Aloo gobi and an early hungry gap
Our wholesaler this week has warned us about the likely lack of greens due to the recent wintery conditions - buckle up for that hungry gap that's coming our way in the next few months, perhaps sooner than we've been used to in past couple of years. Fortunately the wholesaler is working hard to try to maximise our chances of getting UK veg in for as long as possible, but it's worth knowing the context as I think it makes us all a little less picky about what we eat when we know it's scarce.
'Though we’re just about ok for now, greens seem to be thinning out at a pretty alarming rate with the pre-Xmas mega frosts killing off a good number of local kales and cabbages earlier than they usually would finish. Last year you may remember that with a mild winter and even milder spring, we kinda glided across the usual ‘hungry gap’ but this year I fear that we may feel it more than usual. This is of course not our first rodeo though and as I mentioned last week, we’re already looking further afield to places like Cambridgeshire, Somerset and Devon to plan alternatives for when things really thin out.'
Chris has put together some more numbers - this time in response to the Tesco chairman blaming suppliers for cost of living 'profiteering'. See here if you want a read.
In the field:
Not much going on, Rosie is away and Chris has the seeds ready to start sowing but holding fire for now. It's not as muddy as it could be down there, but it's definitely not dry. Harvested parsnips and leeks. We're hoping the snow damaged kale will recover.
In the boxes:
The veg all looks pretty amazing this week.
If you have parsnips, they may be a bit wild and weird looking, and muddy - that's becuase they were pulled out of the muddy ground in Prion just yesterday. Bit more exciting than the ones you get from the supermarket! (that's how we frame it anyway).
We didn't have quite enough squash to go round as some of the stored squash had started to go soft, so those of you who didn't get this week we'll aim to get for you next week.
Small - Potatoes, onions, carrots, leeks, cauliflower, parsnips, mushrooms, oranges
Regular - Potatoes, onions, carrots, squash/celeriac, kohlrabi, palermo pepper, swede, courgette, apples.
In the shop:
Potatoes, onions, carrots (orange and purple), beetroot, celeriac, sweet potatoes
Savoy cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi (only a few), swede
Palermo peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms (white & chestnut), celery (only 2 but more in next week), courgettes, cherry and vine tomatoes, leeks, salad (from Prion).
Fresh ginger, garlic, turmeric
Fruit: Lemons, clementines, oranges, apples (Orleans Reinette from Sussex), kumquats (zingy citrus hit), bananas.
We've got more Seville oranges this week, and more ordered for next week but that's likely to be it. So if you want to make marmalade from the best Sevilles you can get (true), get in touch.
+ eggs, Pentrefelin milk, Nant y Felin sourdough, other store cupboard items also in our online shop here.
In the kitchen:
Rick Stein's cook book 'At Home' is a lovely collection of his favourite recipes - he doesn't just do seafood, as Chris thought - and we made this cauliflower and potato curry (aloo gobi) which was so quick and easy, and pretty tasty (not quite as much depth of flavour as another version which I've made - recipe here, but this one had more ingredients and steps to follow). Not sure if either of us will be trying it for breakfst though with a fried egg, as he recommends, although am sure it's tasty - can't miss the morning porridge ritual!
If you've got kohlrabi and arne't sure what to do with it, try a coleslaw with red cabbage and carrots too. Here's a recipe idea.
Totally unrelated, if you've ever mixed up left and right you're not alone and here's some reasons why we do it.
have a lovely week
#enjoy that tasty veg