What's in season in January?

So the Christmas decorations are finally down.  The festive food is away.  There is no need to be downcast though because there are lovely ingredients in tip top condition right now.

Bramley Apples

Is there a better apple for cooking with?  I think not.  The Bramley is the kind of fruit only the mother tree could love looking at it but when cooked, breaks down into fluffy clouds of delicious, tangy apple-ness.  I feel like the Bramley is the quintessential fruit of England, utterly tart and ugly but when cooked is just pure comfort food.  Apple pie, apple crumble... going to have to make one tomorrow... yum!

Cauliflower

Who could have guessed a few years ago that cauliflower would become fashionable?  Sadly though the only reason cauliflower has this trendy status is due to its reputation as an ultra low calorie food.

Stuff that.

Sorry, I've tried "cauliflower rice" and it's daft.  It's chopped cauliflower.  If you want your curry with chopped cauliflower then stop pretending it's rice.  It isn't.

That said, cauliflower is surprisingly at home in a curry and of course completely at home under layers of thick, cheesy sauce in cauliflower cheese.  No it's not healthy.  Yes it tastes marvellous.

Cockles

Fresh cockles are on my shopping list for this week if I can get any.  I'm dreaming of spaghetti alle vongole with the delicious sauce coating the pasta twirling around my fork.  Yum!