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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Seasonal Fruits

watermelon
There are many things I like as I anticipate the arrival of summer. But one of the things I love the most is enjoying various 'summer foods' that are so abundant especially in early summer, like corn on the cob, watermelon, peaches, nectarines, etc.

Now that it is common for supermarkets to stock produce that has been shipped long distances, from the other side of the country or even from another hemisphere, we have a much greater window of availability for fruits and vegetables than their natural local growing seasons. For instance, you can buy mango almost any time of year, though where I live, it certainly does not grow year round.

But as people try to eat more locally grown food, we naturally end up eating with the seasons and we get reacquainted with the natural growing patterns for various foods. And by eating according to the seasons we end up eating produce when it is most abundant in the market, which means it is a) at its cheapest price for the year b) in its freshest condition, not having spent weeks in transit and storage.

As it is now, I always notice that in early summer the produce section of the supermarket has piles and piles of fresh, juicy peaches and nectarines. And of course, I remember that juicy watermelon is prevalent in summer too. I think apples are always best in the autumn. But I don't remember too much more than that. So I thought it would be helpful to feature a list of what fruits are in season at what time of year.

Spring

Apricots – spring into summer
Cherries - spring and summer
Lemons – winter into spring
Grapefruit – winter into early summer
Oranges
Rhubarb – spring into summer; eat stems only; leaves are poisonous!
Strawberries – peak from April through June

Summer

Apples – summer into fall
Avocados
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupes
Figs – mid to late summer
Grapes – end of summer into fall
Mangoes – late spring into summer
Melons
Nectarines
Peaches
Plums
Raspberries
Watermelon

Fall

Apples – late summer through fall
Cranberries
Figs - 2nd season in late fall, around Thanksgiving
Pears – mid-summer into winter
Persimmons
Pomegranate

Winter

Clementines
Pomegranate – fall into winter

Enjoy!
Juliet

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