There’s a certain magic to that first meal of the year you can enjoy in the open air.

It’s a harbinger of the season to come, a whisper of warmer days and longer evenings we can’t help but dream about after months of mostly gray skies. As you step out, perhaps with a light jacket to ward off the lingering chill, there’s a sense of anticipation in the air, as if nature itself is waking up from its winter slumber. It might be the first time you dust off your outdoor table, dig out your tablecloth and extra glassware to host friends and family for a mezze lunch. The crunch of fresh salad greens, the juiciness of ripe tomatoes, the burst of crushed mint in a glass of Pimm’s, all heightened by the natural backdrop of open, blue skies. Or it might just be the morning cup of tea and plate of buttery toast you take to a seat on the patio – chair angled to the sun, a blanket draped over your shoulders. Either way, there’s that feeling of freedom, mindfulness and stillness that just can’t be replicated indoors.

The fact that there are only so many months of the year to enjoy it makes it all the sweeter when the weather finally lifts and we can shed our coats. So, when that first opportunity for alfresco dining does arise, seize it with both hands and savor every moment. Let’s hope it’s the first of many.