This autumn, keep an eye out for what’s in season while you’re on the road.

Grapes

Autumn is when these more-ish fruits come into abundance, and it’s easy to eat a whole bunch if you’re not careful! Grapes are the perfect snack for when you’re on the road and need a bit of a natural sugar boost, and can be used in multitudes of dishes for a sweet or tangy burst.

Try frozen grapes as a treat on hot days, or freeze a bunch and blend into a tangy sorbet for an after-dinner treat. They can be popped into fruit salads, and make for a simple rustic tart filling – just slice or leave whole, and fold into small squares of shortcrust or puff pastry before baking.

Pop them into salads with chicken breast and a creamy dressing, or into a classic Waldorf salad, which has a complementary combination of celery, apples, walnuts and grapes, dressed with mayonnaise.

Pears

As a naturally sweet fruit, pears are an excellent addition to most desserts, but also serve well as a sweet component in a savoury dish. They’re a great source of fibre, as well as vitamins B2, C and E. Pears are great in crumbles, tarts and upside-down cakes, and can be paired with spices, like cinnamon and ginger, or with richer flavours, like chocolate.

Pears poached in red wine and spices is a classic dessert that never goes out of style – just peel them and put them in a pot with cooking wine, sugar, cinnamon quills and whatever other spices you fancy. When they’re cooked, serve with a few spoonfuls of cream or vanilla ice-cream.

Mushrooms

Loved or hated, mushrooms are a great addition to most meals, and can range from the richer Portobello or shiitake to smaller button varieties. Mushrooms are a vegetarian’s dream, providing iron and other vitamins. Even if you’ve never been a huge mushroom fan, it’s worth getting to like them, as they can really make your dish pop.

For breakfast, fry them up on a high heat with balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sea salt, and serve with eggs, sprinkled with fresh basil or parsley. Include in any kind of pasta sauce (tomato, pesto or cream-based) or as a main topping on pizzas with plenty of cheese and enjoy!

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