The first hard frosts arrived this week and have chill-wilted the last of the English spinach and brought an end to all the other susceptible late summer and early autumn crops. In Sicily where our tomatoes, grapes, citrus fruit and melons have been coming from the temperatures have plummeted too. They had been boasting of temperatures in the 20's up until last week but are now saying that it is unbearably miserable like England.
I talked to Howard Wass this morning who is busy harvesting our swedes and leeks on the North Yorkshire Moors. His first calf was born this morning - thirty more will be born over the next three months. Howard is pleased about the new law on foxhunting - believing that it is cruel and that it's control of foxes is negligible. "It is done purely for pleasure." He banned the Sinnington Hunt from his land some 10-15 years ago during his 'radical' years after hounds ran through a paddock at lambing time and caused several sheep to abort. He was enraged.
I am pleased that it has been banned but I just wish that the horror and cruelty of factory farming affecting 900 million animals a year, I read yesterday, and also the live export of animals, could be given as much consideration.

A few tricky vegetables in the bags this week ! The best way to eat swede has to be the Cornish way - mashed up with clotted cream ( and if you are feeling extravagant, a drizzle of maple syrup too ). You could try making swede chips - their high sugar content will caramelize in hot oil. In Finland swede is pureed with cream, breadcrumbs, molasses, beaten egg, cinnamon and nutmeg then covered with breadcrumbs, dotted with butter and baked in the oven.
You may like to try this Catalan recipe on your red cabbage:

Red Cabbage with Red Wine

one red cabbage, approximately 1 kilo
250ml young red wine ( Ribera del Duero is ideal )
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
75g raisins
75g pinenuts
salt and pepper

Let the raisins soak in the red wine. Cut the red cabbage into thin strips and wash it. Heat the oil in a deep skillet and sauté the pinenuts for a few seconds. Add the red cabbage and sauté for 30 seconds. Pour the red wine and raisins over the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let cook over low heat for 1 hour.

Best Wishes

Isobel Davies