What’s in season: May

Lou

3 years ago

You’ll notice as you read on, that this is a re-post… I posted this in Lockdown 1 (*when it was called ‘Lockdown 1’.

So, for most of us, we’re in the week 5 (?) of lock down.

The whole world is in the ‘Twilight Zone’ as we try and get through this pandemic.

But food has become even more important to us all for nutrients but also as a coping mechanism.

We’re all finding the kitchen again and (hopefully) re-connecting with home cooking and locally produced food.

And this month, we can celebrate some great produce coming into season including lamb, Jersey royal new potatoes and peas.

A few reasons why eating in season is good

Economical: eating fruit and veg when there are loads of it means it will be sold cheaper than in off-season

Health benefits: food that is in season contain the nutrients and minerals that our bodies need at a particular time of year.

e.g. butternut squash and apples are in season in autumn/winter – they are packed with vitamin so help keep away horrid winter colds.

Tastes better: which makes obvious sense. Mass-produced produce tends to suffer from a lack of flavour.

Large commercial farms are about volume and often they are adapted to look uniformed and have better shelf life so flavour slides.

Fruit	Rhubarb
Vegetables	Peas Asparagus Broccoli Carrots Jersey Royal new potatoes Lettuce & salad leaves New potatoes Radishes Rocket Samphire Spinach Spring onions Watercress Wild nettles Available most months in good condition: broccoli, button mushrooms, carrots, cauliflower, main crop potatoes, onions, rocket.
Herbs	basil, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, oregano, mint, nasturtium, parsley (curly), rosemary, sage, sorrel, tarragon
Meat	Lamb Always available in good condition: beef, chicken, pork, rabbit, farmed venison, wood pigeon.