Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2008 | Page 97

FOOD & DRINK

life

seasonal produce

vegetable

Aubergines, beetroot,
cabbages, carrots,
cauliflower, marrow,
mushrooms, parsnips,
potatoes, swede, leeks and
a positive cornucopia of
squash.

fish

meat

Prices at this time of year
are very competitive.

Paul Murphy will be
showcasing some Isle of
Wight rose veal, available
from November.

Local fishermen are landing
good catches of bass, skate,
Dover sole, red mullet and
cod.

Use for hearty soups and
casseroles.

Autumn lamb, farmed duck
and chicken, wood pigeon,
partridge, pheasant and
rabbit.

fruit

Apples, pears, quinces,
blackberries, sloes,
chestnuts

chefs table talk...

Berries ready
for the picking
Seasons of mists and mellow
fruitfulness….. Autumn is the time
for harvesting from the hedgerows.
Freshly picked blackberries add a
vibrant colour and added depth of
flavour to apple crumbles, pies and
jams. Blackberry and apple jelly
makes a wonderful accompaniment
for meats and pates.
The blackthorn bush has a wonderful
scent in spring and in the Autumn
bears a bounty of Sloes. An ancestor
of the cultivated plum it is smaller
and more tart. Sloes are abundant at
the moment and are easy to harvest
but be careful of the thorns. They
have a bluish hue with an attractive
bloom and after long soaking with a
little added sugar in gin, the flavour
infuses and in time a delicious sloe
gin results. After the first frosts
the berries are sweeter and juicier.

Bilberries are not so easy to find,
related to the blueberry but smaller
they are a small dark blue fruit which
is very tart but contains antioxidents
and are high in vitamin C.
Crab apples make clear and fruity
jelly with a sharp piquancy.
Rosehips which look so colourful
during Autumn are extremely high in
vitamin C and also contain vitamins
A,D and E. Most commonly they are
made into a syrup.
It is most important when foraging
to take care. Many po