It's apple season, and there's nothing quite like the feeling of jars cooling on the counter or a pantry filled with homemade apple jars. This year, the season feels especially precious here in Maryland. A late spring frost in April caused significant damage to many local orchards, leaving some growers with smaller harvests and fewer apples to offer. It's a reminder of just how much care, hard work, and Mother Nature go into every piece of fruit we bring home. Apples are one of my favorite...

Fresh figs have a short season, but a good batch of preserves lets you enjoy their sweet, rich flavor long after summer ends. Two Fig Recipes to Make Fig Preserves are a classic choice when you want tender pieces of fruit in a thick, sweet syrup. Serve them with biscuits, toast, cheese, or spoon them over yogurt. Fig Jam has a smooth, spreadable texture that belongs on breakfast toast, desserts, and simple snack boards. It also makes a lovely homemade gift. Start with ripe, unblemished figs...

Hatch pepper season has arrived, and it never lasts long! Grown in New Mexico’s Hatch Valley, these flavorful peppers are known for their distinctive smoky taste and a range of heat levels, from pleasantly mild to seriously spicy. Because their season is so brief, now is the perfect time to enjoy them fresh and preserve a few batches for later. One of my favorite ways to extend Hatch pepper season is by pickling. Pickled Hatch peppers bring a bright, tangy kick to tacos, sandwiches, eggs,...