August has a lot of pressure on it in my book.  I always consider it to be the heart of the British summer and the sultriest month of the year.  So when it isn’t, then that’s summer ruined.  August is the last chance for a heatwave – next stop, Autumn, so it had better be good!

With clement conditions, August brings forth yet more wonderful seasonal produce for us to drool over, dribble down our fronts and delight in…

Fruit & Vegetables in season in August

Blackberries

Figs

Plums

Celery

Sweetcorn

Marrow

Figs always remind me of wonderful childhood holidays in Malaga, with my Auntie and Uncle.  They grow figs and at this time of year, there is always an absolute glut (if that’s possible – not sure there is such a thing as too many figs!) so we would have them for breakfast with Greek yoghurt & honey,  for lunch with salad, Serrano ham and goats cheese and for snacks whenever the mood took us…which it often did.

Fig Recipes from Martha Stewart

Sweetcorn is one of those wonderful vegetables which is so simple to  prepare but so wonderful to experience – emphasis on the word ‘experience’ and not just ‘eat’.  Who isn’t taken back to childhood BBQ’s or summer meals, where you’d gnaw at the cob to get every last kernel, buttery goodness all over your face but you really don’t care because it’s just so good?

As for plums and blackberries, these always signal the first signs of Autumn to me (alert! alert!) but what sweeter, juicier signals could you ask for?  They’re just begging to be picked and turned into all manner of wonderful jams and puddings – all of which will make you feel much better about the impending arrival of colder weather and darker evenings.

Plum Recipes from BBC food 

Meat & Fish in season in August

Grouse

Crayfish

I love all shellfish.  My son often asks me what my favourite food is and after much tortuous soul searching, I nearly always tell him that it’s crab.  

The crayfish which is native to our waters is actually protected, but luckily, our waters are teeming with the Signal Crayfish, originating from North America. These are fair game and even fairer eating. 

Barbecued Lime and Chilli Crayfish – Nadia Lim

Foraging

 Samphire

Early damsons

Wild mushrooms

I’ve always dreamed of living by the sea.  I even have my own ‘Dream Beach House‘ board on Pinterest for goodness sake!  I long for romantic candlelit dinners on the beach and long, barefoot walks with my big, shaggy (currently non-existent) dog, first thing in the morning as the sun just starts to rise on another perfect, blue skied day….. ahem, anyway, one of the OTHER reasons, is that I rather like the idea of foraging for wonderful seaside goodies like sea purslane and samphire.  If you’ve never tasted samphire, then the best way that I can describe it is to say that it tastes of the sea and (not surprisingly), goes best with other seafood.

Wild mushrooms are another goodie, which signal the start of Autumn.  While crab is probably my favourite food (I can’t bring myself to commit 100%), then Wild Mushroom Risotto (done well) is probably among my favourite meals (again, notice the lack of real commitment – afterall, there are just so many others!)