Should we stick to eating seasonal veg?

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So far as possible we avoid imported salads and vegetables. Most of them have been produced under industrial conditions and spend too long in ‘post-production’ going through unnatural processes to standardise them for the supermarkets.

I look for UK and preferably local produce. Fruit that has been picked well before it is ripe so that it can be transported and stored can be rather tasteless.

Buying some fruit in supermarkets is unavoidable as farm shops and farmers’ markets cannot supply the range out of season. I notice that people look for packaged fruit [like berries, grapes, peaches, plums, etc] that have the longest dates on them. We take the opposite approach and buy those that need to be eaten immediately or very soon as the house is too warm to ripen things properly whereas the major supermarkets do at least seem to keep produce at the right temperature all the the way through the supply chain even if it is too drawn out. M&S and Waitrose seem to get it right more than other stores but they are thirty miles away so compromises occasionally have to be made and we find Sainsbury’s satisfactory.

I avoid buying overpriced and over-packaged fruit described as ‘perfectly ripe’ or similar. I will buy it when the price is reduced for quick sale, but often it has to be kept for days before it is perfectly ripe.

In our experience, if M&S say it’s ‘perfectly ripe and ready to eat’ then it usually is.

John, I think I can tell you some reasons why Iceberg lettuce is popular. It doesn’t have much flavour, especially it has no bitterness; it’s sweet and above all crunchy (all crunchy foods are popular in the West. Think of wontons: in China they are normally served steamed; here they must be deep fried).

But above all I suspect because it needs little or no washing: the head is so tightly packed no dirt gets into the lettuce, so it’s easy to prepare. I don’t mind it once in a blue moon, but my husband detests it, so we don’t eat it.

And I doubt that many people consider nutrition in connection with salads.

Made me think of Wompoms…

Thank you, Lone. I was hoping someone would have an opinion on Iceberg lettuces and reinforce my view that they are an expensive decoration and sandwich filler.

Apart from the crunch, Iceberg doesn’t have a lot going for it. Romaine is also my favourite as it has some substance to it. Have you noticed they are at their best just before and after summer? Cos can be bitter so I don’t get it.

According to Wikipedia, Cos and Romaine lettuce are the same thing but “Romaine” is the name used in America and “Cos” everywhere else, but I agree with you and think the Romaine lettuce sold in the UK [presumably imported] is different from the home-grown Cos and has a more pleasant and less bitter taste. I certainly think two Romaine leaves look nicer than Iceberg on a plate of salad.

In the shops, although they look similar, Cos leaves are usually rounder and Romaine longer.

So I’ve done a bit of digging, so to speak………. and come up with a few varieties:
Claremont (Romaine/Cos)
Sweet Success (Iceberg/Romaine)
Elyburg (Iceberg/Cos
Intred (Romaine/Cos)

I have to admit to chopping Romaine leaves into ribbons for a mixed salad.

Fascinating report on the lettuce crossbreeds.

I prefer whole leaves rather then the shreds most restaurants supply. I am always intrigued by places that serve half a tomato: would it be too much to expect a whole one? And what do they do with the other half? – save it for someone else?

Half tomatoes can get upcycled to the next plate 💔

Whatever next? Half a mushroom?!!

Half tomatoes are semitomatoes. Other types of note are demisemitomatoes (chopped tomatoes) and hemidemisemitomatoes (puree).

I have, in the shelf in the kitchen a packet of mixed lettuce sees awaiting warmer soil (although I will start them off under glass). 6 varieties are all green hearting but I doubt I’ll know which is which. I do prefer small -leaved lettuce with that slightly bitter taste, not big watery iceberg. 800 seeds, so a 5% success should keep us going from June onwards. With spring onions, tomatoes, cucumber, landcress and rocket I think our salad days will be covered.

You can buy half-cucumbers (not east to grow) but not half tomatoes, so choose a smaller variety like Gardeners’ Delight. But if, like me, you like tomato sandwiches and fried halves you’ll also need a larger version like Alicante.

I wonder when restaurants will include the specific variety of vegetable and salad items on their menus………………?

No salad is complete without a beetroot or two and some shallots.

We had a butcher friend who used to make his own pickled red cabbage. A great crunchy accompaniment to cold meat and pork pie.

I agree about the beetroot and I prefer to cook my own. Why do food producers feel the need to add sugar to beetroot? Even soup can contain added sugar. 🙁

Agreed, Beryl – going back to basics won’t do us any harm. Although English apples are five months old by now, provided they are properly stored they are still excellent to eat. I usually have at least one Cox apple a day and then round about March the New Zealand Cox’s come in but somehow they are not so nutty and lack the bite of the English variety. Still good with a flavour-full English cheese like Shropshire Blue or a tasty Cheshire or a medium Cheddar though. Port helps too.

I get mine either from our local market or from Waitrose. Sometimes they’re cheaper in Waitrose…

I loved your story about the beansprouts.