Eat the Seasons

Keeping you in the know as to what is coming into season each month is NEIL MORTIMER from Lovejoys Wholesale...

Our local pubs, cafes and restaurants have been really well supported during lockdown with takeaways and outside seating. We are now well into sitting indoors again and life is feeling a lot more normal. Can I make a plea that you continue to try to eat out regularly to support these businesses as they recover from an incredibly difficult year. Many of them source their local, seasonal produce from us so you are also helping local producers and growers and the local economy, while not having to cook for yourself!

This month we look forward to the early carrot season. It is of course everyone’s favourite vegetable with children being told that their parents were told by their grandparents to eat them so they would be able to see in the dark! (This story was due to the vitamins in them which keeps eyesight healthy I suspect).

These days they are not always orange! They come in many colours and sizes. Although all UK winter veg has now come to an end we can look forward to new season beetroot, which is also available in different colours. There is also a plentiful supply of local lettuce, radish, spring onions, rhubarb, spring greens, new potatoes and asparagus.

If you can grow your own veg in an allotment garden or even just a gro bag outside the back door, you will be seeing some results by now. Early new potatoes will be ready to harvest around the end of July, anyone with grandchildren or children will know the joy on their faces when they dig them up.

Peas and carrots must be kept watered (so they don’t get too dry) and be sure to weed around them too. If you grow your own fresh herbs remember to always put your mint in a container, not in the open ground or before you know it you will find it taking over the whole herb garden! There are different flavour mint plants available so ask for advice at your local garden centre.

If you are an expert at foraging you could look for chickweed, I always thought it was a weed but have only recently discovered it is related to quinoa and it has cleansing and healing properties. The tender leaves can go into salads or be used as a pesto to liven up fish or chicken. Another plant which I always regarded as a weed is fat hen. It tastes similar to spinach and can be cooked in the same way. We now find that what we have always thought of as weeds in between our vegetables! Win win, happy days!

As usual email me with any questions if you have them.

“Can I make a plea that you continue to try to eat out regularly to support these businesses as they recover from an incredibly difficult year.”

Neil neil@lovejoyswholesale.com

@lovejoysuk @lovejoysuk • lovejoyswholesale.com