Hi Market Shoppers,
Happy Pride and happy Dairy Month! It’s June which means strawberries are painting the town red, the peas are piled high, and Greenmarket season is taking off. Here’s what you need to know this month:
Fresh Flavors Return at Seasonal Greenmarkets
Each year, we open 23 Greenmarkets across the five boroughs during the growing season. Please enjoy this reel announcing the Greenmarkets that are opening next and visit the Locations Map on our website to find a Greenmarket near you.
Find Your Market(this link opens in new window)
Find Early Summer Produce
🍓 Strawberries are the crown jewel of June! Local strawberries picked at peak ripeness are infinitely better than any you’ll find in a grocery store aisle.
Part of the rose family, strawberries are beloved for their exceptional sweetness, vibrant red color, and juicy texture. Nothing is better than popping them straight in your mouth when strawberries are at peak ripeness.
However, in case you have some leftover, we strongly encourage:
- Making strawberry shortcake using Smitten Kitchen’s easy drop shortcake recipe.
- We also love roasting strawberries to enhance their depth of flavor and spooning them over vanilla ice cream.
- Prefer savory? Try making a strawberry bruschetta. 🍰
✅ Pro market tip: pack your Tupperware! Transfer berries from their carton to the safety of a Tupperware to avoid squishing on their journey home.
Oh snap! Peas are back!
Peas are a quintessential Greenmarket spring treat.
- Snow peas are the oldest pea variety. They’ve been enjoyed in China for centuries. They have a flat, edible pod with tiny, immature peas on the inside. They cook up in a flash and are delicious in a stir-fry or sauteed with ginger and garlic.
- Shelling peas, also known as English peas or garden peas, were developed in Europe in the 17th or 18th century. They have a fibrous inedible pod with sweet, plump peas on the inside. They take a little bit of extra work to shell but it’s the perfect excuse to get the kiddos involved in dinner prep. Peak comfort is peas blanched in salty water then swirled in a warm pan with butter. And Melissa Clark’s spiced pork chop with buttery peas, radishes, and mint is a must!
- Did you know? The Greenmarket is older than the sugar snap pea! They weren’t invented until 1979 when seed breeder Dr. Calvin Lamborn decided to cross a snow pea with a shelling pea. The result? A snappy pea with an edible pod and juicy, delicious peas on the inside. The best of both worlds! Take them on the go and snack all day long or try this snap pea and summer squash salad by Pierce Abernathy.
Fennel, squash blossoms, favas, and lettuce abound! Soon, more berries and cherries will be hitting the scene! And don’t let garlic scape season pass you by without making garlic scape pesto. Blink and you’ll miss it. Find your local Greenmarket and relish in all June has to offer.
GrowNYC x Kitchen Arts & Letters is Hosting Cookbook Signings Every June Saturday at Union Square:
