By Fiona Berry, Registered Nutritionist from https://itstheberries.co.uk
Stop for a moment, relax those shoulders, unclench your jaw, and take a deep breath in through your nose. Now, we can begin. I’d like to invite you to think back to last year. Can you recall your favourite food memory? Was it a meal? Maybe it was a single ingredient? Can you remember the date you ate it? Maybe it was a special celebration. Did you notice where it came from?
I can recall my most favourite memory clearly. My husband and I stopped into the Market on the way home from taking our dog, Rhu (short for Rhubarb), for a walk at Ager Fen, our local woodlands. As I approached the till, there was a large brown paper bag. I can remember the smell, full of gleaming dark black cherries – and just one bag left! I felt so lucky. It reminded me of when I was seven or eight years old, after school with my mum, who bought me a ginormous bag of black cherries. I would eat them, one by one until they were all gone and all I was left with were the tell-tale signs of dark pink fingers and tongue. Glorious fun, and there I was, in the summer of 2024 doing exactly the same thing – it was magical and I will never forget it. This is the beauty of eating foods at their peak nutrition; these fleeting moments are a gift to be savoured. I’ll be forever grateful to my mum for taking me to the greengrocers after school.
Fast forward to this year, and I found myself once again at the Sudbury Farmers’ Market, this time on the 28th of March – the last Friday of each month in sunny Sudbury. This month was a special one, as the BBC were visiting to talk to all the incredible food producers, something I’m lucky enough to do on a regular basis. It was a great atmosphere and I’m so grateful that we have these markets in Sudbury, it was one of the reasons we wanted to move here. I love a market town, its central to communities and a great way to lift your spirits.
Visiting a farmers’ market is about so much more than just buying fresh produce. It’s an opportunity to connect with the people behind our food, to hear their stories, and to support small, local businesses that are passionate about quality and sustainability. Eating with the seasons isn’t just about flavour – it’s about appreciating ingredients at their peak, reducing food miles, and keeping our local food economy thriving. It’s also a fantastic way to discover new ingredients and cooking techniques, adding excitement to your meals while ensuring you’re eating the freshest, most nutritious food available.
Technically, we’re in ‘The Hungry Gap’ – that transition period where we’re still enjoying some of last year’s produce while waiting for the new growing season to truly take off. Spring is a time of renewed energy, with fresh greens and new herbs beginning to emerge. But it’s also a time to get creative in the kitchen with the ingredients we’ve been enjoying over the winter months.
This month, I was particularly excited to pick up some Jerusalem artichokes – one of my favourites. I’ll be making them into a simple soup and a dauphinoise-style dish, I’ve shared the recipe below. Celeriac is another staple I love. Over winter, I’ve been roasting it, but now that I’m craving freshness in my meals, I’ll be making a crunchy slaw to have during the week with some cold cooked meat.
We also treated ourselves to the nicest rack of lamb cutlets I’ve had in forever – so simple and quick to cook. While you might pay a bit more for the cut, you’ll more than make up for it with less oven time compared to a leg of lamb. Definitely worth a try if you’re hosting guests over Easter. Speaking of which – did you know there is technically no ‘season’ for lamb? They tend to be around ten months old when they go to market, meaning Easter lamb is more of a tradition than a seasonal necessity. Not something I’ll ponder on for too long, but it’s important to know these things! Thanks to Meadow and Woodland Livestock for sharing that information with me.
Recipe: Roast Lamb Cutlets with Minted Pea Purée and Jerusalem Artichoke Dauphinoise
Ingredients:
For the lamb cutlets:
4 lamb cutlets
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
For the minted pea purée:
200g frozen peas
Handful of fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp organic butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Jerusalem artichoke dauphinoise:
300g Jerusalem artichokes, thinly sliced, available from Sunshine and Green right now!
200ml double cream
1 garlic clove, minced
50g grated Parmesan or Gruyère
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the lamb cutlets on a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes. It’s that easy.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the peas for 3 minutes. Drain, then blend with butter, fresh mint, salt, and pepper until smooth.
For the dauphinoise, layer the sliced Jerusalem artichokes in an ovenproof dish. Heat the double cream with the minced garlic, season, and pour over the artichokes. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and tender.
Serve the lamb cutlets with the minted pea purée and dauphinoise on the side. Enjoy!
Thank you so much to @suffolk_market_events for another fantastic Farmers’ Market in Sudbury.
Great produce today from @sunshineandgreen, Honey from @lovelandsbeeline to have on some rye sourdough from @tenshedsbaker, and some lovely lamb from @meadow_and_woodland_livestock.
Plus, the most amazing chopping board from @roughstuff_oak – which will make a lovely feature at my spring and summer events. If you’d like to join my spring or summer nutrition and wellbeing events, get in touch vis email hello@itstheberries.co.uk or find me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/seasonalnutritionist/
Thanks to Justine and Alex for the opportunity to interview with @sarahllilley from BBC Suffolk Radio. What a fun day! 😍
