by Kay Kitchens, "Food For Life" nutrition & cooking instructor in Texas.

In her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kingsolver creates a plant she names the vegetannual.  This imaginary plant bears the fruits and vegetables that grow throughout the year – but only during the time they are truly in season in an area.  She reminds us that we should only eat the fruits and vegetables that could actually be grown where we live.  If we can’t see a tomato growing in the snow in January, we shouldn’t plan to eat it.

We Americans have become spoiled to having whatever fruit or vegetable we want whenever we want it.  Grocers have produce shipped in from all over the world so that we can have strawberries in January and peaches in December.  And then we complain about the taste!  Simply stated – all fruits and vegetables have a season when they grow and ripen to perfection and taste amazing.  By planning your menus around what is in season, you can create a wonderful variety of dishes that taste good all year round.

Late Spring, Summer and early Fall are typically the best times for the most abundant local produce. During this time your local grocery store, local Farmers market and roadside stands have a wide variety available.

If you have a garden, then you know the joy of eating a tomato as soon as it is picked from the vine.  Nothing is quite as good as that taste and it makes you wonder why you ever bother with the pithy, tasteless ones you get other times of the year that have been picked green and trucked in for hundreds of miles (or flown in from another country).

To find local Farmer’s Markets in your area you can use one of these websites:  www.localharvest.org or

www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets Simply put in your zip code and a list of Farmer’s Markets is provided.  Some have websites you can review.  At most Farmer’s Markets you will be buying your produce from the grower.  You can ask questions about their use of organic methods and learn how they grow their produce.  Often they are happy to provide you with a taste of a melon or peach or tomato so you truly know how good it is.

Enjoy the abundance of what is growing and fresh right now and through the Summer.  Plan your menus around the season!