of waxed paper to limit exposure to air, cover and freeze until ready to serve.

February News 2020

January King Cabbages

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

FEBRUARY

In February the colours of January continue with pinks, reds, greens and claret-splashed yellows of Chicories, stems of Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb turn from pink to red and the shades of citrus become more varied as more varieties arrive from Sicily.  Large, spikey Sardinian and fat, round, Romano Artichokes share space with an array of British root vegetables, including Celeriac and Jerusalem Artichokes, but, undoubtedly, February is the leanest month in the northern hemisphere’s growing calendar.

Here is a taster of the things you can expect to find here at Puntarelle & Co in the month of February:  

Winter Selection

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

Vibrant pink-stemmed Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb will continue throughout the month.

Probably the last of the Seville Oranges for making bitter marmalade and buttery curd but there will be Clementins that work well too.

Un-treated, un-waxed Blood Oranges, Sweet Clementines and, if we are lucky, Pink Grapefruits.

Deep red, sweet-sharp, Pomegranates.

English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which is particularly good right now, and, creamy Cauliflowers. 

 Hispi Cabbage from southern Europe.

Crunchy, salty Italian Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes.

From Italy too, bunches of the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard, Rainbow Chard, Bulb Fennel, Roman Artichokes and spikey Sardinian Artichokes.

Bitter-sweet Italian Greens like Puntarelle and Cime di Rapa and new season Courgettes.

A variety of colourful bitter-sweet pink and red Radicchio and milder-leaved yellow/green Endive.

Roman Artichokes & Italian Aubergines

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

Vitamin and mineral-rich British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops. 

Winter Pumpkins.

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot, organic Heritage Carrots and Leeks.

Potato varieties are Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed La Ratte.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

London Fermentary Water Kefir

Our freshly-stocked londonfermentary.com fridge includes some new water kefir flavours. We have been playing with botanicals for a while, so now you can find refreshing Hibiscus&Ginger and Rose&Acai berri flavours.  Don’t forget your refillable bottles for “Kefir on the tap” option. In LF fridge you’ll find an extensive range of seasonal Fermented Vegetables too. Please , check LF website for latest Inspirational Fermentation Course dates www.londonfermentary.com

Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb & Tarocco Blood Orange about to go in the oven

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Here is a recipe using fruits that are at their best right now – that beautiful pink forced Yorkshire Rhubarb and Sicilian Blood Oranges.  It’s adapted from Nigel Slater’s recipe in Tender Volume II and I can think of no simpler way to celebrate these two wonderful ingredients together.  

Rhubarb with Blood Orange

(serves 4-6)

750g Rhubarb

4 Blood Oranges

Caster Sugar

1 vanilla pod

Heat the oven to 200C (180C Fan).

Rinse the rhubarb, cut off and discard the leaves.  Chop the stems into short lengths and place in an oven-proof dish.

Remove the peel from two of the oranges, cutting away any white pith, then slice the fruit thickly and add it to the rhubarb.

Squeeze the juice from the remaining two oranges, and pour over the rhubarb.

Add a good tablespoon of sugar and the vanilla pod.

Cover the dish with foil and cook in the oven until the rhubarb yields to the pressure of a fork.

Check and adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Allow to cool then spoon into serving glasses, cover with clingfilm, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour but will keep for 2-3 days.

Forced Rhubarb

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb

Each year in early January slim soft-pink through to ruby-red Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb stems begin to appear at market.  A native of Siberia, there is evidence that rhubarb was grown for its medicinal properties – thought to be effective in gut, liver and lung problems - at least as far back as 2700BC.  It was grown in the UK for around 150 years for use as a purgative before it became valued as a food in the early 18th century.  Garden-grown rhubarb is a much more muscular proposition than ‘forced’ rhubarb.  Its thicker, darker red/green stems need a little more cooking and extra sugar to make it palatable.  But it was the accidental ‘blanching’ of rhubarb, caused by gardeners at the Chelsea Physic Garden piling up waste plants over winter, that led to the growing of ‘forced’ rhubarb.  By the time the roots were uncovered, tender stems had pushed through towards the light and these were found to be far tastier than outdoor, uncovered rhubarb stems.  

The method was embraced and developed into the use of ‘forcing’ sheds, after the roots have experienced a blast of frost first in the fields, to produce an earlier, more delicate tasting crop.  In Yorkshire, rhubarb farmers were able to produce such a good crop, and get it to market so efficiently, that growers in other areas of the country gave up trying to compete.  Today forced rhubarb continues to be grown in a small area around Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield in Yorkshire known as "The Rhubarb Triangle".  It’s labour-intensive work which means the crop commands a relatively high price.  One of the oldest growers is E Oldroyd & Sons Ltd.  Oldroyd's forced rhubarb still finds its way to London markets and to our shelves.

Rhubarb is valued for food from Russia through Turkey, Pakistan and the Middle East.  Persian cooking values it for balancing meat stews, particularly lamb.  A lightly sweetened compote is a good accompaniment to cut the fattiness of pork or oiliness of fish, like mackerel.  For desserts, the tender stems can go into cakes and tarts.  The most versatile way with forced rhubarb is to gently poach it to make a sweet compote - 5 parts fruit to 1 part sugar is about right if you don’t want it too sweet.  Additions you can make when poaching include a vanilla pod; a little preserved ginger; orange zest and/or juice; or a single clove.  Alternatively you could add a teaspoon or two of rosewater just before serving.  Fold into lightly whipped cream, or a mix of cream and yogurt, to make a rhubarb fool.  If you have some meringues and a little cream you have the makings of a take on Eton Mess.  Rhubarb also makes a good cordial, though you’d be better waiting for the cheaper outdoor-grown variety for that.

Yorkshire Rhubarb

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

December Seasonal News

January King Cabbage

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

December

Through November our shelves groaned with the weight of English Apples and Pears and colourful Crab Apple branches decorated the arch.  Pumpkin Squash varieties increased and nutty-flavoured Fenland Celery arrived for its short season.  A touch of early frost brought good flavour to Cabbages but we were happy too for the warmth of Italy where our Persimmons and Pomegranates had been grown.  

It’s now three short weeks to Christmas so, with your festive shopping needs in mind, our December Report concentrates on the zesty, tasty and colourful must-haves to take us into the holidays.  It’s definitely looking and smelling like Christmas here in our Spa Terminus arch. Here is the key short-season produce you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co between now and Christmas along with all the usual staples:

Italian Citrus

Photo ©Puntarelle@CO

Sicilian Grapefruits

Photo ©Puntarelle & Co

Just arrived and filling the arch with zesty, festive aromas is our Citrus delivery from Italy.  Novelino Oranges are now perfectly sweet and juicy; the earlier delivery was a little underripe for our taste.  

We have our first, and only, delivery of new season unwaxed Sicilian Pink Grapefruits.  These are pretty special as it is difficult to find unwaxed Grapefruits in the UK.  The skins make the most delicious candied peel.  Get them while you can.

We have sweet, juicy Nova Clementine Mandarins too.  In our opinion, a box would make a wonderful Christmas present.  

Cavolo Nero/Black Cabbage

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

British grown greens are benefitting from the colder weather and we are getting particularly good Cabbages including purple/green hued January King, crinkle-leaved Savoy, juicy Red Cabbage and earthy Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero.  Also expect to find Brussels Sprouts, Sprout Tops and Kalettes.  More greens available through to Christmas include Cima di Rapa, and heads of Puntarelle with their juicy centres that are perfect for salads (particularly with anchovies) and beautifully bitter outer leaves for adding to soups and stews.

Sicilian Flat Onions

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Root vegetable offerings are Parsnips, Swede, Turnips, Salsify and several varieties of Potatoes are here.  Carrots too, including easy to prepare baby Heritage and the French Sand-grown Carrots which are sweet and store really well.  Silky-textured British Leeks are alongside sweet, flat Sicilian Onions – Cipolla Ramata - that are so good roasted whole. 

Castelfranco Radicchio

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

For salads, new season Chicories are arriving, including members of the Endive group like large-leaved Escarole and tight-leaved Belgian Endive along with some of the Radicchio group - 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.   

We have Cranberries, both fresh and dried, Vacuum-packed Chestnuts, Walnuts in their shells and a selection of other Nuts and Dried Fruits.

Christmas specials from London Fermentary

London Fermentary news:

As usual we have a range of Water Kefir flavours in our fridges but, for Christmas, we have created two special edition Water Kefirs available in one-litre bottles.  You can choose between flavours of Mulled Wine or Mince Pie, both created with a mix of warming and uplifting natural seasonal spices.  We will also have our Cranberry and Chilli Water Kefir available in the run-up to Christmas for those who like their Water Kefir hot!  We also have a Fermented Sauce made from fresh and dry cranberries fermented with chilli and garlic.  These are worth considering when you are looking for the perfect present for a food lover.

Our recipe suggestion this month is 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.  This one has a kick of mustard to wake up a jaded palate.

Leeks with Caerphilly and mustard

made according to the recipe in The Sunday Night Book by Rosie Sykes

Photo and recipe ©Evie Saffron Strands

Leeks with Caerphilly and mustard

(serves 2)

2 medium size leeks

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 few sprigs of thyme

1-2 tablespoons grain mustard

100g grated Caerphilly cheese

2 thick slices of bread

1 clove of garlic

Salt and pepper

Ketchup or chutney to serve (optional)

Trim and cut the leeks into 2cm slices, wash well.  Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a lid on medium heat, add leeks, thyme and 3 tablespoons of water, salt and pepper.  Stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the leeks are very tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking (add a little more water if necessary to soften but you want them just juicy, not watery).  

Pre-heat your grill.  

Lift out the thyme sprigs and stir the mustard and cheese into the leeks. 

Toast the bread lightly, both sides.  Rub one side with the cut garlic clove.  Pile the leek and cheese mixture on top and toast under the grill until it bubbles and starts to brown.

***CHRISTMAS OPEN DATES***

We will be open at Spa Terminus Thursday 20, Friday 21 & Saturday 22 December 08.00-13.00 each day.

We will be closed between Christmas and the New Year and 

Re-open on Saturday 5 January at 08.00

Seasonal news October

SWISS CHARD

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

October

Summer holidays have come to an end but summer seems reluctant to morph into Autumn here.  Apples and pears are coming through the doors in abundance, yet Sweetcorn is still arriving.  

But now October is here we can see a seasonal shift.  Here is the key short-season produce you can expect to find at Puntarelle & Co this month along with all the usual staples:

English Quince

Photo © Puntarelle & Co

British Produce

Apples coming from our favoured farm in Kent include Early Windsor, Greensleeves, Spartan, Orange Pippin, and Worcesters.  Pears too are plentiful and include Doyenne du Comice, Conference and Triumph of Vienna - an old French variety with red flush, russet-patched skin and smooth, juicy white flesh.  

The English Quince crop is looking particularly good this year and you will find them on our shelves now.

We have fantastic Rainbow Chard, Swiss Chard, and Purple Sprouting Broccoli right now along with Cavolo Nero/Black Cabbage, Cauliflowers and crunchy Kohlrabi.  

Brussels Sprouts seem to appear earlier and earlier each year and, yes, they are in already.  Some Pumpkin and Winter Squash are starting to arrive too. 

We have Chanterelles and Girolles from Scotland and expect to have them throughout the month. 

French Produce

Wet Walnuts arrived in late September and we expect to have them through October.  Black Figs are still coming in although, surprisingly, the crop hasn’t been good this year.

Coco de Paimpol beans are still with us.

Some of our Autumn Mushrooms may come in from France too.

Porcini from Italy

Photo © Puntarelle&Co

Pomegranates from Puglia

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Italian Produce

This month Italian Peaches and melons give way to strawberry/exotic fruits-flavoured Fragola Grapes and delicate-pink Pomegranates from Puglia.  They may not be as eye-catching as the deep-red Turkish variety but are a beautiful lead-in to the full pomegranate season.

The start of the new citrus season always excites and, happily, zingy Miyagawa Mandarins and early, unwaxed, Navelina Oranges are already in . We’ll have to wait for the new season Italian lemons but expect Bergamots to be in this month.

Persimmons are just beginning to arrive as I write.  

New season Artichokes, bitter-leaved Chicoria and Cima di Rapa are on the shelves and we can expect to have them throughout October.

In our London Fermentary fridges in October you can expect to find seasonal Water Kefir flavours like Fragola Grape and zingy Green Mandarin.  

Water Kefir London Fermentary

Photo © London Fermentary

Pears with maple syrup and vanilla

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

With such an amazing crop of Apples and Pears coming into the arch right now, we have to point you to this simple recipe that tastes 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.

May 2018 Seasonal News

English Asparagus

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

MAY

This time last year we were talking of having had English Asparagus at the beginning of April, only for it then to be hit by late frosts.  This year we collected our first Kent-grown crop last week.  Despite it feeling late, it was around St George’s Day which is the traditional time for starting to cut the crop.  It’s hard to resist people’s desire for earlier harvests but nature knows best and this year’s first cut of English Asparagus from our preferred grower was definitely worth the wait.  

April passed in the UK feeling very similar to March.  Save for a few days of warmth mid-month, conditions have been unseasonably cold in most of Europe delaying spring planting.  Italy did provide us with Broad Beans, Peas and Cucumbers; France delivered Wet Garlic and Fraise Clery Strawberries; and the UK produced Jersey Royals, Wild Garlic, Sprouting Broccoli, field-grown Rhubarb and the first good Asparagus.  A burst of sun arrived in the form of Mangoes from India, including Alphonso.  We are definitely overdue some good growing weather.     

Wet Garlic

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

As a result of the weather, now at the beginning of MAY, you will find the following at Puntarelle & Co:

Earthy, saline Jersey Royal Potatoes and versatile Cypress Potatoes.

Vitamin C, iron and calcium-rich Spring Nettle Tops, both English and French (bag with care!).

Some late English Wild Garlic leaves.

Watercress from our preferred English grower, Kingfisher. 

UK-grown sweet, juicy Cucumbers and mild, crunchy Spring Onions.

Italian Ridged Cucumbers 

From Italy, Romano and Tondo Courgettes. 

Wispy Wild Asparagus and Bruscandoli (hop shoots) from Italy.

From our Kent Grower, English green Asparagus, both fat-speared and thin sprue, tasting really delicious this year.  Also European purple and white Asparagus varieties.

New Spring season Rainbow Chard from Italy.  

Italian Peas and Broad Beans.

Fat, sweet, stems of Wet Garlic from France (don’t forget most of the stalk is useable too.

Outdoor-grown Rhubarb, picked up from our preferred farmer in Kent who also grows our Asparagus.

Strawberries this week are from France and Italy.  We expect English ones in a couple of weeks’ time.

There are French Heritage Tomatoes along with large Pineapple Tomatoes, and the salty, crunchy Marinda and Camone Tomatoes that have seen us through winter are still with us.

Spring varieties of Radish.

Cool weather harvests of bitter Radicchio and Chicories like Puntarelle and Cime de Rapa from Italy are still with us and there are Tropea Onions.

Spinach varieties including French.

New season Aubergines from Italy are now coming in more variety of sizes and shapes.

Green and Purple Artichokes, large and small.  

St George’s Mushrooms again (one thing that wasn’t late this year) and Morel Mushrooms too.

As always, we have seasonal herbs but we have pots of growing Spring Herbs as well.

It’s a lean time for European fruits but the Nespole from Italy are in.

Broad Beans

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

So, what produce can we expect to come through our doors in MAY?

Earthy, saline Jersey Royal Potatoes and some French new potatoes too. 

Vitamin C, iron and calcium-rich Spring Nettle Tops, both English and French (bag with care!).

Watercress from our preferred English grower, Kingfisher. 

UK-grown sweet, juicy Cucumbers and mild, crunchy Spring Onions will continue.

Ridged Cucumbers for preserving from Eastern Europe.

Increasing varieties of Courgettes from Italy.

Wispy Wild Asparagus from Italy.

From our Kent Grower, English green Asparagus, both fat-speared and thin sprue.  Also European purple and white Asparagus varieties.

Rainbow Chard.  

Italian Peas and Broad Beans.

Fat, sweet, stems of Wet Garlic from France (don’t forget most of the stalk is useable too).

Outdoor-grown Rhubarb, picked up from our preferred farmer in Kent who also grows our Asparagus.

Strawberries from France and Italy.  Early English ones from our favourite grower should be with us by the third week in May.

French Heritage Tomatoes, large Pineapple Tomatoes and, hopefully, some other interesting varieties.

Spring varieties of Radish.

Italian Tropea Onions and French Grelot Onions.

Spinach varieties including French.

New season Aubergines from Italy in a variety of shapes and sizes. 

Seasonal herbs including pots of growing Spring Herbs.

It’s still a lean time for European fruits but expect Nespole from Italy throughout the month.

Nespole/Loquats

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Focus on:

Nespole have arrived from Italy.  In early spring, just as our stores of apples are emptying and before strawberries come good, they are a welcome sight.  Looking a little like apricots, they can be smooth or slightly downy-skinned and vary from yellow to orange.  They have a succulent flesh, a little tart, a little sweet with a tropical fragrance.  They are a fragile fruit that keep only a couple of days at room temperature but up to a week in a cool place.  They can be poached in sugar syrup and simply served with yogurt or ice cream, or added to a fruit salad.  Under-ripe fruits make good jam and jelly, or chutney which goes well with fatty meats like roast pork.  

Raw Asparagus Salad

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

We collected the first cut of English Asparagus from our Kent Grower last week and, despite a return to lacklustre weather, the English season is definitely under way.  Here is a recipe, inspired by our friends at 40 Maltby Street, celebrating the early spears which are delicious eaten raw.  It also makes a few spears go a long way.  

Raw Asparagus Salad

(Serves 4 as a starter)

8-12 asparagus spears
A handful of pea-shoots

A few mint leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Snap the tough ends off the asparagus.  Cut a diagonal slice off the bottom of each spear then slice them thinly.  Add salt and pepper to the lemon juice and mix.  Whisk in the olive oil to emulsify.  Toss the sliced asparagus and the pea shoots in the dressing.  Pile onto plates and serve.  (Add a few curls or a grating of Italian Parmesan or English Berkswell cheese if you like).  

Seasonal Produce News-February 2018

January King Cabbages

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

FEBRUARY

January was a month when no two days seemed alike with oddly fluctuating temperatures but British-grown Brassicas and roots seemed to cope well.  In our January Report, we promised you Sicilian Citrus and it was worth waiting for.  Tarocco blood oranges, Nova Mandarins and Pink Grapefruits came on our direct-sourced pallets, and there is more citrus to look forward to this month.  Vibrant pink spears of Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb brought more colour and acidity to our shelves and the first fronds of crunchy, salty Agretti arrived too.

Cauliflower

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

As we enter the last full month of winter, British-grown Brassicas and Root Vegetables are our seasonal staples and we look to southern Europe for more tender crops.  Far from just a variation on green and brown, February’s colour palette is a vibrant one in the Puntarelle arch.  Right now we have:

Vibrant pink-stemmed Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb. 

Probably the last of the Seville Oranges for making bitter marmalade and buttery curd but there will be common Mandarins that work well too.

Un-treated, un-waxed Tarocco Blood Oranges, Nova Mandarins and Pink Grapefruits.

Deep red, sweet-sharp, Pomegranates.

English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which is particularly good right now, and, creamy Cauliflowers. 

From Portugal, we have Hispi Cabbage.

Crunchy, salty Italian Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes.

From Italy too, bunches of the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard, Purple Cauliflowers, Rainbow Chard, Bulb Fennel, Roman Artichokes and spikey Sardinian Artichokes.

Bitter-sweet Italian Greens this week are Puntarelle and Cime di Rapa and we have the first of the new season Courgettes.

Several varieties of colourful bitter-sweet pink and red Radicchio and milder-leaved yellow/green Endive.

Vitamin and mineral-rich British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops. 

Orange-skinned Onion Squash.

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot and organic Heritage Carrots are all British grown this week, as are the Leeks.

Potato varieties this week are Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed La Ratte.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

A freshly-stocked  londonfermentary.com fridge.

Our Ferments    

 Photo ©Puntarelle&Co

Spikey Sardinian Artichokes

Photo ©Puntarelle&Co

Writing in the first few days of February, here is the produce we expect to have for you before this last full month of winter comes to a close:  

Vibrant pink-stemmed Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb will continue throughout the month. 

Un-treated, un-waxed Tarocco Blood Oranges, Nova Mandarins, common Mandarins and Pink Grapefruits will be joined by Lemons, Cedro and Kumquats.

Deep red sweet-sharp Pomegranates.

English Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which is particularly good in February, and creamy Cauliflowers. Hispi Cabbage from southern Europe.

Crunchy, salty Italian Camone and Marinda Winter Tomatoes.

From Italy too, bunches of the Mediterranean succulent Barba di Frate/Agretti/Monk’s Beard, Purple Cauliflowers, Rainbow Chard, Bulb Fennel, Roman Artichokes and spikey Sardinian Artichokes.

Bitter-sweet Italian Greens like Puntarelle and Cime di Rapa and new season Courgettes.

A variety of colourful, bitter-sweet pink and red Radicchio and milder-leaved yellow/green Endive.

Vitamin and mineral-rich British Brassicas including Savoy Cabbage, green and purple hued January King, blistered-leaved Black Cabbage/Cavolo Nero, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Tops.

Orange-skinned Onion Squash.

Root vegetables including Celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Beetroot and organic Heritage Carrots are all British grown this week.

English Leeks and Spanish Calçot onions.

Potato varieties this week are Cyprus and Desiree, Maris Piper, and waxy-fleshed La Ratte.

Fresh organic Ginger Root and Turmeric Root.

A freshly-stocked londonfermentary.com fridge.

Tarocco Orange

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

NEWS: 

Have you tried our Pink Rhubarb Water Kefir?  Also this week we have Orange Water Kefir made from some of our Sicilian Tarocco oranges.

Forced Yorkshire Rhubarb & Tarocco Blood Orange about to go in the oven

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Here is a recipe using fruits that are at their best right now – that beautiful pink forced Yorkshire Rhubarb and Sicilian Blood Oranges.  It’s adapted from Nigel Slater’s recipe in Tender Volume II and I can think of no simpler way to celebrate these two wonderful ingredients together.  

Rhubarb with Blood Orange

(serves 4-6)

750g Rhubarb

4 Blood Oranges

Caster Sugar

1 vanilla pod

Heat the oven to 200C (180C Fan).

Rinse the rhubarb, cut off and discard the leaves.  Chop the stems into short lengths and place in an oven-proof dish.

Remove the peel from two of the oranges, cutting away any white pith, then slice the fruit thickly and add it to the rhubarb.

Squeeze the juice from the remaining two oranges, and pour over the rhubarb.

Add a good tablespoon of sugar and the vanilla pod.

Cover the dish with foil and cook in the oven until the rhubarb yields to the pressure of a fork.

Check and adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Allow to cool then spoon into serving glasses, cover with clingfilm, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour but will keep for 2-3 days.