Do you have permission to waltz?

Image via Wikipedia I was at the Farmers Market yesterday and the air was winey with the scent of scuppernong and muscadine grapes. I bought a few pints, the deep purple and rich green of the two varieties blending together in my berry bowl for a classic summer treat. I keep the grapes on the counter and grab a few as I walk by (they're each the size of small apricots), remembering I need to dispose of the seeds along the way.

There's a great deal to be said for eating local produce. I knew the grapes were coming into season in North Florida, and it was something to anticipate. Late summer brings the grapes, along with lots of squashes, tomatoes, eggplant and melons. Soon the season will turn again and we'll get the new crop of pecans, persimmons, and when it's nice and cool, salad greens.

Getting into the rhythm of your local seasons puts an entirely new twist on how you cook, and how you eat. I'm just glad our Farmers Market (Downtown on the Plaza, Wednesdays, 4-7 p.m.) gives me such wonderful options for getting the very best of the area farms.