After incubating the ground over the summer months the sun grows soft and the wind drops a degree in temperature – signalling agriculturalists to prepare for winter. It’s now that our farmers hard work comes to fruition through an incredible variety of plant species ready for harvest. At this moment, we experience a gastronomical crossing of seasons. Sun greedy fruit and vegetables like aubergine, courgettes, fennel, artichokes and corn sit on a seasonal table comfortably alongside sunset coloured squashes, blackberries, pears and plums.

Paradoxically most shops and supermarkets only sell imported versions of these vegetables at this time of year. If this is the case in your area, send in a request for more seasonal produce, grow your own or make a worthwhile trip to a local farmer’s market, to taste the more nourishing, flavour-packed counterpart.

One incredible fruit, often only thought of as an imported luxury, is apricots. Apricots are grown in orchards across the United Kingdom and – as they don’t travel well – are often the tastiest on the shelf. Picked too early they will never sweeten, too late and they can be floury. Choose apricots that are rich in beta-carotene with a deep sunset-yellow colour, still a little firm and with a mild aroma. And prioritise buying organic whenever possible as stone fruits contain high pesticide residues. I recommend whizzing them up in a late summer daiquiri, or preserving them in brandy quite literally storing bursts of sunshine for mid-winter treats.

The delicious fragrance in a baked apricot is carried so well by in an aromatic almond frangipane. I love indulging in the leftovers served for breakfast with yoghurt. If you’ve missed apricots then any other seasonal fruit will work just as well.