What's in season?

[Windfall]

I went shopping for veg yesterday, and picked up a variety up stuff, saffron, leeks and potatoes for soup, kale, clementines.

Noticed "by air" on lots of things, even berries!
I would NOT buy that.

What fruit and veg are in season?

How can I find more locally grown food?
(Would get a veggiebox delivered but my housemates live on pizza...)

AND does anyone know of any good veg cookbooks, not really recipes, but more how to prepare. thanks!

[Bunny]

I get an organic veg box delievered every week and my latest one has just arrived.

In it is:

The last of the local sweetcorn,
First of Savoy Cabbage,
Parsnips,
Leeks,
Squash of some sort (large, oval, yellow)
Red peppers
and onions.

You can often pick up local fruit and veg from farmers markets and farm shops. It can be traumatic as there is usually local meat and dairy available as well, but it can be worth it for the good quality veg.

Another good source is local grocers. They will often stock more local produce and are usually cheaper than supermarkets. Even my local organic veg is cheaper than supermarket veg! Delivered to my door!

A good wesite I use is this one which has local veg in season, associated recipes, but also information on preperation.

A quick way of getting good greens is to shred kale or cabbage, slice an onion and fry them lightly in a large saute pan. Add to pasta and it is a really filling meal that is also tasty. If you like potatoes (I don't) then you can do the greens over lightly boiled potatoes.

[Gwydion]

What fruit and veg are in season?

I use this for a general overview, downloadable as a pdf (so you can stick it on the fridge for your pizza loving housemates).

Clicky me

I'm sure the more seasoned members will answer the rest of your questions

[Bunny]

Thanks Gwydion - I like that!

[harpy]

Yes mostly brassicas and roots are in season to judge by our box which has a huge swede in it and about a ton of broccoli and some stuff that is apparently "red sprout tops". Fruitwise it's mostly apples and plums (and bananas but something tells me they're not local).

Some of the veg box schemes will do a small box or bag for one person so that might be worth looking into.

What kind of how-to-prepare information are you after? Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book is meant to be good but I would imagine that it's far from vegan. Maybe you could look at it in a library.

[Gwydion]

Thanks Gwydion - I like that!

And I yours! Ta.

[Bunny]

Yes mostly brassicas and roots are in season to judge by our box which has a huge swede in it and about a ton of broccoli and some stuff that is apparently "red sprout tops". Fruitwise it's mostly apples and plums (and bananas but something tells me they're not local).

Some of the veg box schemes will do a small box or bag for one person so that might be worth looking into.

What kind of how-to-prepare information are you after? Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book is meant to be good but I would imagine that it's far from vegan. Maybe you could look at it in a library.

I had such a huge swede last week that I couldn't cut it and had to kind of hack bits off. I was even looking at an axe and wondering if that was a step too far - hacking a swede like firewood!! lol This week it is the turn of an enormous Savoy cabbage. Although at least I can pick the leaves off that!

And I yours! Ta.

That's okay! (just wanted to see what that smilie was like)

[Windfall]

Thanks!!

lol@ "huge swedes"

[Windfall]

hacking a swede like firewood!!

*runs*

[Bunny]

*runs*

Desperate times, desperate measures!

[Crafterga]

Russet Apples. My fave apples ever! They seem to have such a short season that I eat loads for about a month and then don't see them for another year. They are really nutty tasting.

[harpy]

Sorry about that, Windfall. Do you actually get many swedes in Sweden?

[Bunny]

I prefer the American name for swede - Rutabaga. Sounds far more interesting!!

EDIT: I didn't even think about the ramifications of "hacking a swede with an axe" my head was firmly in the veg world!

[whalespace]

Good thread idea Windfall.

Swedes do have carpentry applications, being much easier to work than most wood, but tough enough to take its place temporarily... good for prototyping for example.

Beetroot next, from my allotment. Still got beety stuff [a bale of it]. I will start rooting out the sunchokes at the next dry opportunity.