The first of the forced rhubarb and mutton this week reminds us that January has much more to offer us than the green's and root vegetables that we have so far become accustomed to. Coupled with our new range of home-cooked Swedish sides and salads, the return of Mozzarella balls and organic duck wings, this makes for an exciting week of new produce at Farm Direct.
On our farms, the repercussions of a relatively frost-free December are now being felt, with this years forced rhubarb stems noticeably thinner than usual. While slighter stems are great for the chef (they are sweeter and not quite as tough), a smaller yield can seriously hit the pockets of our farmers. Still, our other winter crops have been particularly bountiful, evident in the fact that our chards and rocket have only just come to an end.
We are excited to have Nicola's organic mutton ready and available for us this week - it is cheaper than lamb but mush more flavoursome. Cut from barren ewes, Nicola's mutton is matured for 2-3 years, making it tender and rich. Try our neck fillet for a rich mutton stew or our shoulders and legs are prefect for slow-roasting in the oven. See this weeks edition of Pip's tips for advise on how to make the most of your mutton.
Another new addition from Beatbush, we have pots of Fresh Organic Goose Fat - not so great for the waistline, but you will never make better roast potatoes... ever!
New to our veg range we have organic celery from Nash Nurseries in Kent, while our cocktail vine tomatoes have been superseded by a new 'classic vine' variety (slightly bigger but just as juicy and sweet).
And finally, we have come to the end of our Solent garlic from Matthew in Essex - this years crop has already been planted so we should have some more in 2 or 3 months. Next week expect to see a range of new garlics, pickles and mustards from the Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wright.
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