Fresh fruit skewers with two dips

This is one of those snacks that gets made on a whim and then made again the next weekend. Nothing about it needs a recipe really, which is part of the charm. You thread some fruit onto a stick, spoon out a couple of dips, and everyone at the table starts reaching before you have sat down.

I like to think of the skewers as a small lesson in how fruit behaves. Firm fruit such as apple, pear and melon holds its shape on a stick, while soft fruit like ripe peach or kiwi can start to slide and bruise if you press too hard. Put the firmer pieces at the bottom of each skewer and the softer ones near the top, and the whole thing stays tidy until it is eaten. If you are making them ahead, a squeeze of lemon over cut apple or pear slows the browning, and a damp sheet of kitchen paper over the tray keeps everything from drying out in the fridge.

The berry sauce is worth the minute it takes. Blitz the berries until they are completely smooth, then taste before you add any sweetener. Berries vary a lot in sharpness, and a ripe punnet can be sweet enough on its own. If the sauce comes out thicker than you want, a splash of water loosens it nicely. A quick push through a sieve gets rid of the seeds from raspberries or blackberries if anyone at the table is fussy about them.

The fromage frais is the cool, mild partner that makes the whole plate feel balanced. It is a soft, slightly tangy cheese, and it suits fruit far better than you might expect. Keep it chilled until the moment you serve it, because it loosens quickly on a warm table.

For a fuller spread, I often put out a bowl of Layered Berry Trifle with Vanilla Custard at the end of the meal, so the same berries turn up in a more indulgent form. On a savoury night, a plate of Paprika Potato Wedges with Two Dips makes a surprisingly good companion, since the crisp edges and the creamy dip sit happily beside the cold fruit. And if you have leftover berries in the fridge, the Frozen Fruit and Berry Snack Bites are a sensible way to use them up before they soften.

Leftover fruit that has been on skewers for a while can go into a bowl with a spoonful of the fromage frais stirred through as a quick fool. Leftover berry sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for a few days and is lovely over plain yoghurt in the morning. Nothing here is wasted, and that is how I like my snacks to be.