Clearly unimpressed, she asked why not. "Well, they're not in season, " he explained. Annoyed by such shortcomings, she pointed out that this was unacceptable behaviour from a restaurant when she could easily go to the supermarket right now and return with a large punnet.

I share this tale to illustrate a pervading trend of skewed expectations and lack of sense or comprehension of seasonality. The majority of us have little awareness of when and where fresh foods are grown while imports from around the world ensure a homogeneous shopping experience 12 months of the year. We no longer have to wait for the thrill of autumn's first pears or ruby red summer tomatoes, nor gorge ourselves on asparagus tips because of their preciously short season.

Aside from the sheer pleasure of enjoying seasonal food in peak condition, there's plenty more reasons to eat seasonally. Seasonal ingredients are more environmentally friendly because they cut down on the energy required to grow and transport out-of-season produce. Seasonal food is fresher too (invariably as it's had a shorter distance to travel), so should taste better and offer more nutrition. In an age where we're used to instant gratification, eating food in season might take away a little of our omnipotence but it can teach us a valuable lesson.

If you're unsure what this lesson is, go and treat yourself to a bowl of fresh Wexford strawberries, a bunch of crisp red radishes or a plate of steamed new potatoes served with butter and sea salt.