Seasonal Eating

One concept that really intrigues me is following the seasons. In lots of ways, we do it because we have to - we bundle up against the cold, stay inside, heat our homes, go to bed earlier. Eating heartier foods has always been one way that we build up reserves to see us through the winter. Canning the bounty of summer's fruit and vegetables is another. Nature guides us in ways that we may not even be conscious of, and lately, the idea of eating seasonally has seen a lot of press. While that means something different to those of you (DJ) in California than it does to those of us here in New England, it's an interesting concept across the board. Although our access is no longer limited to those foods we can grow ourselves or buy from our neighbors, and transportation has made out-of-season foods available anytime, anywhere - there is still an allure to partaking of the local harvest. Should we eat more locally and seasonally? As we round the corner into fall, what are the quintessential foods of the season?

Some of mine:

soup
roast chicken
mushroom risotto
banana bread
granola bars
potatoes
oatmeal
ginger cookies
apple everything