First of the summer
 

Maybe especially after the brutally cold winter we had here in Chicago, I've been making an effort to savor the pleasures that the return of spring and summer bring. I was thinking that it would be fun to read a thread like "today I (we) have been eating" that focused on the firsts of food and drink that come around as summer begins. I realize that this might not seem interesting right now to DiningBuzz fans in the southern hemisphere, but perhaps it'd still work if we expanded the definition to be "first of the season" for whatever season you're in.

For me, yesterday's was my first insalata caprese of the summer. It's too early for decent tomatoes here, but I got a nice Canadian hothouse-grown heirloom tomato at the grocery store, and with fresh basil, Bel Gioso (Wisconsin) sliced mozzarella, and some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, it was the start of my summer.

Today, my first at-home Pimm's cup: Pimm's #1 and ginger ale on the rocks. Next time I may go to the trouble to get out the cucumber and orange slices too.

Not yet, unfortunately, but much anticipated: cherries; supposed to be in season, but I'm not seeing any on the trees around here or in bulk from Michigan yet. All I see in the store are red and Rainier cherries from Washington at $5.99 and $6.99 a pound, respectively. At those prices, I'll wait a while.

Soft-shell crabs and Copper River salmon are just starting to show up here.

Also last night, first corn on the cob, 3/$1, which if available in stores here at this time of year must be coming up from Florida or Georgia, but nonetheless another much-anticipated taste of summer.

I'm betting your corn isn't from the US. We haven't had enough warm weather in the Florida Panhandle yet. I suppose it's possible it came from South Florida. Georgia? No way.

I haven't had any fruit or vegetable firsts yet but I'm waiting on local strawberries and blackberries. I'll hit the farmer's market tomorrow morning and report back if anything has made it to shelves from local producers.

For seafood; scamp, red snapper and pompano have been plated for me in the last couple weeks. And, I'm thinking of a Sunday drive for a few dozen littleneck clams from Alligator Point.

Heading out into the Gulf tomorrow with a group of friends hoping to bag the limit on red snapper in the last day before federal season opens. Unfortunately, I'm on the road next week, so I'll have to freeze it.

Regular season for Michigan red tart cherries is late June/first of July. This year I expect that will be delayed a bit.

I did get some good rhubarb last week at a good price, so if not local it must be from not too far away.

So it really is too early for Michigan cherries? So much for the accuracy of whatever "what's in season" website I consulted about that.

Also wondering where the sweet corn I'm seeing in the stores here is from -- Mexico? I don't think it's from South America; living in Chile for several years, I never encountered the type of sweet, tender corn that is popular here in the US.

APPLE slices, please, not orange. And it's lemonade, not ginger ale. And you need mint.

Things might be in season but they may not be generally available at this point. As the OP noted, cherries are available right now though rather expensive. I remember being in a grocery store last year and having a bag of them be almost $30. They were the very first in the season and there's a lot of demand for them.

Well, I did say it was my homemade version of a Pimm's Cup, so it's limited to what I have on hand. But I do plan to pick up some mint at the store and also get a pot of it growing.

Looks like I don't have long to wait for cherries. This Michigan crop harvest calendar says they'll be in season there from mid June through the end of July. We get a lot of Michigan farmers at the local farmers' markets here. The first farmers' market of the season in my town is this coming Friday. I hope within another week or two, I'll find Michigan cherries there.

Just had my first Sugar Kiss melon. Best melon I've ever eaten. Sugary sweet and soft. Just delicious.

No shortage of Rainier cherries here in Texas, but man, they're pricey. ;)

Wild Copper River King Salmon tonight for dinner.

Doesn't lemonade = Sprite in the UK? (Just curious since I've never had a "proper" Pimms cup but do so enjoy Pimms & ginger ale :)).

Today I picked up my first CSA share for 2014. Turnips, chard, kale, baby spinach & radishes among other leafy things. All of the greens will be lovingly washed, chopped and quickly sautéed with some chopped bacon.

My CSA box this week was loaded. Kale, which I sauteed with lots of garlic, a massive maui onion which I kept chopping bits off all week, broccoli that I had with linguine, purple caulifower which I sauteed with udon noodles, cucumbers(geek salad with feta), lemons, zucchini which I made into fritters, we are eating good!

Wow, the difference in the climate & growing season is really emphasized by the difference between yours (South Cali?) and mine (NY). I know that mine will be mainly greens & herbs for the first few weeks with the occasional root vegetable.

CSAs are fun, they're like a surprise box. Then the (fun) challenge of what to cook.

Yes. Our CSA is in Irvine and runs nearly year roudn with a about 6 week break in Dec/Jan. Lettuce season is pretty much over, getting too hot, this was probalby the last week for any greens, we are well into strawberries, those will be over soon.

Not food related, but in Chicago one first each spring is the return of legs.

Vidalia Onions :D

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It may have appeared earlier in Texas, but in the Florida Panhandle, Shiner Ruby Redbird (a beer brewed with ruby red grapefruit) has made it's appearance in the Publix beer cooler. Summer is officially here!

I had the first tomato from my garden yesterday :) Several more in the ripening stages, I love summer!

Sweet calico corn, beefsteak tomatoes, mulberries and wild strawberries. Life is so good in SoCal.

^^

I was passing the produce section in the local grocery store and could smell the stone fruits from across the aisle. These are the first plums and nectarines I've seen this year with a US sticker. I bought a load and made a fresh fruit salad with plums, nectarines, cantaloupe, strawberries and blueberries. None of it was local, but none was from the other hemisphere either and all was delicious. Also cherries were $4.99 a pound and not bad, just too much trouble to cut up for the salad.

First of our locally grown strawberries, absolutely delicious.^

A little later than usual as I've been on the road, but I yesterday purchased cherries for the first time this season.

According to the newspaper in Anniston Alabama, the locally grown watermelons have not yet appeared at the farmers' market. However, here in the Florida panhandle, I have seen pickup trucks with the beds loaded with them. With the 4th of July right around the corner, it would be about time.

Here in Northwest Florida this week, watermelons and green tomatoes seen in the back of pickup trucks strategically parked in empty gas stations. I will stop Friday night and pick up some of them 'maters for a Saturday afternoon fry up.

Watermelons have yet to make an appearance in the So Cal Farmer's Markets. Can't wait, as my favorite summer salad is watermelon with heirloom tomatoes and mint. Heirloom tomatoes are starting to look so good and the beefsteaks have been wonderful.

Sprite and lemonade are completely different. :cool: