It's considered a little unusual to cook lettuce in this country, but this vivid green and fresh tasting soup makes good use of the battered remnants of a large one. Use either frozen peas or the fresh that are just coming in now. They don't have to be really tender and sweet; in fact the tougher mealy ones give the soup a really nice texture It can be served warm or chilled.

It's that time of year again, folks, - it seems to come around so quickly.  

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We're still struggling with very high prices on imported carrots, potatoes and onions so please be patient if you feel the boxes are a little 'light' at the moment. This is always the case at this time of year. The good news is this spell of good weather should help our own crops catch up. We have a few Cornish new potatoes and little Lancashire carrots arriving this week. On Wednesday we should be starting to harvest our lettuces from our own field in the Moss Valley. The 'conversion' period is over and they now officially organic!

A box (standard veg) Spanish new potatoes and carrots. Egyptian onions . TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY ... Yorkshire spinach, Lincolnshire lettuce, Tomatoes (some Yorkshire, some Spanish) , USA sweeet potatoes. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ... Sheffield grown lettuces, Lancashire pak choi, tomatoes and Spanish courgettes.

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with green pepper instead of potatoes.

D box (large veg) As for A with extra potatoes and TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY ... Yorkshire spring greens     THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...  peppers

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for D with Yorkshire asparagus

K box (standard fruit) French cherries, fairtrade bananas, Spanish oranges and melon, South African apples.

Q box (large fruit) extra apples and avocados.

It's that tricky time of the year when we're relying on imported potatoes, carots and onions (although we have a few bags squirrelled away for the UK only boxes). Prices are higher than we've ever known them thanks to cold weather right across Europe, so I'm afraid that means small portions for a few weeks. The good news is that a spell of mild weather this week should make all the difference to home grown crops. We have cauliflowers back again, plenty of local asparagus, and a few tomatoes from East Yorkshire. Spanish melons, cherries and peaches are arriving too.

A box (standard veg) Spanish new potatoes and carrots, Egyptian onions, English cauliflowers, asparagus, pakchoi and tomatoes (Thursday and Friday boxes have beetroot and cucumbers).

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with local cucumber.

D box (large veg) As for A with extra potatoes and cucumber.

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for B with local lettuce.

K box (standard fruit) Fairtrade bananas, apples, pineapples (pears and lemons on Thursday and Friday), oranges, peaches.

Q box (large fruit) As above with extra pears and lemons (pineapple on Thursday and Friday)

This week's potatoes are 'Marfona'; a slightly 'waxy' textured variety ideal for boiling and baking. We've more Yorkshire grown asparagus, cucumbers, radishes and spinach, but broccoli, cauliflowers and green cabbages are in short supply. 

A box (standard veg) Potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumber, asparagus, radishes, Dutch white cabbage.

B box (standard veg no potatoes)  As above with flat French beans instead of potatoes.

D box (large veg) As for A with Lincolnshire lettuce and Yorkshire spinach instead of radishes.

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for D with extra beans.

G box (UK only produce) As for A with pak choi or spinach instead of whita cabbage.

K box (standard fruit) New Zealand Braeburn and Granny Smith apples, fairtrade bananas, Spanish Valencia oranges and lemon, Argentinian pears. For Tuesday and Wednesday boxes half a fairtrade pineapple, for Thursday and Friday bxes a Spanish Galia melon.

Q box. Avocados, extra apples and pears.

It's a couple of weeks late but the English asparagus is growing well now, and we've got our first delivery from the Vale of York this week. The sprouting broccoli is finishing so we have very little in the way of 'greens' to offer, but the big spring cabbages from Lincolnshire offer good value so we're using them again. The lettuces are from Lancashire, and larger boxes have local radishes. We have very few European apples left, so for the fruit boxes we're restricted to fruit shipped from South Africa and Argentina, and this will be the case until the English appes arrive in August. The same applies to pears. The first shipments have been the earlier 'Gala' apples but better quality 'Braeburns' and 'Cripps Pink' should be here for the latter half of the week.

A box (standard veg) Hermes potatoes (for roasting and mashing), Scottish carrots, English onions, asparagus, lettuce spring greens and Spanish red pepper (beetroot on Thursday and Friday).

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with Dutch aubergine.

D box (large veg) As for A with extra potatoes and local radishes.

E box ( large veg no potatoes) as for D with extra aubergine and courgettes.

K box (standard fruit). Apples, pears, oranges, bananas, avocados, rhubarb.

Q box (large fruit) As above with kiwis and lemons.

Cold conditions have delayed planting this year and we still have a few maincrop and second early seed potatoes. There's still time to get them in the ground and get a decent crop if the weather's a bit kinder to us this summer!

VACANCY
(Full-Time 40 hours per week)

We currently have a vacancy for an additional member to join our workers’ co-operative in the management and day-to-day running of our successful and expanding business.
Beanies operates both a busy shop, organic delivery service and its own bakery, and candidates would be expected to participate in all areas of the business, including delivery driving. A full driving licence is therefore essential.
Our aim is to promote wholesome, organic and fairly-traded foods, and we are a vegetarian business. We pride ourselves on our reputation for quality and customer service and we are looking for an individual who shares the ethos upon which that reputation is based.

Send a cv and covering letter to Beanies Wholefoods, 205-207 Crookes Valley Road, Sheffield S10 1BA or email beanieswholefood@btconnect.com.  Closing date 14th, June 2013.

I'm quite pleased that in spite of the difficult growing season, all the Ingredients in Tuesday's and Wednesday's standard boxes  are UK grown. You may get white sprouting broccoli rather than the more familiar purple. It often looks a bit scruffy but is very good to eat. The 'Hermes' potatoes are tricky to boil as they're inclined to break up, but make superb roast potatoes; not very 'springy' but I'm afraid the new potatoes are a few weeks away yet.

There's plenty of good English Asparagus now. The organic hasn't started yet but hopefully will be along next week.

A box (standard veg) 'Hermes' potatoes, carrots, onions, Yorkshire white sprouting broccoli and cucumbers, Lincolnshire spring greens (Sweet potatoes on Thursday and Friday), Lancashire lettuce.

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with spanish green beans ( UK ones on Thursday and Friday)

D box (large veg) As for A with extra potatoes and Spanish peppers.

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for D with local spinach or chard and local parsley.

K box (standard fruit) Avocados, bananas, apples, oranges, grapefruit, English rhubarb (or pears)

Q box (large fruit) As above with Mango and lemons.

This week's potato is a 'Hermes'; not a variety we've encountered before but apparently it has a high 'dry matter' content. Put simply, this means more potato stuff and less water. High dry matter potatoes tend to break up a bit in water so boil them with care, but their fluffier texture makes the best roasties, chips and mash. They often have a good strong flavour too.These are from Scotland as there are very few decent English ones left. The carrots are Scottish too, with some Spanish ones for the end of the week boxes. The local purple sprouting broccoli is in full swing at last and we may see a bit of the rarer but equally tasty white sprouting. Leeks are nearly over now; there are a few for the no potatoes boxes but I think that's it now until the end of the summer.

A box (standard veg) Scottish Hermes potatoes, carrots, Herefordshire onions, Yorkshire purple broccoli, Lancashire pak choi (celery on Thursday and Friday), Spanish tomatoes and courgettes.

B box (standard veg no potatoes) as above with Yorkshire leeks instead of potatoes.

G box (UK only veg) as for A with  Lincolnshire spring greens, local parsley and leeks instead of pak choi, tomatoes and courgettes.

D box (large veg) As for A with extra potatoes and Lincolnshire cauliflower.

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for D with leeks and green pepper.

K box (standard fruit) Fairtrade bananas, Argentinian Gala apples, pears, mango kiwis and oranges.

Q box (large fruit) As above with English rhubarb. 

It really feels like spring is here now we have plenty of Yorkshire grown purple sprouting broccoli for the boxes. Local lettuces are starting this week but spring greens are struggling a bit to get going but should be along soon, with hopefully a bit if local asparagus. We have some nice French asparagus if you can't wait! We are struggling with home grown carrots and potatoes now; a few decent Scottish ones are still available but soon we'll be looking to new season crops from Spain and France.

A box (standard veg) Scottish Sante potatoes and carrots. Herefordshire onions, Yorkshire cucumbers and purple sprouting broccoli, Spanish aubergines and courgettes (red pepper on Thursday and Friday).

B box (standard veg no potatoes) Red pepper instead of potatoes (courgettes on Thursday and Friday).

G box (UK only veg) As for A with local lettuce and cauliflower instead of aubergines and courgettes.

Sorry not sure about contents of larger boxes yet - cauliflowers probably!

K box (standard fruit) Argentinian Gala apples, Fairtrade bananas, grapefruit, Spanish Hass avocados, pears, oranges.

Q box (large fruit) As above with mango and clementines.

We have some French Asparagus and, fingers crossed, a little English arriving at the end of this week. Morel mushrooms too if you're feeling extravagant. The indoor rhubarb is now being replaced by outdoor, although prices are high because of the chilly weather. Hopefully warmer conditions this week should see some better quality and better priced spring greens and purple sprouting arriving. We have plump bulbs of fresh garlic from Italy and local wild garlic too.

We should have enough English carrots, onions and swede for a few more weeks but the other winter root vegetables and leeks are all but finished now. We have some local purple sprouting broccoli at last; a good three weeks later than usual. The tomatoes are a variety called 'Rebellion' from Spain; quite widely available this year and very tasty.

Thursday and Friday boxes

A box (standard veg) English potatoes, onions and carrots. Local Purple sprouting. Spanish celery, tomatoes and cucumber.

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with pepper instead of potatoes.

D box ( large veg) As for A with extra potatoes and local leeks.

G box (UK only veg) As for A with our own sheffield grown spinach (organic in conversion) Yorkshire cucumber and swede as well as purple sprouting broccoli. 

K box (standard fruit)  Apples - French Greenstar and Argentinian Gala. Pears, Fairtrade bananas, clementine, oranges and lemon.

Q box (large fruit) As above with extra South African grapes.

I'm so sorry we have so little to offer in the way of exciting spring vegetables. The weather is so cold still, and the incredibly high prices are really hampering our attempts to make the boxes full and interesting. Please be patient with us! At least, with a bit of sunshine, the temperatures are climbing in the polytunnels; this week's pakchoi is from Lancashire and we also have a few Yorkshire grown glasshouse cucumbers. There should be local lettuces and other salads soon. Prices for Meditteranean produce have fallen a little so aubergines are back on the agenda.

A box. (standard veg)   UK grown potatoes, carrots, onions, white cabbage and pak choi. Spanish courgettes and aubergines.

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with parsnips instead of potatoes.

D box (large veg) As for A with French lettuce and extra potatoes.

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for D with parsnips and fennel instead of potatoes.

G box (UK only) As for A with leeks, parsnips and cucumber instead of pakchoi, courgettes and aubergines.

K box (standard fruit) Fairtrade bananas, UK Gala apples, pears, oranges, kiwis, avocados.

Q box (large fruit) As above with extra clementines and lemons.

Weather permitting all deliveries should go out as usual this week (yes we do deliver and open the shop on Good Friday) . We're closed on Easter Sunday and Monday but will be delivering as usual on the following Tuesday, but possibly a bit later than usual.

This week's potato is a Yorkshire grown red 'Sarpo Mira'. It's of Hungarian origin so apparently pronounced 'Sharpo'; one of a group of extremely disease resistant varieties that are proving useful with amateur and professional growers (we do stock seed of this variety if you want to give it a try in your garden). The texture can be quite floury and a little dry but it's good for roasting and mashing. As you can imagine we've not much home grown produce to offer, but the parsnips are local and the apples in the fruit boxes are either English Braeburns or the redder, stripier Royal Gala.

A box (standard veg) Potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips, leeks, Dutch red cabbage, French lettuce.

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with celery (cauliflower on Thursday and Friday)  instead of leeks, and Italian radicchio.

D box (large veg) As for A with celery (cauliflower on thursday and Friday) instead of leeks and Winter squash.

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for D with tomatoes and green pepper instead of potatoes.

G box (UK veg) As for A with pak choi and mushrooms instead of lettuce and cabbage.

K box (standard fruit) English apples, fairtrade bananas, South African plums (grapes on Thursday and Friday), lemon, oranges and pears.

Q box (large fruit) As above with clementines and extra apples. 

We're expecting the last picking of kale from North Yorkshire this week and then we won't expect to see any again until late summer. It's seen something of a comeback in the shop, mainly thanks to people making an effort to eat more seasonal greens, and helped by the wider range of varieties available. The winter kale and cabbages should have been replaced by purple sprouting broccoli by now but it just won't grow! It's too cold still. In the fruit boxes we're pleased to be able to use some good English Braeburn apples that are keeping well. 

A box (standard veg) Cara potatoes, carrots and onions (some from Yorkshire, some from Herefordshire). Yorkshire Kale and celeriac, Spanish tomatoes  and courgettes.

B box (standard veg no potatoes)  As above with leeks instead of potatoes (broccoli on Thursday and Friday).

D box (large veg) As for A with extra leeks.

E box (large veg no potatoes) As for D with Pakchoi instead of potatoes (Swiss shard on Thursday and Friday).

G box (UK veg) As for A with leeks and mushrooms instead of courgettes and tomatoes.

K box (standard fruit) Fairtrade bananas, English Braeburn apples, peasr, spanish Hass avocados, oranges and kiwis.

Q box (large fruit) As above with extra oranges and apples.

The continuing bleak weather is holding back the growth of the purple sprouting broccoli, usually a welcome new addition to the veg boxes at this time of year, and we have very little else to offer from our region. The local leeks are still going strong, and from the warmer South West of the country we have some cauliflowers; not enough for all the boxes on the first half of the week, but there should be plenty for Thursday and Friday ...

A box (standard veg) Cara potatoes from Herefordshire, carrots and onions from Yorkshire and Herefordshire, local leeks, mushrooms (tomatoes on Thursday and Friday), Cornish cauliflowers and Spanish celery.

B box (standard veg - no potatoes) As above with Yorkshire grown swede instead of potatoes.

D box (large veg) As for A with extra carrots and courgettes and savoy cabbage instead of cauliflower.

E box (large veg) As for D with French spinach instead of potatoes.

K box (standard fruit) Fairtrade bananas, lemons, clementines, apples (some French 'Pilot' and some UK 'Braeburn'), Italian kiwis, South African grapes (pears on Thursday and Friday).

Q box (large fruit) As above with pears and oranges on Tuesday and Wednesday, grapes on Thursday and Friday.

Decent UK grown potatoes are now in very short supply, but we've stockpiled some more of the reliable 'Cara' that we're been relying on a lot recently. If you have a no potatoes box and would like some added to your order they are £1.50 kg but we offer a discount on 25kg sacks and half sacks - £22.50 (or 90p kg) or £11.50. 

A box (standard veg) Herefordshire grown Cara potatoes, carrots, onions, Yorkshire grown white cabbage and parsnips, Spanish broccoli and French lettuce.

B box (standard veg no potatoes) As above with fennel instead of potatoes.

D box (large veg) As for A with extra Yorkshire grown leeks.

E box (Large veg no potatoes) As above with extra Spanish courgettes and fennel.

G box (UK only veg) As for A with mushrooms and leeks instead of broccoli and lettuce.

K box (standard fruit) Apples ('Pilot' from France or the scruffier looking 'Rudford Russet from Kent), pears,Italian oranges, Fairtrade bananas, grapefruit, Spanish Hass avocados.

Q box (large fruit) As above with extra clementines and kiwis.

Beanies customer and local organic fruit and veg expert Richard Clare is starting a 10 week course in 'Ediculture' - growing food on a domestic scale. The first session is on Monday 4th March 7 - 9 pm in central Sheffield. Call 0771 832759 for details or to book a place, or email ediculture@gmail.com