Living in a fruit-growing area, you know what fresh apples taste like: crisp and juicy.
That's why I feel overjoyed when the Farmer's Market opens in May. This morning, I got freshly-picked, bi-color corn (50-cents/ear), green beans, peaches, cucumbers and Rainier cherries. That's what I get for shopping hungry.
Looking forward to cantaloupe, watermelon, pears and apples!
What are your joys of summer?
I have never seen cherries like that. Do they taste similar to red cherries?
I vastly prefer Rainier cherries. Never liked dark red cherries.
Rainier cherries taste slightly sweeter than red cherries, are bigger and has a softer skin.
Bing cherries are deep red. They are smaller and have a tougher skin than Rainier cherries. They also have a lower sugar content than the Rainier cherries.
Rainiers have a lower acidity level, which results in them having higher sugar content. Thus, Rainier cherries are actually sweeter than dark sweet cherries.
@LiterateHiker Thank you for the info. I'll be sure to pick some up.
@LiterateHiker I just had some rainier cherries last week. They were really good.
Fresh steamed and buttered Asparagus...Spinich Tortellini in Fresh Marinara Sauce...and a nice T-Bone Steak... and for desert...Fresh Blueberries and Rasberries with whipped cream...wash it down with a nice bottle Pinot and make an appointment with my Cardiologist...
We have the freshest all year round in South Africa. We bought online during lockdown. It's starting to warm up here again and down to level 3 so hopefully I can pick and choose soon again, not that buying online wasn't a good deal.
I love the farmer's markets as well and we get them all year long (except during lockdown). In the country some towns have them on Saturday morning and some on Sunday so if you're willing to drive you can spend the weekend mornings at them. I love the different foods as well, different fruit, veg, meats, cheeses, breads, sauces and pickles. Though more than once I've bought something that looked interesting only to have to throw it out when it expires.
Cucumbers. I used to get fresh ones right put of the garden as a kid. Eat them as we walked or biked. Still love them - better when chilled these days.
There are two things money can't buy: true love, and the taste of a home grown tomato. But summer is also time for basil which means pesto. I make it in big ass batches, then freeze in ice cube trays, wrap the cubes and save frozen to use throughout the year. BUT, I save back some fresh for pesto chicken.
Fresh tomatoes. Mine are just starting to ripen. I have 4 plants which will give me tomatoes every day through November. The farmers market here is pretty sad, more craft than produce, and the produce is iffy.
Where do you live?
We even have organic produce at our Farmer's Market.
@LiterateHiker Central Wisconsin, small town. It's farm country and a few years back the locals would sell produce but not any more. I would go every week and buy things. Then the city moved the location and all the older local people who sold the produce just didn't like it I think and stopped showing up there. Last I went was the year before. There was one stand selling produce. The others were selling canned or pickled things and crafts. The next nearest place to try would be a 20 minute drive in a larger city.
Amazingly, the farmer’s market here is the same. Yuma and Pima Counties are major agricultural areas. These corporate farms can’t be bothered with the farmers’ market. I don’t really care, because to my knowledge, there is only one small organic farm here and their prices are through the roof. My garden provides enough for me AND the neighbors.
I do like the local Farmer's Market when I can get there. I grow tomatoes and herbs during the summer, my garden makes me happy. The heat and humidity of summer I just tolerate, barely. Give me fall and spring, I can skip the summer heat and winter storms.
My joy of summer is the arrival of fall.
When we used to live in n Washington, A common saying was 'It's autumn here year 'round' -- I don't remember which author said that.
This year, watching from a distance, it seems like we've seen them have stronger last couple of winter and summer seasons. I hope it settles down.
So far we're looking like we might have a monsoon this year to hopefully knock down the fires -- both here in Arizona and in California. -- as opposed to last year's non-soon. That's of course not enough to break the drought but it's better than a step in the opposite direction.
What's bad about the summer in LA?
Is it the heat and threat of fire? I wouldn't be surprised if LA has a city heat-island effect like Mesa/Phx and Tucson do.
I'm afraid we're all going to suffer some from climate change. Good luck and I hope fall comes soon (or at least a reasonable approximation). Ha, ha.
@Willow_Wisp I lived in Michigan for my first 31 years. Except for the “colors”, I hated autumn because it meant winter was coming. Where I live now, there is no “fall” and winter is the best climate.
@MsKathleen Welcome to global warming Orange County is getting more and more insufferable and it’s right next to LA county.
Agreed. Fall is my favorite season. Garden produce, colors, cool nights.
Same here. Many hate this time of endless tourists and can't wait for fall when they finally leave.