What is in season in December
40 ingredients with a short season — three months or less — are at their best in December in France. Not only fruit and vegetables: the fish, the mushrooms, the game and the cheeses have a season too.
Nine things arrive in December and every one is for a feast. The black truffle returns. So do the roes Japan keeps for the new year — herring kazunoko, sea cucumber konowata and kuchiko, fugu milt — and the cotechino for the Italian one. Blackcurrant buds for cassis, hoshigaki hung up to dry, and the Rosa di Gorizia, a rose-shaped chicory that costs what it costs because it is dug and trimmed by hand.
New this month 9
In season now and not in November.
Black truffle Blackcurrant buds Cotechino Fugu shirako Hoshigaki Kazunoko Konowata Kuchiko (dried sea cucumber ovaries) Rosa di Gorizia
Last month for 18
In season now and gone in January.
Arbutus berry Bettarazuke Blue foot mushroom Capon Chestnut Citron Cranberry Date Mashua Medlar Pecan Persimmon Sooty head Strawberry-tree honey Turkey Ulluco White truffle Yacon
Everything in season in December
Vegetables 7
Cardoon Kuwai Mashua Oca Rosa di Gorizia Ulluco Yacon
Fruits 10
Arbutus berry Buddha's hand Citron Clementine Cranberry Date Hoshigaki Medlar Persimmon Yuzu
Herbs 1
Mushrooms 4
Black truffle Blue foot mushroom Sooty head White truffle
Nuts & seeds 2
Meat & poultry 7
Boudin blanc Capon Cotechino Goose Goose foie gras Poularde Turkey
Fish & seafood 2
Shellfish & molluscs 1
Kuchiko (dried sea cucumber ovaries)
Roe & caviar 2
Fats & oils 1
Condiments & ferments 1
Sweet pantry 2
Manuka honey Strawberry-tree honey
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