A new snack that will keep kids happy, without making parents feel guilty
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What's in season: April
Just as I do when I'm travelling, my friends and family from overseas always want to eat food from here rather than there. So I put aside the chillies and coconut, soy sauce and lemon grass and look to see what homegrown produce my local shops have in store.
If you want recognisably English food, meat is not a problem. A slowly braised dish of organic pork or shoulder of lamb, or a beef casserole with dumplings would be just the thing. Or, for something lighter and more elegant, racks of home-produced lamb, one between two, roasted with a herb and mustard crust are a real treat for foreign visitors.
As for fish, cod, lemon sole, Dover sole and haddock are all fabulous at this time of year. And smoked fish is always a good choice as it is so uniquely British. You might serve a smoked fish salad; perhaps some lightly poached smoked haddock with baby spinach or salad leaves and a poached quail egg; or a kedgeree or smoked salmon terrine.
I also recommend my very simple version of potted fish using trout, salmon and mackerel. I'm sure, in fact, that pounded fish – or even fish paste – describes the dish better, since potted fish used to be packed as whole fillets sealed under a layer of butter.
Trout and mackerel are hot smoked, which cooks the fish and makes it opaque. Sliced smoked salmon is cold smoked, giving it that lovely translucent appearance. However, you can also find hot-smoked (or 'kippered') salmon, which is my preference when making potted fish.
Just desserts
Desserts with a British flavour this month might be new season's rhubarb (for a sorbet or a crumble) or the faithful Bramley (for a baked apple dessert, to which clotted cream is the perfect accompaniment). Or, if you're bored with these, try a deliciously creamy English dessert.
Before that, serve some crisp celery and oatcakes with a selection of English farmhouse cheeses, some familiar such as Stilton and Cheddar, and some newer ones, such as the hard goats' milk and ewes' milk cheeses.
Of course, you'll be as tempted as I am by all the Mediterranean and southern hemisphere fruits now on the shelves: the peaches, apricots, plums and strawberries – delicious fruit salads at the drop of a hat. Personally, when I'm still eating winter warmers for my main course, I prefer tropical fruit, such as peeled and roasted pineapple, liberally doused in rum and Demerara sugar for dessert, perhaps with a scoop of coconut ice-cream.
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