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Fresh and seasonal
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| Today it is possible to find food from all seasons of the year in the supermarkets. Yet nutritionists advise going against the flow and following the rhythms of nature for our foods. Here is a brief guide to discover which genuine products are linked to each season. |
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Go into a school and ask the pupils to tell you the first seasonal fruit that springs to mind and you will receive widely varying answers. In effect the question is not as easy as it seems because the year-round uniformity of the foods on supermarket shelves is dazzling. This is the work of technological cultivation and international markets that are increasingly close to one another, meaning we can have oranges in August and peppers in February. Consequently the diet of the consumers has changed; they no longer follow nature's rhythms and favour certain kinds of foods with possible nutritional imbalances. The risk is that consumers will become accustomed to flavours that are altered as a result extremely long conservation times, trans-oceanic journeys or temperature-controlled greenhouses, forgetting the original genuineness.
To help freshen up our ideas, here is a season-by-season guide for foods to serve up.
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SPRING, TIME FOR FIRST FRUITS |
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Spring is nature's riot. This is the period of the year when the biological cycle starts up again and our bodies require invigorating substances to set us straight after the winter hibernation. It is therefore the time of first fruits, early foods that are particularly sweet and tender because they contain more sugars and are brightly coloured, perking us up.
Spring is the season of the first strawberries, intensely perfumed fruits that are both thirst quenching and refreshing. According to farmer lore, a strawberry hung from the belt was a powerful talisman against snake bites. Furthermore, this is also the best season for lemons and cherries.
Amongst the vegetables, carrots are particularly valuable for enhancing the future suntan, because they contain carotene which is also excellent for the sight. The season also yields asparagus, rich in vitamin C and with depurative and diuretic properties, and fresh legumes including peas, chickpeas, beans which are a rich source of vegetable proteins and glucids. With regards to fish, spring is the time for finding the tastiest tuna as well as the best mackerel, sardines and anchovies.
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SUMMER, LOTS OF FRUIT TO STOCK UP ON VITAMINS |
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In the summer season the body needs first and foremost a surplus of water to top up the water lost through sweat, and can take advantage to stock up on vitamins and all those substances which can help get the body over the spring time tiredness so we can dedicate ourselves to summer activities. Nature responds well to these requirements with fruit and vegetables that are full of water like peaches, apricots, watermelon and melon, the real king of the summer. Whilst it is well-known that the flavour of courgettes, peppers and tomatoes is enhanced now, this is actually also the best season for many fish products, such as gilthead, smooth dogfish, umbra and swordfish. Genoese Pesto is also highly recommended between June and September, not least for economic reasons: basil produced naturally during the summer costs a lot less than the type grown in greenhouses in winter.
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AUTUMN, ROBUST FLAVOURS TO PREPARE FOR WINTER |
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Autumn arrives with warm colours and full flavours that help compensate for the summer riches and help the body to prepare for the rigours of winter. This season sees the arrival of red radicchio and pumpkin, pulses and mushrooms, radishes and spinach, apples and pears. Not to mention chestnuts, hazelnuts and of course grapes, the real "must" of the season, with its antioxidant powers and its many properties for aesthetics. The seasonal nature of wine is linked to this fruit: autumn is the time for young wines which, the higher the quality, the shorter they last, and Muscat, a very perfumed wine to be consumed whilst young.
The start of autumn sees the return of leeks which are refreshing, diuretic and laxative, and broccoli, rich in vegetable proteins. It is also the right moment for foie gras, which in summer risks being ruined by the heat.
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WINTER, MORE CALORIES TO BEAT THE COLD |
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Winter is the period of hibernation in which nature seems to slow down. The body's biological requirements need more calories to help fight the low temperatures and a few steps to help reinforce the immune system. Thus we can allow ourselves to get carried away with oranges and mandarins which are full of vitamin C and are rich in pectin, a substance that helps fight cholesterol. At Christmas time, dates and pineapples are essential whilst another fruit typical of this season is the kiwi, which is also full of vitamin C and pectin. Winter is also the right period for sea bass, which is at its best, as is fennel with its diuretic properties and the artichoke, a vegetable known since ancient Egyptian times that is rich in iron, making it suitable for those suffering from anaemia and diabetes.
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