Full article...

MARKET REPORT - Wednesday 11th June, 2008 (12-Jun-08)
Veg:
 
New season English Peas and Broad Beans are superb.
New crop summer Cauliflowers are a little shorter than last week and no better in size but they do look much brighter.
English Asparagus is drawing towards the end of the season and becoming very difficult to source.
French Leeks are lovely and tender and are looking excellent.
New season Beetroot is very good at the moment.
English ice packed Broccoli is very nice but it is subject to a very short shelf life at the moment due to the poor weather conditions we’ve been having recently.
English New Potatoes and Jerseys should be easier to find now so long as there is no more rain.
Portuguese Savoy Cabbage is very crispy and good!
Local Spinach has taken a hammering as has most Spinach and Pousse that we can find due to the rain. It has also become quite difficult to source.
Large jumbo Carrots are up in price and not very good this time of year.
English Rhubarb is still coming through very good.
 
Salads:
 
All English salad is still a little problematic due to the poor weather. Mainly the Lollo Rosso, Iceburg and Little Gem etc have been affected but it is starting to pick up again now that the weather has improved.
English Spring Onions have also started to pick up and are looking much better.
Both English and French Water Cress has become very short so it’s possible we may experience some shortages as we’re consistently cut down on what we order every day.
French Endive is still by far the best but we will remain on the local lettuce for the time being.
Garlic Sprouts and boxes of mixed crunchy Sprouts have started to sell quite well this week and are something a little different for you to consider, as is Alfa Sprouts.
All types of Mushrooms do not like the humid weather we’ve been having recently so it’s best to keep stocks to a minimum due to the shelf life on it.
Also the Wild Mushroom like Morel and Girolles etc are very hard to find so it’s best to pre-order it and give us a couple of days notice.
Cherry Vine Tomatoes are excellent this time of year and are outselling most other salad items!
 
Fruit:
 
Peach and Nectarines are in full swing now.
Cherries are much bolder and have much more flavour to them now.
Apricots are still slightly dull and lacking a little colour.
Our local English Strawberries are very, very good at the moment and so are the Raspberries!
Melons are still giving us a little trouble at the moment, especially Honeydew. However the Spanish Charantais are very good.
Cox’s Apples from New Zealand have now come to the end of their season, so we will experience a slight gap while we wait for the English season to start in September. 
English cold store Bramley Apples are still available but it’s possible you will find a little bitter pip in some examples.
Watermelons are also selling very well now that the weather has picked up a little.
English Gooseberries have also finally turned up in London; availability will be very patchy however due to the short season and lack of people growing them now.
 
Exotics:
 
Blueberries, Blackberries and Redcurrants are exceptional this time of year. They look excellent and have plenty of colour and flavour.
Figs are another good choice at the moment, both the dark Figs and the Brazilian dusted Figs though they are still holding their value!
Lychees have made another appearance in market and are looking superb and taste just as good.
Rambutans and mangosteens have also started to filter back into London but they are a little hit and miss on availability.
Pre-packed Tofu seems to have also picked up a little recently.
 
Please be aware that due to the current weather we are experiencing, the following products are very short:
 


Go back to main news articles list