September is here and we couldn’t be happier at Fruit Runner. Yes, the summer is pretty much over which means no more Tabernacle cocktails in the south of France, but September is a proper time for staple fruits. From apples to blackberries, this is the time of year for real fruit at its ripest.
Apples
You know autumn’s just about arrived because apples are everywhere. These crisp, crunchy fruits are in their primes during this season, and can really add a bit of sweetness to the rainy weather in September. Perfect for pies, pancakes and added to a salad with some blue cheese, apples are versatile and rich in vitamins.
Grapes
Grapes are ready for harvest in September, which means vineyards everywhere will be starting on new batches of delicious wine, but grapes are surely best consumed by the handful on your way home from the supermarket. After all, they do grow in bunches. That said, some fantastic grape recipe ideas include adding them to Caesar salads, serving with mackerel, baking in tarts or as part of fruity kebabs.
Pears
These Old World fruits are cousins of the apple and are a substantial source of fibre, whilst mixing well with everything from balsamic vinegar in a salad to some warming spices and cream in a dessert. Due to the fact that they contain naturally-occurring endorphins, which provide euphoric feelings, they also stand out in a month of poor weather and that horrible back to school feeling you still get years after you’ve left.
Melons
Melons grow best in heat, and so are technically a summer fruit, but are still good during September. We added them to the list because it’s your last chance to enjoy watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew before it gets too cold. Why not try making something a little outlandish, like Jalapeno Watermelon Margaritas?
Blackberries
Blackberries are best picked throughout August and September, because by October the damp weather will have certainly soiled many crops. So dig out your baskets and get picking as these little beauties grow in abundance across hedgerows, along canal paths as well as wastelands in both rural and urban areas. If the end of the world arrives, blackberries will still be growing everywhere in September, so we can continue to enjoy them in crumbles and pies, meringues and on meats, as well as with vodka, brandy and gin.
Peaches
In hotter climates, peaches peak in June, though cooler climates will see local harvests well into September. But, be warned, like the melons, these are summer fruits and September is your last chance to enjoy juicy, sweet peaches until the spring. Often eaten whole whilst leaning over the sink, peaches are best stored at room temperature and go nicely soaked in red wine, amaretto or rum, as well as in cakes, cobblers and smoothies.