A hundred years ago, urinals up and down the country would be reeking this time of year as the short English asparagus season starts. And, while I'm sure many chefs are more than aware when the veg is at its best, it's amazing how many good quality restaurants will still have asparagus, or maybe a similarly unseasonal strawberry dessert, on their Christmas menu.
I have to agree with the sentiments of Pete Weeden, head chef at the Paternoster Chophouse in London, when we chatted about the subject earlier today: "Someone told me it was great that we could get strawberries six months a year now and I nearly cried," he said. "I want to eat English strawberries for two months a year when they're at their best, stuff my face with them 'til I feel sick and don't want to see one for another 10 months."
In a few weeks time they'll be an explosion in British produce available as we hit the warm weather. But how prepared can a chef be? I'd be interested to hear from any chefs who have detailed or thorough preparations in place for the onset of British produce. How do you make sure the dishes are right before the produce arrives and can you ever be completely prepared?
Hopefully any feedback will go into an article I'm putting together on seasonality so please get in touch tom.vaughan@rbi.co.uk
