Of the many good things to associate with autumn and the chilly drop in temperatures, root vegetables must surely be high on the list. Our root stand is looking resplendent at the moment, full of colour and choice to inspire seasonal eating.
Beetroot has been tasting phenomenal of late. While its robust earthiness divides many a palette, we’d encourage everyone to try some of the Strawberry Fields varieties from Pam Bowers farm in Lincolnshire. A deep, rich, savoury flavour, these heads are bursting with red juice and have a crisp, firm texture. Golden and Chioggia varieties are a little sweeter and more mellow in flavour, and they look pretty too.
Also beginning its season is celeriac from Newfields Organics in Yorkshire. These knobbly, unruly heads smell divine – a hint of apple amid a clean, nutty earthiness. The creamy white flesh lends itself perfectly to mashing, it roasts well in big chunks in a hot oven and blitzes to a smooth texture in soups. For those seeking a little luxury, celeriac partners beautifully with sage and hazelnuts too.
Following feedback from our customers we’re trying to further reduce our plastic packaging on veg and offer as many leafy things loose as we can. You’ll notice loose spinach, rocket, kale and pak choi all becoming more common as part of our range. It’s a tricky one to manage, not only do leafy things keep longer in plastic, to truly reduce impact we need our customers to bring their own packaging along (and continue to re-use it). Changing our habits around the way we shop takes time and repetition, but it’s good to remember even small changes such as this can make a big difference. We’re keen to reduce the number of paper bags we hand out on veg so feel free to bring any spare bags, tupperware or clean containers you have at home. Re-use is the key!
