Eat the seasons: Best of British spring/summer

How well do you know your fruit and vegetables? You may be surprised to learn that fewer than one in 10 of us knows when some of the UK’s most well known fruit and vegetables are actually in season!

This is mostly due to a wide variety of produce being available all year round in our supermarkets, with many of us not even glancing at the country of produce displayed on the packaging. We simply take it for granted that lettuce will be available all year round, not just when we are being super healthy during the summer months and want daily salads! 

This year round availability of ‘seasonal’ fruit and vegetables, including asparagus from Peru and strawberries from Spain is pretty much accepted and expected within UK supermarkets, but this means that most of us have no idea when plums are at their most plump or blackberries are at their juiciest or when prime gooseberry picking season is.

Of course, there is always ‘something’ in season somewhere, but this makes it even more tricky to try and adhere to ‘seasonal’ eating.

Is it worth knowing which fruit and vegetables are in season? Well, yes, it is because it’s a matter of taste. Seasonal produce will always have a quality of flavour that out of season produce will not.

But then the argument surely is…can one really tell the difference between imported Spanish strawberries eaten in March and home-grown strawberries, consumed in June?

Possibly. Possibly not. It depends how much of a strawberry connoisseur you are. But seriously, home grown, local, fresh produce is always going to have the edge.

Perhaps the most compelling argument of all for purchasing and eating fruit and vegetables in season is that of simply supporting British producers. Frankly, unless your shopping list regularly includes pineapples or papaya, by shopping seasonally you should, by and large, find yourself buying British. 

So, this Spring and Summer, make sure you enjoy some fresh, British produce. There are some super tasty classic combinations in season, some guaranteed to take you on a trip down memory lane as well as setting your taste buds tingling. 
 

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• Mediterranean mix
  
  Keep that Summer holiday feeling alive with a Mediterranean style sweet red pepper and tomato soup made extra creamy with the addition of Greek yoghurt. A classic combination and healthy too.
   
• Out with the old, in with the new
  A new potato salad is quintessentially British – and seasonal too. For a super fresh tang add shallots, parsley and a vinaigrette. This makes a delicious herby side dish full of the tastes of Spring.

• Perfect Ploughman’s accompaniment
  
  Damsons are an often overlooked fruit but are the epitome of British. If you are feeling creative, then a spiced Damson Chutney is definitely one to try! Perfect on the side of a Ploughman’s lunch, with cheese, and even with barbecued sausages. This dark, spicy, deeply flavoursome preserve will become one of your favourites!
   

These suggested fruits and vegetables are in season through Spring and Summer and so will ultimately be at their most tasty during these months making it easy to support the British food industry. And don’t forget to look for the Red Tractor logo for a guarantee that you are purchasing quality produce produced by British farmers.

Oh, and enjoy!