Recent experiences with seasonal fruit

Ah, fruit. Mashed and beloved by infants, then detested by primary-school children faced with a hot fermenting banana or bruised apple in their lunchbox (and coveting their mate's packet of chips or RollUp), pickily fussed over by teens and then either guiltily or willingly chosen by health-conscious adults.

I have experienced fruit on some new (for me) and lovely levels recently.
At a special dinner on the weekend, dessert was some lovely fresh pears, poached and drizzled in a syrup of star anise, palm sugar and chilli, served with icecream or sour cream. (I recommend the sour cream).

Still in the syrupy theme, to deal with an oversupply of navel oranges and red grapefruit, I segmented them into perfect pithless crescents and then made a light sugar syrup with a vanilla bean. They have been living in the fridge and being a gorgeous sugar hit all week.

Last night's pork chops were in dire need of some livening up. We smeared them with a warm spoonful of the nectarine jam from the local church fete. Some old lady with a serious jam pedigree probably made it from the tree in her yard: it was fantastic jam, and not too sweet either.

Otherwise, today's lunch was a slice of sourdough (Sol Breads at West End), a couple of yellow juicy pears, handful of walnuts and a bit of semi-hard goat's cheese (the deli from Feast on Fruit at Morningside). Delicious...!!