Pineapple

Whole pineapples, sold by the piece. A pineapple does not ripen further after cutting, so what you get is what it is — which makes choosing it the entire skill.

Cut into spears it is the most refreshing thing on a summer table. Grilled, the edges caramelise and it goes with pork or chicken. It also contains an enzyme that breaks down protein, so it is a genuinely effective marinade tenderiser, and the same enzyme is why it will not set in a jelly and why too much of it makes your mouth tingle.

Smell the base — a ripe pineapple is sweet and unmistakable there. The shell should give very slightly, and the leaves should be green and firm. Colour is a poor guide: plenty of ripe pineapples are still mostly green.

Whole, at room temperature, base down for a day or two — that redistributes the sugars, which really do settle towards the bottom.

Once cut, refrigerate in a sealed container and use within three days. Cut pineapple keeps better than most cut fruit but its smell spreads.