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The month of July is great for finding a wide variety of seasonal ingredients to inspire your cooking. Discover what’s in season in July and get lots of tips on selecting, storing, and using your fresh produce.
For instance, summer squash is available year round in some regions with peak season being June to August. Summer squash is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin B6. There are many kinds of summer squash, the most popular varieties are zucchini (Italian), yellow (crooked neck), white (Mexican), and sunburst. They can be shredded into cole slaw, added to skewers for the grill, or sautéed for a quick veggie side. They can also be used in baking goods.
Choose small to medium sized summer squash (6-8 inches in length, 2 or less inches in diameter) with shiny, bright skin. It should be firm and feels heavy for its size. Minor superficial scratches or bruises are common and perfectly fine. Avoid summer squash with pitted skin, spongy textures, or soft and wrinkled ends.
Store summer squash unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to 5 days. If summer squash starts to soften or wilt, use immediately. Summer squash does not need to be peeled, always wash before preparing.
To freeze, slice into rounds, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry, store in airtight container or a plastic bag up to 1 year.
Sweet Home Ranch stone fruits are also here. Apricots are so juicy and sweet, the best in many years. Peaches and nectarines are also very good and flavorful. We are featuring all of the stone fruits at our farmers market which being held every weekend through out the month of July. So come out and taste these amazing fruits.
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