Asparagus and the St George's Day tradition
By long-standing tradition, the British asparagus season opens on 23 April — St George's Day. It's a pleasing coincidence that England's patron saint shares his feast day with the arrival of one of England's most prized vegetables. The Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire and the sandy soils of the Wye Valley are among the most celebrated growing areas, though good spears come from producers across the country.
What makes British asparagus worth seeking out is its brevity. The season runs for roughly eight weeks and no longer, which concentrates demand and, frankly, attention. Imported asparagus is available for much of the year, but it travels long distances and shows it. Spears cut and sold the same day have a sweetness and a snap that refrigerated freight cannot replicate. Buy from farm shops, markets, or producers who ship direct — wherever the supply chain is shortest.
Wild garlic at its peak
April is the high point for wild garlic, the broad-leafed woodland plant whose white star-shaped flowers start appearing as the month goes on. The leaves are the thing to know about: pungent but softer than cultivated garlic, with a fresh, almost grassy edge. They grow prolifically in damp, shaded spots — ancient woodlands, riverbanks, hedgerows — and are a reliable sign that the land is warming up.
Foragers will recognise it by smell before they see it. If you're not foraging yourself, wild garlic turns up at good greengrocers and farmers' markets through April, and some producers sell it directly. Use it while the leaves are young and undamaged; once the flowers fully open the flavour begins to fade and the season effectively closes.
Jersey Royals and the arrival of new potatoes
The Jersey Royal is the earliest new potato of the British season and one of the few vegetables with its own protected designation of origin. Grown exclusively on the steep, south-facing côtils — the terraced fields of Jersey — and traditionally fed with vraic, the seaweed harvested from the island's shores, they carry a distinctive mineral, earthy flavour that flatters very little adornment.
They tend to arrive on the mainland in April, and availability builds through May. Size varies across the season — early harvests produce smaller, nuttier tubers. Look for them at supermarkets with good provenance labelling or through specialist online grocers who work directly with island growers.
Spring lamb
Spring lamb in the British context means animals born earlier in the year, typically from hill breeds that lamb in late winter or very early spring. By April, some of this meat reaches the market, though the definition is loose and worth being curious about when buying. Genuine spring lamb is notably mild and pale compared with hogget or mutton; it suits simple preparation that doesn't obscure its delicacy.
Breeds and landscapes shape the flavour considerably. Salt marsh lamb from coastal areas — grazed on halophyte grasses near the sea — has a distinct savouriness that is quite different from upland lamb raised on heather moorland. Both are worth trying on their own terms. Ask your butcher what they currently have and where it's from; a good independent will know the answer.
Easter baking and the simnel cake
Easter's date shifts each year, which means it falls anywhere from late March into April — check the calendar for the current year. But wherever it lands, simnel cake is the traditional centrepiece of British Easter baking. A rich fruit cake, it is distinguished by a layer of marzipan baked through the middle and another on top, decorated with eleven marzipan balls representing the apostles (Judas customarily excluded).
The tradition is genuinely old, and the cake's association with Easter — rather than Christmas — is something that surprises people who encounter it for the first time. It keeps well, which made it practical for families bringing food to Easter gatherings. Independent bakeries and cake makers tend to produce theirs in the weeks leading up to Easter; if you want one from a specific producer, it's worth ordering ahead rather than hoping to find it on the day.
