with the head or without. I hate those eyes staring back at me from the plate. I would really hate to come across them on my morning toast!

The late summer ones should be at the greengrocer’s now. Golden rasps are pretty, but I prefer the red ones; they have better flavour.

I once made a concord grape and walnut conserve with Port. It was very very good. There’s nothing like improvisation when it really works and one can sit back with a jammy grin and say “That was pure dead brilliant!”