In this day and age and in the global society we're in, it's generally pretty easy to find just about any food at any time. However, if you try to use what's in season in your area, you're probably going to get a better result.
Sure, you can find strawberries in the dead of winter these days, but how good are they going to be? And if they are good quality, how expensive are they? By shopping and cooking in season, not only are you going to get a better product, but the price will be better as well, since it won't have to be flown halfway around the globe to get to you!
Right now, its fall, or as call it in Arizona: second summer. However, even though its still in the 90s during the day, I start thinking about fall vegetables and recipes, particularly hard squashes and cooking soups and stews. Maybe its an attempt to trick myself into thinking its cooler outside, but I love to break out my cast iron Dutch oven and make some warm, slow-cooked stews!
As I mentioned, hard squash like acorn, butternut and pumpkin are starting to get into their peak time. Root vegetables are also particularly good at this time. While things like carrots are great, try getting out of your comfort zone and try some parsnips or turnips or rutabagas. When slow cooked or roasted, the natural sugar starts to come and gives you a delightfully nutty flavor and texture. These are great in soups, stews or roasted. Hard squashes like butternut and pumpkin are also very nice, starchy options to use in pasta dishes or even as the pasta themselves. I love a good butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and sage. Sometimes I'll even substitute pumpkin for potatoes in gnocchi and caramelize some onions and serve with sweet Italian sausage.
Going into winter, you'll find more of the same harder variety of veggies: beets, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, fennel and endive. This is also when citrus starts to ripen. I grew up with mandarin orange trees in my yard. So I'm a bit of an orange juice snob and really don't like to buy bottled OJ. But it never fails, every Christmas my Uncle Walt in California goes to the Mandarin Festival and mails me a stuffed box of fresh mandarin oranges! I use them as much as possible: juice, salad dressings and my 6 year olds favorite meal: Duck à l'Orange. No, I'm not joking! This is what he asks to have for dinner for his birthday at the end of January! And thanks to Anthony Bourdain's amazing recipe and the mandarins my uncle sends, its always amazing!
As Spring rolls around, green vegetables and fruits start coming into their own. Particularly drupe fruits like peaches and plums. Artichokes, asparagus, peas and spinach are just a few. When it comes to these green vegetables, I try to let them speak for themselves. Maybe a nice steamed artichoke with some olive oil and lemon juice or spinach just barely sauteed with some minced garlic. Try baking a peach pie, if baking is your thing.
Summer, or as we in Arizona call it: Hell on Earth, is the time for my favorite fruits: strawberries and melons! If you haven't made a fresh watermelon cooler beverage, you don't know what you're missing! And is there really anything better than some fresh strawberries, maybe tossed with a little sugar and mint and some freshly whipped cream!?! Come on! Or how about a roasted strawberry balsamic salad dressing? Still don't have you willing to brave the heat? Four words: corn on the cob! There is no better time of the year for corn.
Whatever area you are in, I'm sure there are plenty of local farmers that would love your business. Visit them each season, buy what's freshest and support your local farmers.
And by popular demand, a perfect stew for this time of year: Harvest Pork and Parsnip Stew. It's like Fall in a bowl!
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