What's in Season in December

December may appear at first glance to be a sparce month for flavours but this is completely not the case.

Cabbage, clams, clementine, goose, horseradish, kale, jerusalem artichoke, salsify, mussels, oysters, parsnip, pomegranate, swede, satsuma, truffle, sea bass, venison, wild duck and winkles are all in season at the moment.

You can still get:
Cranberries, apples, partridge, brussel sprouts, pumpkin, scallops, chestnut, celeriac and turkey this coming month.

Celeriac, the root of the celery, is a wonderful root vegetable. I cannot stand celery myself but a celeriac soup sets me up for the day.

1 celeriac
1 large leek
1 med potato
2 pints stock (veg or chicken, or 1 of each)
2-3 larges cloves garlic

Fry off veg in a drop of oil before adding sock, bring to boil then simmer until all veg soft (about 15-20 mins). Stand for a minute or two to cool off enough to blitz in liquidiser or with hand blender, return to heat for a min and serve. This lovely soup is silky smooth and doesn't require cream, so it's very healthy too. Enjoy!

What’s in Season in June?

June is a wonderful and vibrant month of the year for a huge variety of food.
The start of Summer, it is the vanguard of the berry season, as well as being excellent for fish, lettuce and lighter vegetables.

Eating seasonally is important for your health and the environment, the list below gives some of those now in season:

June’s bounty:

Broad Beans
French Beans
Mackerel
Mange tout
Clams
Chicory
Radish
Rocket
Peas
Nectarines
Watercress
Tomatoes
Strawberries
Spring onions
Sardines
Lamb
Raspberries
Crab

To conclude, seasonal food in June is salad rich and berry wealthy. It is the time of light meals and peppery flavours and the start of Summer. Enjoy the fruits of June!

Have a look at this article for more ideas: http://guides.wikinut.com/What%E2%80%99s-in-Season-in-June/149x2sz_/

Seasonal accompaniments

April is in bloom in the highlands and there are many flavours coming into season.

Lamb is now on the menu, as are sardines, oysters, rocket, venison is still in season, cockles, morel mushrooms, watercress and spring onions. Another flavoursome ingredient coming into season is wild garlic. This lovely herb can be used raw or cooked, as a garnish or part of a cooked/uncooked meal. have a look at this article for more on this useful and versatile ingredient: http://guides.wikinut.com/Wild-Garlic/-bu6j0_7/

The main focus for this blog is a word on what to put with what. Foods that grow/ripen/mature at the same time often go together, and ones that grow together usually do.

So what to have with the wild garlic mayo in the recipe above? What about lamb, or the morel mushrooms for vegetarians. Just as berries are a great accompaniment for duck at the end of August, so too are morels lovely with watercress.

Enjoy :D

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin