The momentum building up with new Dutch pear varieties makes one wonder how long it will be before Conference will be challenged.

The new pretenders all have attractive names and Lidl is stocking one of the latest, Dazzling Gold, which is stickered and packaged in an wrapped tray pack at £2.29 for four.

Nothing remains a novelty for long if it is successful. King strawberries at Marks & Spencer were once the domain of the US, but Spain has now got in on the act with a bumper 600g “Sweet” punnet holding a variety called Virtue at £6.99.

Morocco is also an accepted soft-fruit source at this time of year, and Tesco is offering an elongated strawberry called Viva Patricia at two 400g packs for £3.

I’ve always had a thing about accuracy when describing seasonality, but there is a new approach to citrus with leaves at The Co-operative, which has Spanish Nadorcott at £3 for 800g. They are not only being sold with leaves, but are also labelled “winter” using a Taste the Seasons generic label.

Tesco, by contrast, is using the term “new season” to describe Argentinean Okitsu, easy to peel, naturally ripened satsumas at £2.99 for 600g. The message is stitched into the ribbon, which also makes selecting the punnet easier. While pale in colour, the message is that this early picked fruit has an intense flavour, regardless of the greenish tinge.

And just to be topical, and underlining that fresh herbs are arriving from every quarter of the globe, the supermarket is also stocking coriander at 78p for 30g, grown in Tunisia.

Meanwhile at M&S, it seems the growth of prepared produce is expanding so fast it is squeezing no-nonsense prepacks for space.

Finally, a range of new lines under the brand Lovely Veg has arrived for £2.99, which vary in weight between 370g and 430g. They include descriptions which may not even be recognised by home cooks hoping to emulate the many chefs on TV.

Apart from Vegetable Paella, there is Pappardelle containing Portobello mushrooms, and Artichoke and Feta Bucatini.

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