What is in season in winter?

[HollyElise]

What is in season in winter?

... i'm thinking...

potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, cabbage, squash, apples, citrus, bananas, carrots, kale, spinach,

and beans, rice and pasta are pretty much year round.

What else?

[Polwarth]

Local? If so....

Carrots, brusell sprouts, cabbages of all types (including kale) purple sprouting brocolli, potatoes, swede (similar to rutabaga), other turnips, potatoes, inions, carrots.

But, nowadays, we get veg from all over the world and all out of season here at the moment - airfreighted french beans, mange tout, asparagus etc from places as varied as Peru to Zimbabwe. Fruits from New Zealand to South Africa and Israel.

[HollyElise]

Yes, here too. But i think there are several good reasons to try to eat most of our food by seasonal rhythms. One reason is the vitamins... the more time that has elapsed between picking and eating declines the nutritional value. And it makes me uncomfortable thinking about the fuel used to transport an apple to my market shelves from New Zealand when we have perfectly good apples here. Then of course there is the expense of it... raspberries from South America for winter may cost 3X seasonal, local raspberries.

And lastly... though perhaps not everyone would agree with me on this... I think buying local produce helps reduce world hunger. I've read a number of different reports on world hunger issues, and most of the countries who experience starvation on a regular basis actually have enough cultivated land to feed their populations. They are instead, however, producing "cash crops" which are more profitable for the land owners. In other words... the people who own the land make more money selling EXTRA food, out of season food, coffee, etc. and exporting it to wealthier nations.... so they do that rather than produce food that could be eaten locally. Perhaps reducing their cash crop market is a way of encouraging more humane alternatives.

One of my personal reasons for trying to eat more according to the seasons is just to feel in touch with them, you know? When i take my walks, too... when i feel the seasons... somehow it does something for me and i'm happier.

I had completely forgotten about turnips and parsnips!!! We don't see swede or purple sprouting broccoli here. I hope one day to be a fair vegetable gardner... i'd like to try the raised bed techniques where you can also make sort of mini-greenhouses to extend your growing season. It would be fun to try those vegetables here.

[Polwarth]

I am a great fan of a Scottish chef, Nick Nairn, who believes... where possible, in cooking local foods, in season. I try to follow this philosophy as far as I can - but Scotland can be a dreich place in winter - and eating ONLY root crop vegetables can get very, very boring.... Despite wonderful recipes for things like parsnip soup, scotch broth, lentil soup - and also things like beef stews and casseroles, meat pies, shepherd's pie etc.

I try to buy Fair Trade goods as far as possible if I buy exotic things - even my coffee (not exotic!) is FT.

[HollyElise]

Hey that's cool about the coffee! Its so hard in our complicated society to even know sometimes where our food comes from, let alone be "pc" about most purchases, but every bit helps.

I know what you mean, too, about eating only root vegetables gets boring after a while. I have sometimes wondered about the growing seasons in Scotland. Your winters are not as severe as ours here in Northeastern Ohio, but you have much less light in the winter months, so extending the growing season would probably be very difficult! Right now, for instance, it gets dark here starting at about 5 p.m.

I have seen Nick Nairn's books in the bookstore, but i haven't tried any of his recipes myself. How would you describe him?

[Polwarth]

Originally Posted by HollyElise

Hey that's cool about the coffee! Its so hard in our complicated society to even know sometimes where our food comes from, let alone be "pc" about most purchases, but every bit helps.

I know what you mean, too, about eating only root vegetables gets boring after a while. I have sometimes wondered about the growing seasons in Scotland. Your winters are not as severe as ours here in Northeastern Ohio, but you have much less light in the winter months, so extending the growing season would probably be very difficult! Right now, for instance, it gets dark here starting at about 5 p.m.

I have seen Nick Nairn's books in the bookstore, but i haven't tried any of his recipes myself. How would you describe him?

Well, 'gorgeous' comes to mind! No, he's just a really good chef. Only the freshest of ingredients, in season. His fish dishes are particularly good. So are some of his puddings, the traditional ones he's pinched off his Mammy! He used to have a really good restaurant in Glasgow - but decided to try to spend time with his young family, so has opened up a cooking school at his old home at the Lake of Menteith.

[HollyElise]

Wow. That sounds lovely (all of it).

I'd like more fish into my diet, but that's the one thing about living here in Ohio.... i was quite spoiled when i lived in Maine and New Hampshire on the coast. You'd go to the market and the fish, lobster, mussles, crab, etc... had been swimming a couple hours earlier. Makes a difference! We have fresh water fish from the lakes, but i'm not particularly fond of Walleye or Perch, and most of the rest must be flown in or frozen. I imagine everywhere in the U.K. you have plenty of fresh seafood available.