September is just around the corner, and as we slowly transition from Summer to Autumn, we have a variety of seasonal fresh produce coming in. Let's explore what's on the menu for September!

ROMANESCO

Romanesque is a unique cruciferous vegetable grown in France, that comes from the Brassica Family, and where cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cauliflower are found too! Romanesco is also known as ‘Roman Cauliflower’ or ‘Romanesco Broccoli’. It’s an eye-catching plant that has a bright chartreuse colour and spiral-shaped florets, growing in the direction of a continuous spiral, giving it a distinct appearance. When cooked, it has a mildly nutty flavour, and it pairs nicely with herbs and cheese such as mint, oregano, feta, and parmesan. You can roast and steam it or serve it raw by separating the florets and pickling with onion and garlic. 

RED CURLY KALE

Red curly kale grown in the UK, is a fibrous, crunchy, and leafy ingredient which is harvested 25-50 days after sowing. It has a gorgeous appearance of curled reddish leaves, ranging from green to purple, with dark purple veins. Red curly Kale is also a superfood due to its high level of vitamin C, protein, iron, and antioxidants. It’s best for making smoothies and adding them to a variety of salads, such as red kale salad with lemon and parmesan or stir-fried curly kale with chilli and garlic! It can also be sautéed and roasted, and with its earthy, peppery, and slightly bitter taste, you can balance out the flavours with garlic, radish, parsley, saffron, plums and more.

RASPBERRY

Our UK-grown crimson red raspberries are supplied to us by P&I Fruits, one of our trusted local suppliers based in London. Raspberries belong to the Genus Rubus in the rose family, (the same as blackberries and dewberries) and are usually harvested from mid-summer to mid-autumn. You can use these delicate, ripe, and plump berries to create delicious jams, sauces, and a range of desserts, adding its sweet, juicy, and tart undertones to the palate. You could pair raspberries with cinnamon, ginger, lemon, tomatoes, and other great ingredients to enhance the flavour. 

BLUEBERRY

Blueberries are a mid-summer juicy fruit that has an abundance of vitamin C and antioxidants! These dusky-blue small round berries are harvested from early June to late September and have a slightly sweet and tart flavour, which makes them a widely used ingredient for making fresh, dried, and frozen recipes such as preserved jam spreads, or rich berry compotes! There are various sweet and savoury flavour pairings that complement the tartness of blueberries, ranging from coriander, mint, and lavender, to mozzarella, feta cheese, lemon, and peaches! Some recipes you can try with these pairings are Blueberry and Lavender Muffins or Syrup, Peach and Blueberry Crumble Tart or Mozzarella balls with blueberry jam.

POTIMARRON

Grown in France, and known as ‘chestnut’ or ‘Hokkaido’ squash, Potimarron Squash is a popular seeded fruit that’s harvested before the first frost, between September and November, after 95 – 120 days after blooming. It’s part of the cucurbit family (pumpkins, cantaloupes, courgettes, and winter squashes), hard-shelled and firm fleshed, and has a thin layer of bright orange and yellow skin. With several health benefits including nutrients such as vitamins B, C and E, it also has good sources of potassium and magnesium. With a delicate and mild sweet, chestnut like flavour, you can use Potimarron in soups, stews, casseroles, Gnocchi, and oven roasted dishes. Shallots, onions, cheese, and mushrooms are the perfect flavour companions for this versatile ingredient. Due to its sweetness, it’s also used in sweet recipes such as cakes, brioches, tarts, pies, crumbles, and jams, so you can have fun experimenting with it!