We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. There’s something about stone fruit. It’s always a special time for us when these beauties come into season.

Over the past few weeks, pallets of cherries, apricots, peaches and plums have been arriving at our warehouse, and now they’re beginning to grace restaurant menus and line the shelves of our London stores. 

There’s still a lot more to come, too. Think Greta, Mirabelle, Reine Claude Dorée, and Yellow Nectarines.

Whether you’re baking them into pies, transforming them into sorbets, or savouring them just as they are, this is a season worth making the most of. Their window is fleeting. Blink, and you’ll miss it. Our advice? Enjoy them while they’re here.

Take our Flat White Peaches. Throughout the season, we move between growers to follow the very best fruit. We work with a cooperative of 15 growers along the coast between Murcia and Valencia, and last May we had the chance to visit some of their orchards firsthand, seeing the extraordinary care and attention that goes into every harvest. Right now, along with our Apricots, these are being grown by José.

Then there are cherries, plump, sweet and sharp. At the moment, we have two varieties in season, the fiercely local Vignola from Roberta in Emilia-Romagna, and a beautifully vibrant French Seasonal from Marc in Montauban (keep reading for a cherry crostata recipe by chef and food artist Zélikha Dinga).

Each has its own character in flavour and appearance, but Vignola cherries are especially prized for their deep ruby colour, crisp bite and rich sweetness. Their story is rooted in the landscape, too. In the 19th century, the land around Vignola was largely dedicated to mulberry trees for silk production. But when silk prices fell, growers began planting fruit trees instead, and over time, cherries became the region’s defining crop. A decision that shaped the region for generations to come.

There’s nothing run-of-the-mill about our Peak Season Box.

Fresh Borlotti Beans or Friggitelli Peppers, anyone? 

You’ll receive a different line up every two weeks, but you can expect the likes of Vignola Cherries, Grezzina Courgettes and Organic Little Gem Lettuce this fortnight.

Zélikha Dinga – founder of Caro Diario, makes food look as good as it tastes – and vice versa. 

Her Paris-based creative studio is dedicated to tailor-made culinary experiences and art direction, creating everything from towering tiered cakes to deeply imaginative tablescapes for clients including Louis Vuitton, Loewe and Bottega Veneta. 

Yet in her own words, her cooking is simple. She just loves good ingredients.

A few years ago, she shared a beautiful Cherry Crostata recipe with us and, now that cherry season is back in full swing, it feels like a great moment to revisit it.