In the Kitchen: Summer's Finest Flavours
Basil, the scent and flavour of summer, should be kept with stems cut-end in shallow water and out of the fridge. For pot plants, stand them in a saucer and water from below in the morning, as basil hates having wet feet overnight.
Cherries are best eaten within minutes of picking, so wait for the English harvest to hit the shelves. The intensity and depth of flavour will be your reward. Enjoy them sun-warm as they are, or in a clafoutis, whether sweet or sour.
Think of a courgette as a bottle of cordial: the more water you add (and the bigger they get), the weaker the flavour. Eat them small, try them raw and nutty, or sliced and griddled with excellent sour cheese, tarragon, or basil.
Gooseberries are one of the great and most under-appreciated ingredients of summer. Enjoy them early and sharp (hello gooseberry salsa), or a little sweeter later in the season. Head to Egton Manor in Yorkshire on 4 August for its gooseberry festival.
Marsh samphire offers deliciously salty, succulent stems, superb raw or briefly simmered. An easily identified plant to forage in marshland areas, it is increasingly available in shops too. It is especially great with fish, potatoes, and egg.
Strawberries are easy to grow and impossible not to love, the fruit of summer. If you can find a pick-your-own, you will enjoy them at their best. Otherwise, do not be afraid to smell them in the shop; they should be deeply fruity.
Cherry tomatoes are often the most delicious, as the small fruit are easier to ripen more fully. Varieties like Gardener's Delight and Honeycomb have the perfect balance of sweet and sharp. Keep them at room temperature.
In the Garden: Sow for the Coming Months
Sow soft herbs for autumn and winter use; kale, cabbage, spinach, and radicchio for the cold months; and carrots, beetroot, radish, and salad leaves every three weeks for a steady supply. Harvest early potatoes do not store well, so dig as you need them and enjoy straight away. Freeze any surplus strawberries, blueberries, and other berries as soon as you can. Pick stems of just-opened lavender flowers to hang in a cool, dark place to dry. Pinch out side shoots on tomato plants in July, and feed and water regularly.
