GO BEYOND FOUR SEASONS

PEAK SEASON BOX

Our Sourcing Team have selected the 9-10 varieties tasting their best right now. From familiar favourites to lesser known ones, these are our picks this week.

Passion Fruit - Seville, Spain
Blanca de Tudela Artichoke - Catalunya, Spain
Seasonal British Apple (Jonagold/Melrose) – Sussex, UK
Radicchio di Treviso - Treviso, Italy
Kumquat di Giarre - Catania, Sicily
Hass Avocado - Malaga, Spain
Rainbow Chard - Savona, Italy
Chicory Catalogna - Lombardy, Italy
Spring Tropea Onion - Calabria, Italy
Black Iberiko Winter Tomato - Almerìa, Spain

SAVOURING THE SEASON:
ASPARAGUS

As temperatures begin to hover above double digits in Europe, the season’s first outdoor asparagus has emerged. We start the season in France with Jean Pascal in Arles and then move to Fréderic in The Loire.

Frédéric’s green and white asparagus are much anticipated. He grows organically and picks by hand, continuing the rich history of his region famed for asparagus, but introducing practices that will enrich the soil long term, rather than stripping it. The land he grows on used to be under The Loire river, making the nutrient rich, clay soil perfect for growing white asparagus. White Asparagus must be covered with soil as it grows, to inhibit light from reaching it, blanching the spears and slowing growth - giving them a sweeter, subtler flavour. 

Growing asparagus is a true commitment, with crowns only growing edible spears after three years. Although asparagus is perennial, meaning once the crown is established, it sprouts year after year, its 15 year lifespan is deeply affected by the weather it has survived. The last three years alone saw the driest summer on record, bookended by the wettest February - and that was just in France, with similar extremes in Italy and the UK where we continue the season. Growing outdoor asparagus is increasingly challenging, making Frederic’s all the more precious.