A pilgrimage to the Pick Your Own farm was a highlight of my childhood summers. I loved the whole experience; scrambling in the sweet hay, discovering heavyweight berries hanging like hidden rubies in the leaves and gorging as I went. A policy of two for me, one for the punnet generally meant I often couldn't face another strawberry for weeks after.

Keen to pass this on, we took my small girl to a lovely farm in St Mary Bourne, Hampshire. It was the first day of the summer holidays and, after weeks of leaden skies, it was utterly bright and beautiful. We stocked up on their strawberry and raspberry crop, now hanging from ingenious aerial troughs, and enjoyed just a few fruits for our labours as we went - quality control.

Back home with so many strawberries and a mini heatwave, I decided to eschew the traditional jam (though you will find a lovely simple recipe under Summer, should you need it) and made Strawberry Gin for the grown ups and Strawberry Cordial for the Smalls. Both are still steeping, so I can't vouch for the flavours yet, but they simplicity itself to make...

Strawberry Gin

500g of fresh strawberries, chopped and mashed

175g Golden Caster Sugar

750ml of gin - I used Sipsmith as it's a favourite

Pour all the above into a sterilised litre Kilner Jar, shake and refrigerate. Give it a good waggle a couple of times a day for four days before enjoying yourself with ice and tonic or, if you can bear to, strain through a muslin, bottle it and give it away. Drink within 3 months.

Strawberry Cordial

1 kg fresh strawberries, chopped and mashed

80 g Citric Acid

2 lemons, sliced

1 litre boiling water

1.5 kg of caster sugar

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl, bring the water to a boil and then pour onto the ingredients. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, cover and place in the fridge for three days to steep. Strain and bottle - it should keep well for up to six months and can be used as you would any syrup, in jellies, cocktails and all sorts of sweet sauces.