April is always the leanest month for UK grown produce, all of the stored winter crops have finished and we are still awaiting the new plants in the field. It has however been a mild and early start to spring, and luckily for us Pam Bowers down in Lincolnshire has harvested the first lettuces of the season already – two weeks ahead of normal, she cannot remember another season that began this early. We’ll have the green Oakleaf variety this week, and we’re told the reds are not far behind…
Alongside lettuces we can also expect some citrusy green sorrel leaves – perfect for soups and salads, fragrant bunches of tarragon and the first crop of UK cucumbers too.
This is the final week of kale for a while, the brassica family is the hardest absence to fill during the Hungry Gap and we won’t have any until early June when the new season begins.
Asparagus bunches from Spain are looking really good at the moment, and offering good value too. Pair it simply with a squeeze of lemon and a dribble of olive oil for a tasty treat.
Fruit wise, this week we see the welcome return of the loquat, an unusual orange and yellow fruit with a taste that many describe as similar to strawberries. Technically not a stone fruit, loquats are an early indicator that summer fruits are on their way. High in pectin, with a succulent flesh, loquats can be eaten raw or cooked down into a jam or compote.
Last but not least, we are over the moon with our new shelf in the roots area! Please let us know what you think of it, we’re hoping it may ease some of the congestion during the mad weekend rushes…
