Cooking with local, seasonal ingredients is something many of us aspire to do more often. And it makes sense: seasonal cooking is such a nice way to celebrate where you live and understand the seasons, meet your farmers at the market, and eat a wider range of fruits and vegetables. So how to start? Here are a few resources that give us inspiration.
There are quite a few resources online to give you a jump-start in seasonal cooking inspiration. Here are a few of our favorites:
• The Year in Food: This beautiful blog written by Kimberly Hasselbrink aims to "chart the course of the year through food... (with) straightforward, unfussy cooking and eating that falls somewhere between comfort and health food." We especially love her Seasonal Food Guides (check out April's here), beautiful photos, and inspired seasonal recipes.
• Spring Seasonal Map: Epicurious has published a fantastic interactive map: click on where you live and you'll find information on what fruits and vegetables are available during certain months along with recipes and shopping tips.
• Field to Plate: This is a great resource to learn more about seasonality specific to your state and region. From calendars, maps, information on farmers markets and pick-your-own orchards, this one's a keeper.
Related: Great Farmers' Market Resource: The New CUESA Website
(Image: Faith Durand)
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That's the thing about living here in Geneva... don't try to find an asparagus spear in June, because the produce clerk will contemptuously sniff "Mais Madame, le saison est fini!" -- this, despite the fact that you can find asparagus in Spain (a mere 4 hours away) year-round.
So, we've had to cook seasonally whether we wanted to or not.
That said, I am profoundly grateful to be eating Gariguette and Mara des Bois strawberries right now!
Deborah Madison's Local Flavors cookbook is my go-to during farmers market season.
I love, love, LOVE The Year in Food! She has been such an inspiration for me to begin cooking seasonally.
Sweet. Thanks for the resources. Def gotta check them out.
I'd suggest joining a CSA. It was so helpful to me to realize what is truly in season where I live. I wasn't buying strawberries in February or August in Maryland, but I was buying them in late April and May, which felt in season. However in Maryland strawberries are only in season late May to mid June. Very helpful to join the CSA and see when we actually get each fruit and vegetable. Farmer's markets and pick-you-own places are equally helpful!