What's in season in July

With a bounty of beautiful berries and stone fruit in season this month, Tom Kerridge shares his guide to his favourite British produce in season this July, with plenty of seasonal recipes to put it to delicious use.

M&S Chef Ambassador

Tom Kerridge

Best in season: July

July is a colourful and delicious month when it comes to British fruits. There are juicy berries, like blueberries, raspberries and M&S Red Diamond strawberries, as well as floral stone fruits, like nectarines and peaches, and let’s not forget plump King Cherries. Turn your fruits into fresh summer desserts, like my creamy strawberry and granola fool or this beautiful Black Forest ice-cream meringue stack from the M&S Food Team, or bake them into cakes – try my zesty blueberry and lemon loaf cake next time the oven’s on.

More summer recipes

King cherries

Plump, juicy, sweet and bigger than any other on the high street, M&S King Cherries are really something special at this time of year. They’re grown exclusively for M&S at Sarah Neaves’ family farm, Little Sharsted in Kent, which I visited last year. With amazing light levels and fertile soils, the area is the perfect microclimate for growing these gorgeous stone fruits. I love to bake cherries into fruity desserts, as in these golden King Cherry and apple parcels, served with thick clotted cream or M&S West Country ice cream. Alternatively, try them in my King Cherry and Parma ham salad – leave your cherries to marinate in the balsamic and olive oil to allow their sweet-tart juices to create a delicious dressing.

More cherry recipes

Tree-ripened peaches and nectarines

Tree-ripened for longer for ultimate sweetness, M&S' floral, juicy peaches and nectarines are at their best right now. If you’re having a barbecue, try charring your stone fruit to serve in a salad or dessert – it intensifies the flavour. Or bake them in the oven with a drizzle of honey until deliciously soft but still holding their shape, as in this honey-roast peaches recipe from the M&S Food Team – served with British raspberries, mint and a dollop of yogurt, it's a dream.

Baked peaches recipes, over here

Raspberries

Juicy, sweet and a little tart, raspberries, like most berries, work brilliantly in quick fruit compotes, simmered down in a pan in minutes and drizzled onto your morning yogurt or porridge. I enjoy slicing them just they are, too, particularly on my creamy rice pudding – their slightly tart flavour balances out the creaminess perfectly. Alternatively, try this light, citrussy and boozy limoncello and raspberry drizzle cake, studded with raspberries and topped with raspberry icing, from the M&S Food Team.

Brilliant baking recipes Make these raspberry recipes

Peas and broad beans

While it’s possible to get tasty, nutritious frozen peas and broad beans all year round, there’s nothing quite like summer’s freshly podded versions. These little green veg add pops of fresh flavour into kid-friendly dinners, like my pea and pesto pasta salad – I’ve made it using M&S Messicani Pasta, which holds the sauce beautifully. Creamy ricotta or crème fraiche are a fantastic duo with nutty broad beans – try it on these pea and ricotta sourdough toasts or smashed together with zingy lemon on this broad bean tartines recipe from the M&S Food Team.

Cook summer

Blueberries

Firm and sweet blueberries are at their British best at this time of year, and they’re fantastic in summer bakes, too. I’ve used seasonal blueberries and luxuriously creamy Collection Devonshire Luxury Lemon Curd Yogurt to make this very simple, ultra-moist blueberry and lemon loaf cake. A lovely finisher for your next garden get-together.

Blueberries and their benefits

Published 7.1.2025