insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 04 - June 2015 | Page 38
FOOD+DRINK
Your Seasonal Food Diary
Growing your own in-season food is something that the National Trust has been
mad about for quite some time. After all, what could be more satisfying than
watching your dinner grow in your own garden?
To help you on your way to such seasonal
goodness, the National Trust has kindly put
together a month-by-month guide in order to
help you transform your plot of land into a great
way to save money and food miles, and of course
provide scrumptious grub for the table.
March
July
Vegetable plots start to stir in to life in March,
showing signs of the delicious produce to come
later.
Strawberries straight from the plant are best in
July, and in the garden, it's time to do plenty of
watering as summer reaches its height.
In season
Spring green cabbage,
Savoy cabbage,
cauliflower, kale, and
leeks all remain in
season.
In season
Bramley apples, broad
beans, runner beans,
blueberries, Savoy
cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, celery,
cherries, courgette,
cucumber, cos
lettuce, curly lettuce,
iceberg lettuce, peas, raspberries, rhubarb and
spinach.
Three reasons why it's better to
eat seasonal food:
1. Better taste – Top chefs agree that fresh
seasonal produce is best
2. Better value – A basket of fruit and veg bought
in the summer can be as much as a third
cheaper than the same basket bought out of
season
3. Better for the planet – Growing in season
requires lower levels of artificial inputs, than
at other times of the year
So what are you waiting for? Use the calendar
below to fast forward to the information you
need.
January
Leeks are on the menu in January. Meanwhile,
in the garden, it's time to prune back your fruit
trees to ensure you get fabulous fruit later in the
year.
In season
If you're not keen on
leeks, don't worry,
as there are plenty
of other tasty treats
to be enjoyed this
month, including
Brussels sprouts,
spring green
cabbage, Savoy cabbage, carrots, cauliflower
and kale.
April
Rhubarb is coming into season in April and that
means one thing: crumble time. It's also time to
check the vegetable beds and sow a range of
seeds.
In season
Obviously it is difficult
to live on rhubarb
alone, but in addition
to the end of the winter
crops, newer crops
are starting to make
an appearance. Spring
green cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, and kale
are also abundant this month.
May
Britain has the best asparagus in the world, and
May is the month when it really comes into
season. It's also time to start moving young
plants outside to harden up.
In season
It's time to get some
fresh flavours in,
including cauliflower,
cucumber, curly
lettuce, rhubarb and
spinach.
February
It's all about the orange goodness of carrots in
February, whilst also making sure that your
vegetable patches are turned over ready for
spring.
In season
Carrots are not the
only things to be
growing in February.
Brussels sprouts,
spring green
cabbage, Savoy
cabbage, cauliflower,
kale, and leeks are
also around this
month.
June
Summer fruits are ripe, and elderflower makes
a great ingredient in both desserts and wine.
Strawberries, cucumber, spinach and courgettes
are among the other fruits and veg coming into
season.
In season
It's the perfect month
for asparagus, broad
beans, carrots, curly
lettuce, peas, and
rhubarb too.
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August
By now, the fruits of your labour should be
showing up on the dinner table. And what with
so many vegetables in season, you could almost
eat a different meal every day.
In season
This month, there is
an abundance of
different leafy
vegetables ready for
eating in our seasonal
calendar. Also on offer
are Bramley apples,
broad beans, runner beans, blueberries, spring
green cabbage, Savoy cabbage, red cabbage,
carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, courgette,
cucumber, cos lettuce, curly lettuce, iceberg
lettuce, marrow, plums, raspberries, spinach,
strawberries and sweetcorn.
September
Enjoy some yummy damson jam as summer
turns to autumn; keep picking your beans, and
when the foliage dies, it is time to unearth the
onions.
In season
There's so much fresh
food available this
month, that this list
really is just the tip of
the iceberg. Included
are Bramley apples,
runner beans,
blackberries, blueberries, Brussels sprouts, spring
green cabbage, white cabbage, Savoy cabbage,
red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery,
courgette, cucumber, kale, leeks, iceberg lettuce,
marrow, peas, plums, spinach, squash and
sweetcorn.