The first asparagus heralds the arrival of the warmer months.

Normally I would never recommend doing much with the first English asparagus, aside from boiling and buttering.

It is becoming easier to buy alternative flatfish to Dover or lemon sole.

Salting and marinating chicken legs in spices will deliver crisp skin. Roast them first, then add to a dish of garlicky white beans and bake again to make a simple supper.

Grown in many parts of India, they are the sweetest of all mangoes.

The following fruits and vegetables are at their best and cheapest this month. Fruits: Banana Lemon Orange Vegetables: Artichoke Asparagus Beanshoots Beetroot Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Cucumber Leek Lettuce Mushrooms Peas Rhubarb Spinach