Eating with the season is mostly a matter of knowing what is at its peak, because that is when it tastes best and costs least.
Fruit
Shimla apples are at their best from August to November. Pomegranates from Solapur are plentiful. The first Nagpur oranges arrive towards the end of the month, green-skinned and sharp, and sweeten through November.
Vegetables
Leafy greens recover as the rain eases: chard, spinach and methi are tender again. Tomatoes and peppers from polyhouses are steady all year, but field tomatoes come back in October and are cheaper.
What to wait for
Strawberries from Mahabaleshwar start in December. Until then any strawberry you see has travelled a long way.
In season means picked this week. Out of season means stored or flown. We label which is which.
A simple October plate
Chard wilted with garlic, a tomato salad, and an apple with a spoon of honey after. Nothing on it has been in cold storage.