January

Too much is made of the gluttony associated with Christmas. The media and retail business patronise us with images of consumerism they’d like us to ape and January’s supposed belt-tightening after the feast becomes laboured. ‘Suffering from one mince pie too many? Lose those extra pounds’. This is a pity because January, far from offering a bleak prospect of ravaged shelves, is one of the year’s best months for fresh produce. The highlights are British-grown vegetables, fish and shellfish from home waters, imported exotic and citrus fruits.