Fruit and Veg

November's Fruit and Veg Market Report

Written by Tom Moggach
November 10, 2015

It's the colours of citrus fruit that dazzle at this time of year, as their season shifts up into southern Europe.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Clementines

Fragrant bergamot from Italy (pictured below) joins more familiar fruit such as clementines and satsumas.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Bergamot

Lemons are arriving from Turkey and Spain. As I write, Spanish oranges are yet to hit their stride.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Lemons

English apples, of course, are a homegrown highlight. Braeburns have joined Spartan (pictured below), Gala, Cox, russet and Bramley. The first Comice pears are on hand, along with the earlier Conference variety.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Spartan Apples

Soft fruit includes the last English strawberries, redcurrants, blueberries and blackcurrants.

Cranberries are also here, waiting for their starring role at Christmas:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Cranberries

Pomegranates and quinces are a good bet:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Pomegranates
Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Quince

Turkish figs won't last beyond the middle of November. English plums are over. Kaki fruit (a.k.a. persimmon; pictured below), custard apples and prickly pears are among the more unusual options:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Kaki Fruit

There's some rhubarb about, mainly Dutch:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Rhubarb

I even spotted these medlars - excellent if you're making your own jellies and jams:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Medlars

For veg, all your classic winter roots and brassicas are on excellent form. How about Chantenay carrots or these Brussel sprouts and their tops, for example?

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Brussel Tops

Or kales such as Cavolo Nero, purple sprouting broccoli and Romanesco cauliflower:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Cavolo Nero
Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Purple Sprouting
Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Romanesco

Squashes, of course, offer an amazing variety of shapes, sizes and colours:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Squashes
Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Squash

English salads will last until around the middle of the month. Watercress remains an excellent option. Spinach and chard are both good choices in these colder months:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Spinach
Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Rainbow Chard

Herbs such as curley and flat leaf parsley are looking terrific. Here are some fragrant fennel fronds:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Fennel

The Italian season for winter veg and salads is now underway, bringing treats such as raddichios, Cime di rapa and Puntarelle:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Radicchio
Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Cime Di Rapa
Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Puntarelle

Autumn is also an excellent time for wild mushrooms, including Trompette, Chanterelle, Pied de Mouton, Cep and Mousseron:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Wild Mushrooms

For nuts, you'll find the last of the English cobnuts plus wet walnuts, chestnuts and hazelnuts.

For something unusual, how about exploring some of the lesser-spotted roots. Crosnes (a.k.a. Chinese artichokes) boast a fantastic flavour:

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Crosnes

Peruvian produce is increasingly fashionable these days. You can find out more here.

Ingredients such as oca (pictured below) can be sourced through traders such as The French Garden.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report November 2015 Oca

See you in December, when the Market will shift up a further gear in the hectic run-up to Christmas.

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