Claire Power, product marketing manager, fresh produce, Pauleys During April we will see a change of sources for melons as new arrivals come from Costa Rica until the start of Spanish season. Difficult availability will occur for stone fruits such as apricots, nectarines and peaches with improvements in availability from May onwards.
New season spring onions will be available from Kent, which are great to add to mashed potatoes.
Warmer temperatures in early March have caused several quality issues with broccoli coming out of Spain, so beware. Product is coming into the marketplace with a short shelf-life and turning yellow quickly and some have been grown with bigger heads which are loose on arrival.
Alan Edmeades, marketing product manager, M&J Seafood
Rainbow trout is just coming into season and offers a more subtle flavour than salmon, with smaller flakes. Buy it whole and stuff it with thyme and lemon prior to baking in the oven.
Pollock provides a really cost-effective alternative to cod and is great for light lunches. Try spreading with lime butter and topping with a herb breadcrumb before baking.
For the more exotic menu, red snapper is also in season and happens to be one of a new range of fresh and exotic supremes from M&J Seafood. The range also includes barracuda, barramundi, mahi mahi and kingfish.
John Martin, product marketing manager, Prime Meats
With the onset of the warmer weather, demand for roasting joints such as topside and silverside will fall. However, you still have a few more weeks in which to make the most of them.
Just remember, when it comes to meat, quality cuts are a must and there's no better than British. Whether its British pork and poultry, Welsh lamb or Scotch beef you know they will always deliver quality. The best cuts from beef are forerib, sirloin and topside. With pork it is leg, loin and belly, or try honey roasted gammon joints. When it comes to lamb, rump, best end, leg and fillet are the favoured choices. You can't forget poultry, so why not try half a roast chicken per customer and, for ease of use, turkey crowns?
For further information, contact:
Pauleys: 0870 600 2005
M&J Seafood: 0845 606 9090
Prime Meats: 0845 606 9090