Thursday, 31 March 2016

Veg, Fruit and Foraged Foods in Season in April


What is seasonal food? 


If you grow your own vegetables the packet will tell you when you can expect to harvest the crop and this is when it is in season.  If you see vegetables for sales outside of this time then they are not in season and may well have been imported or grown under heat in a greenhouse.

Why eat seasonal food?


Food that is in season has many advantages over imported food or that grown under cover:



  • It will have the best and freshest taste.
  • It will have a higher nutritional value.
  • It is good for the environment as it will have low food low miles and less energy will have been used than glass-grown plants to produce it.
  • As a result it will be cheaper.
  • Finally, as a consumer, you will get seasonal variety and the excitement of the first taste of a just in-season food is hard to beat.  A strawberry in winter may look appetising but it has minimal taste compared to a summer one.

What is is Season in April? 

(Please note I have based this list on UK and Northern France)

Veg

  • Asparagus
  • Purple Sprouting Broccoli
  • Jersey Royal Potatoes
  • Rocket
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Cauliflower 
  • Water Cress
  • Spring greens (collards) 

    Fruit

    • Rhubarb

    Foraging

    • Wild garlic
    • Moral mushrooms
    • Sorrel
    • Nettles - you may not view these as a food but they are in fact very nutritional and I will blog about some recipes very soon.

    Do you have any favourite recipes using these ingredients?
    This is my recipe for Wild Garlic and Leek Risotto.
    You should still be able to get in season leeks although they are reaching the end of their season in April.

    A Green and Rosie Life

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    15 comments :

    1. Anonymous1 April 2016 at 15:25

      I am always in the lookout for wild garlic! The taste and smell is just the most amazing! #pocolo

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      1. A Green and Rosie Life2 April 2016 at 13:59

        There is so much on the path from our house down to the valley - we are very lucky!

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    2. chickenruby1 April 2016 at 18:09

      we don't have any seasonal fruit in Dubai, i have noticed though that more than half our fruit and veg is imported from South Africa, but then the UAE government are supporting farming there and in other parts of Africa

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      1. A Green and Rosie Life2 April 2016 at 14:02

        I guess most things are imported in Dubai - it may be the most ungreen place on earth!

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    3. Jessica Bird1 April 2016 at 19:10

      I love rhubarb! I used to have so much fun as a kid picking it with my dad. :) #pocolo

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      1. A Green and Rosie Life2 April 2016 at 14:03

        I adore it too and am off the check of we have any let lurking in the freezer from last year.

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    4. Claire1 April 2016 at 20:13

      Whoo I love to know what fruit and veg is in season, I need to look out for the purple broccoli :)

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      1. A Green and Rosie Life2 April 2016 at 14:04

        I will do a similar post for each month so do pop back and have a look. I am not sure how easy purple sprouting broccoli is to buy in supermarkets (I checked Sainsburys and they didn't have in online) - you are probably best trying farmers' markets.

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    5. Rachel Bustin3 April 2016 at 11:04

      I love to eat seasonal fruit and veg. I think it always tastes better and its not forced xx
      #PoCoLo

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      Replies
      1. A Green and Rosie Life3 April 2016 at 11:58

        So true and I love waiting foe new seasonal produce to be ready as that first taste is the best!

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    6. Morgan Prince12 April 2016 at 12:15

      I've always wondered what's in season when, it can get rather confusing when the supermarket stocks everything all of the time! Thanks for some clarification.
      And thanks for linking to #PoCoLo - just getting around to catching up on my reading!!

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    7. Marla2 April 2018 at 17:14

      Hi Rosie,
      I sure do look forward to the fresh asparagus in the Spring, My favorite recipe is making asparagus and saute with coconut and putting a little maple syrup on it to give it a caramelized effect. It is very tasty. I also like putting raw asparagus on salads. Sharing on social media #GoingGreen Linky

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    8. Tubbs3 April 2018 at 12:26

      This is so useful and the mention of rhubarb has made me so happy :) Crumble time it is!!

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    9. Anonymous4 April 2018 at 17:13

      All of my favorites on that first list, except rhubarb, I don't actually like it at all (I know, that's bad!!) and we have wild garlic growing in our garden that I use often in spring. The cats like to sit in it and often come home smelling rather strongly of it.
      #goinggreen

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    10. Kids of the Wild6 April 2018 at 21:51

      We LOVE wild garlic, got all the kids identifying it at forest school the other week. Great raw, in mash, your risotto sounds delicious. Our nettles aren't ready yet, too much snow!! And goosegrass makes a great tea too. I'll be trying ground Elder too this year #GoingGreen

      ReplyDelete

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