A weekly fall produce guide to what’s in season right now based on the contents of our CSA share, with CSA and farmer’s market recipes and ideas. This week’s early September inspiration: nectarines and peaches.
For the first installment of the fall produce guide (hello September!), I thought it would be a good time to focus on summer fruit. I’m not one to rush into fall, especially where produce is concerned, so it feels right to linger on summer ingredients just a bit longer. And anyway, nectarines and peaches are abundant and delicious right now.
Up in the picture, I decided to round things out with green Lodi apples, green tomatoes from the garden (sparing them from our resident rabbit), and a few Mexican sunflowers. I’m not quite ready for apple recipes, but will certainly give them lots of attention in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
Nectarines
Nectarines are plentiful and delicious this year. Whether served fresh, grilled, or baked until jammy, this versatile fruit is a highlight of early fall. Look for fruit with lots of deep maroon color. Very yellow or very hard nectarines are likely unripe. One trick I use this time of year is to follow the bees – they always know which stands have the ripest fruit.
- Stone Fruit and Tomato Ricotta Toasts
- Raclette and Nectarine Pork Burgers
- Brown Butter Nectarine Tart
- Nectarine and Cucumber Salad
- Grilled Pizza with Nectarines, Peppers, and Ricotta
- Charred Corn Salad with Nectarines and Pickled Onions
Peaches
I’m revisiting peaches one last time, with an eye toward late summer/early fall preparations. Each of the recipes above capture the moment beautifully, whether with the delicate French custard cake, a grilled watermelon and donut peach salad, or a fresh fig and Blood Peach tart. Whatever you make, the last weekend of summer is an excellent time for grilling, of course, but also a big baking project like a proper pie or other dessert.
another great guide, thank you, and great reminder not to forget about summer fruit at their peak, much appreciated
Thanks, Sabrina!
Thank you for the advice. The nectarines at the grocery store are always so firm, I just pass them by. I’ve yet to see a bee in the city, but maybe I’ll have more luck at the farmer’s market.