Gourmet Britain

British strawberries are now in full flow, and as good as any in the world. Unforced rhubarb is also at its best.

On the meat front, British Lamb is also at its peak, and a little cheaper – if you seek out lamb bred on salt marshes, it’s a real treat, if handled simply. Lamb reared on these marshes, feeds on grasses and herbs that have absorbed the sea air which gives the meat a distinctive flavour.

Sea Trout should be sought out if spotted on fishmongers slabs, and with the extreme price demanded for wild salmon, it’s a delicious treat – and even preferred by many people to the latter.

Other food in season is as follows -

Fish & Seafood: Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Brill, Clams, Cod, Coley (or Saithe), Conger Eels, Crab, Crayfish (freshwater), Dabs, Dover Sole, Dublin Bay Prawns (Scampi), Eels, Flounder (Fluke), Grey Mullet, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Herring, Lemon Sole, Lobster, Mackerel, Greenland Halibut (Mock Halibut), Oysters (Rock), Plaice, Prawns, Queen Scallops, Red Mullet, Salmon (wild), Sea Trout, Shrimps, Skate, Trout (Rainbow), Turbot, Whelks, Whitebait, Whiting, Witch Flounder

Poultry & Game: Chicken, Duck, Grouse, Guinea Fowl, Hare, Pigeon, Quail, Rabbit, Snipe, Turkey, Venison

Fruit; (H/P means home-produced): Apples(H/P), Apricots, Avocado Pears, Bananas, Blackberries(H/P), Black currants(H/P), Cherries(H/P), Damsons(H/P), Figs, Gooseberries(H/P), Grapefruit, Grapes, Greengages(H/P), Lemons, Limes, Loganberries(H/P), Mangoes (but the best flavoured varieties are offer), Melons, Mulberries, Nectarines, Oranges, Passion fruit, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapples, Plums(H/P), Raspberries(H/P0, Red currants(H/P), Rhubarb(H/P), Strawberries(H/P), Walnuts, Watermelons, White currants(H/P)

Vegetables; (H/P means home-produced): Asparagus, Aubergines(H/P), Beetroot(H/P), Broad Beans, Broccoli; Cabbages (H/P), Carrots (H/P), Cauliflower (H/P), Celery(H/P), Chicory(H/P), Chilies(H/P), Corn on the Cob(H/P), Courgettes(H/P), Cucumbers(H/P), Endive(H/P), Fennel(H/P), French Beans(H/P), Garlic(H/P), Globe Artichokes(H/P), Horseradish(H/P), Jerusalem Artichokes, Kohl rabi, Leeks (H/P), Lettuce (H/P), Mange-tout peas(H/P), Mushrooms (H/P), Mustard & Cress(H/P), Okra, Onions (H/P), Parsley (H/P), Parsnips (H/P), Peas(H/P), Peppers, sweet(H/P), Potatoes, New (H/P), Potatoes(H/P), Radishes(H/P), Runner beans(H/P), Salad Leaves (H/P), Salsify, Shallots, Sorrel (H/P), Spinach(H/P), Spring Onions(H/P), Sugar peas(H/P), Swedes(H/P), Tomatoes (H/P), Turnips (H/P), Vegetable marrows(H/P), Watercress (H/P)