July is truly bounteous – the pinnacle of the homegrown season. French beans flourish, the tomatoes and courgettes are starting to ripen and colour, along with the first of the currants, early apricots, Dorset blueberries and Kentish cherries. Even the first polytunnel peaches.
There are also lots of green leaves, from lettuce to purslane. Get them before the slugs do and don’t forget those divine Scottish girolles either.
It’s barbecue time, too, perfect for Glenarm sirloin steaks from Northern Ireland or Cotswold wagyu, beautifully marbled.
A few smoked eels never go amiss, from Severn & Wye, Brown and Forrest or Loch Neagh in Northern Ireland. Eat with a blob of horseradish or mix into a salad with crisp smoked Wiltshire bacon.
Crabs are fat and heavy with meat, found from Scottish waters, down through Norfolk and Suffolk and on to the South and South-West.
And don’t miss the spider crabs, down in the South and West. It’s fiddly work, extracting every strand, but well worth the effort.
Or lobsters, great basic brutes that they are. I still prefer crab, but I’m in the minority. Boil them whole or split them, paint with butter, and throw onto the grill.
And of course they're best washed down with a sparkling wine from Nyetimber or Chapel Down.
July recipes to try
Blueberry and lemon-curd cream-cheese rolls
The indulgent ingredients in this delicous recipe probably outweigh the berries' health benefits.
Cherry, almond and chocolate drip cake with mini meringues
A pretty cherry cake, perfect for afternoon tea in the garden.
Scottish girolle mushrooms with thyme, spinach gnocchi and hazelnut crumbs
Wild mushrooms are a forager’s dream.
How to cook the perfect steak
Because nothing says 'I love you' like a huge slab of meat.
How to enjoy spider crab
Don't be put off by the spider crab's Martian-like glare. The spiky shellfish are delicious and should be far higher
Luxurious lobster stew
This lobster stew comes alive with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
-
A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in yearsThe ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
-
A bridge just far enough: Country Life Quiz of the Day, July 4, 2025Lions, castles and even a couple of US-themed questions for the 4th of July in Friday's Quiz of the Day.
-
How to make The Connaught Bar's legendary martini — and a few othersIt's the weekend which means it's time to kick back and make yourself an ice cold martini — courtesy of The Connaught Bar.
-
Gill Meller's tomato, egg, bread and herb big-hearted summer saladThis summer salad is for people who enjoy proper seasonal produce.
-
Sophia Money-Coutts: Why clinking glasses and saying ‘Cheers!’ is a tiny bit embarrassingSophia Money-Coutts is the new Debrett's and she's here every Wednesday to set some modern etiquette wrongs, right.
-
What do an order of Catholic priests and actor Hugh Bonneville have in common? They helped this West Sussex sparkling wine triumph over multiple French Champagne housesAfter being approached by a group of Catholic priests in 2006 to plant a vineyard, the power of the divine, and climate change, was on the winemaker Dermot Sugrue’s side.
-
11 golden rules for making a perfect cup of teaWe drink tea every day, but are we doing it correctly? Who decided on the rules and do they really matter? Jonathon Jones reveals all.
-
How to make Eton mess strawberry blondiesOur kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson shares a mouthwatering recipe bringing together two of the greatest foodstuffs on the planet: strawberries and meringue.
-
The era of the £50 burger and chips is here — and it's a revelationThe second coming of the high-low restaurant — where chefs pair martinis with burgers — is here. Will Hosie tells more.
-
The imperfect science of the perfect martini and where you can get one in LondonDirty, dry, with fries, gin or vodka. There's a lot to think about for such a simple cocktail.
