What British produce is in season in January?

So, let’s meet it head on.  January is one of the hardest months of the year to eat locally sourced food.  There’s not much variety of produce or flavours. On the other hand,  British food in season in January is clean, lean and earthy. It’s a wonderful month if you love meat and fish or enjoy traditional English fare such as stews, pies and roasts.  In other words it’s a great antidote to the rich, creamy, sweet indulgence of Christmas.

Vegetables in January fall into two main types. The roots such as potatoes, parsnips, carrots and swedes. And those from the brassica family such as sprouts, kale and cauliflower.

Pears and apples may still be available at farmers’ markets. However, it’s hard to find British-grown fruit in supermarkets (even apples, even at Waitrose) at this time of year. Although there is some good news. January sees the beginning of forced rhubarb season, the majority of which is grown in Yorkshire’s ‘Rhubarb triangle’ after being awarded Protected Designation of Origin status in 2010.

January seasonal British produce is a wonderful month if you love wildmeat.  It’s the end of game season and this means there can be an abundance of meat available at good prices.

And if the weather conditions are good, this is a suberb month for fresh fish from the north to the south of the country.

In the spirit of trying something new for the new year, we’ll be cooking up a  winter BBQ of grilled Cornish sardines served a glass of Camel Valley 2019 Pinot Noir Brut Rosé. The complexity of fruit flavours and acidity make a wonderful and surprising pairing with the oiliness of the fish.

What English Wines go with January seasonal produce?

Pinot Noir:

The earthy, forest floor notes of English Pinot Noir make a great companion for January seasonal dishes.

• Roast or hot pot pheasant. The meat is more delicate than wild duck and a good combination for Pinot Noir flavours.
• Grilled portobello mushrooms with roast chicken.
• Winter vegetable stew with English grown lentils or fava beans.

Chardonnay:

Whatever your preferred style is crisp and fresh or rich and oaky, January is great month for pairing English seasonal food with English Chardonnay.

With unoaked, mineral, crisp Chablis style wines try

• Cauliflower and stilton soup
• Grilled seabream

With oaked, richer style wines try

• Pan fried cod or pollack with lots of butter
• Creamy chicken and mushroom stew

English Sparkling Wine:

It’s cod season and our favourite guilty pleasure is fish and chips straight from the paper with a glass of English fizz.  For the ultimate British delicious experience pair locally caught cod and English Sparkling Wine.  For a left-field pairing try grilled sardines and sparkling rosé.

• Cod and chips
• Grilled sardines
• Langoustine
• Stilton