SEASONS EATINGS
Taken from this month’s Cotswold Life magazine
Let’s welcome the arrival of spring with local foods
I love this time of year. I love it even more this year because of the winter we’ve just had. I don’t know about you, but it felt like February was one long gloom, preceded by months of never-ending dark and dankness. But the sun is out as I write, and I’m excited to be getting outside again.
And I’m not alone, either. English people are like bears coming out of hibernation - at the first glimpse of sunshine, we all want to get the mowers out or stroll around town in short sleeves – even if it is only 5 degrees!
I can’t deny I enjoy seeing the daffodils, the spring lambs, the fruit blossoms – anything that serves as a reminder that the good time of year is back. But for me, food is perhaps one of the biggest signals that the seasons are turning. Now is when I start to look forward to the arrival of local, home-grown produce, like Hayles Fruit Farm strawberries and Evesham asparagus.
We’ve all been slightly programmed to eat what we want all year round, and that’s fine, but winter strawberries from Spain, or asparagus from Peru, are just not in the same league. If you don’t believe me, this spring pay a visit to your local farm shop, deli, greengrocer, or homegrown veg stall at the side of the road and do a taste test. You’ll discover that the flavours are worlds apart – literally!
HERE ARE MY TOP 5 SEASONAL FOODS FOR SPRING:
Asparagus: home-grown asparagus is perhaps the most anticipated treat on the UK food calendar, and Evesham asparagus is as good as it gets. It’s scarcity only adds to its appeal - it is only available for 6 weeks of the year, from St George’s Day to Midsummer’s Day, so get your fill while you can.
Strawberries: British strawberries, when in season, are in a different league to those that are flown in for the rest of the year. Ripe, sweet, and chin-dribbingly juicy, the fresher the better. We stock berries from Hayles Fruit Farm in Toddington, but there are plenty of other growers in the Cotswolds, with PYO and farm shops, to choose from
Lamb: in 20 years of food retail, I have been asked more about British lamb than any other local food item. Customers are keen to support UK lamb farmers and with good reason – our home-grown meat is delicate and tender and has a flavour that is unique to the land it was reared on.
New potatoes: whether they are Jersey Royals (not very Cotswolds, I know!) or harvested straight from your allotment, baby spuds are just what you want in spring. They have a buttery newness to them that works so well, from potato salad to mini roasties, and as always with potatoes, the fresher the better.
Wild garlic: the Cotswolds is awash with the sight and smell of wild garlic during spring and the young vivid green shoots are already peeking up from the ground. This is a good time to harvest wild garlic if you prefer a milder flavour, or for more punch, wait until the billowing white flowers are in full bloom.