citrus - the earlies

Citrus – Miyagawa Satsuma-Mandarin

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Citrus – The Earlies

There are many forms of citrus, and the fact that they readily hybridise with one another means identification can sometimes be a challenge, even to botanists.  Science and agriculture have seized on this willingness to cross-polinate to breed out undesirable qualities and develop those they deem appealing.  Whether it’s the lemon, lime, kumquat, satsuma, mandarin, tangerine, sour orange, sweet orange, grapefruit, citron, yuzu, pomello or bergamot, it’s thought that all common domesticated citrus fruits originate from three parents: the citron Citrus medica, the mandarin Citrus reticulata and the pummelo Citrus grandis.  

Despite their association with the Mediterranean, all members of the orange family originated in China and were brought to Europe by Arab traders.  The main northern hemisphere citrus season normally runs from November to June.  We are always excited to see the first of our new season citrus arrive from Italy, and Sicily in particular.  Expect to see Sanguinello, Moro and red-flushed Tarocco oranges arriving from Sicily in late December but there is a small crop of two citrus which arrive a little earlier and which we have for you right now in, this, the last week of September.   

The Miyagawa which originated in Japan is a satsuma-mandarin cross.  Their thin, smooth skin means they do not keep well on the tree so harvest time is brief and we normally have them October-December.  The fruits arrive green, developing to yellow/orange within a few days.  The early fruits have a pleasant sharpness, while later harvests are sweeter.  If you find the early ones too sharp to simply peel and eat, their juice is a delicious alternative to lemon.   

The Bergamot is thought to be a cross between a sour orange and sweet lime.  It was mainly grown in Italy for the oil extracted from its rind.  This is used in perfumes, tobaccos and Early Grey Tea.  But its sharp juice is also delicious used in dressings, syrups and curds.  The skin can be candied and the fruits make a good marmalade.  Try adding a slice to a gin and tonic instead of lemon or lime.  The thicker-skinned Bergamot should be with us into the New Year.

APPLES

St Edmund’s Pippin Apple

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Apples

The English Apple harvest is now fully underway with ever more varieties joining the Discovery, which came to our shelves in mid-August.  It’s now that the stone fruits of late summer, ending with dusky Damson plums, give way to northern hemisphere Apples and Pears.  

Apples grow well in a temperate climate and English apples are hard to beat.  There are over 2,000 varieties – dessert, cooker and in-betweener.  Sadly, only a tiny number of these are commercially grown.  Flavours and textures vary greatly depending on the variety of apple.  Deep red apples are beautiful to look at and tasty if eaten freshly picked, but it’s the green/brownish-skinned ‘Russet’ family and those streaked green/red that improve with keeping.  

For the 4th year running we are buying our seasonal apples and pears from Foxendown Fruit Farm in Kent.  We start collecting their harvest of ‘Discovery’ apples in August and finish in late January.  John, the owner of this small family run farm, guides us and helps us choose from his 20 varieties of dessert apple and 3 cooking apples (along with his shorter season pear crop of Triumph of Vienna, Conference and Comice – in now and through October).  This week we have Dessert Apples:

Laxton Fortune, a Cox/Wealthy apple cross which is juicy, crisp, aromatic and a little sweeter than a Cox’s Orange Pippin, with us through September

Worcester Permain another early-mid season apple; can have a light strawberry flavour and is picked to the end of September.

St Edmund’s Pippin, a richly-flavoured Russet apple picked to the end of October

Early Windsor, a cross between a Cox and a Dr Oldenburg: similar to, and a little earlier than, the Cox’s Orange Pippin and should arrive up to mid-November.

More apples will follow, including those Cooking Apples that need a little longer on the tree.

For the kitchen, it’s hard to beat a Bramley for a classic apple pie or crumble but where less acidic, firm-fleshed apples are needed, reach for varieties like Laxton Fortune, Cox or Russet varieties or the later Braeburn.  All have a good balance of sour and sweet.  Good spices for apples are anise, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.  Clove too if used sparingly.  A few apples added to a pan of roasting pork together with a few sage leaves is a wonderful thing.  A simple apple puree cooked with dried fruits and cinnamon is a fixture in my kitchen during autumn and winter – so good with yogurt and a spoonful of honey.  A whole baked Bramley, cored, stuffed with dried fruits and a little sugar, is the simplest of desserts.  Just add cream.  Everyone should have a good apple cake recipe.  Replace some of the flour with ground hazelnuts and you won’t be disappointed.  And then, of course, there’s Tarte Tatin!

SEASONAL PRODUCE NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2017

English Long Violette Aubergines

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

SEPTEMBER

August was the month Europe battled the elements.  Unseasonal heavy rains, lack of sun, excessive heat and hugely destructive fires all played a part throughout the continent.  Many crops peaked unusually early, particularly in Italy due to prolonged hot spells.  It proved to be a challenging month for growers, pickers and greengrocers alike.  We saw the end of the English Cherry harvest but the start of our Plums, Pears, and Kent Cobnuts.  Climbing Beans, Sweetcorn, Courgettes and Summer Squash arrived too.

English Damson Plums

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

English produce is to the fore again this month.  In the arch, as I write on the first day of September, we have:

Plump cobs of the sweetest English Sweetcorn.   Watercress, Runner Beans and Black Cabbage, direct from the Kent and Sussex farms we work with.  The first English Early Maincrop Pink Fir Apple Potatoes and a few early Pumpkin Squash.  

New season English Pears, three varieties of Apple and purple streaked Marjorie Seedling Plums from our Kent grower too.  Damson Plums and Kent Cobnuts again too.  English Heritage Carrots, creamy white Cauliflowers, Bobbi Beans, Beetroot, several varieties of English Tomatoes, organic Courgettes and Squash and several types of firm, weighty Aubergines.  Beautiful quality English Leeks are here also.  

Mushrooms are becoming more available and, this week, we have Scottish Chanterelles and Girolles as well as Ceps.

Happily, once again, we have those wonderful Sorrento Vesuvio Tomatoes.

The new season Onions are welcome arrivals.  This week there are Strings of 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 Black Figs are particularly good and there are high season Muscat Grapes from France and strawberry perfumed Fragola Grapes from Italy.  Also from Italy are large, juicy, pink-blushed Nectarines and those sunny orange, highly fragrant Percoca Peaches which are so good for cooking.

Kent Cobnuts

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

September marks the move into Autumn.  Our expectations and appetites move on too. So, what new season produce can we hope for during September?  

We expect to have English Sweetcorn, Runner Beans, Bobbi Beans,  Aubergines, English Tomatoes, Courgettes and Squash well into September.  Plums from our Kent grower should arrive for a little longer, being replaced by the Apple and Pear harvest which is already underway.  Kent Cobnuts will continue to be available too.  

English Heritage Carrots, creamy white Cauliflowers, Beetroot, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Watercress, Chard and Black Cabbage will be here throughout the month.  We should also continue to have flavourful Tomatoes and new season Onion varieties from England and the rest of Europe.  Varieties of English Maincrop Potatoes will be becoming in to join the Pink Fir Apple Potatoes which arrived this week..

Mushrooms should become more plentiful and varied this month with Scottish Chanterelles and Girolles as well as European Ceps leading.

We can expectEuropean Black and Purple Figs and Muscat Grapes to continue.  

Autumn Squash and early varieties of Pumpkins will definitely be in.

We may see some Miyagawa Green Mandarins and Pomegranates arrive.

www.londonfermentary.com   Photo ©Punterelle&Co

Last month, in our August News, we mentioned we would soon be formerly launching our new brand London Fermentary.  We have been working hard to achieve this and are pleased to let you know that all of our in-house made fermented products, which we have gradually been introducing, now bear our new labels ‘LONDON FERMENTARY’.  We have just launched a new website dedicated to our fermented products.  Please take a look at LONDON FERMENTARY for more information.  

You will find all our ferments in our fridge as our Bermondsey business premises on Saturday, as usual.  Please continue to enjoy them and, if you haven’t yet discovered them, please ask us about them.  Any feedback you can give us will be welcomed.  This will help us focus on the ones we should keep.

English Sweetcorn/Corn on the Cob

Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

Before those barbecues get stored away, here’s a suggestion for one last firing up.  English Sweetcorn is particularly good right now, so, roasted corn-on-the-cob with a chilli butter to temper its sweetness fits the bill.  

TO ROAST:

Peel back the husks without removing and pull out the silk threads beneath.  Wash the cob and the husks and put the husks back to their original position, twisting them at the top as tightly as you can (a little water trapped within will help the cooking). Cook over hot coals for about 30-40 minutes depending on size until the husks are well charred and the kernels softened.  

Meanwhile gently heat some butter and add thinly sliced red chilli to just soften then put to one side.  

Serve the cooked cobs, peeled of their charred husks, with salt, pepper and the chilli butter.

(If you don’t want to cook over coals, strip off the husks and silks and cook the cobs in a pan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes (just remember not to add salt to the water as it toughens the kernels).

Seasonal Produce News

Kohlrabi                    Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

JUNE

May was the month of Artichokes, Tropea Onions, Fennel, Fine Beans and Courgettes from Italy; Grelot Onions, Wet Garlic, radishes and Watercress from France; English Asparagus, recovering from everything the weather could throw at it, and early Strawberries with real flavour arriving from Kent.   We had wonderful English foraged Sea Vegetables too.  The second half of the month brought the first tender English Artichokes and, in the final week, the first picking of English peas, so sweet we just wanted to eat them straight from their pods.

Purple Ligurian Basil          Photo ©Puntarelle&Co Ltd

In the first week of JUNE, as I write, this is what stands out for us on the shelves of Puntarelle & Co:

Several varieties of sun-ripened Italian Tomatoes along with flat, pink Cipollini Onions which roast so well, great quality new season Garlic for keeping.  

Italian Borlotti Beans, Fennel and Courgettes – Round, Romano, Yellow and Green.  A number of forms of Italian Cicoria and Aubergines and both Green and Purple Ligurian Basil.  We also have the first supply of Tenerumi (leaves of the Cucuzza Zucchini) from Italy for pasta and soups.

English new season produce is becoming more available.  We have Asparagus from our Kent grower coming in at better prices now we are well into the season.  We have English Watercress direct from the grower, Artichokes, Peas, Broad Beans, Cucumbers, Radishes, Spring Onions, Spinach and juicy Kohlrabi.  

Small red/yellow Watermelons and the large Greek variety liked so much by our customers.  The special thin-skinned, orange-fleshed Melons from Italy now join the Cantaloupe Melons.  We have new season Sicilian Green Lemons, prized in particular for their highly fragrant zest.  We also have the first large, plump Green Figs from Italy.  There are various vibrant Fresh Herbs along with English Strawberries, Raspberries and the first of the Gooseberries.  Italian Peaches, Nectarines and Apricots are already plentiful and French Cherries are starting to arrive.  

Tenerumi / Leaves of the Cucuzza Zucchini    Photo ©Puntarelle&Co Ltd

So, what new season produce can we expect to come through our doors through JUNE?

English Broad Beans and Peas and, perhaps, the first English Fennel bulbs.  The Asparagus from our Kent grower will take us up to the last week of June with lower prices than in May.

Watercress sourced direct from Kingfisher Farm in Surrey, who have been growing watercress for more than 150 years, should be with us throughout the month. 

New Potatoes from Jersey, France and Cornwall.

British Strawberries, Raspberries and Gooseberries will be benefiting from some summer sun in June.

English-grown Herbs – Mint, Coriander, Parsley and Dill in particular as well as Cucumbers, Radishes, Spring Onions and Spinach.

Crunchy French Grelot Onions will continue through the month and we will have a good supply of Round, Romana, Trompetta, White, Yellow and Green Courgettes and Tenerumi (leaves of the Cucuzza Zucchini) from Italy.  There will be Borlotti Beans and a greater variety of Aubergines this month.  

Even sweeter varieties of sun-ripened Italian Tomatoes.  The supply of flat, pink Cipollini Onions for roasting should continue as should quality new season Garlic and crunchy Kohlrabi.  

We should continue to have small red/yellow Watermelons, Cantaloupe Melons and new season Sicilian Green Lemons, prized in particular for their highly fragrant zest.

Peaches, Flat Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots and Green Figs from Italy.

We expect both Red and Rainier Cherries from France as well as White and Blood varieties of both Peaches and Nectarines (pêche de vigne & nectavigne).  

Plums from France and Italy should be arriving and Green Almonds are now in season.  

By late June we should have English Cherries arriving.

Smoky Leekchi Ferments                                    Photo ©Puntarelle@Co

NEW on our shelves:

Focusing on our Fermented Vegetables range this month we have ‘Smoky Leekchi’, a ferment of Leeks, smoked chilli, garlic and ginger.  Particularly delicious paired with dishes involving chicken or pulses.   

Flat Peaches               Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands    

We select the best peaches we can get but early peaches can be a little less yielding than you might like.  Their season arrives along with a vibrant array of fresh herbs including Lemon Verbena.  Peaches have a particular affinity with the ‘sherbet lemon’ quality of this herb.  Here is a recipe that’s perfect for those peaches that need a little heat to bring out their best but works for ripe peaches too:

Baked Peaches with Lemon Verbena
(serves 4)

4 Unripe round or flat peaches
100ml water + the same volume of caster sugar
4 leaves of tender fresh lemon verbena (or 2-3 basil leaves)
A handful of raspberries for each plate (optional)

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/Gas 4.  Lightly butter an ovenproof dish.  
Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones.  Place the fruit cut-side up in the dish.
Dissolve the sugar in the water over a medium heat and add the lemon verbena leaves.  Pour the contents of the pan over the cut peaches.  Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the peaches.  If the fruits are particularly hard, you can cover the dish with foil to speed up cooking.  Baste the peaches a couple of times during cooking and, if they are not softening, turn them a couple of times in the syrup.  

Serve with the cooking juices spooned over and, maybe, a fresh leaf of verbena.  If you have raspberries, add a few to each plate.  Cream to serve is good.

English Strawberries

English Strawberries

We have picked up our second harvest of outdoor-grown Strawberries from our preferred farmer in Kent today.  The variety is the same as the one we had last Saturday for you - ‘Jubilee’ – which grows particularly well in the growing conditions of Kent.  

This distinctly heart-shaped variety is naturally sweet and juicy with just the right level of acidity so we are very pleased to have them again.  Picking is only just getting going so, rest assured, we will select the best flavour varieties as the season progresses.  

Strawberries are naturally high in vitamin C and this variety is particularly good as it requires little, if any, sugar to bring out its best.  In fact a light grinding of pepper, instead, may be all you need.  Strawberries also pair well with rhubarb and outdoor-grown rhubarb is at its best now.   Just a few berries added when cooking brings a wonderful perfume to a dish of rhubarb. 

May News 2017

SEASONAL PRODUCE NEWS – MAY 2017

English Asparagus     Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

MAY

April proved to be a stop/start month for home-grown crops but English Wild Garlic and Nettle Tops were particular favourites of our customers.  The Asparagus harvest began a full three weeks earlier than normal, only for the crop in many parts of the country to then be hit by late frosts.  With conditions now improving, we should see English Asparagus from our Kent grower throughout May.  We had Broad Beans and Peas from Italy.  The peas in particular have been much fuller and sweeter over the past couple of weeks.  Glorious plump Wet Violet Garlic arrived on cue from France in the second half of April and, at last, we received some sweeter tomato varieties from both Italy and France. 

Sorrel  Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

At the beginning of MAY, as I write this, you will find at Puntarelle & Co:

Italian Spinach and Chard alongside particularly good Sorrel.  

New Potatoes from Jersey, France and Cornwall.

New season Purple Aubergines from Italy, including the elongated purple and white striped variety, and fragrant Fennel bulbs.  

Supplies of Green and Purple Artichokes from Italy are slowing, to be replaced by French crops this month.  

Again, we have chosen French Grelot Onions this week.

Italian Roman Courgettes and smooth-skinned Yellow and White varieties along with French round courgettes.

Broad Beans and Peas from Italy are still arriving, the peas fuller and sweeter now.  These are joined by the first Italian Fine Green Beans.

From Sicily we have firm, crunchy, spiky Cucumbers – perfect for pickling – and, in response to customer requests, the first of the Melons and small, sweet red-yellow Watermelons.

English green Asparagus from our Kent grower, as well as white French and Italian varieties.

Outdoor-grown English Rhubarb.  This fruit/vegetable is admittedly not as eye-catching as the early pink forced one, but is a far better proposition for a rhubarb crumble.  

Early Spanish Peaches and Nectarines are in, as are Italian Apricots and French outdoor-grown Strawberries, and Italian Cherries and Nespoli.

Meaty, yellow ‘Pineapple’ Tomatoes have arrived from France this week, and we also have other colourful Heritage varieties.

We have English harvests of Spinach, Salad Leaves, Cucumbers and Radishes as well as fresh Herbs - Mint, Coriander and Parsley.

Radishes  Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

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

Asparagus and outdoor-grown Rhubarb from our Kent grower throughout May.  English Spring Onions continue.

Given a little warm weather we will be welcoming English Broad Beans and Peas, later in the month to take over from French and Italian varieties.  

Small, crunchy English Cucumbers will be with us through May, along with Radishes and Spinach.  We are particularly looking forward to introducing English Watercress direct from the grower later in the month.  You can expect lots of fresh, vibrant Herbs.  Hopefully, we will see some English Wild Hops too, if we have some warmer weather, though these will be fleeting.  

Meaty, yellow ‘Pineapple’ Tomatoes and colourful Heritage ones are now here from France and we expect more varieties with real flavour as the month progresses.

French Apricots, hopefully some Bergeron, take over from the Italian and Spanish ones later in the month.  We have had some promising English harvests over the past two years so we may have some for you in June/July.

Peaches and Nectarines from Italy will follow the Spanish this month, later joined by French ‘blood’ varieties.

Strawberries from Italy, Spain and France are tasting good, and we may have English-grown fruit from our Kent grower in mid-May. 

 Cherries from Italy, Spain and, later, France.  

Towards the end of the month we could have English Gooseberries and Raspberries.

Courgette fruits and flowers and Fennel from both Italy and France.

Wet Garlic from France and Italy will continue, as will Italian Tropea Onions and French Grelot Onions. 

The first new season Borlotti Beans and Yellow Fine Beans from Italy. 

 We expect French Artichokes to take over from Italian chokes.  

New Potatoes from Jersey, France and Cornwall.

Morel Mushrooms will be available.

We will have foraged Sea Spinach this month.

Tarragon   Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

NEW on our shelves:

Joining our Fermented Vegetables range this month are Tarragon Infused Mixed Vegetables; jars of Savoy Cabbage with lemon zest and dill; and Sicilian Kumquats which have fermented to a salty, freshness which we recommend for use in Stews and Tagines or sliced thinly into salads. 

With the arrival of the first Italian Fine Beans and harvests of fine, young English Spinach and watercress joining the New Potato crops, we offer a warm salad recipe to take us into May.  This is one of those salads that can be adapted throughout spring and summer according to what produce is available.  You need green leaves, waxy potatoes, fresh beans (asparagus works too) and a little protein like Chorizo, bacon, pancetta, anchovy or boiled chopped egg.  Here is a suggestion using what is available on our shelves right now:

A Late Spring Salad  Photo ©Evie Saffron Strands

A Late Spring Salad

(Serves 4)

300g Fine Green Beans

800g waxy potatoes (e.g. Jersey Royals, La Ratte)

250g cooking chorizo

2 good handfuls of young spinach leaves or watercress (or a mixture), washed and dried.

Dressing:

2 tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

6-7 tablespoons Olive Oil

Wash the potatoes (skin on or off, as you prefer) and boil for 15-20 minutes until cooked.
Cut off the top of beans, wash and boil in salted water until just cooked(2-3 minutes).  

Drain the beans and plunge them into cold water to retain the colour before cutting them in half and drying them.
Thickly slice the chorizo and fry in a hot pan until softened and slightly coloured.
Mix your Dressing in a large serving bowl.
Drain and slice the potatoes thickly before adding them to the dressing while still warm.  Add the cooked beans and the chorizo and stir.  

Add the spinach (or other) leaves.  Mix gently and serve.