Читать книгу The Savvy Shopper - Rose Prince - Страница 23
ОглавлениеHOW TO SHOP FOR BRITISH FOOD IN SEASON
UK-grown vegetables and fruit
New breeds, modern storage and the wider (and controversial) use of polytunnels and glasshouses mean that the season for UK-grown produce is now greatly extended. British tomatoes, for example, are available from February onwards. Supermarkets sometimes stock UK produce in preference to imports (e.g. apples, strawberries and raspberries) but unless they can buy in large quantities throughout the whole UK season for a particular vegetable or fruit, they tend to source imports, which are often cheaper. For this reason there is more chance of buying a wider variety of UK-grown produce through ‘box schemes’, which are more economical if bought direct from the farm where they are grown. Best value is to be had during the ‘glut’ – the natural window when outdoor-grown produce peaks and is at its most abundant.
Fish and shellfish
There is an optimum time to buy fish and shellfish, namely outside the spawning period of each species. This gives the fish a chance to reproduce and reduces the catch of egg-bound females. But a seasonal approach is not all a shopper needs to adopt when buying fish. Always choose large, mature fish and ask the fishmonger about the catch method: ‘line caught’ is preferable to trawled, for example. Fish from UK inshore fisheries, which tend to fish for shorter periods in smaller boats by more sustainable means, are the best choice.
Game
The season for game birds is short, but take advantage. Some species, such as grouse and woodcock, are rare and expensive but during the height of the pheasant shooting season there is a glut well worth buying into. Other, naturally wild game such as rabbit and wood pigeon are available fresh for most of the year. Wild venison has ‘close’ seasons when it can be shot but not sold; these differ between Scotland and England and Wales. The open seasons are marked on the chart that follows.
Seasonal meat and dairy produce
While most fresh meat and cheeses are now available all year round, there are still a few festive and traditional specialities that have a short season. Lamb deserves special attention. We could reduce our dependence on imports of New Zealand lamb by tapping into the supplies of the light ‘upland’ lamb and mutton available direct from farms and traditional butchers throughout the autumn and winter.
