Now Forage

Cherry: Deep red and glossy; stem pulls cleanly. Taste is the best test — sweet and juicy when ripe, still astringent if picked too early.

Chokeberry: Red or black (Aronia) berries. Very astringent and tart raw — high in antioxidants. Best dried, juiced, or made into jam. Ripe when fully coloured and slightly soft.

Currant: Red: translucent, jewel-like clusters. White: pale cream. Both are ripe when fully coloured and hang as a bunch. Tart and high in pectin — best for jelly and summer pudding. Harvest the whole strig.

Strawberry: Uniformly red with no white or green at the tip or shoulder. Strong strawberry fragrance even from a distance. Cap leaves (calyx) are fresh and green. Completely red flesh inside when cut. Wild strawberries are smaller but more intensely flavoured.