[Ruthxxx]

We are still pretty cold and snowy but soon rhubarb will be ready. I know it's technically a veggie but just love it. My strawberries will arrive by the end of June along with currants followed by raspberries and the black caps at the edge of the meadow. Until then, it's citrus and frozen berries.

[becoming wisdom]

At 51° N, 1km high, Calgary's growing season is pretty short. What grows here isn't in season 'till July or August, except for indoor-grown, i.e. mushrooms, sprouts, various herbs.... Our global distribution access is pretty good, though, as we're a market of 1 million plus, and there are several million more north of us.

Hard to pick any favourites! Generally I prefer it all raw, or as lightly steamed (veggies) as possible. Salads with spices & vinegars (no oils), crudités with homemade crushed garlic-hummus dip, stir-fries, light veg. curries, and roasted cauliflower (instead of spuds) or spaghetti squash (with homemade tomato sauce) are all faves. I love all fruits too, but bananas, grapes, most tropicals, and too-generous portions of ANY other fruit cause my blood sugar to crash, so I try to go easy on them, or forego entirely. Not easy!

Prices reflect the fact that most fresh local produce is either hydroponic or long warehoused. The bulk of produce comes from 100's of miles away, and much of it from other continents as well. Still, we get a huge selection all year long!

[boaterswife]

Hmmm, not sure what would actually be considered "in season" but I do buy whatever looks good at the supermarket that day.

I guess you could say strawberries are in, as they are available now in all the local grocery stores. Not sure what size that plastic container is, maybe two pounds? It's running $5-6 for the container, and I need to go buy another one tomorrow...it will be the 3rd container in about a week. EEEK!

Bananas are always available, but we seem to be having a run on them in our house lately! DH tends to go through cycles with them, he eats them for a week or two, then doesn't for a couple weeks. However, I've bought a bunch of bananas every other day for the past two weeks! I keep buying them by the bunch thinking they will last me a few days, and low and behold the next day they're all gone. I'm not complaining, though, cause that tells me the kiddos are hitting the healthy snacks instead of the junk!

As for how to eat the stuff, bananas I like just by themselves. The kids are eating them plain and putting them on cereal. Strawberries are pretty much straight out of the carton. I will admit I like to dip them in splenda or sweet n low for a little extra sweetness, and I do occassionally add them to a salad. I've been eating them almost daily with lunch as a little dessert. Clementines are great on their own or tossed into a salad.