Seasonal foods in September

September foods are gorgeous, with the end of all the summer goodies, plus the start of everything that does better in the cooler weather. It’s a very good month for fans of seafood and game.

What’s in season in September?

Fruit: apples, bilberries, blackberries, blueberries, damsons, elderberries, figs, grapes, greengages, juniper berries, Kentish cobnuts, loganberries, pears, plums, raspberries, sloes. Imported melons, nectarines, peaches.

Vegetables: all salad leaves, asian greens, aubergines, broccoli, celery, chillies, chives, courgettes, cucumbers, fennel, globe artichokes, green beans, green and red cabbage, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, marrows, peppers, pumpkins and squashes, radishes, red onions, rocket, salsify and scorzonera, samphire, sorrel, spinach, spring onions, swedes, sweetcorn, summer squash, tomatoes, watercress, wild mushrooms (ceps, chanterelles, oyster, puffball, shaggy ink cap and more).

Fish and shellfish: black bream, brown and rainbow trout, brown hen crabs, brown shrimp, clams, Dover sole, eels, lobster, mussels, native oysters, pilchards, plaice, prawns, scallops, sea bass, signal crayfish, skate, sprats, squid, turbot.

Meat, poultry and game: Michaelmas goose, Autumn lamb, grouse, partridge, venison at its best, wild duck.

Cheeses: Double Gloucester, Farmhouse Cheshire. Brie de Meaux.

What are you going to cook?

I feel an apple and blackberry crumble coming on, and maybe some spicy crab cakes.