Potatoes are usually the only UK crop in our range that can feed us all year round (well, maybe apart from Glebelands’ salad leaves!) After the past few weeks of glorious sunshine, it’s easy to forget the drenching we got during potato harvesting time last year. Many farmers up North struggled to get on the land with machinery and had to leave crops to rot in the field. Consequently, we have come to the end of the UK spud season rather early. Scottish supplier Skea (Dundee) will keep us going for a few more weeks, but varieties are limited. We’ll therefore start introducing some new potatoes from Italy, starting with the Spunta variety from Agrico-op in Sicily. In terms of UK new potatoes – they’re still a way off. Cornish crops were planted very late as fields were too wet. We’re expecting the first lot to arrive in June.
We’ve enjoyed a few weeks of Strawberry Fields’ beautiful indoor grown lettuces. Thursday will be the last batch and then it’s waiting for the outdoor crop, which shouldn’t be long. Also look out for Duncan Gielty’s picture perfect spring onions– Lancashire grown 🙂
From Europe: you may have already seen the first of the Spanish stone fruit appear on the shelves. Early nectarines and peaches have started off with a decent flavour. They can be a balancing act: they need to be left to go a little soft to get the best flavour, but then must be eaten immediately or at least moved into the fridge. Hone those home ripening skills!
