The modern grocery store has a wider selection of foods than most people in history would have thought possible. If you were to go back in time and tell a medieval peasant they could have carrots, blackberries and figs year round, they would think you’d lost your mind. Besides, if that luxury were even possible, it would be reserved for the most wealthy and pompous members of their fief.
Today’s grocery stores carry plenty of products once reserved for royalty. But we’ve become spoiled by the readily available foods we can find in our grocery stores. It’s true you can buy nectarines in the dead of winter, but should you? It’s easy to forget how good a food can be when you eat it when it’s meant to be eaten. In honor of that sentiment, here are five foods that are currently in season, and some ideas of what to do with them.
Arugula, rocket, eruca, whatever you want to call it — it’s in season. On its own, it has a simple bitter and peppery flavor, but it’s one of the best supporting ingredients for salads and sandwiches out there. Originating from the Mediterranean, arugula has lots of important vitamins and is full of fiber, so it really can’t hurt to throw it in whatever you decide to make. My favorite use of arugula is with a nice steak sandwich. Toast some bread of your choice, sear and baste a steak with butter, garlic and thyme, and then caramelize some onion. Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some salt on the arugula and put it all together. You get sweetness from the onion, rich umami from the steak and some light freshness from the arugula to balance it all out. Feel free to add some provolone or mustard, too, for a sharper kick.
Next up is artichoke. The best thing about artichoke is how easy it is to fully enjoy it. Just pour some water in a pot with a steam basket and let it boil. You can add a splash of white wine and a bay leaf to the water if you’re looking for some extra flavor. Steam the artichoke for around 30 to 50 minutes depending on the size. Once done, just melt some butter and add a squeeze of lemon juice to a small bowl, and you can enjoy the leaves and the tender, earthy heart.
On the topic of simplicity, we come to mangos. An in-season mango should be soft, buttery and sweet with a slight sour tang. The two most common mangos in our grocery stores are the Tommy Atkins (bigger and reddish green) and the Ataulfo (smaller, kidney-shaped and yellow). Both are good, but I prefer the Ataulfo for its smoother texture. A ripe mango on its own is basically perfect, but one classic way to add on is simply sprinkling on some Tajín seasoning. The Mexican spice mix brings out the depth of the flavor with the chili flakes and the acidity of the lime.
Another in-season fruit is the strawberry. Sweet and juicy, the strawberry is full of antioxidants, vitamin C and potassium, making it a delicious and healthy snack. One of the easiest uses for strawberries is in a yogurt parfait. Your choice of yogurt, some granola, strawberries and honey is simple and refreshing. They also provide a lot of opportunities for baked goods, so don’t write them off as just a topping.
Finally, one of my favorite foods currently in season is beets. Their semi-sweet, earthy taste is so unique and provides a lot of opportunity for creative dishes. You can easily roast them in the oven with some oil and salt and pepper to go as a side, but my favorite thing to do with beets is make the beet salad they serve at Portland Indian restaurant Bollywood Theater. The recipe is too long to write down, but you can find it here with all the details.
We’re lucky to have access to so many different foods whenever we want. Just don’t forget how good some of them can be when you eat them at the time nature intended.
