No 'sprout' about it, it's Christmas time!
Date Added: 15/12/2020
It has been a very strange year for everyone, and so it really does feel like a “I cannot believe it” moment when we realise that we are already halfway through December!
A huge amount of planning and preparation in needed with most food companies in the busy run up to the big day. But imagine what it is like for Brussels Sprouts producers when this iconic vegetable is such an integral part of so many Christmas dinners.
The warm summer this year has meant that we have fantastic quality sprouts this year with good tall stalks packed with sprouts that are up to 50 percent bigger than usual. Great news for cooks as the larger size will mean that they will be easier to peel.
As the colder weather arrived just at the right time, some windy days helped blow off the old leaves helping the buttons (the part we eat) to remain blemish free.
The only downside in the weather is that we got the rain a bit earlier than ideal for our harvesting teams as the ground got a real soaking and quickly turned to mud, which doesn’t help travelling in fields. Our hardy field workers are experienced to face such challenges though and it is still significantly better than it was last year.
Our Sprout harvesters and factory are working around the clock to harvest 2.5 million kilos of Brussels Sprouts, which is equivalent in weight to 200 London Buses!
Click the link to watch our T H Clements Sprout story, where you can follow the Brussels Sprout process – T H Clements Sprouts story... from seed to shelf
Either love them or hate them Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without Sprouts on your plate. Gone are the days of bitter soggy Sprouts, you were forced to eat as a child as they have developed over the years with modern varieties being much sweeter and nuttier in flavour.
Brussels Sprouts are full of health benefits and incredibly versatile, with hundreds of different recipes to try.
In a survey commissioned by a manufacturer of cooking appliances, it emerged that 38% of British adults, see the festive vegetable as their favourite part of Christmas Dinner, beating Stuffing, Yorkshire puddings, parsnips and carrots with only Roast potatoes, turkey, pigs in blankets and gravy scoring higher.
In total the UK produces about 82,000 tons of Brussels sprouts every year, enough to cover the entire City of London or fill 3,200 football pitches!
Cauliflower harvesting in Cornwall is well underway as well as harvesting in Lincolnshire too.
Whether steamed, boiled, grilled or served in a cheese sauce, Cauliflower has become a firm favourite on Christmas dinner plates up and down the country so we’re ramping up the harvesting as we planning to cut over 550,000 heads between now and Christmas.
Often overlooked Red Cabbage is another festive favourite and adds a vibrant dash to the Christmas dinner table.
Braised Red Cabbage is a simple side dish which can be prepared and cooked ahead, to be warmed up for the big day. Simply braise one small Red Cabbage shredded, in 70 ml apple cider vinegar, 150ml red wine, knob of butter, a cinnamon stick and 70g light brown sugar, bring everything to the boil and turn down and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Chopped apple or even dried cranberries work well added to this dish too before braising.
Pickled Red Cabbage works well with cold meats and cheeses often traditionally enjoyed on Boxing Day.
Our Lincolnshire grown Potatoes are on their way from our stores to the packers eventually bound for featuring on plates over the festive season. On Christmas Day, Potatoes will most likely be served roasted or mashed, however on Boxing day they can accompany Christmas Dinner leftovers from Chips to Jacket Potatoes or even mashed with leftover veggies to make Bubble and squeak.
Keep your ears and eyes open as we feature on local and national coverage on the run up to Christmas. Also take the occasional peek at our social media pages and give us a follow as we share recipes for new and interesting ways to cook and enjoy in-season vegetables grown here at T H Clements.
Finally on Christmas day whilst you’re donning your finest Christmas jumpers and sat down enjoying your Christmas dinner, reflecting on this strange year, spare a thought and maybe raise a glass of your favourite tipple for all the hardworking staff at T H Clements who have worked through the pandemic ensuring there is plenty of our fresh Lincolnshire produce for you to fill up your plates with.
From all at T H Clements we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year!