In-store, there is no room left for doubt that we’ve entered English strawberry time and there are already plenty of offers and seemingly plenty of fruit on offer following the early start. Indeed, I have even heard some genuine concern that the traditional Wimbledon peak may arrive earlier than expected - rather like a Roger Federer forehand one suspects.

Amidst nature’s current berry bounty though, there is still room for something special. Marks & Spencer, for instance, is offering King strawberries from the US. The flat-pack 16 Driscoll San Juan variety (600g) for £3.99 are eye-catching. For the record, the high-end English fruit was priced at £1.99/400g.

It is, of course, also a time when there are more and more summer treats to choose from, as the first peaches, nectarines and plums arrive from Spain. Again, M&S is providing a point of difference from the US to make the point. In this case it is Perfectly Ripe apricots, which instead of the traditional colour are a dark red and appropriately named Red Velvet. (£3.99-for-seven).

Taking everything into account, it would be interesting at the end of the summer to hear if the boffins can come up with the impact that prepared fruit salad is making on its whole counterpart. Not so long ago, the range comprised, broadly-speaking, items such as pineapple, melons, mangoes and the like. Today, there are tubs and bowls filled with an increasing range, but will convenience ultimately prove to be king?

Meanwhile, that sure-fire ratings winner, the cherry is already arriving from several sources in a range of varieties. Sainsbury’s, for example, was offering organic Italian Giorgio (£3.99/250g), alongside conventional US Bing and Garnett (£2.59/380g). The Spanish season is also underway and, while it is still a week or so before the first stalkless Picota arrives, it now seems as if there is more conventional cherry coming on stream from Spain. I picked up Star King (£1.99/300g).

I am always amazed by the range of new and “improved” prepared baby leaf salad packs that are being developed. Tesco had several available this week, and a few additional messages to tempt customers. One, Lollo Rosso (79p/100g), carried the message Fresher for Longer because it is field harvested. But what caught my eye was the new rocket-and-red-chard salad (£1.49/110g), not so much because of the contents but because it incorporates “LANGMEADfarms” as a brand.

Peppers too, are glowing on the shelves, although the purple and brown varieties being stocked by Sainsbury (79p each) tended to look somewhat drab by comparison. In one sense, these are not new as the Dutch, I remember, were at the forefront of introducing them over 20 years ago, although few appeared on UK shelves. Now they are being sourced from the UK.

The only point I would make in reference to this is that more information is needed. Listening to customers who saw them for the first time, everyone wanted to know what they taste like.

And talking of taste, while corn on the cob is a favourite boiled or grilled with butter on the barbecue, Sainsbury’s has come up with a spicy cobette pack, at two-for-£4. The Moroccan dressing is included in a sealed pot while the sleeve pack enhances the novelty.

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