Dragonfruit is plentiful and inexpensive right now. These aren't the most flavourful fruit in the world, but they have to be one of the most striking. The beautiful pink skin holds white-fleshed fruit speckled evenly with edible black seeds. They're easy to eat - just cut in half longitudinally, then cut in slices or wedges, and bite or scoop out the soft flesh. Dragonfruit looks great on fruit platters, and some juice shops make it into a refreshing drink. Simply puree the flesh and add some sugar syrup to taste. For the syrup, boil together equal measures of castor sugar and water, then cool and chill. Keep a jar of this syrup in your fridge for quick and easy lemon or lime drink, too. Fill a glass with ice cubes, pour in soda water and sugar syrup. Stir in freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to taste. If you want an alcoholic drink, add some vodka.
There's also some nice 'fire garlic' in some markets. These look like small heads of regular garlic, but each bulb is composed of only one clove. Even raw, the fragrance is much milder, and when it's cooked the flavour is not as strong as regular garlic. Fire garlic is firm and juicy, and it lasts for ages without shrivelling or sprouting - just store in a cool, dark, dry place, but not in the fridge.
