A festive feast
British cooking is ever changing, hugely influenced by other cultures, many of which are now part and parcel of our contemporary cuisine. However, this time of the year offers a great opportunity to savour traditional recipes and make the most of local seasonal produce.
The month of December.
As the shortest day looms and the winter days seem to be ever colder we can take heart from great British produce.
Many people think that winter, and particularly December, is a wasteland where British produce is concerned. Take a look below and see that, although we don’t have the abundance and variety of summer, there is still a lot to savour and to look forward to.
December is a great time for citrus fruit with Clementine’s, tangerines and Satsuma’s in season. Bramley apples, pomegranate, walnuts and chestnuts are all good at this time of the year. The first of the early forced rhubarb comes in at the end of the month. This early variety has delicate pink flesh and flavour compared to the later spring variety.
Pears and cranberries are also very good at the moment, perfect for creating winter chutneys to accompany the Christmas cold cuts!
On the vegetable front, root vegetables continue to dominate with swede, turnip, beetroot and parsnip all well in to their season. In addition to the roots, kale, leek, red cabbage and celeriac are all excellent.
Game continues to be a highlight in the meat arena with pheasant, venison and partridge particularly good this month. The grouse season ends mid-December, so make the most of it now. Young birds are best roasted and older birds are better braised or casseroled. Duck and goose continue to be good and offer a great alternative to turkey for the seasonal feast.
As far as fish is concerned, sea bass, brill and monkfish are very good. For an extra special festive treat try turbot and oysters, a welcome change from the poultry and meat that proliferate at this time of year.
