Our local salad leaves are looking really stunning at the minute, so it seems only fair that they be front and centre of this week’s veg highlights! Here’s a breakdown of the current mix courtesy of Glebelands’ grower Dan:
“At a time when UK lettuces are becoming more limited, the autumn salad mix is looking particularly vibrant. It includes four different endives: broad-leaved fleshy varieties with their mild flavour such as Green Batavian & Escariol jostle for space with the more bitter fine frizzy leaves of Pancalieri & Korbi. Succulent winter purslane, with its mild tasting heart shaped leaves, helps balance out the beautiful mustard flavour provided by an abundance of stunning deep purple Red Dragon. Star of the mix though is undoubtedly the arrival of radicchio… the Treviso variety is a striking blend of vivid red and white with a mellow nutty flavour, while Castelfranco’s crunchy speckled pink and cream leaves are much sweeter than other radicchio types. There’s also a dash of autumn rocket and baby leaf spinach for good measure!”
New this week we’ve got our first sprout tops of the year courtesy of Duncan Gielty. Unsurprisingly, once we start seeing sprout tops, sprouts aren’t far behind. Growers cut the tops off sprout stalks in order to channel more energy into the sprouts themselves. Sprout tops can be used in much the same way as cabbage leaves, while imparting the unmistakable flavour of sprouts. Also new this week are Jerusalem artichokes, which will be making a comeback on Friday. New on the fruit side we’ll be seeing kakis (sometimes known as persimmon or sharon fruit) back on Friday too. A distinctly autumnal and delicious fruit; once ripe they exhibit a rich and creamy interior and mild, sweet flavour.
And finally! Our annual apple day is upon us once again, this coming Sunday (23rd). We have a huge selection of varieties for you to try, with Spartan, Gala, Russet, Pearl and Natyra to name a few, courtesy of Cherry Orchards of Suffolk, Mole End in Kent Oakwood of Sussex and Carey in Herefordshire.
