#187 Fruits for July
What are you excited for?
It’s been a beautiful July. Peak summer means some of the best fruits in the world are in season. Grapes are so back. Peaches are perfect. Watermelons are at their sweetest. Blueberries are everywhere!! And figs are slowly arriving. It’s that time of the year where snacking on sun-kissed fruit is one of the most productive things you can do (trust me).
Here are some of our favorite fruits for July!
Late Season (Get Them Now)
Strawberries
How to choose? Same rules as always. Look for deep red without any white shoulders. The smaller ones also tend to be sweeter! If you’ve been wanting to make a strawberry based dessert for the longest time July is the month to do it, they won’t taste any sweeter for the rest of the year.
How to use? If you haven’t made that strawberry-rhubarb jam yet, you should! You could also freeze some strawberries at the end of the month for smoothies you can make when fall arrives.
Cherries
How to choose? We covered cherries in June and the same rules apply. Always glossy with firm, green stems. If you see great Bings or Rainiers at your farmers market, it’s a sign to get a dozen or two!
How to use? You can make cherry preserves or bake that clafoutis we linked last month. Truly the last great month of beautiful cherries!
Apricots
How to choose? California’s apricot season is winding down. The good news is that late-season apricots are often the sweetest because they’ve had the most time on the tree. Look for deep orange with a blush, very fragrant, slightly soft.
How to use? These late-season ones are perfect for eating raw. But if you end up with a lot, apricot jam is one of the best preserves you can make and it’s a beautiful way to capture the last of the season. Halve them, pit them, simmer with a little sugar and lemon juice. That’s it.
Peak Season (Tastes the Best)
Peaches
How to choose? THIS IS THE MONTH!! July peaches from California, Georgia, South Carolina are the real deal. Look for a deep golden color with red blush. They should smell incredible from a good distance away hehe.
How to use? Raw, obviously. With the juice running down your chin. You can also grill peach halves and serve with vanilla ice cream, slice over burrata with basil and good extra virgin olive oil, or bake the best peach cobbler of your life!
Nectarines
How to choose? Everything we said about peaches applies here :) Deep red-orange color, incredible fragrance, a very slight give when pressed. Nectarines are firmer than peaches which makes them slightly easier to work with in the kitchen.
How to use? Nectarines really come into their own in salads! Slice over arugula with goat cheese, toasted almonds / pine nuts, and a simple vinaigrette. They hold their shape better than peaches so they won’t turn to mush on the plate. Also incredible grilled!
Watermelon
How to choose? July watermelon is peak watermelon. Look for that creamy yellow field spot on the bottom (the deeper the yellow, the sweeter). It should feel heavy for its size and sound hollow when you tap it.
How to use? Alwayssss cold. From the fridge. In wedges. On a hot day. Don’t forget to eat the rind as well. If you want to get fancy, pair it with some feta, fresh mint, and even a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (trust me on this one). You can also make watermelon ice cream really easily with this recipe.
Blueberries
How to choose? July is literally National Blueberry Month for a reason. They’re everywhere right now and the quality is incredible! Always choose the ones that are firm, plump with a deep blue. Avoid containers with crushed ones at the bottom. For blueberries, try to go organic as much as you can :)
How to use? By the handful. Nobody ever eats just one blueberry. You can also take the opportunity to freeze them in bulk to use in smoothies or any ice cream that you make.
Also, do you know why blueberries bleed purple? This is really interesting.
Raspberries
How to choose? Absolute peak production in July! However, they’re known to be the most fragile berry so eat them fast.
How to use? Fresh by the handful. Folded into full fat yogurt with raw honey. Raspberries are also incredible with dark chocolate (we said this in June and we’ll say it again because it’s that good hehe).
Blackberries
How to choose? These have gone from the slightly bitter early-season ones in June to fully ripe, deeply sweet July blackberries! Plump, uniformly dark, slight sheen. Zero red anywhere.
How to use? July blackberries are sweet enough to eat completely fresh without any additions. But blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream is genuinely one of the best summer desserts on earth. You can also muddle them into lemonade for something really special.
Plums
How to choose? Remember how we said June plums were best cooked because they were still early? July plums are slightly different! They’re fully ripe, juicy, and sweet enough to eat raw. Look for that natural waxy bloom on the skin and a slight give when pressed.
How to use? Eat them fresh! July is when plums really earn their place. Santa Rosa plums especially are incredible right now. You can also slice them into salads, roast with cinnamon and honey, or make plum compote for yogurt.
Mangoes
How to choose? Both Haden and Ataulfo mangoes are at full peak right now. Hadens: look for a slight give and sweet fragrance at the stem end. Ataulfos: deep golden yellow, no green, slight wrinkles are fine. If they smell incredible, they’re ready.
How to use? We stand by what we said in June: eat Ataulfos raw. The texture is too perfect to mess with. Hadens are great for mango salsa, smoothies, and anything where you want a more tropical, fibrous mango experience. If you haven’t made mango sticky rice yet this summer, July is the month.
Pineapple
How to choose? Still going strong in July! Heavy, golden-yellow, leaves pull out with a gentle tug. Same rules as always.
How to use? July is when grilled pineapple really shines :) High heat, thick rings, caramelized edges. Serve alongside grilled fish, over ice cream, or with your afternoon affogato. In summer I always enjoy pairing something warm with something cold - consume immediately though!
Papaya
How to choose? Look for papayas turning from green to golden-yellow with a gentle fragrance. Skin should be slightly soft to the touch. Avoid anything with sunken spots.
How to use? Half it, seed it, squeeze lime!! We’ve been saying this since April and we’ll keep saying it because it genuinely transforms papaya.
Hass Avocado
How to choose? California Hass avocados are at full peak and should be both cheap and incredible right now. Dark green to black skin with a slight give for eating today. Firmer and greener for later in the week.
How to use? If you can find great avocados this month, guacamole is a no-brainer! Fresh lime, cilantro, diced serrano, sea salt. July guac with fresh tortilla chips is one of the great simple pleasures of summer.
Early Season (Just Arriving)
Figs
How to choose? The first figs of the season are arriving! Black Mission figs should be deep purple and soft. Brown Turkey figs are lighter in color. Both should feel heavy and have a sweet fragrance. A small crack near the bottom is actually a sign they’re perfectly ripe.
How to use? Figs with burrata, raw honey, and flaky sea salt is one of the most elegant things you can put on a plate. Also incredible wrapped in prosciutto or simply eaten on its own! I have to say I do love Bonne Maman’s fig preserve, you could try making something of your own if you’d like to as well!
Dragon Fruit
How to choose? Dragon fruit is a new addition to our list! Look for bright pink skin with minimal browning. The “scales” should be green and vibrant, not dried out. It should give very slightly when pressed. Heavier is better.
How to use? Cut in half and scoop the flesh with a spoon. The flavor is mild and refreshing with a kiwi-like texture from the tiny black seeds. Absolutely incredible in smoothie bowls (that natural pink color is unreal) or cubed into tropical fruit salads (if you can find those yellow dragon fruits they’re out of this world!!).
Apples
How to choose? This might surprise people but early apple varieties start arriving in late July! Gravenstein and Lodi apples are the first of the season. Look for firm, crisp apples with bright color. These early varieties are slightly more tart than the fall apples you’re used to.
How to use? Early apples are incredible for cooking! They’re tart enough to make a beautiful pie or apple sauce without being too sweet. Gravenstein apples especially are prized by bakers. If you like tart fruit, eat them fresh too. They’re a preview of the incredible apple season coming in September and October.
Grapes
How to choose? Table grapes are starting to appear! Look for firm, plump grapes with flexible green stems. If stems are brown and brittle, they’ve been sitting around too long. Cotton Candy grapes (yes, they really taste like cotton candy) are the best for summer if you can find them.
How to use? Frozen grapes are the ultimate summer snack and I will die on this hill. Throw a bunch in the freezer for an hour. They become these incredible little sorbet bites hehe. You can also enjoy them raw or with ricotta and a drizzle of honey.
A quick note for international friends
Again, this list is built around the North American calendar (mostly California, Georgia, Florida, and Mexican imports).
If you’re in Australia or New Zealand, July is your deep winter! Right now you’re in peak citrus season (mandarins, navel oranges, blood oranges, lemons). Apples and pears are at their best storage quality. Kiwi is abundant. It’s also avocado season for you.
If you’re in the tropics, you’re in peak tropical fruit season. Durian (there’s even a durian price crash in certain places), mangosteen, rambutan, longans, and lychees are all going strong. Mangoes are everywhere!
If you’re in the UK or Europe, your calendar runs about 2-3 weeks behind North America. British strawberries are at peak right now (Wimbledon season!! - congrats Jannik). Cherries, gooseberries, currants, and the first stone fruits are arriving. English summer is short but the produce is incredible when it lands.
What are you most excited about this July?
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That’s not an accident. It’s a function of the shoe’s design. Weejuns don’t announce themselves. It doesn’t have a logo on the side or a distinctive silhouette that reads as belonging to one specific world. It’s a clean, uncluttered shoe that carries whatever energy the person wearing it brings to it.
That’s why JFK could wear it to project effortless American authority and Michael Jackson could open the Thriller video in a pair of black Weejuns and both felt completely right.” — Sprezza
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“For those who haven’t had matcha, the Japanese tea, it is a beautiful green tea made from special shade-grown tea leaves. The growing process causes the tea plant to produce extra chlorophyll. Think back to junior high science class, and you’ll remember that it is the element that makes things super duper green. The chlorophyll also adds more antioxidants to the tea.
Matcha drinks have become very popular in the last decade after folks discovered the potential health benefits and lower caffeine level of this tea. Today, we’re ditching the cafe line and making delicious matcha lattes at home!” — Betty Williams
❋ House-made soft serve is Toronto’s trendiest dessert right now
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“Summer is my favorite eating season, and it’s not even close. By the time June rolls around, I’m already thinking about all the food and beverages I get to enjoy over the next several months. Sweet corn. Watermelon. Peaches that drip down your arm. Ice-cold, refreshing cocktails on a patio. I begin mentally planning barbecue parties, no-cook dishes, and as much outside dining as I can possibly squeeze onto the calendar.
There are definitely moments (like in the dead of winter) when I crave endless summers. But then I remember that if peach season never ended and every evening were ideal for dining al fresco, none of it would feel nearly as special. Summer’s best foods and drinks are so memorable because they’re fleeting, and that’s exactly what makes me look forward to them every year.
As a self-proclaimed lover of lists, what follows are the ten summer food moments I’m most excited for every year. While I’m sorry to say you won’t find tomatoes on my list (I’m firmly in the “tomatoes in sauces, salsas, and ketchup, not my sandwiches and salads” camp), I do think there’s something here for everyone looking to savor the season.” — Kerry Faber
❋ Honey Thyme Posset in Peach Cups
“This honey thyme posset is slightly floral, with thyme flavor that spread out softly, and the fresh peach pairs perfectly. It’s one of those fresh peach desserts that is visually stunning but is so easy to whip up, it’s perfect summer desserts while peaches are in season!”
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Hope you had an amazing weekend!
— Rocky
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