Leaving the plot laden with produce is always good for the soul, and often good for the kitchen too. As I said yesterday I wasn't sure what I'd find on the plot, but going there before heading to the local shops was the best plan. It wasn't until I got home and unpacked our produce that I realised nature had colour coordinated my home grown fruit and veg.

There was another good handful of runner beans. They really do taste best fresh and home grown, and while we do freeze them fresh is definitely best. The frozen ones though have the most amazing smell, bringing back summer in an instant when it is long since forgotten.

Another handful of runner beans from the plot

And then there were the borlotti beans. As you can see there were quite a few and equally as many left on the plants for another helping soon. As I piled the borlotti beans on top of the runner beans I was amazed how many there were and how quickly they covered the runner beans.

Add some borlotti beans from the plot to the pile

But I wasn't done yet. There were apples too, the small apple tree was straining at the weight of the fruit so I picked a few to help it out. A pear from the fruit bowl added a touch of gree again.

apples from the small apple tree and a pear

And on top of the fruit, there was more rhubarb.

There wasn't much space left on my chopping board, and I'd never thought of rhubarb as being the same colour as borlotti beans before, or apples and pears, but they are.

That's quite a pile of produce isn't it - rewardlingly so

And we've already made good progress on eating these. A rhubarb crumble is half-eaten in the fridge, there's plans for apple and pear compote. We've eaten the borlotti beans with some pork loin from the butchers, and the runner beans will no doubt feature on our plates during the week too.

I cooked the borlotti beans covered in water with a sprig of sage, three squashed garlic cloves and three squashed cherry tomatoes. When they were soft I added some salt to the water and left them to stand for ten minutes or so before draining them, forgetting to save some of the cooking water as I planned! Then added some olive oil and lemon juice and mashed some of the beans. They tasted great and I'd cook them again this way. They lose their pink and white speckled colour when they're cooked, which is a shame, but for this harvest alone they're alwasy going to be on my growing list.

EVEN THE SAGE AND THE CHILLIES FROM THE GARDEN MATCHED THE RED AND GREEN THEME

It's clearly a red and green time of year, and long may it continue!