What’s in Season in Berkeley

What is in season in Berkeley. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

Spring Asparagus at the Farmers Markets: Delta asparagus from the Sacramento River Delta is the marker of Berkeley spring. Green, white and purple varieties appear at the Ecology Center Saturday market in March and peak through May. Cheese Board pizzas in April frequently feature asparagus. Berkeley Bowl stocks local asparagus before any national retailer.
Watsonville and Pajaro Valley Strawberries: Central California coastal strawberries from Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley arrive at Berkeley markets in April: the Chandler variety, the Seascape, and sometimes the heritage Gaviota which has a flavor intensity unlike commercial strawberries. The Saturday market at Center Street and Monterey Market both stock local strawberries from April.
Wild Morel Mushrooms: Wild morels from the Sierra Nevada foothills and coastal ranges appear at Berkeley markets in spring. Berkeley Bowl typically carries wild morels as early as late February in good years. Chez Panisse incorporates spring mushrooms into the prix fixe menu as soon as they appear. Third-generation foragers supply the Ecology Center market.

Blenheim Apricots: The Blenheim apricot, nearly extinct outside Northern California, is a Berkeley summer specialty. Grown at Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood and by small growers in the surrounding hills, Blenhieims have an intensity of flavor that grocery store apricots cannot match. They appear at Berkeley markets in June and are gone by late July. Alice Waters has written about Blenheim apricots as one of the defining California summer ingredients.
Silver Queen and White Corn: White corn from Brentwood and the Sacramento Delta appears at Berkeley markets and Monterey Market in July and August. Monterey Market has stocked Brentwood corn from the same farms for decades; the market's relationships with growers mean the corn arrives same-day rather than after distribution. Chez Panisse menus reference local corn by farm in summer.
Heirloom Tomatoes: Berkeley Bowl stocks over 40 varieties of heirloom tomatoes at the height of summer. Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Mortgage Lifter and dozens of specialty varieties from San Joaquin Valley and coastal growers appear in the produce section. Chez Panisse's summer menus are built around tomato season. The Saturday farmers market carries tomatoes from farms within 150 miles of Berkeley.

Wine Harvest and Crush Season: Napa and Sonoma wine harvest brings special releases to Berkeley wine merchants in autumn. Kermit Lynch receives new vintage arrivals from Burgundy and Rhone in September and October. Urban Legend Cellars in West Berkeley harvests grapes from California vineyards through September and October; the production winery on 2nd Street processes fruit from Napa, Sonoma and Lodi farms. Solano Cellars hosts harvest tasting events.
Wild Mushrooms: Chanterelles, Porcini, Black Trumpets: The first autumn rains trigger the Northern California wild mushroom season. Chanterelles, porcini, black trumpets and hedgehog mushrooms from the coast ranges and Sierra foothills appear at Berkeley markets from October. Berkeley Bowl carries the widest selection of wild mushrooms of any grocery store in the East Bay. Chez Panisse's autumn prix fixe menus are organized around whatever mushrooms are available that day.
Heirloom Apples and Pears: Berkeley Bowl stocks up to 20 apple varieties during peak autumn season including Gravenstein, Esopus Spitzenburg, Calville Blanc d'Hiver, Roxbury Russet and Ashmead's Kernel. Monterey Market receives varieties from Sebastopol and Watsonville orchards that do not appear at grocery stores. Heirloom pears including Warren and Bosc from Oregon accompany the apple season.

Specialty Citrus Season: Winter is specialty citrus season at Berkeley markets. Cara Cara oranges, Blood oranges, Satsuma mandarins, Meyer lemons, Oro Blanco grapefruit and Sumo citrus appear at Monterey Market and Berkeley Bowl from December through February. Some varieties come from Berkeley's own microclimate; Meyer lemon trees grow in residential yards throughout North Berkeley and the fruit appears at the Saturday market from December.
Dungeness Crab Season: California Dungeness crab season opens in November (subject to regulatory delay) and runs through February. Berkeley Bowl's fish counter stocks live and fresh-cooked Dungeness from California Central Coast fisheries. Several Berkeley restaurants build temporary menu sections around crab season. The season's opener is a cultural event in Berkeley's food community.
Winter Brassicas and Greens: Dinosaur kale, Romanesco cauliflower, raab and braising greens thrive in the Berkeley winter climate. Local farms within 100 miles supply the Saturday market year-round; the winter months bring the deepest selection of brassicas and greens. Berkeley's mild winters allow outdoor growing through December and January for crops that would be unavailable in most of the United States.