#seasonal-produce

#seasonal-produce

Believe it or not, seasonal fruits still exist. Although it may be convenient to buy your favorite apple variety year-round, the sustainability benefits of growing and consuming in-season produce are indisputable. Besides, what could beat the bright, tangy flavors of a winter orange, or the dribble-down-your-chin juiciness of a summer nectarine? While some fruits are available throughout the year (often because of their long shelf life, ability to withstand transport, and capacity to grow in both the northern and southern hemispheres), this is not universally true.

Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica is a quintessential neighborhood restaurant dedicated to centering California's unrivaled produce and micro-seasons. The restaurant, opened in 2006 by Josh Loeb, not only feels fresh and relevant nearly two decades in, but continues to deliver the kind of dynamic flavors that rival what young guns are cranking out across town.

When it comes to side dishes, the star of Thanksgiving doesn't have to be the gravy, stuffing, or mashed potatoes. Enter: the Thanksgiving salad! Instead of brown and mushy, the salad can be one of the most delicious things on your holiday plate. Over years of hosting, I've found that bold flavor combinations like roasted squash, crunchy apples, pomegranate jewels, and tangy dressings will make everyone reach for seconds.

Cooking in early fall can be confusing. Farmers markets and grocery stores are caught between two seasons: The last of the summer harvest is still perfectly ripe, while fall's first crops are already inching their way into the produce section. Do you keep leaning on summer salads and grilled vegetables, or start roasting squash and baking casseroles? Luckily, you don't have to choose; this is one of the most flexible times of the year in the kitchen.

Cooking for people with food intolerances doesn't have to be daunting, because the rules of good cooking are always the same, McDermott says. Fresh produce is undoubtedly the cheat code to a delicious meal. Bold, fresh herbs or juicy summer berries are the easiest way to elevate any meal to a whole new level. And they're in season and available at your local IGA.

September signals the wind-down of summer, which officially ends on the 22nd. It's a transitional month, one where some summer produce is still in season (corn, tomatoes, mangoes) but where autumn bounty is also starting to pop up (apples, pears, squash). I've scoured the internet to find the 30 best things to cook this month. These recipes celebrate the final few weeks of summer and the beginning of fall - sometimes at the same time.

Now at farmers markets and grocery stores across the country, typically from September to December, the honeynut squash as we know it was released around 2009 as a collaboration between the Plant Breeding and Genetics department at Cornell University and chef Dan Barber's team at the upstate New York restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Their dream was a shrunken, single-serve butternut squash that needs little more than a high-heat roast to become absurdly delicious.

As always in August, my favorite farmers markets and farm stands have come to the rescue with all sorts of colorful, fresh and locally grown produce. Cooking and eating outdoors always puts people in a better mood. That's especially true when the menu is hyper-seasonal. There's something so special about enjoying foods that are only available for a few months or weeks each year - not just because they're flavorful, but also because they support local farmers. Often, they're also more affordable.

Every summer, there is a brief window when the produce is exquisite, especially tomatoes which are unparalleled. Enjoy them while you can.

Watermelon season spans from May through September, but its peak occurs in July and August when top U.S. growing states produce the best fruit.

The farmers market is a visual education for urbanites into what the seasons look like and the food each season yields.