The summer months mean warm weather, delicious fruit and plenty of chances for a BBQ in the sunshine – whilst adhering to the latest government guidelines of course! Many of the region’s pubs, restaurants and cafes will be looking to welcome you back throughout the summer, no doubt with a wide array of incredible, seasonal dishes, but in the meantime, here are some suggestions for seasonal foods to stock up on over the next few months.
Firstly, meat and seafood.
When it comes to meat, you have your everyday favourites that are always available, but now is also the time for lamb and for game such as rabbit and venison. Take a look at some of our meat producers here and see if you can pick yourself up some succulent, seasonal meat!
When it comes to seasonal seafood, the summer months give you several options to choose from. In terms of fish, you have haddock, mackerel, pollock, salmon, sardines and tuna as well as scallops gracing the counters of your local fishmongers. Crab is also on the menu at the moment, so be sure to stop off for a fabulous crab sandwich next time you’re near the coast. Take a look at our fishmongers and seafood specialists here to find where to grab the best fresh, local fish.
Now you’ve got your meat and fish orders ready, you’ll need to pair it with some veg or salad for the perfect seasonal meal.
From now until the end of August, there are a huge array of colourful veg and salads available including artichokes, aubergines, beetroot, broadbeans, cucumber, fennel, peas, peppers, rhubarb, rocket, sweetcorn and watercress among others. These flavours work beautifully when paired with a seasonal meat or fish or for the vegetarians served with some local cheese or drizzled in a chilli sauce!
When it comes to fruit this is berry season, strawberries and raspberries are ripe at this time and blackberries and blueberries are starting to appear. You’ll also find cherries, peaches, apricots and nectarines are particularly flavourful at this time of year.
So now you have your seasonal foods, why not head on over to our recipes page to find inspiration for your summertime meals?
