Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, pineapple, peaches, figs... all of these are perfect examples of fruits that can offer exceptionally explosive taste in each mouthful. Anyone who's ever eaten any of these fruits in the "off months" (if you can even find them) will tell you that compared to this time of the year, the flavor will seem muted, flatter, and the fruit itself may even seem smaller, and dare I say it, less proud. After all, what can compare to a ripe mango straight out of hand, sliced nice and thick? Or a sweet and tangy berry parfait on a warm Summer night? How about a fresh-baked Texas peach pie at a picnic? True, these are all delicious delicacies of the season, but this barely scratches the surface of the potential of these Summer joys. One of the more glorious facets of these fruits comes when they are taken out of the dessert gallery and left to wander around the rest of the dinner table.

 

With their unparalleled and universal popularity, the flavors of cherries and blueberries can be found in more smoothies than you can throw a blender at. This cool drink may be a cure to a hot day, but with their sweet and tart elements, both these fruits lend themselves exceptionally well to fruit compotes, which then lend themselves to be sauced along grilled meats such as pork chops and chicken. Just search our site for the "Pear Compote" recipe, and substitute your favorite berries for the pears.

 

Texas peaches are a beautiful thing- juicy, tender, bright, sweet, and simply no good (or even hardly available!) any other time of the year. Bring them to your next barbeque, and while everyone is waiting for that brisket to come out of the smoker, keep them fed with our Spicy Peach Salsa recipe. Got that grill nice and hot? Plenty of people may have experienced the succulent taste that is a grilled peach, but how about dicing and adding two of those gems into our Crab Salad recipe?

 

On that note, the grill is very much your friend when it comes to thinking up great ways to serve your CM Summer bounty. Already cut up your mango, and about to toss that seed away? Drop it onto a cooler part of your grill and turn it from time to time: after about ten or fifteen minutes you'll have on your hands a fruity little nugget that everyone will fight over. Cut fresh figs in half, grill until just tender, and stuff with your favorite soft cheese (goat, gorgonzola, brie, etc.) and a delicious appetizer is practically ready to go. Slice pineapple thick, grill it, and season generously with your favorite chili powder: you now have a great Latin snack that is great by itself, on burgers, chicken, or pizzas (grilled pizza- another awesome food, but that's a whole other topic...).

 

The warm months are here, and so are the soil's good eats. All the recipes listed here, along with many, many more can be found via our website's recipe search function. Simply enter the name of your weapon of mass consumption and you'll be granted a bevy of new ways to use your botanical beauties. So, fill that cart amass with apricots, to the peak with peaches, lavishly laden with, er.. watermelons! Whatever your favorite is, know that there is no end to the ways to enjoy your Summer boon.