Seasons in Central Texas

What’s in Season in Central Texas — And How I Use It

Every time I walk into the kitchen to plan a menu, I’m thinking about what’s in season — not just in theory, but in the dirt, in the fields, and at the markets around Central Texas. What’s growing well right now? What’s hitting its stride? That’s the real starting point.

Spring in Central Texas might mean snap peas, carrots, strawberries, and flowering herbs. Summer brings sweet corn, zucchini, okra, tomatoes, melons, and peaches that drip down your wrist. Fall and early winter give us butternut squash, greens like kale and chard, persimmons, radishes, and citrus that finally starts to show up in full.

Cooking with the seasons here isn’t just practical — it’s grounding. It’s a rhythm. And when you lean into it, your food starts to tell a story that makes sense. Sweet corn with a smoked pepper butter. Roasted okra with chili flake and lime. Butternut squash purée under seared chicken thighs with thyme and garlic. These aren’t recipes, they’re reactions. Just responding to what’s good right now.

For private dinners, I try to keep the menus adaptive but clear. If peaches are peaking, I’ll poach them with local honey and thyme and serve them with a coconut custard or whipped mascarpone. If tomatoes are really singing, they’ll show up raw, blistered, confited — probably all three. Citrus gets tucked into vinaigrettes and garnishes, or used to brighten a sauce without leaning on vinegar.

And on the sourcing side — I’m loyal. If I’ve got a farmer whose greens are pristine that week, I’ll build a salad around them. If someone has quail eggs, or Chioggia beets, or flowering cilantro, I’ll find a way to use it. That kind of cooking keeps things alive.

Seasonal doesn’t mean limiting. It means listening.