Seasonal Cooking: Using What Is Fresh Right Now

Seasonal cooking means cooking with ingredients at the time of year when they are most plentiful and at their most flavourful. It is an old habit that still makes sense: food in season usually tastes better, costs less, and needs less effort to make taste good.

A simple way to start is to notice what is plentiful where you shop. When a vegetable or fruit appears in large amounts, is brightly coloured, and smells like itself, it is likely in season. Build a meal around it, rather than forcing an out-of-season ingredient to carry a dish.

Seasonal cooking also changes naturally through the year. Spring suits fresh greens and eggs, summer suits tomatoes and salads, autumn suits apples and root vegetables, and winter suits slow soups and baked dishes. Following that rhythm keeps meals varied without needing new recipes every week.

If you are unsure what is in season, a local market is a good guide. Stallholders sell what is growing nearby, and their range changes with the season. Asking what is good this week often leads to the most useful suggestions.

You do not need to be strict about it. Even one seasonal dish a week, built around what is fresh right now, brings variety to the table and a closer connection to the food you cook.