In-season produce is cheaper, tastier, and fresher (which means it lasts long enough that it won’t go bad in your veggie drawer or fruit bowl). Check out these recipes for some of the best options in Maryland during the month of July.
As a matter of principle, we do not turn on our oven in July. It’s too hot. All the following recipes are no-cook, or use only the stovetop.
All of our shopping and nutrition info come from the USDA website.
The best apricots are plump and firm with a deep orange color. Avoid soft ones, as well as fruits with cracks or white spots.
Choose firm, deeply colored beans; avoid soft and wrinkled ones.
Choose shiny berries that aren’t bruised, leaking juice, or moldy. Berries can spoil quickly, so use them within a few days of purchase.
You can eat both the root and the leaves of these vegetables, which come in red, golden, white, orange, pink, and striped varieties. Cut the greens off the vegetable before storing separately; the leaves will draw moisture out of the beet, leaving it dry and flavorless.
Buy sweet-smelling, heavy melons. Wash the melon, rind and all, before slicing, and scoop out the seeds before eating.