Best Produce in August and September

This article will explore the best produce available in August and September. There are many delicious fruits and vegetables available in August and September. The local produce in August and September is some of the best of the year. I would definitely have to say that August and September are two of my favorite months for produce. Here are the some of the options for local produce and what some easy recipe ideas for using the produce.

1. Raspberries. This is my favorite fruit of them all. You can find raspberries locally in Maryland and in neighboring states mostly during early August. You may find some raspberries in late July, and some in late August, but by September, the local supply will be gone. Raspberries found include red, black and purple. The best use of raspberries for me is in a pie. However, raspberry crisp is also great.

Recipe idea: Raspberry crisp with milk. Get out a baking pan and lightly butter it. Place some fresh raspberries so that they cover the bed of the pan. Cover them with a light coating of corn syrup. Then, make a mixture of brown sugar, flour, butter and oatmeal in a dish, with a little bit of water. Put this mixture on top of the raspberries in the pan and bake until the top turns golden brown. This is a very tasty dish! Add milk while it's still warm for an extra special treat.

2. Blueberries. This is another incredible fruit. It is very high in antioxidants, so make sure you get plenty of them while they're in season. Blueberries are found mostly in August.

3. Peaches. Peaches are a good lunch idea for kid's lunches. You can just put a peach in a baggie, and the child can eat it without having to cut it up or anything. You will find peaches late in August through part of September.

Recipe idea: Peaches and blueberries fruit salad. I just discovered recently how well peaches and blueberries go together. I cut up peaches and throw them in a dish with some blueberries. I then add some natural sugar, and let the mixture sit for about two days in the refrigerator. The peach juice mixes with the blueberries and gives them a very sweet flavor. It's a great flavor combination.

4. Tomatoes. There is nothing like fresh tomatoes to entice the pallet. Tomatoes start to be found in late August and generally stay in season throughout September. Tomatoes have so many uses. Have you ever put tomatoes in with your fresh morning fruit juice? This is an original idea. Try mixing tomatoes with raspberries and strawberries and some brown sugar with water in a blender. You'll get a tasty fruit juice with a zing. Tomatoes are fruits, afterall.

5. Peppers. You'll find green and red peppers during August and September.

6. Onions. Onions abound in late summer in August and September.

7. Squash. Although you may think of squash as only a fall vegetable, you can find squash in August and September.

Recipe idea: This is something my boyfriend made recently that I will never forget. It was an incredible dish. My mother has a fruit and vegetable garden, and supplied us with fresh cherry tomatoes, green peppers, sweet onions and yellow squash from her garden. My boyfriend then used a sauce pan, and cut up the vegetables and put them in the pan with some butter. He also added some garlic and a can of tomatoes with Italian seasoning. He cooked the vegetables on medium heat, while he was also cooking pasta in another pan. Once the pasta noodles were done, he mixed them in with the vegetables. This made an unforgettable dinner!

8. Sweet corn. You can find sweet corn in August and September. It tends to be sweeter as the season goes on.

9. Potatoes. Potatoes are found in August and September. Try cooking potatoes in a pan with green pepper and onions, all chopped into small pieces. This makes a great addition to breakfast with some bacon or sausage. You can even cook the bacon together with the potatoes, peppers and onions to give the vegetables an added flavor. I have to credit my boyfriend again with this recipe. (He's a great cook, and very inventive!)

10. Apples. Apples are the quintessential late summer and early fall fruit. The uses are endless. I like to use apples with another fruit to make a flavored applesauce. Have you ever tried blending raspberries and apples together in the blender with some sugar? You need to cook the apples first to make them soft, but you can add the raspberries in their raw state. This makes a unique raspberry applesauce. Or better yet, try using blueberries.

11. Other fruits and vegetables available in August and September include pears, gourds, pumpkins, plums, and watermelon. Enjoy!