British Food in Season - August

By Elaine Lemm, About.com Guide

August in Britain and one seasonal food stands which clearly stands out above is the tomato. Now is the time to savour this wonderful fruit at the peak of its freshness right now, especially, the tomotoes picked fresh from the vine on a sunny afternoon.

The fresh musky-scented tomato is one of nature's fast-food as they need little or no work at all; a dash of fruity, olive oil;a sprinkle of sea salt; a few scented basil leaves. Simply all that is needed for a downright delicious salad. You can also whip up a sauce in less than 15 minutes with a few over-ripe fruits.

Unless you are growing your own tomatoes, make sure you choose the best: tomatoes should be faintly aromatic and the stalks and leaves should look fresh and green. Store tomatoes at room temperature, never in the fridge, as this deadens the flavour of the fruit. However, if you absolutely must keep them in the fridge, then remove them well before you want to eat them and allow to come to room temperature before eating.

Tomatoes aren't the only attention-grabbing fruit on offer right now, soft fruits, berries and currants are everywhere so bring on the Summer Pudding.

If you see people crouching in hedgerows, especially in the north of England, don't worry, there's nothing to worry about. They are simply picking bilberries which are very much in season right now and growing wild on high ground in the north and west of the British Isles. The tiny, dark coloured raw fruits are a little acidic if eaten raw but, when cooked with sugar become a delicious, deep-flavored fruit and make a lovely "mucky mouth' pie as it is called up North (the berries stain everything they touch a deep blue colour). The pie is the favourite way to use the bilberries in, or the aforementioned Summer Pudding.

In August there's no avoiding The Glorious 12th the official start of the Game season. The Glorious 12th opens with grouse shooting and all across the moors of northern England and Scotland the "hunting-shooting-fishing" brigade will be out in force. So, if you are a Red Grouse, you may want to think about disappearing for a while because it is you they are after.

Other Foods in Season in August

• Fruits and Vegetables:
• Apricots
• Artichokes
• Beets
• Broad Beans
• Courgettes (Zucchini)
• Cauliflower
• Fennel
• All summer berries
• Plums Cherries
• and, of course
• Strawberries
• Outdoor-grown rhubarb
• Runner Beans
• Spring Onions
• Sorrel Watercress

Fish is very good at this time of year and amongst the best right now is:

• Cod
• Crab
• Dover Sole
• Haddock
• Halibut
• Lemon Sole
• Lobster
• Mackerel

Meats to Consider

• Lamb is still good, especially salt marsh lamb.