What's in season mid-September?

Hi all:

I'm having my first farmer's market dinner party in mid-September. I'm going to the market that morning and I'll decide what to make for dinner based on what looks good there. I know I should just relax and let go until that day, but my inner control freak is nagging me to think ahead at least a little - to have some general ideas of possible menu items. So what can I expect to find around mid-September? Tomatoes of course - and they will probably be a feature of the dinner. But what else? I'm especially stumped on the fruit. Will the peaches be gone by then? Plums? Should I be thinking apples already? I seem to remember seeing a calendar for what's in season when, but I can't find it. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Trying to remember what was growing in my garden . . .in the days I had a garden.

But, I did a quick search and came up with this http://www.agr.state.il.us/markets/WhatsInSeason.pdf

A lot of it depends on varieties - some apples are ready in late August and others not until mid October. But, this chart, for Illinois, gives you some ideas.

I say "just say no!" to apples. I love apples, and I love autumn, it's my favorite season of the year. But it's not here yet. When it comes, it will be here for a good long time, and there will be lots of apples -- and pumpkins, and squash, and Halloween candy, and turkey and stuffing and ... then, what comes afterward will be colder, and darker, and also last a good long, loooong time too.

October is for apples, and it will come. For now, I'm going to stretch summer out as long as I can.

Oh, I don't want to start thinking apples yet, either. There are months and months of those ahead. I just can't quite figure out what fruit will be at the market in mid-September. I'm hoping still plums and peaches.

Hellodali wrote:Oh, I don't want to start thinking apples yet, either. There are months and months of those ahead. I just can't quite figure out what fruit will be at the market in mid-September. I'm hoping still plums and peaches.

Oh, you should have plums (especially) and peaches in mid-September for sure. There may be some berries lingering, but you're getting to the edge of their season, same with melons (but I expect they will be there). I am a huge fan of local grapes. Mid-September is just the time to get them.

It's almost cliche to say this, but at this time, about everything is in the market. In a few weeks, you will still have all of thing things that are more associated with summer like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and eggplant; probably sweet corn too (my CSA box today contained 8 ears). It's a great time for fresh shellng beans (these are a newer crop if you need such). Then, a lot of the fall stuff is now there. I was at Green City yesterday and there were all types of beets, turnips, rhutabagas, cauliflower (check out Farmer Vicki's), broccoli, fennel, carrots, etc. etc. etc. Many varieties of potatoes. I did not notice any wild mushrooms yesterday, but there should be plenty in a few weeks (hiking in Wisconsin last week I saw many puffballs but was too chicken to pick.)

Unless you want strawberry shortcake and asparagus with hollandaise sauce, you should be pretty copacetic.

Thanks so much, VI. This is just the info I was looking for. Now I'll go hunting for some plum recipes for dessert.