From tender broad beans and cheek-puckering rhubarb to nutty new potatoes, make the most of the season’s best

Elderflower

Pick on the sunniest May days, when their scent is heady and sweet, to infuse for cordial. For a truly special tipple, pour a litre of gin into a large, shallow dish, and stand as many elderflower heads, florets down, as fit for two hours. Drain, bottle, and enjoy with tonic and ice on a warm evening.

Rhubarb

The world’s finest rhubarb comes from a few square miles of Yorkshire thanks to a combination of climate, soil and culture. A delicious treat for the freshest stalks: dip raw in the syrup of a jar of stem ginger and nibble.