Now the festive dust has settled, we can look forward to a week of abundance on the fruit & veg displays.
On the veg side we’re particularly impressed with French lettuces and spinach. Spanish avocados are excellent value and Duncan Gielty’s Lancashire Savoy cabbages are picture perfect.
Kale varieties usually start dwindling at this time of the year, but at the minute it is particularly hard to get hold of. We’re expecting a big delivery from Home Farm Nacton in Suffolk on Wednesday, but there may be a few gaps. That said, there will be plenty of cavolo nero to go round and an early start to the Kalette season will help too! Kalettes are becoming more of a household name. It’s now a decade since this cross between kale and Brussels sprouts was introduced in the UK, but the crop is not widely cultivated organically, so we are pleased to be able to offer them from Wass in North Yorkshire.
Glebelands’ salad leaves are on 2 week break. Some years they are able to grow them year round in their market garden in Sale and second site in Stockport, but this year the plants are in need of some time to regrow after December pickings. There are some lovely offerings out of France instead: lamb’s lettuce, baby leaf spinach and rocket, all coming in every day.
Fruity highlights include navel oranges, bursting with flavour, from Spain and Agrico-op in Sicily (with the blood orange season also getting underway) and juicy conference pears from Paul Ward’s orchard in Kent.
