A tomato glut is one of the great joys of the British summer.

Our British Heirloom Tomato Box brings together 15 soil-grown varieties from seven growers across the UK, each selected for exceptional flavour and representing years of careful selection and seed saving. The result is a collection that celebrates the full spectrum of what a tomato can be, from perfectly round and sunshine yellow to deeply ribbed, almost black, intensely sweet or bright and savoury. Read more about how you can save your tomato seeds for future seasons, and don't miss Dr Johnny Drain's lacto-fermented tomato recipe below for another way to make the most of the harvest.

The tomatoes are just the beginning, too. Britain's fields are in full abundance, with wild Scottish Girolles arriving from our trusted network of foragers, James' Sweet Corn ready in Ipswich, Anthony's Badger Flame Beetroot coming out of Great Fen Farm, Oli's Honeycomb Tomatoes ripening in Cornwall, Adam's Devil's Ear and Salanova Lettuces thriving in Pembrokeshire, Dan's Purple Baby Cauliflower in Lancashire and plump Blueberries from Bob in West Sussex now at their peak.

There's plenty more besides. After weeks of uninterrupted sunshine, growers will no doubt be hoping for some much-needed rain, but for now the harvest is offering some of the best produce the British summer has to give.

Fragrant Yellow Nectarines have joined this fortnight's Peak Season Box, alongside a variety of flavour-first fruit and veg that captures the season.
Expect Kent Cherries, Cornish Earlies, Cuore del Vesuvio and Grezzina Courgettes from Lazio and Campania, plus Padrón-style Peppers from Galicia.

Dr Johnny Drain is a scientist, chef and a world expert in fermentation.

Described as one of most exciting thinkers in food today, he’s on a mission to unlock the secret science of flavour, fermentation and sustainability, which he explores in his book Adventures in Fermentation.

“People often imagine fermentation as this complex, almost mystical craft. Lab coats and microscopes,” says Dr Drain. “But really, all you need is a jar, some salt, and a tomato. Anyone can do it at home.

In this recipe, he layers colourful British-grown heirlooms into glass jars with garlic cloves, leafy celery, and a few fronds of feathery dill. The result is a lacto-fermented delight.

“This recipe has its heart and soul in Eastern Europe, from the Baltics to the Balkans, where tomatoes were preserved this way for generations. Really, it’s about timing: tomatoes are at their best now and fermentation feels like the perfect way to both showcase and extend the season.”