Southern Living Southern Living
11 Foods at Their Peak in July
  • Subscribe
  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Entertaining
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • How-To
    • Healthy and Light
    • Test Kitchen TV
    • Southern Living Tumblr
  • Home
    • Style Guide
    • Idea Houses
    • Holiday & Occasions
    • Communities
    • Designer Network
    • House Plans & Builders
  • Travel
    • City Guides
    • Hotel Collection
    • South's Best
    • Trip Ideas
    • Travel Planner
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Hairstyles
  • Videos
  • Garden
    • Essential Plant Guide
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names: A-Z
    • Flowers
    • Landscaping
  • Subscribe
  • FOOD
  • HOME
  • GARDEN
  • TRAVEL
  • STYLE
  • VIDEOS
  • GIVE A GIFT
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE CUSTOMER SERVICE
  1. Home
  2. Food

11 Foods at Their Peak in July

Caroline Rogers

Juicy, delicious, and ripe–right about now

Perfect for al fresco dinners in the fading summer sun, we have rounded up the best produce to pick up at your local farmers’ market this July. Find some fresh corn? You won’t want to miss the Okra and Corn Maque Choux. With peaches, blueberries, and blackberries galore, you’re baking will really take off. We’re thinking pies or homemade ice cream for the summer. You will definitely see black-eyed peas at the farmers’ market, so scoop some up for Peas and Kale Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette. It would be a shame to miss these berries and veggies, all of which are at their freshest and most mouth-watering in July.

1 of 11 Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Blackberries

A wonder fruit, these berries are high in antioxidants and are just as easy to pop into summer salads as they are to bake into cakes, pies, and flavorful summer desserts. Try our Easy Blackberry Cobbler in individual ramekins for a simple summer treat. 

Advertisement
2 of 11 Picture Partners/ Getty Images

Black-Eyed Peas

Legend says that black-eyed peas bring luck, and anyone who tries these Southern-staple veggies in our recipe for Peas and Kale Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette will feel very lucky indeed.

3 of 11 Photo: Helen Norman

Blueberries

A favorite of kids and adults alike, the humble blueberry takes center stage in July. Beyond accompanying strawberries in a fruit salad, the blueberry can add bold flavor to seasonal recipes. Try our fan-favorite Honey Balsamic Blueberry Pie recipe or our show-stopping, party-perfect recipe for Blueberry Salsa.

Advertisement
4 of 11 Branex/Getty Images

Corn

A quintessential summer vegetable, corn is a staple on our plates in July. It is a summer-harvest hero of the kitchen and can be baked into cornbreads and corn puddings, or tossed into salads, or it can stand alone—grilled, with a slight, tangy char. There’s nothing corn can’t do. Try it in an Okra and Corn Maque Choux.

Advertisement
5 of 11 Photo: Ralph Anderson

Figs

Once you learn how to grow a fig tree, your summers will never be the same. Ripe figs—fresh from the tree and bursting with flavor—should grace every summer table. They provide the perfect savory-sweet balance in our in our made-for-summer Figgy Foccacia.

Advertisement
6 of 11 Adam Gault/Getty Images

Green Beans

Get to snapping this July and celebrate summer with a bunch of fresh green beans. We recommend a sharp, citrus-infused recipe like Lemon-Sautéed Green Beans or a fruity mix, like Green Bean, Grape and Pasta Salad.

Advertisement
7 of 11 Photo: Hector M. Sanchez; Food Stylist: Marian Cairns; Prop Stylist: Caroline Cunningham

Okra

Fry it, pickle it, grill it, or pack it and save it for next season. The possibilities are boundless for okra in July. Pair okra with another signature Southern ingredient in our recipe for Fried Pecan Okra, which is breaded with crushed pecans and baking mix.

Advertisement
8 of 11 Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Peaches

Is there anything as pretty as a peach? Probably not, and definitely not in July. This fruit takes the cake—or pie, cobbler, or punch. Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other Southern states, and our recipes celebrate the fruit too. Just try our crowd-pleasing peach recipes: Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Peach Pie, Easy Peach Cobbler, or Governor’s Mansion Summer Peach Tea Punch.

Advertisement
9 of 11 Photo: Helen Norman

Summer Squash

Stop by a farmers’ market for summer squash this month, but be sure to get there early. This seasonal treasure will be flying off shelves and into shopping bags, transported home to be baked and grilled and served for dinner on patios across the South. Recipe-wise, there is no cuter or tastier appetizer than our Pimiento-Stuffed Summer Squash, and our traditional Summer Squash Casserole can’t be beat. If you’re in the gardening mood, try your hand at growing your own summer squash and look forward to next year’s bounty.

Advertisement
10 of 11 Photo: Ralph Anderson

Tomatoes

Tomatoes find their way into most summer dishes; they sneak into pastas, salads, and casseroles, adding juicy texture and sharp flavor to lunches and dinners. We want to celebrate the tomato harvest this July, and since it’s not just for spaghettis, Bloody Marys, and salsas anymore, we’re getting creative with some of our favorite produce this month, starting with Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk-Feta Dressing and Savory Tomato Cobbler.

Advertisement
11 of 11 Westend61/Larissa Veronesi/Getty Images

Watermelon

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a slice of watermelon—juicy, dripping, and sweet—on a hot July day. We like to skewer cubes of watermelon in an easy-to-hold, picnic-perfect dish like Tomato, Watermelon, and Feta Skewers with Mint and Lime. Try the recipe and prepare yourself for an explosion of summer flavor.

You May Like

Kitchen Assistant
19 Fresh Blueberry Recipes
Entertaining
10 Fresh Fig Recipes
Entertaining
Fast & Fresh Corn Recipes

Read More

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Sign up for free recipes, décor ideas & special offers
Sign up

Subscribe & Save

Subscribe today for as little as $1.15 an issue!
GET IT NOW

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Sign up for free recipes, décor ideas & special offers
Sign up
Southern Living
Southern Food
  • BBQ Side Dishes
  • Beef Enchilada Recipe
  • Casserole Recipes
  • Comfort Food Recipes
  • Ground Beef Recipes
  • Easy Crockpot Recipes
  • Mac and Cheese Recipes
  • Mashed Potatoes Recipe
  • Party Appetizers
  • Pork Chop Suppers
  • Quick and Easy Dinners
  • Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Top-Rated Desserts
Holidays
  • Mardi Gras Recipes
  • Easter Recipes
  • Mother's Day Recipes
  • Fourth of July Recipes
  • Halloween Appetizers
  • Thanksgiving Sides
  • Christmas Recipes
  • Christmas Tree Decorations
Home & Travel
  • City Guide
  • Container Gardening
  • Cottage Style
  • Fireplace Mantels
  • The Grumpy Gardener
  • House Plans
  • Idea House
  • Living Room Decorating
  • Porches and Patios
  • South's Best Fried Chicken
  • Plant Names: A - Z
Southern Living
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift
  • Contact Us
  • Magazine Customer Service
  • Newsletters
  • Sweepstakes
  • Videos
SouthernLiving.com is part of the Time Inc. Food Collection and the Time Inc. Lifestyle Network. ©2018 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. Rights Reserved.
Look for a Job at Time Inc. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy ( Your California Privacy Rights ). Ad Choices. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.