Local corn is sweet, delicious, and healthy. It is a great carbohydrate to depend on during local eating month, because it is rich in vitamins B1 and C, and is a great source of fiber. In addition, it is very versatile, and can be enjoyed in many different ways. This recipe highlights the fresh flavors of Mexico that are present in many markets. If you cannot find poblanos, a variety of other local peppers can be used.

Inspired by the flavors of the rugged Southwest, we made a spicy ketchup by adding guajillo chile peppers to the ingredients. You can find dried guajillos in the produce section of most supermarkets. The next time you have a barbeque, be sure to make this and give your guests a different kind of condiment.

This is our take on a Cowboy-type cobbler. It is “Drunken” because there is quite a bit of tequila mixed with the berries before it goes into the oven. We also added some corn flour to our batter, giving it that crunchy sweet edge.

These healthy veggie burgers are made with sprouted pumpkin seeds. When raw pumpkin seeds are soaked for 6-24 hours, their enzymes “wake-up” and become active. Soaked seeds have more protein and minerals readily available for the body, and are easily digested. Pumpkin seeds are especially beneficial for men’s health. You can eat these burgers uncooked, but we like to throw them on the grill for 10 minutes.

It is nice to have recipes on hand that just depend on simple combinations of quality ingredients. This Summer appetizer is just that. Ripe cantaloupe, soft and crumbly feta cheese, and sweet basil go together so well that you do not need to do anything fancy. Next time you are summer entertaining and looking for something simple, try this easy appetizer inspired by Turkish cooking.

We thought that it would be difficult to find Thai basil, so we used Sweet Basil in our Drunken Thai Noodle dish. We ended up having to rename them Not Really Thai Thai Noodles. However, we have found Thai basil at the New York City Greenmarkets, putting us to shame. This is our answer, Not Really Italian- Italian Pasta with Thai Basil!

In addition to Apricots with Mint, we made Corn with Herb Oil for the demo at the Cortelyou Greenmarket. The recipe that we printed out uses parsley, dill, cilantro, mint, and basil, but at the market we also found Thai basil, chervil, and lemon balm. Herbs are in abundance, so do not be afraid to use them with abandon in your cooking these days.