Luke's Seasonal Selections

22.02.12 - Discover the exquisite seasonal delights our buyer Luke is recommending this week

Wild Mushrooms

Portugal is drying up after severe weather. Only the hardy and excellent pied de mouton or hedgehog mushroom survives.

Wild Harvest have switched to a direct US supply of trompette & yellow legged chanterelle, as have the major Rungis wholesalers, this has allowed a significant price drop, particularly for the excellent trompette which is having a great season Stateside.

We have had 6kg of Judas ear fungus arrive from France today, Judas ear are also known as cloud, Jew’s and wood ear.

Truffles

As with the girolles there was no winter truffle last week. Description of quality in Spain, Italy & France was unfavourable to say the least due to frost damage.

We are buying now - give us a call to confirm price and provenance, fingers crossed for an upturn, as these black diamonds usually see us through March to shake hands with the onset of summer truffles.

Fruits

Flying in with the California mushrooms are Meyer lemons - Introduced from China into the US these mild tangy lemons are said to be an ancient cross between a lemon and a Mandarin. Get them while you can!

Vegetables

Tagging along with the mushrooms and lemons from Cali we have wild onions - they have a mild garlic flavour and are crisp enough for salads.

To go some way to plug the unfortunately early demise of crosnes and chervil roots we have introduced two heirloom turnips. The sweet boule d’or yellow fleshed navet and the ultra sweet boullete de bussy, so sweet that it is used by the pastry chef.

Bay veg is flowing from France again to some extent. Baby turnips are slowest to recover from the freeze.

Foraged goods from Norfolk are also recovering. Sea beet & purslane for sure. Koppert cresses and flowers are flying out the door, as are guinea fowl and venison.

Contact our office to discover our full range of seasonal produce - 020 7498 5397