Saying Goodbye to Summer - A Love Letter to the Season’s Flavours

There is always a bittersweet note at the end of summer. The days grow shorter, and the evenings cool quicker. You suddenly notice the light has softened, slipping away earlier with each passing week. Yet, the end of summer is one of my favourite times to cook.

An abundance of tomatoes

It’s a moment of abundance. Tomatoes still hang heavy on the vine, blackberries ripen in the hedgerows, and plums, pears, and apples beg to be eaten before they fade. Cooking now feels like bottling memories: picnics in the garden, lazy barbecues by the loch, and long evenings filled with laughter, stories, and plates that seemed never to empty.

I always think food is our truest timekeeper. A ripe tomato can take me back instantly to Ballymaloe, where, as a young eager chef, I tasted a warm tomato just picked off the vine. I ate it like an apple, with juice dripping down my wrist, amazed by the taste that filled all my senses. A blackberry crumble still carries the taste of childhood walks along country lanes, my palms stained purple from more berries eaten than gathered. For me, that is the joy of seasonal cooking; it roots us in time and place, each flavour carrying its own memory.

Embracing the Change of Seasons

So before we turn fully towards autumn, the season of soups, stews, and harvest suppers, let’s give summer the send-off it deserves.

Greenhouse at the end of summer

Late Summer Tomato & Basil Galette

This rustic tart celebrates the very last of summer’s bounty. It’s perfect for lunch with a crisp salad or as part of a picnic spread.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry (or shortcrust if you prefer)

• 3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced

• 1 small handful cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Black pepper

• 1 ball of mozzarella, torn into pieces

• A handful of fresh basil leaves

• 1 egg, beaten (for glaze)

  
  

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).

2. Roll out the pastry on a lined baking sheet.

3. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in the centre, leaving a 2–3 cm border. Scatter over cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Season generously with salt and black pepper.

4. Fold the pastry edges gently over the filling to create a rustic border. Brush the edges with beaten egg.

5. Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and bubbling.

6. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with a little more olive oil.

   
   

Blackberry & Almond Crumble Cake

This cake is part pudding, part teatime treat — perfect for using up those late-season blackberries picked straight from the hedgerows.

Serves: 10

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200g self-raising flour

• 100g ground almonds

• 200g caster sugar

• 150g unsalted butter, softened

• 3 large eggs

• 2 tbsp milk

• 200g fresh blackberries

  
  

For the crumble topping:

• 50g plain flour

• 40g butter

• 40g demerara sugar

• 30g flaked almonds

  
  

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line a 20cm round tin.

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the flour, ground almonds, and milk.

3. Spoon the mixture into the tin and scatter blackberries evenly over the top.

4. For the crumble, rub butter into flour, then stir in sugar and flaked almonds. Sprinkle generously over the cake.

5. Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

6. Serve warm with cream or cold with a cup of tea.

   
   

A Seasonal Farewell

So here’s to summer: to the flavours that kept our plates bright and our spirits light. As we step into autumn, let’s carry those memories with us; the sun-ripened tomatoes, the jam-stained fingers, and the golden evenings where food and friendship stretched long into the night.

Final picnic of summer

If you’re ready to carry summer’s flavours into your autumn kitchen, make sure you don’t miss a recipe. Sign up for my weekly newsletter for seasonal tips, recipes, and kitchen inspiration straight from the shores of Loch Awe. And if you try these recipes, I’d love to see your creations — tag me on Instagram @MegsScottishKitchen so we can say goodbye to summer together.

Let’s embrace the joy of seasonal cooking and create delicious memories that last a lifetime!