How to Cook What’s Fresh — Even If You’ve Never Done It Before

Summer is when everything’s at its peak — tomatoes are juicy, herbs are wild, and zucchinis are multiplying faster than anyone can grill them. If you’ve ever thought “I wish I could cook more fresh, seasonal stuff,” this is your moment. You don’t have to be a chef — you just need to know where to look, what to ask, and how to season.

Start with what’s around you.

• Visit your local farmers’ market and ask the vendors, “What’s best right now?” Most will light up and give you ideas for how to cook it too.
• Got a neighbor with a garden explosion? Ask if you can trade for some tomatoes, herbs, or zucchini — chances are, they’ve got enough to start a roadside stand.
• Near the coast or a specialty market? Ask your fishmonger what’s in season and the easiest way to cook it. (This also works if you want to feel like a Food Network star. Bonus points if you wear sunglasses indoors.)
  

Look for signs of freshness:

• Veggies should be firm, vibrant, and smell like something. Wilted greens and cucumbers that feel like water balloons can stay behind.
• Fish should smell like the ocean, not like… well, sour or extremely fishy!
• If you’re foraging (hello, wild blackberries or backyard herbs!), make sure you’re confident in what you’re picking. This is not the moment to “see what happens.” Unfortunately, you’ll be risking a lot!
  
  

Garden-to-table is real.
Even some of the biggest chefs geek out over homegrown ingredients. Alice Waters turned her love of local produce into a restaurant empire. José Andrés grows his own tomatoes. Even Snoop Dogg gardens. You don’t need a backyard farm to get inspired — just a good tomato and a plan.

Now, keep it simple:

Fresh food doesn’t need fancy prep — it just needs the right salt.

• Superior Salt Mix brings out the juicy sweetness in grilled peaches or fresh tomatoes on toast.
• Sage Blend is perfect for seasonal fish, summer squash, or even a compound butter for corn on the cob.
• BBQ Rub #103 Toss it on thick veggie slices before grilling — eggplant, zucchini, or even mushrooms.
• STK Blend works on everything from just-picked potatoes to the steak you picked up from the butcher down the street.
  

Don’t overcrowd your pan or grill — give everything space to breathe. And season before and after cooking when it makes sense (like finishing some grilled veggies, or steaks). That’s how flavor sticks.

We’d love to see what you find.

Tag us, ask questions, share your wins (or fails — we’ve all burned the corn). Cooking fresh food should feel like summer itself: easy, generous, and a little messy in the best way.

You bring the ingredients. We’ll bring the seasoning.