Fruit September is actually a very good time for fruit, with tasty little morsels such as plums and blackberries just coming into season. Also, apples are reaching their best at this time of year, so enjoying them will naturally help keep that dentist away! Figs are a classic end-of-summer fruit arriving just in time for you to say goodbye to the warmest season. Of course they taste great on their own (but don't refrigerate them). They also make a surprising and delicious addition to salads or yoghurt. As always with fruit, the key to picking the best ones is checking for the brightness of the colours, the weight (especially with apples, plums and figs) and firmness. Vegetables Red onions are much sweeter than regular onions, and can even be eaten raw (which is proven to help lower cholesterol levels), but are at their best in a salad or with roast beef. Sweetcorn is a huge favourite, and late summer is the time to eat it. Around now it begins appearing in shops and supermarkets. When picking them, look at the green husks on the outside. They should be green, proud and strong and the kernels underneath should also be plump and bright yellow. Now is your last chance to serve sweet peppers before they go out of season again. These vibrantly colourful and dynamic vegetables can be stuffed or simply used in a salad. Meat & fish Popular all year round, beef tastes especially good in September after the cow has been grazing on thick juicy grass all summer. Autumn lamb bought in September (and October) tends to be more flavoursome than spring lamb owing to the maturity of the meat, and goes very well with the root vegetables that are current at their tastiest. If you prefer fish, brown trout, red mullet or kippers are the way to go. When choosing all fish, look at its eyes to see that they glisten nicely. The skin should be firm - if you push it with your finger, it should bounce back to its original shape. Also, give it a sniff; it should smell of the sea more than of fish. With apples back in the picture, September is a great time to bring pork back to the table also!