It may be snowing in Manchester and Europe, but thus far it is not comprising the excellent range of produce we have both on the fruit and veg side.
You may have noticed the massive pears out of Holland. We usually aim for a more modest size! Pears, however, have been subject to the same European scarcity as apples. So, big as they might be, we are happy to still be able to supply you with tasty Dutch pears, rather than having to source them from way further afield.
This week sees the second delivery of French grapefruits from Corsica. They are a different product from the Spanish ones we’ve gotten used to. They’re fresh and sharp, but with enough sweetness to keep you wanting more!
There are some crowd pleasing new products to be found: early batches of Spanish raspberries and blueberries are very promising – strong fruits and great flavour. And spring onions are back!
UK squash from Bedlam Farm in Cambridgeshire and European butternuts offer really good value. Spanish fennel (Demeter certified) continues to shine and Dutch pak choi is abundant right now.
A note on bananas: They have been coming in very green and take some time to ripen. It helps if you leave them in a brown paper bag, with a ripe fruit inside (a cherry tomato for example). Ethylene will build up and circulate inside the bag, speeding up the ripening process.
