December

December is, of course, mid-summer. The long days bring forth a wonderful variety of summer fruit -- all travelling here from the southern hemisphere, but usually arriving in good shape. We are expecting Grapes, Raspberries, Blackberries and Cherries from various parts of South America.

The Cape should supply delicious ripe Plums, Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines and more Grapes.

Spanish Citrus Fruit is at its very best in December and we may see the return of Blood Oranges. Sometimes they don't appear till the New Year, so just pencil them in for a few specials.

Leaf Clementines will be in good supply and are rarely anything but delicious and beautiful.

Sweet, juicy Lychees still have a closed season. This makes them even more enjoyable when they return to the market. They are usually wonderful just before Christmas.

Hail Kale, Cabbages and Courgettes. Baby Sprouts, and their bigger brothers, will remain excellent throughout the month, providing we don't get any exceptionally hard frosts.

Savoy Cabbage should retain its star quality, and Red and White Cabbage are a good choice for cooked dishes and winter salads.

Japanese Coloured Kale grows surprisingly well in England and is usually a good winter choice.

Italian Fennel stays good through most of the winter. It is particularly welcome at a time when vegetable variety is somewhat limited.

English Jerusalem Artichokes are a must, too. They are at their crunchiest in December and have plenty of nutty taste. They are usually very reasonably priced too.

Celeriac is always a good choice during early winter and the home-produced crop is the best bet in December.

Summery vegetables include Spanish Courgettes, Marrows and Broccoli, and Silk Beans from Spain and Holland.

Cyprus Spinach is usually something special, too. Be warned, though, the prices of these crops can be high.

Starchy vegetables are great for winter energy. Tropical Plantains, Sweet Potatoes, Yams and Dasheen offer an exciting alternative to Potatoes.

And as exciting alternative-Potatoes go, the long, thin and delicious French Ratte really take some beating. Ordinary English root vegetables should be a safe choice for the menu, but remember the price of all produce tends to rise just before Christmas so bear this in mind when costing all dishes.

English Celery is at its best. Most English Salads will be long-gone. Italian Cos and Radio, Spanish Iceberg, and superb French Watercress will be the order of the day. Roquette and Pousses become more expensive as they must be grown in heated and artificially-lit greenhouses, even in Provence!

Proper earth-blanched English Celery has an unbeatable flavour and is at its best in December.

Herbs are not a problem in the winter, unless you want Pineapple Mint or any other of the unusual herbs. They don't come back on line until late spring.

Wild Mushroom supplies can be very good in December but bad weather can cause severe shortages. Varieties likely to be available are Pieds de Moutons, Pieds Bleu, Ceps, Trompettes and Chanterelles.