Summer Produce Guide
Produce absolutely pops off during summer in the Midwestern U.S. Farmers markets are thriving and farm stands seem to occupy the corner of every block. In this post, I’ll tell you all about my favorite summer fruits and veggies and how I like to eat them.
Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
As if you don't already know, berries of all kinds thrive during the summer months, yielding from late June through September. Berries are a perfect snack when eaten raw and they taste bomb in baked goods (like these muffins).
Carrots
Fun fact: I used to eat carrots so often that my hands turned orange. Now, I like to mix up my veggie habits a bit more, but my love for carrots holds true. Lucky for me, I can enjoy them from late June all the way through September. I like 'em raw, but they also taste great roasted or added to dishes like stir fry.
Eggplant
These dudes [insert eggplant emoji here] are in season from July through October, so you can enjoy them all summer long and well into fall. They taste great simply grilled with some oil and salt, or Jerusalem-style made into baba ganoush with pita bread on the side.
Grapes
This classic snack comes on the scene in July and sticks around through August. Lean into your nostalgia by eating raw grapes out of a zip-top baggie (reusable, of course), or go a more sophisticated route by roasting them with oil and herbs.
Melons
From watermelons to musk melons to honeydews, melons thrive during summer (especially in sandy soils!). Most melon varieties are in season from mid-July to early September. Eating them raw is A+, but you could also mix it up by tossing melons cubes in spices or grilling big planks of melon.
Nectarines, Peaches and Plums
I lumped these puppies together because they're all a bunch of drupes. (Although it sounds like the sickest insult of 2019, a "drupe" is just a fruit with a pit in the middle.) These juicy sisters are in season from July through Sempter, so you can enjoy them all summer and into fall. I love to eat them sliced on toast, with ricotta or cashew cream, or just munch on them plain.
Onions
Do I even need to tell you about onions? They can crank up any dish to a ten and they can rock it solo too, simply oiled, salted and grilled. You can snag them fresh from the dirt from the beginning of Spring all the way through November, but they'll last in storage all winter long.
Peppers
Whether you go for sweet peppers or hot peppers, they're all in season during the summer months. Sweet pepper plants tend to yield from July through November while many hot pepper plants yield from August to October. All peppers are super versatile and taste great raw or added to other dishes to spice things up.
Squash and Zucchini
My mother's greatest veggie obsession, zucchini, are in season late June through early August. Zucchini is pretty much a blank slate for flavor and texture, so let your freak flag fly. Their sister squashes like butternut, spaghetti and acorn squash bloom a bit later, so be on the lookout for these squash varieties July through September.
Sweet Corn
Catch this sweet and juicy Midwest specialty at farm stands from July through October. Sweet corn tastes perfect when boiled or grilled and eaten plain, or spiced up with some elote seasonings or added to salads, tacos, casseroles and more.
Tomatoes
One of the most versatile vegetables in existence (unless you're Tom Brady), tomatoes are in season June through August. Whether you slice them onto your toast with a touch of flaky salt or use them as a base for bisque or sauce, tomatoes can work their way into any cuisine you're working with.
Rhubarb
I hope you've been enjoying this long and lux veggie all spring, but if not, no worries. It's here to party all summer long. Chop it up for a pie, make it into curd or add it to your favorite muffin, quick bread and scone recipes. Rhuby is delicious any way you cook her.