Cherries are ripe for the picking now: the best ones are plump, firm and glossy and they benefit from being stored at cool temperatures.

Eat straight off the stalks or remove stones before stirring into Greek-style yogurt with a drizzle of honey. They are also a perfect bedfellow for rich ingredients such as chocolate, cream and alcohol. There’s the iconic Black Forest Gateau as well as warm cherry pies served with cream or nursery dishes such as cherry jellies.

Dried sour cherries impart a sweet-sour tang to many Middle Eastern dishes and are an excellent foil for fatty meats, so can give a summer twist to a classic duck dish. Try adding them to sauces or chopping the flesh into spicy salsas.