Now Forage

Grape: Berries fully coloured and slightly soft. Stem where it joins the bunch turns woody and brown. Seeds easily visible inside. Sweet throughout when fully ripe — taste from different parts of the cluster as they ripen unevenly. Grapes do not continue ripening after harvest.

Mulberry: Ripe when fully coloured (white, red, or black by species) and falls at a touch. Spread a sheet and shake the branches. Extremely perishable — process or eat immediately.

Olive (Olea): Green in October (oil forming), turning purple-black November–December. Harvest for oil when 50% black; for table olives, pick to match intended colour. Must be cured in brine or lye — extremely bitter raw.

Prickly pear: Turns from green to red, orange, or yellow depending on species. Ripe when skin gives slightly and colour is fully developed. Use tongs and burn off the tiny glochid spines with a flame or rub in sand before handling. Sweet, mild flesh.