The taste of summer

Every place I’ve lived has fruits and vegetables that define summer. Growing up in Colorado, I knew the end of spring was near when the asparagus began popping up in the fields. In Alaska, summer is full of wild berries.

Watermelon berries have a light sweet taste and are often the first to ripen. I can never resist eating the first tart blueberries, even though they won’t be truly ripe until at least August. Soon, salmon berries that range in color from yellow to nearly purple and resemble giant raspberries will fill the sunny slopes near the trails. Most of the berries are just beginning to grow, some are still flowers, but in a matter of weeks they will fill the woods.

Summer is the time to taste the world around you and celebrate what it provides. Whether you are looking forward to the first fruit that drops from the trees or watching your garden as it grows, there is a certain magic to both gathering and growing your own food. It’s a way to celebrate life.