Homegrown produce has so much more flavour and texture than its commercially-grown friends. These brown pears arrived, as fruit often does, in a little bag with my mum. She grows many and varied fruits and veggies in her garden and is very generous with them. My response to her gifts is predictable – a little squeak of delight and a big smile, because I know how delicious they will be. The beurre bosc pears are this week’s special – sweet and round in flavour, firm and juicy in texture. Somehow they taste golden. Thanks Mum!

brown pears on a wooden chopping board