Fruit

Another thin month for fruit. Gooseberries may come through by the very end of May, but should not be depended upon until June. Elderflowers should be out all over the country by the end of the month. Free-food addicts can start preparing deep pans of fat for summery fritters made with the whole heads dipped in batter, fried until golden, then served with a sprinkling of lemon juice and sugar. Loquats are a brief early summer treat in the Mediterranean – the more bruised and battered looking, the better the flavour – with sporadic imports available here. Pineapples are still good and cheap. Bananas from Jamaica and the Windward Isles should be excellent. There may be good Spanish, plus a few English hot-house, strawberries around.