The real flavors of summer

Summer brings an amazing bounty of fruits and vegetables, but if you don't shop locally or eat at restaurants that do, you might never know it.  Summer is the season of amazing flavors, and you owe it to yourself to sample them. 

Tomatoes of types you've never seen explode in your mouth with flavor--but only if you buy them fresh.  Onions taste new and sweet.  Cucumbers are rich and flavorful.  So many amazing vegetables and fruits are available only now, and only if you get them fresh. 

If you're eating out, try somewhere that sources its ingredients locally.  More and more restaurants do.  They typically won't be chains, and the food might cost you a little bit more than the chain fare, but the tastes are worth the fee. 

If you're shopping for vegetables, support local farmers as much as you can afford.  After you've sampled heirloom tomatoes, you will never look at the greenhouse variety the same way. 

If your budget permits, support local places, and reap a reward of amazing flavors.