1995 seems like a lifetime ago, but it was the year we first released the Seasonal Produce Diary. (now The Foodie's Diary). This was an era when shoppers were being offered the same ingredients all year round. As if tomatoes and strawberries force-grown in winter tasted anything like those grown in the heat of summer, or asparagus made to appear in autumn had any of the flavour and crispness it does in spring. We believed then, and are even more adamant today, that it is virtually impossible to produce delicious food with out-of-season ingredients.

The diary began as a result of having cooked overseas for a number of years and losing touch with what was in season locally. There was very little information available on what to buy, so monthly lists of seasonal ingredients were compiled over a number of years by walking through produce markets and noting down what was best each week, ensuring that what made it onto the list were fruit and vegetables at their peak of flavour, ripeness, quality and value. The more we learned about seasonality the more convinced we became that it was one of the keys to great cooking.

Over time, the lists became an edible snapshot of the changing seasons and the best ingredients on offer. Before too long friends and chefs were asking for copies to use themselves. It became apparent that these years of research should be published properly, and it was then that the original idea for The Seasonal Produce Diary was born. It is now published as The Foodie's Diary in September each year.

These days seasonal shopping is considered the norm for many food-lovers who care about what they cook and about what they eat. And it is a trend that is really gaining momentum with the popularity of farmer's markets, the return of backyard vegetable gardens and seasonal information in food magazines and newspaper sections.

Recent seasonal delights at home have included a batch of late season apricots gently poached to enjoy with breakfast muesli, a salad of sun-ripened backyard cherry tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and basil, as well as fresh sliced zucchini pan fried with fresh mint, olive oil, pine nuts and raisins. A chilly Sunday night just this week saw the opportunity for a beef casserole rich with red wine, bacon, carrots and celery.

The main challenge to cook with the seasons is remembering what is at its best each month and each season. The annual Foodie's Diary includes seasonal lists to keep your shopping on track, plus recipes and food ideas which put seasonal ingredients to good use.

Let's hope this season-led approach to cooking continues to grow - and even becomes the norm for all of us.

Eat well - Allan Campion and Michele Curtis

Visit www.campionandcurtis.com for more seasonal inspiration, recipes and foodie news. You can also keep up to date with Allan's food blog and Twitter from the Campion and Curtis website.