Get ready … August is a month of plenty. With so much choice, the only headache is deciding what to squeeze onto your menus.

Fruit

Stone fruit remains a good call for the next three weeks, including flat and round peaches and nectarines. For something special, ask for the darker blood varieties. Apricots will finish earlier and English cherries are finishing, too.

Greengages and English plums are two new highlights for August. Soft fruit of all kinds is another winner. Try sweet, red gooseberries or juicy whitecurrants for something special.

Watermelons are a good value choice. Other varieties such as Galia, Honeydew and Canteloupe also available. Grapes and citrus fruit are tight and more expensive than usual.

Veg

English herbs and salads are in their prime. Tomatoes are every shape and colour will brighten up any plate. Marrows and courgettes are also plentiful, including courgette flowers for stuffing.

Runner beans are the best of British, but don’t forget that peas and broad beans are still available. Jersey Royals are also still going and well priced. It’s not been easy to find well-priced, high quality broccoli and cauliflower in recent days, but hopefully supplies will even out soon. Purple sprouting is back, although quality is erratic.

Extras

Wet garlic is always a winner, offering that sweet and subtle flavour. Scottish girolles are a prestigious ingredient. Black figs are another luxury fruit well worth considering – sublime in a starter paired with prosciutto or Parma ham.