You know that autumn is finally here when you smell the first satsumas and clementines on the market. These are over from Peru and Spain and will be with us past Christmas.
FRUIT
For apples, expect English Braeburn to arrive mid month. (Supplies of this variety have been from Chile until now). Current homegrown choice includes Early Windsor, Cox, Spartan, russet and Gala. A sunny September has blessed recent harvests with a lovely red colour. French apples are also abundant. Comice pears are also available, or Williams from Italy.
Now that temperatures have dropped, English strawberries are all but over but blueberries and raspberries are still eating well. Redcurrants are Dutch. Turkish black figs will be available until around mid month.
Spanish melons are still a good buy, but peaches from this part of the world are past their best. Brazilian mangoes and pawpaws are well worth a shout for something exotic.
VEG
English salads have a fortnight or so left to run. English tomatoes and sweetcorn should hang on until the end of the month. Peas, runners and courgettes are all but over, although marrows are still on hand.
This is an excellent time for brassicas: Brussels; kales; Cavolo Nero and cabbages of all kinds. Chard and spinach is also a good bet. The new crop of parsnips are top quality and spuds of all kinds are reasonable. Spring onions and kohl rabi are also good quality.
Squashes are looking magnificent and colourful, including enormous pumpkins in time for Halloween.
From the Continent, melanzane aubergine are looking gorgeous. You can also order courgette flowers, artichokes (including Jerusalem) and winter veg from Italy such as puntarelle.
EXTRAS
Fresh chestnuts and walnuts are a quintessential taste of autumn. This is also an excellent time for wild mushrooms. For something posh and special, try bunches of Muscat grapes from France. Pomegranates are excellent this year and less dear, mainly from India and Spain.
