Autumn is a bountiful harvest and the brightest time of the year. And also the time of reconfiguration of the body: the weather changes, the days shorten, our body gradually switches to winter mode. About how to maintain your health and live the fall harmoniously, without losing the level of energy accumulated over the summer -. Today we’ll talk about why seasonal products will help you support yourself before winter.

Nowadays, on store shelves in any season you can buy almost any fruit and vegetables: pineapples, apples, cucumbers and radishes. But only at certain times are these products seasonal, i.e. the most recent. Seasonal vegetables and fruits retain the greatest amount of nutrients.

1. The first category of seasonal products is from your region/country (or better yet, from your dacha).

These are the ones you should give preference to first:

• The shortest period of time passes from the garden to the counter: vegetables and fruits reach farmers' markets in a matter of days, and sometimes hours
• they are the least processed: vegetables and fruits intended for immediate sale do not undergo special processing necessary for long-term storage

2. The second category of seasonal products is from other countries.

Here it is worth choosing neighboring countries: for example, the season of tangerines and feijoas is already beginning in Georgia; delivery from Georgia to Russian shelves is quite fast, so fruits and vegetables reach your table with a good content of vitamins and minerals.

Out-of-season products can remain in storage and on shelves for a long time, 6-8 months. They can even look very attractive. But the taste will often be lost. And the nutritional value from such a long storage and processing necessary to preserve the appearance of the product drops significantly.

Therefore, take advantage of the colorful season and choose the freshest, both for food and for winter preparations.

Dishes made from autumn products will help you get maximum nutrients and support your body before winter: combine different colors, use gentle cooking methods (stewing, sautéing, steaming, baking), get creative with different textures - this will provide your body with the greatest amount of nutrients before in winter.

The best autumn foods to strengthen your immune system

Celery

Rose hip

Hawthorn

Sea ​​buckthorn

Autumn vegetables and fruits to get maximum vitamins and microelements

For this task, you need to make a vegetable and fruit rainbow, because each color is a signal about a specific phytonutrient:

Vegetables

Eggplant

Cabbage of all kinds

Multi-colored peppers

Patissons

Tomatoes

Corn

Berries and fruits :

Chokeberry

Cowberry

Tangerines

The freshest nuts and seeds are also autumn ones: it is better to buy them in shells and peel them at home before eating.

What to do with all this diversity? Prepare delicious soups, vegetable stews, stuffed vegetables, salads, compotes, prepare for the winter!

(beginning September 25th) we will enjoy familiar and new dishes from seasonal vegetables, we will experience how vegetables can help cleanse the body, energize, provide lightness and how tasty they are in a wide variety of combinations. Hurry up to register, it will be an interesting experience!

In the meantime, I’m sharing a delicious seasonal recipe:

RATATOUILLE

Ingredients:

1 eggplant

1 medium zucchini

2 tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

1 cup tomato paste (you can make your own by grinding the tomatoes in a blender)

Olive oil

Salt pepper

A bunch of greens (parsley, cilantro, dill)

Preparation:

1. Cut vegetables into thin slices
2. Fold into a glass form, alternating the sequence
3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven under foil for 30 minutes at 180 degrees.
4. After 30 minutes, remove and pour tomato sauce on top.
5. Place in the oven for another 10 minutes without foil.
6. Ready! Serve sprinkled with herbs.

What should we remember when buying groceries? About the best season to eat our favorite fruits and vegetables. Nobody likes pale, tasteless tomatoes or huge, shiny, but devoid of aroma and taste strawberries. They contain more harmful substances than vitamins and minerals. And if we want to eat healthy food, then we need to use what nature has prepared for us at different times of the year.

Spring

This is the time when everything awakens to life, and the first rays of the sun give us energy and optimism. To replenish the vitamin deficiency after winter, you need to consume the foods that this time of year offers us. First of all, these are cucumbers, parsley (greens), lettuce, radishes, green onions, sorrel, spinach, beets, rhubarb, arugula, asparagus. Fruits include apples, pears, strawberries, cherries, and cherries.

Summer

In late spring and early summer, vegetables such as beans, green beans, broccoli, zucchini, kohlrabi, beet leaves, eggplant, and new potatoes appear. Then peppers, green peas, young beets, corn, and beans should appear on our tables. At the beginning of the season, you can open the strawberry season, and then raspberries and currants. In mid-summer, you should more often consume watermelons, gooseberries, peaches, nectarines, and various berries - strawberries, blueberries, blueberries, etc.

Autumn

The main vegetable that comes to mind at this time of year is pumpkin - the queen of autumn. The vegetables that are important at this time are melons and squashes, zucchini and zucchini. In addition, the harvest of Brussels sprouts, chicory, endive, black turnips, and artichokes begins. In autumn, cranberries, quinces, plums, and grapes appear. This is also the time for mushrooms.

Winter

At this time, natural resources are not available, and we must use the harvest of previous seasons - in the form of canned food, jam, marinades, pickles, and eat dried or frozen foods. In addition, at this time of year we must take care of our immunity by providing the body with foods with vitamin C. Among other things, we will find it in citrus fruits, which, although they do not grow in our country, can be purchased in any store. Never forget about nuts, which are also a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals.

Whole year

Each season has its own special “collection” of vegetables and fruits. In addition, there are fruits and vegetables that can be eaten all year round, and these include pears, apples, turnips, onions, garlic, beans, cabbage, carrots, leeks, parsley root, celery, and mushrooms.

Why is it so important to pay attention to seasonality? This is because fruits and vegetables eaten during the time of year when they are harvested contain the most nutrients and are most beneficial to our health. This is the main reason why we must adapt to the rhythms of nature and extract from it what it is currently ready to share with us.

Calendar summer is over and autumn has officially come into its own. It is a mistake to believe that only in summer there is an abundance of vegetables and fruits. September can rightfully be called the most fruitful month. The selection of fruits on the shelves in stores and markets is surprising with its variety, so much so that you can simply get confused. Watermelons, nectarines, melons, pears, apples, grapes, plums - your head is spinning! You need to figure out what to choose and what vitamins fromvegetables and fruits in Septemberreplenish the body before winter, thereby strengthening the immune system.

Apples

Apple compote

Juicy, sweet, sour, aromatic and all these are apples! They are rich in pectin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iodine, as well as vitamins B, E, C, PP; these substances strengthen the immune system, improve digestion, and the lymphatic system. The number of varieties is surprising and everyone will find the perfect one for themselves. It seems that literally anything can be made from this seasonal fruit: jam, compote, preserves, desserts, and even added to meat dishes. A poured apple will be an excellent snack even in its pure form; it is not for nothing that it is a faithful companion for people on a diet.

Nectarines

It is in September that nectarines are juicy, soft, with thin skin, and also the most beneficial for the body. The fruits grown under the hot sun absorbed all the benefits and aroma. They contain A, C, pectin, organic acids, antioxidants, potassium, iron, magnesium, which have a beneficial effect on the quality of the skin, retain moisture in it, prevent the appearance of wrinkles, and stabilize the functioning of the nervous system. The high fiber content improves digestion and speeds up metabolism. You can make delicious jam or compote from the product, which will preserve memories of a warm sunny summer, add it to various desserts and salads, or stew it with meat, adding an exotic touch to it.

bell pepper

Not only fruits are beneficial in September. Red bell pepper improves mood by its very appearance, and its content of large amounts of vitamin C improves skin color, immunity and general condition of the body. It’s hard to imagine summer and autumn first courses, salads, and appetizers without this fiery-colored vegetable. Beta-carotene prevents the formation of cancer cells and will be a good preventive measure.

Mushrooms

In September, hiking in the forest becomes a real pleasure. Milk milk, boletus, boletus, boletus, and autumn mushrooms begin to appear in large quantities, which can be dried for the winter, pickled, or frozen. They contain a large amount of vegetable protein, vitamins B, A, E, PP. An appetizer of mushrooms, collected with your own hands and personally pickled, will be a good decoration for a festive or everyday table.

Cauliflower

A real storehouse of minerals, which contains large amounts of manganese, calcium, iron, fluorine, as well as vitamins A, K, E, H, group B. Cabbage is actively used in cooking for preparing first courses, salads, side dishes, and snacks. The light, unobtrusive taste of the product in combination with other ingredients is fully revealed.

Beet

It reveals its taste in all its glory only in early autumn. Rich burgundy color and pleasant taste perfectly complements side dishes, salads and even desserts. Due to regular use of the product, the elasticity of blood vessels, immunity, the functioning of the digestive system and the general condition of the body improves.

Having figured out which vegetables and fruits are most beneficial in September, you can begin to create a menu for the next month, based on seasonal products.

So, let's start analyzing the June fruits.

Cherries in June

Cherries open the summer season. In addition, such a berry will saturate your body with copper. Copper is actively involved in the formation of collagen, which determines the elasticity and firmness of our skin, and, accordingly, down with wrinkles! Cherries support melanin production. If you lie under the sun and at the same time treat yourself to the fruits of juicy cherries, the body at this time proactively produces a life-saving pigment for your skin, protecting it from the damaging effects of sunlight.

Carrots in June

Carrots are a completely different story, which is described in the post Fresh carrots can relieve fatigue, and carrot juice or orange will not only quench your thirst, but also improve your mood with a strong dose

June green salad

Green salad is a wonderful companion on every trip. It will reduce headaches caused by changes in weather conditions and time zones, flights and travel. June salad consists of almost 90% water, which allows it to be called the lowest calorie food product.

The main value in this vegetable is youth vitamins. To normalize the functioning of the endocrine glands of the female body, natural antioxidants are required, of which there are a lot of green salads! By the way, for traveling, in addition to a green salad, take movies on the road, if possible.

June strawberry

in June. Yes Yes Yes. In some regions of Russia, it is already sold in full from the beds of diligent summer residents and gardeners. Strawberries will support your memory in the brain-melting heat and will withstand spring vitamin deficiency.

June greens

Green onions, dill, parsley and other greens are generally green goodness itself. We kill germs, wipe the face with a cold decoction of dill, so that acne and pimples do not pop up prematurely. In addition, the very aroma of the mixture of all these greens will make any dish appetizing and beautiful.

Not a radish, but a June radish

Radishes are recommended by nutritionists. They suggest that people who tend to be overweight include the earliest vegetable more often in their diet. Radish acts as a mild diuretic, removes toxins from the body, prevents weight gain and swelling. Rich in vitamins and essential oils, which increase work enthusiasm and energy.

June turnip

Turnip is another low-calorie food product that will save your stomach from surprises and saturate your body with vitamin C; turnips contain twice as much of it as oranges and lemons!

Other June fruits and vegetables

cucumbers

Green young onions

Green pepper

Wild strawberry

Red currants

Black currant

Raspberries

Apple

The summer season has long been open, and this is a great opportunity to grow your own real, healthy food!

Your own plot provides an amazing opportunity to provide your family not only with fresh, healthy vegetables and berries, but also with excellent herbal medicines, which are not always available in city pharmacies.

The August season of plant crops is the richest time in minerals. It is in August that the canning of the famous Russian cucumbers, tomatoes in their own juice and plum jam begins.

Vegetables and fruits in August

Below I will provide a list of plants that gardeners grow in August, and which contain the most amazing set of minerals and vitamins. The Augustovsky vegetable garden and garden can be said to be capable of feeding the entire winter and half of the spring season, if you carefully stock up on everything that Mother Nature gives. You can read about it in the previous article, but I didn’t have time to describe the July ones, we’ll leave them for next year...))

List of August vegetables

• Green salad (Roman)
• Broccoli
• Green beans
• Zucchini
• Fennel
• cucumbers
• Young green onions
• Red pepper
• Green pepper
• Red onion
• Pumpkin (summer)

13 vegetables that ripen and are already ripe in August are the basis of a healthy and satisfying table. At least one of these food products is used daily by you to prepare one or another dish.

List of August fruits and berries

• Raspberries – continuation of the season
• Grapes - the season begins!
• Nectarines
• Figs
• Peach is the peak of the season!
• Apricots are the best!
• Plum
• Watermelon

And 10 August fruits and berries at the dacha, which simply bring a whole boom of vitaminization!

List of September vegetables

Vegetables in September

• Green beans – season continues
• Green salad – the season continues
• Broccoli is in season
• Savoy cabbage – season
• White cabbage – harvesting
• Cauliflower - the beginning of the season
• Chard
• Leeks - season
• Fennel
• Cucumbers – the season continues
• Zucchini – season continues
• Red pepper is in season
• Pumpkin (summer) – season continues
• Garlic
• Parsley – the season continues
• Celery – the beginning of the season
• Parsnip – season
• Potatoes - harvesting

There are already 24 important vegetable products for this month, the choice is rich, the main thing is to be able to prepare all these crops well and enjoy the September fortification.

List of September fruits

By September, many that are familiar to us and that are brought from overseas will ripen. At the same time, the list of July fruit crops continues to expand into September. So, in the first month of autumn there are such berries and fruits as:

Fruits and berries in September

• Grapes - season
• Nectarines – peak season
• Peach - season
• Plum - the beginning of the season
• Figs – the beginning of the season
• Watermelon is in season
• Melon – season of all summer varieties
• Quince - season
• – continuation of the season
• Cranberries - the beginning of the season
• Peaches – continuation of the season
• Lingonberry – season
• Blueberries are in season
• Chokeberry - beginning of the season
• Sea buckthorn – beginning of the season
• Elderberry – season
• Barberry - season

Twenty more September fruits and berries for your attention, gentlemen, readers! This is just some kind of paradise, not a month.

What legumes are there in September?

Father September also gives us a bunch of legumes. Right now, the freshest beans are appearing on the shelves straight from the beds. In addition, by the end of the month, chickpeas, known under the nickname Turkish peas, begin to ripen. This legume Turk is superior in its nutritional value to all its brothers: lentils and soybeans.

List of September legumes and nuts

• Beans
• Hazelnut
• Sunflower
• Walnut

In addition, I am proud to add five more food products to the September gastronomy list that you can enjoy at the beginning of the autumn season.

Mushrooms in September

Professional mushroom pickers and simply lovers of this delicacy can also find something to do for September. Many representatives of this culinary family are found in the forest, for example:

• Autumn honey mushrooms
• Milk mushrooms
• Volnushki
• Butter
• Mokhoviki
• Boletus
• boletus

Perhaps, in addition to the 8 mushrooms I have indicated, there are some more, but you, dear reader, will find out for yourself by visiting the bosom of nature and the forest equivalent.

September Game and Seafood

Among other things, at the beginning of autumn it is customary, as they say, to count chickens. Of course, you can go to shops and markets for poultry and meat even in the fierce February or hungry April. However, according to elementary logic, according to the natural order of things, chickens that are raised on free grazing reach their best condition in September. And it is this month that they need to be bought in the markets.

Game, by the way, is also in season in September. Black grouse, geese, ducks and other birds, well-fed during the summer months, are already obediently awaiting hunting shots.

It's still September - oyster season. Therefore, many restaurants around the world hold themed festivals on this occasion. Read your local newspaper in case you miss an interesting event.

List of animal food products for September

• Grouse
• Wild goose
• Wild duck
• Free range chickens
• Acne
• Oysters

October vegetables

This month, like the previous one, there are plenty of vegetables, so we won’t be left without winter reserves. In October, store shelves and markets offer us 41 types of vegetables and herbs please list:

• Avocado
• Shallot
• Radish
• Potato
• Arugula
• Salad
• Garlic
• Field salad
• Green salad
• Spinach
• Cress
• Broccoli
• Chicory
• Chard
• Savoy cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Red cabbage
• Brussels sprouts
• Fennel
• Leek
• Celery
• Red pepper
• Zucchini
• winter pumpkin
• Basil
• Sweet potato
• Parsnip
• Dill
• Parsley
• Green onions
• cucumbers
• Radish

October fruits and berries

golden autumn - these are the most long-awaited natural sweets; they take a long time to ripen and quickly end, and many simply do not have time to try them. And in order not to forget what fruits are available in October and to enjoy the long-awaited taste to your heart’s content, I offer a list of berries and fruits for the second autumn month. 18 berries and fruits for October:

• Peach – the season ends
• Grape
• Figs - already the height of the season
• Clementine is the seasonal predecessor of tangerines.
• Winter melon
• pending, by the end of October
• Quince has just begun
• Apple - a variety of varieties
• already on the shelves
• it's there all year round
• Cowberry
• Dogwood
• Cranberry
• Sea ​​buckthorn
• Kalina
• Bananas
• Nectarines

Nuts, dried fruits in October

Traders begin to bring mountains of “dry” food to the market, healthy and tasty - nuts, dried apricots and other goodies. Don't miss out on these seasonal purchases; they're a great addition to tea instead of cookies or cakes, or even alcohol instead of salted fish or dried squid. So what can we buy in October?

• Hazelnut
• Almond
• Dried fruits
• Walnuts
• Chestnuts

Other October gastronomy

The hunting season continues, so game may come to the table, and oysters may be among the seafood. Also, by this time many types of cheeses are ripening; it would be a shame not to take advantage of this information and not go, for example, to Holland or France to test the delicacies. Although, you can search in our markets... So, what else can we do? buy groceries in October?

• Oysters
• Turkeys
• Olive oil

Have you thought about freezing certain plant products for the summer or spring? I came up with an idea just a couple of days ago about freezing citrus fruits for spring and summer. Well, for example, in the summer there are no oranges, grapefruits, or the same new exotic like pomelo. There are also no figs in spring and early summer.

Even though our winter has not been completely harsh lately, it is still not the best season for fortifying and nourishing our body. Additional care is needed, and therefore exotic ones are no longer a luxury, but, so to speak, a means of maintaining immunity and a positive mood. Those who believe that winter fruits are poor in maintenance and simply useless are mistaken. If they are stored correctly, then they contain only slightly less vitamins than in the summer gifts of nature. They also contain the most important organic acids with trace elements, and, of course, fiber.

However, let me remind you that the maximum shelf life of such fruits, berries and vegetables is up to 7-8 months. Afterwards, the vitamin content in most of them is reduced by half.

So, we can freeze it for the summer

• persimmon,
• tangerines,
• oranges,
• grapefruit,
• broccoli,
• cauliflower,
• chokeberry,

And enjoy them until the arrival of new fruits. But what kind of dishes can you get if you mix summer and winter products? A completely different taste in the form of new dishes.

How to freeze winter fruits and vegetables?

Broccoli and cauliflower It is also washed, dried or well wrapped and disassembled into branches. Then into a plastic bag in one layer and into the freezer. It is necessary to place these vegetables so that when frozen they do not form into lumps and there are separate branches. You can make a frozen mixture of broccoli and cauliflower, or you can make them separately.

Grapefruit. Freezing this citrus fruit should be very delicate. First you need to prepare it. We peel the fruit from the peel and white walls, leaving only the pink or ruby-pearl pulp. Then you can put it in a bag - also in one layer, so that the grapefruit is frozen evenly, or in a disposable plastic cup.

Oranges and tangerines. Peel and divide the exotic fruits into slices and freeze in a bag; it’s good if you don’t damage the slices when peeling the fruit, so all the juices and vitamins will be better preserved.

Freeze kiwi also quite simple. Wash the fruit thoroughly, cut it into four slices, remove the skin, put it in a bag in one layer and freeze it.

Chokeberry It’s even easier to freeze – wash, dry, put in a bag and freezer – that’s it!

So, you will have a winter supply for the summer.

What to make from frozen winter exotics?

• Well, for example, you can cook a wonderful compote.
• Make a wonderful pie filling.
• Add frozen fruit to tea when brewing.
• Make fresh fruit - mix all the fruits in a blender, and then squeeze through cheesecloth or pass through a sieve.
• Frozen fruits are also great for decorating cakes, pastries, martini glasses or other, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• In general, you can simply freeze them with sugar, you get something like fruit ice.

Any other ideas for using it? frozen winter exotics? - Then write, we’ll try.

The Village continues to collect expert tips on how to improve your everyday kitchen routine. We have already learned how to properly prepare or preserve a variety of foods, and talked about simple tricks that will make it easier and more interesting for you to be in the kitchen. In the new issue, we talked with the creator of the service for delivery of farm products MoscowFresh, a representative of the Danilovsky market and several sellers of the Preobrazhensky market about what products you need to buy right now and what to look for when choosing them.

Corn

Now they brought it to the markets Krasnodar corn new harvest. It cooks in literally 20 minutes, and you don’t even need to salt it - this corn itself is already fresh and sweet. You should definitely buy it. Of course, she will be good for the next two months, but now, in my opinion, is the best.

Chanterelles are now on sale. So far they are being brought in small quantities, so they are still quite expensive, but they will gradually become cheaper. The price for them is already changing day by day - for example, a large batch has arrived, and the price is falling. You have to look, you have to look, but chanterelles are chanterelles, they will all be equally tasty for those who love them.

The berry season is open - it's time to go to the market for raspberries, blueberries and currants. But, for example, blackberries are still imported, so they are not cheap; they are brought from Azerbaijan. Our blackberry season will begin in August, but for now it’s time for blueberries. Plus, it’s worth buying black and red currants, but gooseberries are still sour, it’s better to buy them later. Strawberries and especially raspberries now, in the last two weeks, are what we need. Some time ago they were still supplied from Moldova, but now our Russian ones have appeared on the markets - sweet real raspberries. In general, now the berries are so good that they can even be stored in the refrigerator for some time. But the strawberry season is over. This is not that scary, because strawberries themselves are a very capricious and problematic berry: sometimes they leak, sometimes they turn out to be too watery, and it’s impossible to store them. The same currants, unlike her, taste great.

Tomatoes

Krasnodar tomatoes have been available on the market for a month now. They are inexpensive and good - I would even say, good quality. But if you still want something truly tasty, it is best to pay the extra money for Azerbaijani ones. The smaller they are, the tastier, and the most delicious ones are the size of a nectarine. These tomatoes couldn't be better. When you cut it, there are green seeds inside, aroma and juicy pulp. And they taste neither sour nor sweet - just what you need.

Now there are several varieties: Lukhovitsky, as well as inexpensive larger ground cucumbers - all equally juicy and ripe. But, again, if you want something expensive and tasty, then it’s best to take Baku ones. They are light green in color and remain the most tender and delicious. But ours, Russian ground ones, are half the price and also delicious. For a change, you can eat them for a couple of months.

Pumpkin, zucchini and other vegetables

The new pumpkin harvest has not yet arrived, and for now they are bringing foreign ones to Russia. She is now small - literally a kilogram each, light in color, fresh and really very good, although expensive. Well, ours will appear in a month or two.

You can already find our cabbage, eggplants and zucchini on the market - everything is Krasnodar, cheap and without unnecessary chemicals. Plus, a new crop of potatoes appeared on the shelves. If at the end of May - in June there were only Azerbaijani potatoes from the new harvest, now ours have appeared. And under no circumstances should you take old-harvest potatoes, even if they are offered.

Apricots and peaches

Juicy and sweet apricots have been on sale for several weeks now. They should be quite large, with an orange, but not green tint. These will probably be ripe and fresh. The best variety is “shalah”, now in stores it is the height of its season. In general, if you go to the market, you definitely need to take apricots.

Flat peaches and nectarines are also seasonal fruits, but it’s better to wait for the flat ones for now. The wait is not long: one or two weeks. So far, the first deliveries of flat peaches are a bit harsh and not as sweet as they should be - again, unlike apricots, which are already selling well.

Melon and watermelon

The melon and watermelon season has already begun. Melons are still Uzbek, and watermelons, in addition to Uzbekistan, are already being brought from Dagestan. The most important thing for a melon is that it has a strong honey aroma, and it’s best to take small ones, two to three kilograms. The classic melon - the “torpedo” variety - is currently smaller in size than it will be after some time, but already good. As for the watermelon, everything is simple: knock on it - if it rings, then most likely it will be ripe. Now the watermelons on sale are not large ones, like the 10-kilogram ones in August, but small ones, three or four kilograms. They are a pleasure to eat.

Anna Shelepova

PR manager of Danilovsky market

A lot of fruit is now supplied from the former Soviet republics - apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums are brought from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. And, for example, red-sided Farrell pears are brought from South Africa. When choosing fruits, you need to remember that ripe fruits should not be too hard or too soft. Oozing juice and mashed fruit can only become a good base for jam.

The cherry season will last until August. You can buy it in three varieties: yellow comes from Armenia, pink and red from Uzbekistan. The stalks of good cherries should be green and elastic, and the berries should be free of cuts and dents, otherwise they will quickly spoil. It’s also easy to determine freshness by smell: you definitely shouldn’t buy fermented berries.

And other berries

From mid-July to mid-August, local strawberries will be on the market: from Tambov, Lipetsk, Volgograd, Rostov regions and Krasnodar Territory. Strawberries should be selected by smell: ripe ones have a bright aroma.

In general, July is the time to buy raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries, as well as black, white and red currants. This sweet season will last about a month - until mid-August. When choosing, everything is obvious: you don’t need to buy berries with brown spots and wrinkles. Those that do not hold their shape are still only suitable for jam.

By July, local vegetables near Moscow, including zucchini, ripen. On Danilovsky you can also buy unusual varieties - for example, round zucchini, which is convenient to stuff, or yellow-green, very bright, “delicate marshmallow” varieties - they have a sweetish taste, and you need to eat them raw. They are grown by a farmer from the Moscow region, Svetlana Ivanova, and can be found at the market only three days a week, from Friday to Sunday. By the way, she also sells zucchini flowers - a rather rare product for Russian cuisine. They are delicious fried in batter.

White turnips from Moscow region appeared on the market in mid-June. Now purple turnips have been added to it - softer, juicier and sweeter, less fibrous. The surface of a good turnip should be smooth, without stains or damage. A ripe root vegetable will be heavier than it seems at first glance.

Young carrots

These carrots are the sweetest and juiciest. They are sold together with the tops, and it is the tops that will help determine the quality of the vegetable: if they are fresh and bright green, then the carrots will be of high quality.

Tomatoes

In July, tomatoes ripen in the south of Russia: in Kabardino-Balkaria, Volgograd and Rostov regions, Krasnodar Territory. Depending on the variety, they differ not only in taste, but also in appearance: there are gray-red “Black Prince” tomatoes, there are yellow ones, and a little later green and black ones will appear. They are completely ripe, such colors are a feature of the variety.

The taste of tomatoes ranges from sour to sweet. As with plums, I advise you to try to understand which variety you like. And another important point: summer is not the time for Uzbek tomatoes; now they have a dense, harsh skin. They should be left until winter - then there will be no better tomatoes to be found.

Now on the market you can buy, it seems, all known types of greens: dill, parsley, basil, wild garlic, arugula, kale, green onions and shallots, as well as different types of lettuce. The rules for choosing fresh greens are quite obvious: they should not have yellow, dried or insect-eaten leaves.

Bell peppers and eggplants will soon ripen on local farms. Now the first melons have begun to appear on the market: Astrakhan “collective farmers” and Uzbek “torpedoes”.
By August they will begin to be sold at fairly low prices. Then it’s worth buying watermelons: they will be ripe, soaked in the sun and very sweet.

Anton

Now the season of Russian zucchini and eggplant has begun. In addition, it’s time to buy ground tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers - the tomatoes are especially good, one to one: ripe, even. All this is ours now, matured in Krasnodar, ours. It's hot there.

Elena

seller at Preobrazhensky market

For example, there are practically no strawberries anymore. But there are honey apricots “shalah” from Armenia. Moldavian cherries are also gradually disappearing - for them, like cherries, now is not the season. Almost all the cherries have already left, even though they are ours, from Crimea. But now the time has come for nectarines and peaches - Moldavian and Uzbek. Flat peaches are a must now. They are from Uzbekistan, large and sweet, 250 rubles each.