Written by Tom Moggach
September 11, 2018
Autumn is here, bringing mixed blessings - from top notch plums, apples and pears to price spikes following the drought and heatwave.
For British fruit, it's all about the plums, apples and pears - all of which have enjoyed a decent harvest.
Victoria and the later Marjorie's seedling are the key plum varieties. (Interesting savoury recipe ideas here). Damsons and greengages also available.
This is a Robin apple, a new early variety grown mainly by Richard Pemble in Kent and sold by P & I Fruits. Cox, Early Windsor and Bramley are now underway, along with the first Conference pears. Discover more in last month's Chef's Guide to Apples and Pears.
Cobnuts are also here - still fresh, wet and milky.
From Southern Europe - mainly Spain - there's still masses of stone fruit and melons of all shapes and sizes.
This is peak time for grapes from these climates, too. Muscat (pictured below) are possibly the pick of the crop. Ever tried a Strawberry grape from Italy? Totally unique - but not my cup of tea.
As for British veg, load up on sweetcorn, courgettes, marrows, cabbages, kale, beetroots, carrots, leeks or even the first Brussel sprouts.
Squashes are now flooding in - here's a handful of varieties, along with the first (gulp) of the pumpkins.
Note that prices are higher than normal for crops badly affected by the early summer drought and heatwave.
"Potatoes are probably twice the price already that they would normally have been at this time of year', says Bob Bowers at P & I Fruits. "The dry period means the crops are yielding less than usual. It affects almost everything to a degree." You will find more info here from the Fresh Produce Journal.
Peas are best avoided now. Runner beans struggled in the heat but you'll still find boxes on the Market.
Wild mushrooms include some Scottish girolle and yellow chanterelle. There's also pied to mouton and trompette from Eastern Europe.
Other Continental lines include celeriac (pricey, mind you), artichokes, Borlotti beans, chillies, Romanesco, Lautrec garlic (pictured), breakfast radish and Jerusalem artichokes.
The first wet walnuts are here, with chestnuts soon to come.
This is a fun time for chillies of all shapes and sizes, which have loved all the summer heat.
I spotted the first French quince, too - still a bit green- and prickly pears from the deep south of Italy.
Here's a Verdelli lemon, an early summer variety named for its green skin. This is a harbinger of the European citrus soon to come.
See you in October. Got any questions? Feel free to get in touch.
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