July Seasonal Market Guide
From the Prunus genus, either sweet (P. avium) or sour (P. cerasus)
Cherry
The first stone fruit to come into season, cherries are usually found at market from end of June to end of July.
Farmers pick a tree's entire cherry crop in one picking, as opposed to peaches and apples which can take three or four visits to a tree for a full harvest.
Most bakers prefer sour cherries for pies and cobblers and use sugar to balance out the tartness, corn starch to thicken the cherry juice. Use sweet cherries for cakes and brownies.
A member of the grass family like wheat, barley and bamboo
Corn
Maybe the most economically and historically important plant in this continent's history, corn was one of the Native American's Three Sisters crops, along with beans and squash.
Grilled corn on the cob is a staple summer food: soak in water for 10-15 minutes first, then carefully remove silk without removing husks, and place on grill with the husks on.
Butter and salt are the most common seasoning for serving it on the cob but it also tastes great tossed with lime juice and cilantro, dusted with smoked paprika, or rubbed with sage.
Botanically speaking a drupe, a fruit in which a fleshy pulp surrounds the hardened lignified walls of a flower, or pit; inside the pit is the seed
Peach & Nectarine
The ultimate summer fruit, peaches and nectarines are the same species except for one recessive gene that hinders the growth of soft fuzz on the nectarine's skin.
White peaches tend to be sweeter and less acidic but, according to most bakers, orange peaches are easier to work with and taste better in pies and crisps..
Pennsylvania and New Jersey are one of the most peach productive states in the country; in 2020 New Jersey ranked fourth in the nation.
A big berry from the nightshade family
Tomato
The famous Jersey tomato is a beefsteak variety developed by Rutgers and the Campbell Soup research facility; from the 1930s to the 1960s, it was the most popular tomato in the world.
Heirloom varieties, also called heritage tomatoes for their old-world look and flavor, are one of the most popular items at the market, and now come in all different shapes and colors: red, orange, yellow, green, white, even blue and black.
When making sauce, the best way to peel a tomato is to remove the stem, cut an X in the bottom, dunk in pot of boiling water for 5-10 seconds, then transfer quickly to ice water bath.
Brassica family; German for cabbage (kohl) + turnip (rabi)
Kohlrabi
A real conversation starter at the market due to its odd appearance and unfamiliarity in modern kitchens, eating the kohlrabi starts with paring away the branches and leaves and peeling the skin to reveal the white bulb inside; best to rub it with a lemon to keep it from browning or oxidizing.
It is delightfully crunchy, has a delicate, broccoli-like flavor that goes great in a salad or crudite platter, pairs well with other crunchy vegetables like cucumbers and carrots and, when julienned, makes a terrific addition to a coleslaw.
Named after Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727-1759), a botanist who also studied the human eye
Zinnia
Native to the southwestern parts of North America, this flower has a remarkable variety of pigmentation; they come to market in every color of the rainbow. Along with its cousins the sunflower and the daisy, it’s one of the most popular flowers sold by the farmers.
In the Victorian era when florists and suitors practiced the language of flowers, or floriography, zinnias became the symbol for an absent friend and were often exchanged as part of a farewell between friends or lovers, or laid upon the grave of someone dearly missed.
Illustrations by Jacqueline Quinn