Sunday, February 05, 2006

SEASONAL FOOD - Fall

VEGETABLES

BEST QUALITY: fava beans, runner beans; beetroot; broccoli; Brussels sprouts; cabbage; carrots; cauliflower; celeriac; celery; corn; cucumber; leeks; lettuce; marrow; mushroom; mustard and cress; onions; parsnip; peas; peppers; potatoes; pumpkin; radish; shallot; spinach; sweet potatoes; squashes; tomato; turnip; watercress. AVAILABLE: asparagus; avocado; chicory; eggplant; endive; fennel; kohlrabi; pepper; zucchini.

FRUIT

BEST QUALITY: apples, crab apples; cherimoya; cranberries; dates; figs; grapes; grapefruit; lemons; pears; pomegranate; quince; all nuts, almonds, Brazil, hazelnuts, pecan, walnuts, and, later, chestnuts. AVAILABLE: bananas; coconut; pawpaw or papaya.

MEAT

Ham, beef and pork tenderloins.

POULTRY

BEST QUALITY: duck; duckling; goose; turkey. AVAILABLE: chicken; Cornish hen; Guinea fowl.

GAME

BEST QUALITY: grouse; partridge; pigeon; wild duck; hare; venison. AVAILABLE: pheasant; quail; rabbit.

FISH

BEST QUALITY: cod, dogfish, flounder, hake, halibut, mock halibut, red snapper, skate, sea bream, sole, white sea bass, whiting, as whit fish; carp, herring, mackerel, grey mullet, red mullet, perch, pike, as oily fish. AVAILABLE: haddock, plaice, turbot, as white fish; pilchard, sprat, rainbow trout, yellowtail tuna, as oily fish.

SEAFOOD

BEST QUALITY: California lobster; clams; cockles; mussels; oysters; scallops; whelks; winkles. AVAILABLE: crab; lobster; prawn; shrimp.