The Dutch are not averse to a bit of sugar here and there - in the 17th century, sugar was a luxury and it was a sign of status to add sugar to your food. The ultimate example of this is Frisian sugar bread, which contains sugar cubes. Coffee and cake are a popular duo and appear at birthdays, as well as mid-morning or mid-afternoon in offices or at home when visitors come round.

This recipe for butter cake, which, as the name implies, is made with a buttery pastry and is therefore deliciously rich, goes very well with a cup of strong coffee. It is filled with apricots and almonds, which give the cake a welcome freshness and crunch. Eet smakelijk!

In several countries, pumpkins are very much associated with Halloween on October 31 - not celebrated in Holland incidentally - and so are also linked with autumn, shorter days and colder weather.

One of the nicest things on a cold day is a big bowl of steaming soup. This recipe for vegetarian pumpkin soup is really quick to make but the result is thick and warming. If you have children who will be making pumpkin lanterns for Halloween, it 's also a great way of using up the pumpkin flesh they've scooped out. Eet smakelijk!

Blueberries, often referred to as the ‘queen of berries’, have a gorgeous deep purple colour, delicate taste and are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They originate from North America but can now be found all over the world. They come into season in the Netherlands at the end of June but are at their juiciest and most flavoursome in the late summer and early autumn.

As the days start drawing in, add some colour to your table with this easy goat’s cheese and blueberry salad. The recipe is ideal for a healthy lunch or light supper. Eet smakelijk!