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Produce guides

These produce guides help you make the best use of fruits & vegetables when they are in season. They are based on research from university studies, expert opinions, as well as our own studies.

The guides include things like:

How to tell good from bad (or ripe from unripe)
Quality at the grocery store vs farmers market (highly dependent on each specific fruit and vegetable)
Best storage techniques
How long it should last when properly stored
Addressing specific problems (like bitterness in cucumbers, or substituting nectarines for peaches)
Recipes!!

Fruit guides

Vegetable guides

Asparagus

Brussels sprouts

Celery

Celery root (celeriac)

Pumpkins, butternut & other winter squash

Bell peppers are in season in summer and last through fall

Sweet & bell peppers

Sweet potatoes

Tomatoes

Eat in season - summer squash and zucchini are in season starting around June.

Zucchini & other summer squash

Or check out guides by month >>

The best (and worst) apples for pie

The type of apple used to make your pie actually matters. So why do some apples make the best pies, but other varieties yield disappointing results? It comes down to their flavor, acidity, and texture after being cooked in a hot oven. I can confirm that these characteristics can greatly vary from one variety to...

Fresh fig banana bread

A seasonal banana bread recipe with a homemade fig-maple syrup swirled into the batter that tastes like fig newton filling. This bread is a perfect way to use seasonal figs this summer and fall, even if they are slightly under or overripe. The recipe requires some extra steps to cook the maple-fig syrup, but it's...

Farmers market apple butter (Instant Pot)

After using almost 100 pounds of apples to test apple butter recipes, I've found the best apple varieties, cooking methods and ingredients to produce the best results. Best apples: McIntosh for their cider-like flavor and smooth consistency with cooked Best cooking method: pressure cooking for its ability to caramelize the sugars Best flavor tip: keep...