What's Fresh and In Season Right Now?

[little ms foodie]

Forgive me if I'm the only one who has this lack of knowledge but since I'm not a gardner I always wonder what is really at it's peak to buy at both my farmers market and the grocery store. I'd like to try to prepare dishes that are more seasonal, say a more European style of cooking with what is fresh. Since so many things are available year around I get confused by what is actually in season!

So right now....early Sept. I see a bit of corn and beans still around, potatoes arriving at the market as well as some squash. What do you think is peak right now for cooking with???

[kiliki]

Tomatos, peppers (chile and bell) and cukes come to mind (probably because they are ripe in my garden). This is the only time of year I make gazpacho as the ingredients really need to be outstanding.

[laurel]

It depends from where. There's actually quite a range of climates if you include Central and Eastern Washington in your seasonal/local range. Two orchards I visited last week that were within 5 miles of each other had the same variety of peach ripen two weeks apart.

Anything that is cheap and plentiful at a farmer's market is of course going to be seasonal. You can get on a mailing list at http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/ that will send you what they have every week.

[Really Nice!]

Here you go Puget Sound Area Harvest Schedule

Coming or Continuing:

Apples

Fall raspberries

Beans

Brussels Sprouts

Corn

Pickling Cucumbers

Elephant garlic

Leeks

Parsnips

Shallots

Winter squash

Going:

Blackberries

Blueberries

Melons

Basil

Lavender

Tarragon

Tomatoes

[little ms foodie]

this is exactly what I was looking for!! very good. I especially like not only the list of ingrediants but the ideas for dishes. thanks kiliki! will be making some yummy gazpacho this weekend!

Also I know that chantrelles and plums are in season

Edited September 8, 2004 by little ms foodie (log)

[lala]

While not necessarily local, but in season: I always eat lots of figs at this time of year. In yogurt with honey, on coffee ice cream with cinnamon, topped with mascarpone and berries. And my favorite, grilled. Some people stuff them with blue cheese. I halve them, wrap in a quarter slice proscuitto, line up a bunch of them and skewer them together and give a bath of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, grill on medium heat until the fig is warmed through. Eat as is, or with a light salad of baby greens. I usually drizzle a little aged balsamic on top. Just...swoony...

[kiliki]

I was just up at the Market during lunch and the vendors that have the temporary stalls right on Pike Place have a fabulous selection of gorgeous looking summer squashes and chiles as well as some interesting cukes and eggplants. Also, the crowds have largely gone home so it was much easier to shop than it has been for months.

[ScorchedPalate]

The Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets publishes just such a list.

The current "What's Fresh" page can always be found here in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format, or you can subscribe to have it delivered via email each week.

~A

edited for a typo

Edited September 8, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[grilledcheese]

While not necessarily local, but in season:  I always eat lots of figs at this time of year. In yogurt with honey, on coffee ice cream with cinnamon, topped with mascarpone and berries. And my favorite, grilled. Some people stuff them with blue cheese. I halve them, wrap in a  quarter slice proscuitto, line up a bunch of them and skewer them together and give a bath of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, grill on medium heat until the fig is warmed through. Eat as is, or with a light salad of baby greens. I usually drizzle a little aged balsamic on top. Just...swoony...

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love these fig ideas, thanks!! and really nice!, the harvest schedule is great! thanks!

i'm especially crazy for figs at this time of year, too. my favorite thing to do with them is take slices of baguette, add a chunk of good brie and half a fig to each, and put them under the broiler until perfectly gooey. (sometimes it's nice to toast the baguette first. your call.) my boyfriend calls them the thinking man's fig newton.

[kiliki]

I'll also add that if you're willing to do the legwork, wild blueberries and huckleberries are ripe in the mountains right now.

[lala]

love these fig ideas, thanks!! and really nice!, the harvest schedule is great! thanks!

i'm especially crazy for figs at this time of year, too. my favorite thing to do with them is take slices of baguette, add a chunk of good brie and half a fig to each, and put them under the broiler until perfectly gooey. (sometimes it's nice to toast the baguette first. your call.) my boyfriend calls them the thinking man's fig newton.

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Well, now, I'm on a near foodless cross country flight on Saturday, and I believe that I will have to bring that figgie/brie sandwich! No heat source, so I'll have to be sure I get a nice, gooey brie...mmmm....sure to make my seat mates jealous!

[little ms foodie]

My "in season" dinner last night included corn and zuccini friters served with scallops. Love corn and zuccini!!

Love the fig brie sandwich idea too....my what a decadant lunch that will be. Lala if you were sitting next to me I'd mug you for that!

[trillium]

For more fig ideas I really liked this article by Deborah Madison.

regards,

trillium

[little ms foodie]

I picked up some really nice cucumbers at the u dist farmers market on sat. that will make a great tzatiki tonight and will go will with a nice medetrainian inspired dinner.

Also picked up some really nice tomatoes for gazpacho tomorrow!

Corn that I turned into a fresh creamed corn last night was still sweet and juicy.

Saw lots of winter squash popping up and the new crop of lettuce seems really good too.

[kiliki]

I made some really delicious corn cakes for breakfast with my farmer's market corn this weekend.

[reesek]

For more fig ideas I really liked this article by Deborah Madison.

regards,

trillium

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speaking of figs - i made a very tasty fig and apple butter this weekend to go on fresh baked bread (my new obsession) if anyone is interested in my method, PM me and i'll gladly send a recipe.

[Adiabatic]

Don't forget that Apples are readily available right now and they are wonderful in many dishes.

[sserver]

Don't forget that Apples are readily available right now and they are wonderful in many dishes.

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Wonderful Honeycrisp apples are in season now and in stores. They're like candy eaten alone but for a special treat I dip them in caramel!

[DRColby]

Eat chanterelles. Soon, if the rest of the mushroom season goes like the start, there will be many boletes and then - hopefully - matsutakes.

dave

[olivina]

Are there any experienced mushroom foragers out there willing to give my novice attempts at chanterelle hunting a little advice? I'm pretty good at finding them but don't know if I should:

Use a knife and cut at ground level? Or as my Russian pal says, lift them out of the ground with your fingers?

Should I carry a wicker basket? Seems bulky, but the mushrooms won't get as crowded?

Help please, not much time left in the season, I imagine...

[little ms foodie]

I'm planning on picking up chantrelles this weekend at the market! Haven't had a chance to use any yet but I have lots of ideas!

Will also be using some plums from my tree tonight to do a nice pork chop dish!

[lalala]

I'm planning on picking up chantrelles this weekend at the market! Haven't had a chance to use any yet but I have lots of ideas!

Will also be using some plums from my tree tonight to do a nice pork chop dish!

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I usually fry up some pancetta or uncured bacon, drain it, saute some chanterelles in a bit of the bacon/pork drippings, toss in some shredded cabbage and wilt it, add back in the pork products and add a bit of cider vinegar.

Yum..

Last week I picked up a small porcini from Donna at the U. District Market (Nice to see her back), sliced it and sauteed it in plugra butter, made some pasta, mixed the two together and added a bit of cheese. It was divine.

lalala

[DRColby]

Are there any experienced mushroom foragers out there willing to give my novice attempts at chanterelle hunting a little advice? I'm pretty good at finding them but don't know if I should:

Use a knife and cut at ground level? Or as my Russian pal says, lift them out of the ground with your fingers?

Should I carry a wicker basket? Seems bulky, but the mushrooms won't get as crowded?

Help please, not much time left in the season, I imagine...

It's best to cut with a knife, but that isn't always possible because of the way stems grow. The reason to cut is because chanterelle stems tend to shatter when pulled, and it is far easer to clean most of the dirt off the mushroom before you put it in your basket than at home.

Also, don't use plastic grocery bags, they smother the mushroom. If you use bags, use kraft that breathes.

There is still a long way to go for the chanterelle season - at least until the first hard settling frost- but mushrooms will be very wet from all the rain. Take the mushrooms when you get home and spread them out in a dry place on a piece of newspaper for a day or so until the mositure is gone. They are also easier to clean when dry.) Then bag them (again in kraft), throw a dampened paper towel on top and they will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrig.

dave

[olivina]

    Also, don't use plastic grocery bags, they smother the mushroom.  If you use bags, use kraft that breathes.

 

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Dave, this is just the common sense advise I've been hoping for. Thank you very much!

Last Monday I used plastic and lost a few lbs of chanterelles due to the bag. The rest sure were good in risotto and in pasta and in scrambled eggs. Gotta get back out there.

Carla

Edited September 22, 2004 by olivina (log)

[DRColby]

It was a great day in the woods today, probably the best I have ever seen. I will try to show you with the photos; they are about half of what I picked after trading out with a resturant and giving away more to former employees and friends.

Have many white chanterelles, rough stemmed (or scaber) boletes and stilll some matustakes left. Since food is about sharing if anyone would care for some of these send me an e-mail. No deliveries.

dave

( Photos won't post. Can't figure out how to post from Iphoto. No GIF format. If anyone can pass along instructions I will give another try... )