The fall season is finally in full swing and we are so excited! For Tony and I, fall is our favorite season. We love the “slight” change in weather here in Florida, all the fall scents and flavors, and of course fall recipes!
With all this in mind, we want this post to be about what is coming into season. Fall season runs from September 22 until December 21. This brings lots of fruits and veggies into season for you to enjoy. We will list them below in alphabetical order.
Fall Produce:
A- Apples, Artichokes, and Arugula
B- Beets, Belgian Endive, Broccoli, Broccoli Rabe (Rapini), and Brussels Sprouts
C- Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery Root, Celery, Chard, Chiles (end of summer- early fall, dry all year), and Curly Endive (frisée)
E- Edamame, Eggplant (early fall), and Escarole
F- Fennel and Figs (late fall for their second harvest)
G- Garlic, Grapes, Green Beans, and Green Onions (year round in temperate climates)
H- Herbs (rosemary, parsley, thyme and sage) and Horseradish
J- Jerusalem Artichokes (sunchokes)
K- Kale (cooler weather keeps it sweet) and Kohlrabi (end of fall)
L- Leeks, Lemongrass (mid fall), Lettuce, and Limes
M- Wild Mushrooms
O-Okra (early fall) and Onions
P- Parsnips, Pears, Peppers (early fall), Persimmons, Pomegranate (oct.-dec.), Potatoes, and Pumpkins
Q- Quinces
R- Radicchio, Radishes (all types), and Rutabagas
S-Shallots, Shelling Beans, Spinach, and Sweet Potatoes
T- Tomatillos, and Turnips
W- Winter Squash
Z- Zucchini
Proteins:
A lot of the time it seems we don’t think about the fact that just like produce has seasons, so do proteins. Here are some great options for fall.
Turkey, Pork, Oysters, Red Grouper, Sole, Pheasant, Duck, Squab, Eel, Herring, Mussels, Quail, Rabbit, and Venison.
Seasonal Cooking:
With the crisp weather, fall is a great time to bring out heartier flavors and seasonings. Soups and stews are some easy go to recipes to try out. Fall also brings back after school activities and busy schedules, which brings along with it the necessity of slow cooked crockpot meals. Some of our favorite flavors and seasonings for you to try are the sweet and savory profile that things like sweet potato and squash offer, as well as some of the warmer spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom.
Why Cook With The Seasons?
1. Money Saving
Have you ever noticed the weekly produce sales? Many times these go with the seasons, meaning that you can actually save money on produce that is seasonally ready. An easy way to do this is to see what the weekly deals on produce are.
2. Best Flavor and Nutrition
I don’t know if you have ever tasted a tomato or strawberry in season versus out of season, but there is definitely a flavor difference. Eating with the seasons offers the full time needed for produce to be full of flavor. It also allows the fruits and veggies to ripen on their own, which means all of their nutritional value grows with it.
3. Less Expensive to Produce or Grow
Because the produce is already in season or is coming into season, there is no need to use additional methods of ripening. This allows the produce to be ready on it’s own, meaning it costs less for growers to produce.
Some of Our Favorite Fall Recipes:
Looking for some new recipes to try this season? Check out some of our favorites below. This also allows you to try out our recipe collections, which are offered in our Two Chef Mission Meal Plans subscription.
Looking for more tips or information on anything food? Check out 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission, our podcast. You will also find an episode on Fall!
