It’s inevitable that with every seasonal change, I find myself coming back to this list to get a reminder of all the fresh, local produce that will be making their appearance in the marketplace, to help us celebrate the end of one season and the beginning of the next.
Cooking with fresh seasonal ingredients is an essential component of effective culinary practice. Here’s a guide to help you enjoy each season’s fresh harvest at its prime. Please note that the seasonality and availability will vary slightly in each country.
Eat simple. Eat fresh. Eat local. Make it real. Make it good.
n = new in season ~ p = peak of season ~ w = winding down
Spring (March, April, May)
March
Vegetables |
artichoke (p) ~ asparagus ~ broccoli ~ cabbages (p) ~ carrots (p) ~ cauliflower (p) ~ celeriac / celery root ~ celery~– chard, collards (p) ~ fennel (p) ~ garlic (p) ~ greens: braising mix, frisee, mustard, nettles, tat-soi, kale ~ leek ~ mushrooms, morels (n) ~ onions / spring ~ peas, edible pods (n) ~ radish ~ spinach ~ salad mix, spring mix(n) ~ sunchokes (w)
|
Fruits |
avocado / Haas ~ berries: strawberries ~ cherimoya (w) ~ kiwi (w) ~ kumquat (w) ~ lemon, meyer ~ lime, Key ~ orange, Navel (p) ~ rhubarb ~ tangerine
|
April
Vegetables |
artichokes (p) ~ asparagus (p) ~ beans, fava (n) ~ beets (n) ~ broccoli ~ cabbages ~ carrots ~ celeriac/celery root ~ chard (w) ~ fennel ~ garlic (w) ~ greens: collards, dandelion, lettuces, nettles, kale (w) ~ leeks (w) ~ mushrooms, morels (p) ~ nopales ~ onions, spring ~ onions, sweet (n) ~ peas: Edible pod (p) ~ English/shelling (n) ~ spinach (w) ~ spring salad mix (p)
|
Fruits |
avocado, Haas ~ grapefruit ~ orange, Navel (w) ~ rhubarb, field (p)
|
May
Vegetables |
artichokes (w) ~ asparagus ~ beans, fava (p) ~ beans, green (n) ~ beets ~ broccoli (w) ~ cabbages (w) ~ carrots ~ cauliflower (w) ~ celery (w) ~ celeriac/celery root (w) ~ chard (w) ~ corn (n) ~ fennel (w) ~ garlic (w) ~ greens: arugula, dandelion, fiddlehead fern, lettuces, mizuna, mustard, kale (w) ~ mushrooms, morels (w) ~ onions: fresh/spring (w), sweet: Vidalia (p) ~ peas: edible pods (p), English/shelling (p) ~ potatoes, new (n) ~ radish (w) ~ ramps (p) ~ salad mix (w) ~ sorrel (p) ~ spinach (w) ~ squash, zucchini (n)
|
Fruits | apricots (n) ~ avocado ~ berries: blackberries (n), raspberries (n), strawberries, cherries (n) ~ grapefruit (w) ~ melons: cantaloupe (n), honeydew (n), watermelon (n) ~ peaches (n) ~ rhubarb, field (w) |
Summer (June, July, August)
June
Vegetables |
beans, green (n) ~ beets (w) ~ carrots (w) ~ corn (n) ~ cucumber (n) ~ garlic (n) ~ eggplant (n) ~ greens: kale ~ lettuces (w) ~ onions: sweet, Vidalia (p), Walla Walla (w), red ~ peas: English/shelling (w) ~ potatoes ~ squash, summer (n)
|
Fruits | apricots (p) ~ berries: blackberries (p), blueberries, boysenberries (p), loganberries, plallieberries (n), raspberries (p), strawberries ~ cherries (n) ~ figs, Black Mission (n) ~ grapes (n) ~ limes (p) ~ melons: cantaloupe (n), watermelon (n) ~ nectarines (n) ~ peaches (n) ~ pineapple ~ star fruit (n) ~ tomatoes (n) |
July
Vegetables |
basil (n) ~ beans, green ~ corn (p) ~ cucumber (n) ~ garlic ~ eggplant (n) ~ okra (n) ~ onions: red (p), sweet, Vidalia (w), Walla Walla (w) ~ peppers, sweet/bell (n) ~ squash, summer (p) ~ potatoes
|
Fruits | berries: blueberries (p), gooseberries ~ cherries (w) ~ figs: Black Mission ~ Calimyrna grapes ~ limes ~ melons: ambrosia, canary, galaxy, galia, watermelon ~ nectarines (p) ~ oranges, Valencia (n) ~ peaches (p) ~ pears: Asian (n) ~ Bartlett (n) ~ French butter (p) ~ pineapple ~ plums (n) ~ tomatoes (n) |
August
Vegetables |
basil ~ beans, green (p) ~ beans, fresh shelling such as cranberry, black-eyed pea (n) ~ corn (p) ~ cucumber (p) ~ garlic (p) ~ eggplant ~ okra (p) ~ onion (p) ~ pepper, bell ~ squash, summer ~ Tomatillo
|
Fruits |
apple, Gravenstein (n) ~ avocado, Haas ~ berries: blackberries (w), blueberries (w), raspberries (p) ~ figs: (p) Adriatic, Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Calimyrna, Kadota ~ grapes: Red Flame (p), Thompson seedless ~ limes (w) ~ melons (p) ~ nectarines (w) ~ orange, Valencia (p) ~ peaches (p) ~ pears, Asian (n), Bartlett (p) ~ plums (p) ~ tomatoes
|
Autumn (September, October, November)
September
Vegetables |
artichokes (n) ~ basil (p) ~ beans, fresh shelling (p) ~ celeriac/celery root (n) ~ cucumber (p) ~ eggplant (p) ~ garlic (p) ~ kale (n) ~ kohlrabi (n) ~ okra (p) ~ onion ~ peppers: (p) Bell, chile ~ potatoes (w) ~ squash: summer (w), winter (n) ~ Tomatillo (w)
|
Fruits | apples (p) ~ figs (w) ~ grapes (p) ~ melons (w) ~ orange, Valencia (p) ~ pears: Asian (p), Bartlett (w) ~ persimmons: (n) Fuyu (firm), Hachiya (soft) ~ plums (w) ~ pomegranate (n) ~ quince (n) ~ tomatoes (p) |
October
Vegetables |
artichokes (p) ~ basil (w) ~ beans: (w) fresh shelling, green ~ beets (n) ~ broccoli (n) ~ brussels sprouts (n) ~ cabbages (n) ~ cardoon (p) ~ celeriac/celery root ~ chard (n) ~ daikon (n) ~ eggplant (w) ~ garlic (w) ~ greens: turnip, beet, parsley, lettuces, escarole, arugula, komatsuna (n), kale ~ kohlrabi ~ parsnip ~ peppers: (w) sweet, hot ~ potatoes: white, sweet (n) ~ pumpkin (p) ~ radish (n) ~ rutabaga (n) ~ spinach (n) ~ squash, winter (p) ~ turnips (n) ~ yams (n)
|
Fruits |
apples (p) ~ avocado: Haas (w), Fuerte (n), Zutano (n) ~ berries, cranberries (n) ~ kumquat (n) ~ lemons (n) ~ orange, Valencia (w) ~ pears: (n) Bosc, Comice ~ persimmons: (p) Fuyu (firm), Hachiya (soft) ~ pomegranate (p) ~ quince (p) ~ raspberries (w) ~ tomatoes (w)
|
November
Vegetables | artichokes (w) ~ beans, green (w) ~ beets ~ broccoli ~ cabbages (n) ~ bok choy ~ brussels sprouts ~ carrots (n) ~ celeriac/celery root ~ celery (n) ~ chard (n) ~ daikon (p) ~ dill (p) ~ garlic (w) ~ greens: mustard, endive, kale ~ kohlrabi (w) ~ leek ~ parsnip ~ peppers: (w) hot, sweet ~ potatoes: white, sweet (p) ~ radish (w) ~ rutabaga ~ squash, winter (p) ~ sunchoke (n) ~ turnip (n) ~ yams (p) |
Fruits | apples (w) ~ avocado: (n) Fuerte, Zutano ~ berries: cranberries (p), huckleberries (p) ~ guava (n) ~ pineapple (n) ~ kiwi (n) ~ kumquats ~ lemons (n) ~ mandarins, tangerines (n) ~ orange, navel (n) ~ pears: Anjou (n), Bosc (p), Comice (p) ~ persimmons: Fuyu (firm) (p), Hachiya (soft) (p) ~ pomegranate (w) ~ quince (w) |
Winter (December, January, February)
December
Vegetables | broccoli ~ cabbages: Bok choy, brussels sprouts (p), green, Napa, red, Savoy ~ carrots ~ cauliflower (n) ~ celery ~ celeriac/celery root ~ Daikon (w) ~ kale ~ mushrooms, wild (p) ~ parsley ~ parsnip (w) ~ potatoes: white, sweet/yams (p) ~ rutabaga ~ spinach ~ squash, winter (w) ~ sunchoke ~ turnips (p) |
Fruits |
avocado: Fuerte, Haas (n) ~ berries: cranberries (w) ~ cherimoya (n) ~ currants, red ~ dates, fresh (p) ~ grapefruit (n) ~ kiwi ~ kumquat ~ lemon ~ mandarins/tangerines (p) ~ oranges, Navel (n) ~ pears: Anjou, Bosc (p), Comice (p), Winter Nellis ~ quince ~
|
January
Vegetables | broccoli ~ cabbages: Bok choy (w), brussels sprouts, green, Napa, Savoy ~ carrots ~ cauliflower ~ celery ~ celeriac/celery root ~ chard ~ collards (n) ~ Daikon (w) ~ fennel (n) ~ greens: kale ~ leeks ~ mushrooms, wild ~ onions, green (n) ~ potatoes, white (w) ~ rutabaga (w) ~ spinach ~ squash, butternut (w) ~ sunchoke ~ turnips (w) |
Fruits |
avocado: Fuerte (w), Haas (n), Zutano (w) ~ grapefruit ~ kisi ~ kumquat ~ lemons (p) ~ mandarins, tangerines (p) ~ oranges: Blood (n), Naval (n) ~ pears: Anjou, Bosc (w), Comice (w) ~ rhubarb, hothouse (n)
|
February
Vegetables |
artichoke (n) ~ asparagus (n) ~ broccoli (p) ~ brussels sprouts (w) ~ carrots ~ cauliflower ~ celery ~ celeriac/celery root ~ chard ~collards ~ fennel ~ greens: mustard, turnip, watercress, kale ~ leeks ~ onions, spring ~ potatoes: red, russet, white ~ radish (n) ~ spinach ~ sunchoke (w)
|
Fruits |
avocado, Haas ~ berries: raspberries (n), strawberries (n) ~ grapefruit (p) ~ kiwi ~ kumquat ~ lemons ~ mandarins/tangerines ~ oranges: Blood (w), Navel (n) ~ pummel ~ rhubarb (n)
|
Recent Comments