GO BEYOND FOUR SEASONS

EARLY

ARTICHOKE – GLOBE
Perpignan, France
Apr - Jul

In Perpignan, Jérémie and Christophe have begun harvesting Globe Artichokes. While Baby, Tema, Spiky, Blanca de Tudela and Mammole wind down, Globe is only just hitting its stride – with steady supply through until July, before we shift to sourcing from growers further north in Brittany.

Despite concerns about the January frost, the season has started smoothly. The plants have shown resilience, although some leaves exhibit small brown spots due to the cold. Quality and taste, however, remain outstanding.
Known for their tender, meaty hearts tucked beneath tightly layered leaves, this year’s artichokes boast a pronounced nutty flavour, a characteristic of the Catalan terroir.

We go to Christophe in Perpignan for Globe Artichokes and Poivrade – the traditional varietal name in this region for the small, conical artichokes also known as Petit Violet.

Perpignan is ideally located for artichoke cultivation. Coastal proximity helps keep temperatures stable during the spring and early summer – the peak of the season. Plus, the sea breeze brings humidity with it and some much needed moisture for the artichokes in the heat of southern France.

Expect fibreless inner stalks and almost no choke in the Poivrade and large tight heads with layers of meaty bracts in the Globe.

LATE

RHUBARB – FORCED
West Yorkshire, UK
Jan - Apr

We’re into the final week of Jason’s Forced Rhubarb. Since late March, we’ve moved from the early Harbinger variety to Stockbridge Arrow, which is now coming through with deeper flavour and thicker stems that gently curve. Right now, both the quality and colour are at their very best. Warmer weather this season, even in the typically cold pocket of the Rhubarb Triangle, has led to faster maturation than usual, when growth is typically slow and steady.

Once the Arrow season draws to a close, we’ll move straight onto Robert’s outdoor-grown crop. He grows Raspberry Red, a rhubarb variety with a deep red hue and a naturally sweet flavour.

The cultivation of Forced Rhubarb is an extraordinary process, passed down through generations to our trusted growers in the Yorkshire Triangle.

Recognised for its tart, sour taste and pink-red stalks, the emergence of this native Siberian plant is often a surefire sign of spring. Up in Pudsey, however, dedicated experts labour long before to bring us this precious variety, where it grows out in the fields for two years to accumulate cold units, which later trigger re-growth in the forcing sheds.

Because of this, some of the growers cultivate Stockbridge Arrow which requires 270 cold units – more than double that of the Harbinger variety. With soil temperatures rising, it’s a variety that will become increasingly difficult to grow.

Jason’s family stepped away from growing 25 years ago, but guided by Robert and his wealth of experience, Jason gives us renewed hope for the future of this regional tradition.