Eat seasonally: summer
At M&S, we source the very best seasonal produce, such as vibrant British asparagus and nutty Jersery Royal potatoes. By eating seasonally, you can rest assured that the fruit and veggies you love are fresher, have travelled fewer miles, support our amazing M&S Select Farmers and are at the peak of flavour
British Red Diamond strawberries
When it comes to British strawberry season, it doesn't get any sweeter than our Red Diamond strawberries. These summer stars are left to ripen for longer to ensure they are super sweet, juicy and extra large. They’re delicious eaten on their own, with cream or yoghurt, or used to make one of chef Chris Baber’s delicious ideas.
Meet Red Diamond strawberry farmer, Lochy
Our Red Diamond strawberries are only grown by M&S Select Farmers we know and trust, like Lochy Porter in Arbroath on Scotland’s beautiful east coast. Lochy and his team ensure that only the biggest and sweetest Red Diamond strawberries make it onto our shelves. But that’s not all, Lochy works hard to protect both honeybees and wild bumblebees by planting wildflower meadows and corridors around the farm.
The berry best recipes
Put our Red Diamond strawberries centre stage with chef Chris Baber’s recipes. Shake your weekend breakfast up by topping toast with creamy ricotta, sweet stewed strawberries and Scottish honey. Or impress your guests with a cheat’s Red Diamond trifle that’s a doddle to make and even more delicious to eat!
Specially selected King cherries
Sweet and delicious, with a flavour burst like no other, cherries are a true taste of summer. Our King cherries are British-grown by trusted M&S Select Farmers, who leave the crop on the tree for as long as possible so they're at their absolute best. We think they're the biggest and best cherries on the high street. Find our King cherries in store now and click below for tasty cherry recipes.
Meet our King cherry farmer, Sarah
We’ve worked with Sarah Neaves from Little Sharstead Farm in Kent for more than 10 years to produce some of our King cherries. Sarah and her team hand-harvest and hand-pick the cherries when they’re at their peak. She also works in harmony with nature by planting strips between orchards to encourage insects and bees, and windbreaks around the farm double-planted and left unmanaged to create natural wildlife corridors.
Put King cherries to delicious use
Whether served with yoghurt and granola or eaten as they are, our King cherries pack a punch of flavour. Take things up a notch with Chris Baber’s brilliant brunch ideas: Black Forest gateau pancakes and French toast. Pick up a punnet of King cherries in store now and be inspired by Chris’s recipe ideas by clicking below.
Exclusive-to-M&S Sweet Rosso tomatoes
Our deliciously sweet and intensely flavoured Sweet Rosso tomatoes are now available in store. These British beauties are amazing in salads, pasta dishes and sharing boards. Looking for ways to really make these seasonal stars shine? Try Chris Baber’s Italian-inspired recipe ideas and pick up our Sweet Rosso tomatoes in store now.
Meet our Sweet Rosso tomato farmer, Andy
M&S Select Farmer Andy Roe grows our exclusive-to-M&S Sweet Rosso tomatoes using a top-secret technique that ensures the tomatoes are deliciously sweet. He sacrifices yield and appearance of the fruit for flavour. Andy and his team grow the tomatoes in greenhouses as sustainably as possible using insects to manage pests. The team also use waste heat and carbon to enhance the growth of the crop, and have planted wildflower meadows to encourage wildlife.
Top of the tom recipes
Looking for a quick summer lunch or light supper to enjoy in the garden? Look no further than chef Chris Baber’s recipes that put a spotlight on our Sweet Rosso tomatoes. First up is tomato bruchetta with oozy burrata and basil that’s ready in just 10 minutes. Or try his family favourite pasta dish that combines the super sweet tomatoes with plump prawns, chilli and garlic.
The tastiest Victoria blackberries
When we say that not all blackberries are created equal, we mean it. Our best-in-season Victoria blackberries are twice the size of regular blackberries, extra juicy and packed full of the sweet flavours of autumn. Scroll down to meet one of our Victoria blackberry farmers and for delicious recipe ideas featuring this beautiful seasonal star.
Meet Victoria blackberry farmer Oli
Oli Pascall from Clock House farm in Kent is one of our M&S Select Farmers who grows our extra-special Victoria blackberries. Oli and his team leave the blackberries to ripen for longer and they’re hand-picked at their peak to ensure the best flavour is captured in every single berry. What’s more, this fourth-generation grower works with M&S to manage hedgerows and wildflower meadows, encouraging wildlife on the farm.
Blackberry-licious recipes
Fancy whipping up a sweet treat with your Victoria blackberries? Try chef Chris Baber’s sundae, which layers crushed blackberries with yellow peaches, double cream and vanilla ice-cream. The finishing touch? Percy sprinkles, crumbled ginger snaps and some extra blackberries. Or if something more cosy and comforting is up your street, try Chris’s take on a blackberry and apple crumble with a flapjack cookie topping.
Eat seasonally: spring
A royal welcome
Lighter evenings and warmer weather herald the much-anticipated arrival of hand-selected M&S Jersey Royal potatoes in store. Grown exclusively on the island of Jersey, these brilliant British spuds have a nutty flavour and beautifully buttery texture thanks to the island’s rich, fertile soils and mild climate.
Meet our Jersey Royals growers and watch our TV ad below.
Put Jersey Royals centre stage
Looking for ways to really make the most of Jersey Royal season? Try simply boiling and dressing with butter and fresh herbs or rustle up some hasselback Jersey Royals to serve with roast chicken. To make them, slice the potatoes thinly, but not all the way through and then heat butter, olive oil and M&S magic sprinkle in a baking tin on the hob. Once the butter has melted, coat the potatoes in the mix, spooning the butter into the crevices. Sprinkle with salt, add fresh rosemary and bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and deliciously crispy.
Spears of glory
You know spring has officially sprung with the arrival of our British asparagus. Some of our British asparagus is sourced from the Chinn family, on their farms in the beautiful Wye Valley. The light sandy soil in the sheltered valley is perfect for asparagus production. Plus, the cooler climate means there’s time for the flavours to develop.
Meet our asparagus farmers
Chris Chinn and his fourth-generation farming family have been supplying us with British asparagus since 2007 – because nobody understands this stunning spring crop like they do. Chris uses modern farming techniques, such as polythene covers and drip irrigation, and the farm’s south-facing slopes to grow asparagus for longer. This means he can harvest the first spears in early March and keep going through to the beginning of July. Furthermore, the Chinn family are committed to working in harmony with nature. “We have grass waterways within our fields and add wildflower mixes to attract pollinators,” says John. They also work with Cranfield University, experimenting with winter crops to build up organic matter, improve the soil’s microbiome and increase earthworm numbers because, as John says, “Healthy soil grows healthy food.”
Make super spears shine
Asparagus works well in all sorts of dishes, from stir-fries and salads to spring tarts and risottos. For a quick and delicious side dish, fry asparagus in butter and oil over a medium heat along with a pinch of salt and some chilli flakes for around 3-4 minutes, until tender. Top with toasted flaked almonds, coarsely ground pepper and a drizzle of honey.
