• 1 punnet of strawberries, hulled and halved
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1-2 tablespoons of caster sugar
• Ice
• 4 x 330ml bottles of soda water
• Extra strawberries to garnish.

Place the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth.

Strain through a sieve if you wish, and then devide between four glasses.

Add a handful of ice to each glass and top up with soda water.  Garnish with extra strawberry halves and a sprig of mint.
(For particularly stressful days, a shot of vodka could be a good addition!)

• 2 bunches of asparagus
• 100 g crumbly blue cheese
• ½ c toasted pecans or walnuts
• 1 bunch of watercress

Trim the asparagus and blanch in boiling salted water until just tender.  Drain and plunge into ice water.  Drain         well.  Rinse and dry the watercress and combine the salad ingredients with 1 tbsp sherry vinegar with 3 tbsp walnut oil and freshly ground salt and pepper.  Serves 4.