All the inspiration necessary for a late-summer lunch

Tarte flambée Also known as flammekueche, this is kind of a pizza and sort of a tart and originates from the Alsace region of France. I add a little autumnal twist with thyme, onions and extra cheese, and sometimes even sliced mushrooms. Serve it in slices like a pizza or enjoy it as a light meal with a green leafy salad on the side.

Provençal tomato tart “I’ve baked this tart a squillion times before, and the proud little anchovies make all the difference.”

Plum & cherry gâteau basque Nutty, creamy and full of tart stone fruit, this sweet creation is from the Basque region.

Niçoise Tartine My second favourite tinned-tuna recipe (after a super-quick tuna, mayo and tomato sandwich) is this one. These tartines or toasts, piled high with gorgeous Niçoise salad ingredients, make a delicious lunch – fresh, tangy and salty, mouthful after mouthful. For wonderful little party appetisers, simply create smaller versions – crostini – by using a sliced-up baguette.

Lemon verbena tea If you adore anything lemony, like I do, and have a spare corner in your garden, you should grow a lemon verbena bush. This herb, with its distinctive citrus flavour and heady scent, is extraordinary – just a few leaves add fragrance to drinks, dishes, pot-pourri and even flower bouquets. Add edible flowers and a few berries if you want to pretty things up a little.

Pêches au vin This is a wonderfully simple and slightly wicked way to finish a late-summer meal, especially when you don’t feel like anything too heavy. Try to use the freshest, ripest peaches or nectarines you can find. Any drinkable red wine works well – just allow time for good conversation while the sugar dissolves.