Now Forage

Bitter orange: Turns fully orange when ripe. Flesh is very sour and seedy — not for fresh eating. Excellent for marmalade, liqueur (Cointreau), and fragrant peel. Harvest when colour is deep orange.

Loquat: Clusters of orange-yellow fruit; ripe when fully orange with no green, yields to gentle pressure, and comes off the stem with a slight tug. Very sweet and aromatic when right — mealy if overripe. Short shelf life after picking.

Pomegranate: Skin turns from pale orange to deep red; fruit becomes angular and the blossom end flattens slightly as arils expand. Tap the skin — a ripe pomegranate sounds metallic. Heavy for its size. A slight crack at the shoulder is fine. Do not wait for it to fall.