 |
Seasonal food
Totally Explained
|
|  |
Seasonality of food refers to the times of year when a given type food is at its peak, either in terms of harvest or its flavour. This is usually the time when the item is the cheapest and the freshest on the market.
The food's peak time in terms of harvest usually co-incides with when its flavour is at its best. There are some exceptions; an example being sweet potatoes which are best eaten quite a while after harvest.
This page serves as a guide to the seasonality of food. The list below is for foods common in the Northern Hemisphere.
History
Seasonal food was practiced since ancient civilisations as people ate what mother nature produced which varied according to seasons.
In 8th century, however, the choice of what to eat in every season became a conscious social event. Cordoba Calendar, a historical record written in mid 10th century, provided unique detailed information about the eating habits of Spain under the Muslim rule. Typical winter meals were based on rich vegetables such as Seakale beet, cauliflower, turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery, coriander, peas, broad beans, lentils, chickpeas, olives, hard wheat (burghol), couscous, pasta, walnut, almonds, pistachio, and pine kerneis. These were usually taken with meat based diet included lamb, camel and trotters. While fruity deserts consisted of dried figs, dates, raisins, prunes, accompanied with drinks from syrups violet, jasmine, aloes, medicament spices, fruit pastilles and gums.
In contrast, summer diet consisted of green beans, radish, lettuces, chicories, aubergine, carrots, cucumber, gherkins, watercress, marrow, courgettes, and rice. The meat accompanied these vegetables consisted mainly of poultry, ostrich and beef products. Fruity deserts included fruits such as lemon, lime quinces, nectarines, mulberry, cherries, plums, apricot, grapes, pomegranates, watermelon, pears, apple, and melon. Meanwhile, the drinks involved syrups and jams. Fruit pastels, lemon, rose, jasmine, ginger and fennel.
In Autumn meals included cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, celery, gourd, wheat, barley, millet, turnips, parsnips, onions, acorns, pulses, and olive oi1. Drinks incorporated aromatic herbs and flowers distillation of essential oils, perfumes and lotions, shampoos, inks, pest control, insect repellent and veterinary medicine.
In Spring meals consisted of onions, gourd, spinach roquette salad, asparagus, lettuces, marrow, fennel, artichokes, fresh broad beans, lemons, cardoons, truffles, peas, wild artichokes, beetroot, basil, mint, sweet marjoram, safran, green barley. pigeons, lamb and dairy products. Drinks involved lemon and mint syrup, distillation of orange blossom, rose and other herbs for winter.
Spring
Vegetables
Artichoke, Bamboo shoot, Onion, Celery, Spinach, Radish, Rhubarb, Carrots, Kale, Watercress, Samphire, Asparagus, Cauliflower, New potato, Parsley
Fruit
Raspberry
Meat
Lamb
Seafood
Red sea bream, Japanese Clam, Flying fish, Skipjack tuna, Japanese Kokanee, Salangidae, Sardines, Cockles
Summer
Vegetables
Eggplant, Green Bean, Baby Turnip, Courgette, Bell Pepper, Samphire, Basil, Cannellini bean, Trompettes de Mort, Broad Bean, Runner bean, Swiss Chard, Peas, New potato, Tomato, Borlotti bean, Sweetcorn cobs, Chanterelle ( mushrooms), Cucumber, Okra, Bitter melon
Fruit
Cherry, Greenguages, Blackberries, Nectarines, Apricot, Mango, Victoria Plums, Watermelon, Fig, Strawberry, Peach, Rhubarb, Blackcurrant, Raspberry, Walnut, Cantaloupe Melon, Ume
Seafood
Soft shell crab, Crayfish, Sea Bass, Sea Trout, Sardines, Clams, Skipjack tuna, Aji, Rainbow trout, Ayu, Unagi ( Japanese eel, Pacific jumping squid, hamo, John Dory
Game
Grouse, Hare
Autumn (Fall)
Vegetable
Carrot, Chestnut, Pumpkin, Sweet potato, Lettuce, Renkon, Turnip, Shiitake mushrooms (though they're not technically vegetables.)
Fruit
Apple, Pear, Grape, Fig
Seafood
Mackerel, Salmon, Oyster, Pacific saury
Game
Big game, for example deer, elk, moose, etc.
Winter
Vegetables
Carrot, Daikon, Chinese cabbage, Swede (or Rutabaga), Celeriac, Turnip, Brussel Sprout, Pumpkin, Beetroot, Parsnip, Red Cabbage, Leek, Cabbage, Shallot
Fruits
Pear, Tangerine
Game
Duck, Goose
Seafood
Sea bass (Grouper), Scallop, Pacific yellowtail, Pacific cod, Monkfish, Halibut, Lobster, Mussels
External results
Click here for more details on Seasonal Food
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://seasonal_food.totallyexplained.com">Seasonal food Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
We see you're using Internet Explorer. Try Firefox, we think you'll like it better.
· Firefox blocks pop-up windows.
· It stops viruses and spyware.
· It keeps Microsoft from controlling the future of the internet.
Click the button on the right to download Firefox. It's free.
|
|
NEW: Download the Totally