What’s in Season: July 2019

Salsa, gazpacho, ratatouille, oh my! It’s my favorite season for eating.

We’ve had just enough sun to ripen tomatoes and draw eggplant out from their purple haze. In a few weeks richly hued peppers will also star in our market show.  Summer snacks like homemade salsa take just a few minutes with no cooking!  Gazpacho and crusty bread makes a satisfying dinner on a warm summer night. For those cooler evenings, we get in western Oregon, chop your farmers’ market treasures and stew-up some ratatouille.  All of these keep well for lunch during the week too.

What to get at our markets:

Tomatoes – Select a variety of colors and sizes to get a range of flavor and texture.

Eggplant – As summer heats up farmers will have more varieties of eggplant.  Try the smaller white and purple striped ones for a change.

Sweet Peppers – You can find green bell peppers now – which are great for stuffing with ground meat, mushrooms and a mix of vegetables.  By August farmers will have plenty of red, yellow and orange peppers.

Hot Peppers – Grab the small green Padron peppers to quick-fry for a great appetizer. Each week the heat will go up with more varieties.

Cucumber – Yummy in the dishes above and a staple for added crunch in your mixed greens salad.

Zucchini – Not just for quick bread anymore, but that is a good idea. Shred and steam then smother with tomato sauce or slice the long way, coat with oil and grill.

Onion & Garlic – Keep a lot on hand, it lasts.  Put these aromatics in … everything!

Cilantro & Parsley – Excellent in salsa, pesto and anything else with a Mexican or Mediterranean direction.

Basil, Oregano & Thyme – Fresh herbs make a world of difference in any dish, salads included.  Bundle with stems and all then drop into soups and stews.

Happy cooking!