7:37am Wednesday 18th August 2010
By Ann Janes
I have a passion for the wonderful soft fruits of summer. Even though we can buy most things all year round in our local supermarkets they just don’t have the flavour and texture of fruit that is either picked locally or, best of all, home-grown. How many times have you bought strawberries in January and found them completely tasteless? Last week a friend came round bringing me some freshly collected windfall apples, a couple of sticks of rhubarb, a few blackberries and gooseberries, together with a handful of red and black currants. All poached lightly together with just a little sugar has made a bowlful of delicious fruit compote – just perfect with ice-cream or yogurt – a true taste of summer and virtually no carbon footprint!
As the season draws on we can look forward to early apples, pears and plums. If you have your own trees remember that the flavour is better if they are left to ripen on the parent plant. This is the golden rule with apples and pears as well as soft and stone fruit. Another tip to bear in mind is that apples and pears may not be ready even if they look ripe. A sure way is to lift the fruit and gently twist it. If it comes away from the tree it is ready, if it shows any resistance leave for a few more days before trying again.
It is still a busy time in the vegetable garden and the greenhouse. Courgettes and squashes are likely to need picking at least every other day. Check under the leaves for hidden fruit. This year I have grown my courgettes in a large pot and they have done very well, at the same time making a decorative addition to the sunniest side of the patio. Pick tomatoes as soon as they are turning red. The tassels on sweetcorn turn brown when they are ripe. If you are not sure try piercing one of the grains and if the sap is milky it is ready. French and runner beans are best picked before they turn coarse and stringy but at the end of the season leave a few on the plant for use as seed next year.
This is the time of year when you know for sure that all your earlier efforts were well worth while.
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