They are in season now, but they aren’t everyone’s favourite fruit. In fact I think I know more people who dislike them than like them. But I think that’s such a shame. Granted, they are pretty sharp, but then you don’t tend to eat them straight off the bush!

Like some other native fruits (such as crab apple and redcurrants), if you are going to use them in desserts, they generally need cooking and sweetening to make them palatable.

I have fond memories of gooseberries. My parents had a couple of bushes in the garden, hence I’ve seen some creative uses for them, from the usual pies and crumbles, through gooseberry jam (one of the favourite jams) to gooseberry wine. But my favourite gooseberry dessert is definitely the simple gooseberry fool. Here is a gooseberry fool recipe taken from my retro copy of the Dairy Book of Home Cookery (1978 edition).

Go on – give gooseberries a go…