Aubergines

We take great pride in our produce. Sinan, our monosyllabic fruit and veg guy, tends to arrive 2 hours late and with only some of what we ordered, but he knows how to choose the best watermelons (a dying art) and we can count on him for the small, crunchy cucumbers we love, exactly the kind of green chillies we need, and black Bursa figs in season. Sabrina brings us the best of Europe – crazy coloured cauliflowers from France; garlic flowers from Cornwall for ten days in July; sweet tomatoes and round aubergines from southern Italy. These aubergines have a sweet, white flesh without a hint of bitterness and are a particular joy to cook and eat – if you ever see them in the shops, treat yourself. That said, most supermarkets stock terrific aubergines these days, so if you can’t find them, don’t feel as if you are missing out.