What food seasons are there in San Francisco?
November 1, 2019 10:58 PM Subscribe
What food seasons are there in the San Francisco Bay Area? For example, Alaskan king salmon season ended a few weeks ago, and I just read that Dungeness crab season starts this month. What else can we look forward to at only specific times of the year? Food in particular, but non-food would be interesting, too.
These folks make a local foods wheel that you can hang in your kitchen and it'll tell you year-round what you can look forward to! Here's the SF Bay version.
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:34 PM on November 1, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by wemayfreeze at 11:34 PM on November 1, 2019 [6 favorites]
Apparently it’s easy to get a reservation at absolutely any restaurant during Burning Man.
Stone fruit season means two months of surprisingly cheap, good cherries.
October is the season when your likely uninsulated apartment is least likely to be uncomfortable.
posted by less of course at 12:31 AM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
Stone fruit season means two months of surprisingly cheap, good cherries.
October is the season when your likely uninsulated apartment is least likely to be uncomfortable.
posted by less of course at 12:31 AM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
According to what I see on menus, squash blossoms recently stopped being in season
posted by aubilenon at 4:01 AM on November 2, 2019
posted by aubilenon at 4:01 AM on November 2, 2019
Persimmons are entering their season!! If you're from another part of the US it's possible you don't know much about persimmons, but they are absolutely dirt cheap in season (especially if you can find someone with a tree, they usually are trying to get rid of them, like zucchini at the end of summer) and are super delicious. Note there are two kinds, hachiya and fuyu, and you eat them at different points (hachiya need to be so ripe they're like a skin bag of pulp; fuyu you eat at the point an apple or pear would be ripe).
posted by branca at 7:23 AM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by branca at 7:23 AM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
According to what I see on menus, squash blossoms recently stopped being in season
Funny! I still have a few out back. At farmer's markets (and out back) it's deffo bok choy and leafy green season. Kales and Chard will remain in season for quite a few months too. Beets as well.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:34 AM on November 2, 2019
Funny! I still have a few out back. At farmer's markets (and out back) it's deffo bok choy and leafy green season. Kales and Chard will remain in season for quite a few months too. Beets as well.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:34 AM on November 2, 2019
Oranges are starting to get ripe on a tree on my street now; citrus is amazing in the winter. I recommend shopping at a farmers market if you don't yet, and you'll quickly learn what to expect. I like just discovering what's new there when I arrive rather than trying to plan. If you ever shop at Berkeley Bowl's amazing produce section, they also mark where produce comes from, so you can tell what's locally in season.
posted by pinochiette at 9:23 AM on November 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by pinochiette at 9:23 AM on November 2, 2019 [2 favorites]
Here's the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture's seasonal produce chart for Northern California.
posted by Lexica at 11:04 AM on November 2, 2019
posted by Lexica at 11:04 AM on November 2, 2019
Apricots can be amazing in a very brief window, falling some time between late May and early July. They are incredible when they come from somewhere nearby and haven't been picked too early to ship across the country.
posted by sigmagalator at 6:49 PM on November 2, 2019
posted by sigmagalator at 6:49 PM on November 2, 2019
You happen to be in one of the best places in the world for seasonal foods. Right now is indeed the opening of crab season, but also crayfish season - coming straight to you from the Delta. Also coming up now are persimmons, pomegranates, apples and pumpkins (of course), and the last of the late season tomatoes and peppers. Coming soon in the winter will be kiwi, avocado and citrus season. Small oranges, grapefruits and Meyer lemons are the best. In the spring stone fruits start to come in - cherries, peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums, pluots and so on. Followed by the berries and then tomatoes, peppers and eggplants...which brings you back to persimmons again. I find that greens tend to be good and available year-round, but I think they are nicest in the spring. Mushrooms are around year-round, but I find that chanterelles and morels are only available at certain parts of the year - so if you see then, snatch them up! If you are interested in fish, getting a local "fish share" will help you see what seasonal fish are good and available.
I highly recommend only eating what is in season - and you'll know it by seeking out farmers markets and eating as local as possible.
posted by Toddles at 8:37 PM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
I highly recommend only eating what is in season - and you'll know it by seeking out farmers markets and eating as local as possible.
posted by Toddles at 8:37 PM on November 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by Grandysaur at 11:21 PM on November 1, 2019 [2 favorites]