Fresh herbs, such as lavender, mint and lemon verbena, thrive in the summer.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Sauté zucchini and squash with olive oil and garlic for a summery side, or spirilize your vegetables for a nutritious and light replacement for pasta.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Shrubs, made by Jean Dietz-Band, of Many Rocks Farm in Washington County, Maryland, are a vinegared fruit syrup, and a perfect refreshment for hot summer days. Mix one part syrup to four parts sparking water for a refreshing soda, or add a little bit of vodka, gin or rum to make an adult beverage.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Need some recipe inspiration for your summer berries? Local chef Jonathan Bardzik pairs them with minted whipped cream.
Toss 1 quart of berries with 1 tbs of sugar and 2 tbs of Grand Marnier. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or longer to let juices develop (no longer than four hours). When ready to serve, whip cream until very soft peaks appear. A cold bowl and whisk make this easier. Chop together mint with 1 tbs sugar until you have a very fine blend. Whisk sugar into cream until peaks stiffen. Serve macerated berries topped with cream.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Potatoes are also available this time of summer. You can make a tomato-potato bake or a potato salad for your next summer gathering.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
The peppers on the Northern Neck are giant this time of year.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Often referred to as "green garlic," garlic scapes are the "flower" stalks of garlic plants. With summer's fresh onions, garlic scapes and tomatoes, try this recipe for double tomato soup.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Okra is a hit among customers who buy produce from Garner's Produce. For a very seasonal dish, try making an okra, corn and tomato relish.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Endless Summer Harvest, in Purcellville, Virginia, grows microgreens. Microgreens pack the taste and nutritional value of a full vegetable and are often used to garnish salads, soups and sandwiches.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Summer's first sign of heirloom tomatoes -- a seasonal favorite for many.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Finally! Tomato time! Tomatoes are just starting to come in for many local farmers, and corn and melon are next on the horizon.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
FRESHFARM Markets runs a CSA program with its customers and farmers. Each week, CSA customers can pick up a bag filled with seasonal produce from multiple farmers.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Dainty greens, such as lettuces, are typically on their way out this time of year, since they mold in the heat. But Endless Summer Harvest grows hydroponic lettuces in Purcellville, Virginia.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Large onions are in season at Full Cellar Farms, in Jefferson, Maryland.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
At Garner's Produce, in Warsaw, Virginia, there is plenty of garlic to harvest this time of year.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Almost every market includes a vendor with fresh, local flowers, such as this arrangement from Wollam Gardens. If you want to know what flowers are growing in your area, head to your market.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Want to fire up the grill with some summer vegetables? Look no further than the eggplant. Slice eggplant and brush the pieces with olive oil on both sides; sprinkle with salt and toss the pieces on the grill. You can eat the eggplant as-is or add it to sandwiches with pesto, cheese or hummus.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Looking for a tart treat? Try a red currant. This fruit, which is a member of the goosebery family, was available at the FRESHFARM Penn Quarter Farmers Market. Add currants to salads or make them into a jam or chutney.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Are you ready to make some pickles? You'll find cucumbers at market. Local chef Jonathan Bardzik suggests making a cucumber dill mousse with your purchases.
Peel and seed two small cucumbers, grate on the small side of a box grater and place in a mesh sieve and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Mix 1/2 minced shallot with 1 tsp chopped mint, 1 tbs chopped chives, 1 tbs Cava Rose vinegar, and 1/4 tsp hot Hungarian paprika in a medium bowl.
Season with black pepper. Sprinkle 2 tbs chopped dill with 1/2 tsp salt and finely chop together. Whisk 1 cup of cream to soft peaks.
Add salted dill and whisk to stiff peaks. Press cucumber to remove liquid and add to shallot and herb mixture. Stir together well and season to taste with salt and additional vinegar as needed. Stir 1/4 whipped cream into cucumber mixture, and fold in remaining cream.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
OK, so cookies are not in season, but you'll most likely run into some baked goods when you're at the farmers market this summer. Route 33 Baking Company, in Neavitt, Maryland, makes a variety of salty and sweet treats.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
WTOP/Rachel Nania
At Garner's, a farm in Warsaw, Virginia, cabbages are in season. Turn cabbage into coleslaw for your summer cookouts or add it into soups for an extra crunch.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
WTOP/Rachel Nania
A farmer from Maryland sells black raspberries and gooseberries at the farmers market. Gooseberries can be eaten as-is, baked into pies and crumbles or used in jams.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Wax beans are in season at some local farms. Eat them fresh or sauté them with a bit of olive oil and garlic for a simple and seasonal side.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
Almost every farmer's stall at the market had buckets and buckets of basil. Chop your basil in small pieces to mix into fruit or vegetable salads, or make a pesto for pasta, meats and sandwiches.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
We spotted apricots at the FRESHFARM Farmers Market in Penn Quarter. For a sweet treat, cut an apricot in half and add a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese, a drizzle of honey and a few sprinkles of nutmeg.
(WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
