Cristina Hodgson
SEPTEMBER is here and, with it, your nearest greengrocers will start showcasing new seasonal fruit and vegetables.
The final stretch of summer marks a time of great variety as many summer fruits and vegetables are still in season while others start becoming available, announcing the change from summer to autumn.
Spain has a wide variety of fruit and vegetables all year round, from figs and spinach to apples, raspberries and mushrooms. However, not all of them are available at all times.
In-season produce is fresher and tastes better, sweeter and perfectly ripe. Additionally, consuming seasonal fruit and veg is usually cheaper, has a higher nutritional value, avoids overseas contaminates and is more environmentally-friendly.
Curiously, in winter we are provided by nature with all things citrus, fruits like oranges that are particularly high in Vitamin C, essential for preventing infections such as colds and flu’s.
Winter vegetables are also perfect for hot meals, healthy stews, soups, casseroles and other warming meals.
Whereas summer stone fruits such as: peaches, apricots and cherries provide us with extra beta-carotenes and other carotenoids that help protect us against sun damage.
So, if you have decided to buy seasonal fruit, but don’t know which are the best options on the market, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, the organisation Soy de Temporada and the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) have several calendars that will help guide you through Spain’s varied, seasonal fruit and vegetable options.
September marks the transition from summer to autumn and the best in-season fruits for this month are the following: blueberries, quince, mango, pear, pineapple, pomegranate, apple, grape, raspberry, blackberry, banana, melon, watermelon, persimmon, peach, plum and cherry.
In short, a wide range of fruits that will allow you to make all kinds of dishes for this season.
And what about vegetables?
The following are the seasonal vegetables in Spain for the month of September: peppers, spinach, green beans, chard, leek, lettuce, onion, pumpkin, chicory, turnips, carrots, potatoes, maize, beetroot, aubergines, mushrooms, radishes and tomatoes.
Make the most of seasonal fruit and veg to rustle up some tasty home-cooked meals using ingredients at their peak in flavour and nutrition.
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