Blackberries are everywhere now, and if you pick them from the hedgerows they're completely free. I made some of Delia's Blackberry Jelly a couple of weeks ago with some that I'm ashamed to say came from my overgrown garden! I really need to do some weeding, although at least these ones gave me some lovely jam. It is absolutely yummy spread on some super light home made scones. Don't think you'll wait until September before you go blackberry picking, whenever I've done that I usually find there's none left!Courgettes and aubergines are still plentiful, which are great in roasted vegetable lasagne or ratatouille. There should still be plenty of tomatoes for a good few weeks yet. Don't worry if you grow your own and still have lost of green ones. We have a great recipe for Green Tomato Chutney which will keep for ages.
Runner beans, I could never understand what my mum saw in runner beans when I was a child, we always seemed to have tonnes of them grown by various relatives and I was not a big fan. It must be an age thing because now I love them and make a point of only buying them in the summer when they are in season rather than settling for the inferior flavour and texture of the imports available all year round. There are hundreds of recipes but I love them left plain and gently steamed.
Cobnuts (a type of hazelnuts grown in Kent) are out from now until October, toast them and use them in everything from salads to crumble.
Herbs such as tarragon, mint and oregano should be in plentiful supply just now, they're really easy to grow even if you only have a window box. And you'll save a fortune not buying fresh herbs from the supermarket. Make the most of the chance to get English cucumbers, crunchy and full of flavour.
Other fruit in season just now include strawberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, peaches, apricots, melon (don't forget to serve it at room temperature if you want to get the best flavour)
Seasonal meat and fish are trout, sardines, sole, herring, brown crab.
