Produce Specialties Celebrate National Fruit and Vegetable Month

Every day is a good day to celebrate what makes our world more interesting, more exciting, and more fun — fruits and veggies. But September is National Fruit and Vegetable Month (not to be confused with National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month in June), and it’s a time of year to give produce an extra bit of love.

Whether you’re a distributor, retailer or foodservice professional, it’s a tough choice choosing what to celebrate with — there are just so many varieties to spotlight. The Alliance for Bioversity alone estimates there’s more than 1,000 different types of vegetables cultivated around the world. This doesn’t even include the fruits.

September is National Fruit and Vegetable Month, and it’s a time of year to give produce an extra bit of love.

Below is a guide to the top five produce specialties to recognize the occasion:

1. HERBS

Can you imagine how bland dishes would be without herbs and spices? We agree — it’s not a pretty thought. That’s why herbs come in at No. 1. They make the world more flavorful by infusing their taste into dishes through various means.

Besides their flavor-enhancing qualities, herbs also make an excellent garnish. Just picture a steamy pizza garnished with basil leaves, or a fresh bowl of salsa garnished with micro cilantro.

National Fruit and Vegetable Month is the perfect time to experiment with the many flavor profiles of herbs. Choose from parsley, chervil, epazote, dill, or many (and we mean many) other varieties.

2. AVOCADOS

Avocados are one of the most popular fruits in the U.S. They’re versatile in the kitchen and can be used across many different dishes. The Flora Loca season for Mexican Hass avocados typically transitions to the next bloom during September — that in itself is something to celebrate.

The Flora Loca season is a notoriously difficult season for avocados. This time of year typically features avocados that are small in size and difficult to ripen, but there are professional ripeners to help you along the tumultuous Flora Loca journey.

3. CALIFORNIA FIGS

National Fruit and Vegetable Month coincides with peak volumes for California fig season. The California season typically features five varieties, meaning there are plenty to work with. There are opportunities for merchandising clamshell figs for varieties like black mission or brown turkey. On the other hand, both black and green fig varieties can be used across menus for foodservice professionals.

4. BARHI DATES

Barhi dates are a highly seasonal variety available out of California for a limited time in September. If their short window of availability doesn’t earn them a spot on the podium for National Fruit and Vegetable Month, then their use definitely should.

Barhi dates are harvested in the khalal, or semi-ripe, stage. In this stage, they are firm, crisp, and honey sweet. They will ripen to the rutab stage post-harvest. The rutab stage will feature dates that are softer, tender and caramel-like in flavor. Barhi dates can be consumed in both of these stages of ripeness.

5. FORAGED

The season for foraged varieties is just beginning after morel season ended in early summer. To kick off the season, there’s foraged huckleberries and lobster mushrooms, but the true gem of the early season varieties are the chanterelle mushrooms.

Chanterelles are one of the most popular foraged mushroom varieties. Their fruity and woodsy flavor alone earns them a spot on the podium. Plating doesn’t have to be too complicated either — just simply sautéing in butter is enough.

September is the perfect time of year to dive into foraged varieties. As fall gets closer, there’s only going to be more options to explore, like black trumpet mushrooms. Learn to perfect your foraged craft now rather than missing out on opportunities when there’s more to offer in the world of foraged.

Casey Spencer is marketing coordinator at John Vena Inc., Philadelphia, PA.