SUMMER INGREDIENTS
When summer arrives, there is a bounty to be harvested. The focus for this season is savory dishes that allow for Cricket St Thomas cheeses to enhance flavour and texture. The tomato , summer squash , seasonal honey and lettuce are just some of the seasonal ingredients featured in our summer recipes.
Summer Squash
Summer squash varieties, including courgettes and patty pan, are characterised by their tender, edible skins and flowers, as well as their delicately flavoured flesh. These qualities make them ideal for various cooking methods, such as barbecuing, griddling, and frying, or for adding raw to salads. Summer squash is harvested and consumed in its immature state, unlike winter squash, which is allowed to reach full maturity.
Tomato
Selecting Summer Squash When selecting summer squash, the skin should be matte and not shiny, which indicates its ripeness.
Commercial tomato cultivation in Britain began in the 19th century, following the introduction of large-scale sheet glass production to build glasshouses . The first glasshouses were built in Kent and Essex, paving the way for the British tomato industry. Today, British tomatoes are packed with over 90% water and naturally low in protein and fat. The UK consumes around 500,000 tonnes of these fresh delights annually – that’s 160g per person, every week.
Storing tomatoes For optimal flavour, use tomatoes soon after they ripen. Store ripe tomatoes in a cool, dry place. To prevent waste, they can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Lettuce
Honey
Cos lettuce, also known as Romaine lettuce in many countries due to its route to Europe and America via Rome, is a popular and historical significant lettuce type in the UK. Distinguished by its crisp texture, upright growth habit, and dark green outer leaves transitioning to a lighter interior, Cos lettuce forms a tight “heart,” with the inner leaves often preferred raw for their superior crunch. While versatile in salads, Cos lettuce is particularly well-suited for cooking, enhancing its flavour in stir-fries. It can be grown both outdoors and under cover.
Storing Honey To retain its rich flavour, summer honey should be stored at room temperature. It is recommended it be stored in a dark space like a kitchen cupboard, where it will not endure direct sunlight or extreme heat. Hot Honey Hot honey is the trend right now – and the best part? It’s super easy to make. Just warm honey with a few chilli flakes and drizzle over everything from cheese boards to cocktails for that sweet-heat combo customers can’t get enough of.
Summer honey derives its darker hue from the nectar of summer flowers, such as sunflowers, lavender, and blueberries, in contrast to the lighter tones of spring honey which is produced from the nectar of dandelions, clover, and tulips. The yield of this seasonal honey is subject to annual variations in weather conditions, which affect nectar production.
Storing Lettuce The two most important things of keeping lettuce leaves fresh and crisp are air and moisture. Lettuce needs good airflow with some moisture (but not too much!) to stay crisp.
*Sources: https://www.gardenhealth.com/advice/growing/harvesting-and-storing- tomatoes#:~:text=Once%20ripe%2C%20and%20if%20you,say%20this%20alters%20the%20flavour https://www.britishtomatoes.co.uk/
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-store-honey-explained https://worldofhoney.com/2022/03/07/the-many-varieties-of-honey-a-seasonal-guide/?s rsltid=AfmBOop2JiFUO0uUITpfkl9h_Tyge4KjdSmyCVBzYz6VZX1JbQ4Z7fk6
| CRICKET ST THOMAS - SEASONALLY BRITISH MENUS 14
ISSUE N 0 3 2025 | 15
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software