Seattle Farmers Market Produce: 5 July Recipes

Seattleites are hitting farmers markets this July with a singular mission: to eat as much seasonal produce as possible before the sun disappears. At the University District Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, the lines at Stoney Plains Organic Farm and Alvarez Farms stretch three deep, and the reason is clear-$4 for a pint of sun-gold cherry tomatoes that taste like candy, or $3 for a bunch of Lacinato kale so dark it looks wet.

The urgency is real. Washington's growing season is short, and right now-between the July 4 berry peak and the first apple harvest in August-is the sweet spot for stone fruit, snap peas, and the first Walla Walla sweets. Local nutritionist and food writer Jessica Prentice (no relation to the Berkeley cookbook author) of Capitol Hill's The Seasonal Table says this window is critical: “If you miss July, you're basically eating shipped-in produce for eight months. The flavor is gone, the nutrients degrade, and you're paying more for less.”

What's ripe right now: five recipes from local kitchens

Chef Maria Hines, who runs the farm-to-table café Tilth in Wallingford, shared five go-to recipes that use only ingredients she can buy within 50 miles of Seattle in mid-July. Her first pick: a cold cherry and arugula soup. She blends 2 cups of dark sweet cherries from Tonnemaker Family Orchards (sold at the Ballard Farmers Market on Sundays) with 1 cup of local Greek yogurt from Smith Brothers Dairy in Kent, a handful of arugula from Alm Hill Gardens, and a pinch of sea salt from Jacobsen Salt Co. in Portland-but she says you can substitute with any flaky sea salt. Serve chilled with a drizzle of olive oil.

Second is a snap pea and mint salad with hazelnuts. Hines says to get sugar snap peas at their peak-still firm, not limp-from Skagit Valley farms like Ralph's Greenhouse. She tosses them with fresh mint from her own garden (or any Farmers Market stand), toasted Hazelnuts from Freddy Guys in Oregon, and a lemon vinaigrette with local honey from Ballard Bee Company. The whole dish takes 10 minutes and costs about $8 to serve four.

Third: grilled Walla Walla sweet onions with balsamic and basil. Hines recommends halving the onions, grilling them until charred, then drizzling with aged balsamic (available from the Olive & Vine in Pike Place Market) and tearing fresh basil over top. She says this is a $5 side dish that pairs with almost anything off the grill-and the onions are $2.50 a pound at the Capitol Hill Farmers Market on Sundays.

Where to find the best deals and the science behind seasonal eating

Price data from the Washington State Department of Agriculture shows that July produce costs 30 to 40 percent less than the same items in December. A pound of organic zucchini at the Fremont Market runs about $2.50 now; in winter, it's $4.99 at QFC. A bunch of rainbow chard from Full Circle Farm in Carnation is $3.50 this month versus $5.50 in January. And the nutritional payoff is real: a 2023 study from the University of Washington School of Public Health found that locally harvested produce retains up to 40 percent more vitamin C than produce shipped from 1,500 miles away, due to shorter time between field and table.

Fourth on Hines's list: simple grilled salmon with a sauce of fresh blackberries and thyme. She recommends Copper River salmon from Pike Place Fish Market (around $28 per pound this week, but ask for a smaller fillet) and blackberries from Youngquist Farms at the Ballard market. She purees the berries with fresh thyme, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a tiny bit of maple syrup. It's a 20-minute dinner that tastes like a Saturday night splurge for a Tuesday price.

Fifth: a zucchini, corn, and goat cheese frittata. Hines uses zucchini from the Renton Farmers Market (every Thursday, 2-7 p.m.), sweet corn from Billy's Corn & Produce stand in Snohomish (she buys 6 ears for $3), and fresh chevre from Quillisascut Farm in Rice, Washington. Whisk eight eggs from Wilcox Farms in Roy, fold in the vegetables and cheese, and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Serves six for about $10 total.

If you want to try these at home, the University District Farmers Market runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through November. The Ballard market is Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Capitol Hill market operates Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Broadway and Pine. Prices are cash-only at many stands, but most now accept cards. For further personalized nutrition advice, consult your primary care provider or a registered dietitian-local resources include the Swedish Nutrition Clinic in First Hill or the UW Medical Center's Food is Medicine program.