Don’t you get frustrated with the news and “salad shortage”, or “limited sales of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers”! So, what happens, everyone rushes out to their supermarket to buy and the shortages get worse!
But wait, why on earth are we even wanting to buy salad items at this time of year. In fact also in the news this week has been snow and ice warnings. Well, I for one don’t really want to eat a salad when it is freezing outdoors.
Which brings me to the point of my latest ramblings and something I do comment on lots, in fact if you know me you will be fed up of me saying it. However for those of you that don’t, I am standing on my soap box yet again and repeating those words yet again “Why don’t we eat seasonally anymore?”
I want to eat strawberries when they actually taste of the fruit and are absolutely delicious. I don’t want to eat them in the middle of winter. In fact I care so much about seasonal produce that I will refuse what looks the most tastiest sweet on a menu if it has strawberries on it and they are out of season. But then I hear you cry there ain’t much in season at this time of year but there is, lots of root veg are in season. spring greens and spring onions are about to also come into season and most exciting of all it’s that time of year when wild garlic is in abundance. Wouldn’t our menu planning be more fun if we ate seasonal and you’d never hear the cries of “oh no, not this again”.
BUT if I can’t persuade you to eat seasonally , then can I at least ask that you think before you shop. I’m working away from home currently and I’ve found the most amazing weekly market with a massive fruit and veg stall. Shortage of salad items? Not on this stall, and not just one variety of tomatoes but lots in all shapes and sizes. These businesses will also give you advice on what you need and explain what can be done with the more unusual that they are selling. They care about their produce and they care about you. So if you can’t eat seasonally then at least support local.