Seasonal products from Valencia

If we had to summarize Valencian cuisine in a single sentence, it would be this: well-seasoned dishes made with ingredients taken fresh from the land and sea. 
 On this basis, and with a dash of creativity and tradition, Valencia makes dishes using local ingredients with a Mediterranean essence that is adapted to the time of year. 

To help you enjoy delicious dishes made with ingredients harvested in the area at the appropriate time, we have prepared a monthly guide of the products you will find at peak flavor in the market and some of the typical dishes cooked using these products. 

Let's go. Ensure a balanced and, above all, tasty diet with food full of flavor. And if cooking isn't your thing, there are many restaurants where you can savor dishes made with local products.

Discover the speciality of each month:

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

Choose seasonal dishes, packed with flavor every month of the year

January

The year starts out right because January is one of the months when oranges are sweetest. In addition to this quintessential Valencia citrus fruit, there are other locally-grown products that reach their peak in January.

• Crops: orange, lemon, avocado, kiwi, chard, celery, thistle, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, spinach and lettuce.
• Fish: eel, bonito, little tunny, pandora, sea bream, squid, blue crab, ray, spotted flounder, striped seabream, gilthead, small-spotted catshark, greater amberjack and mullet.
• Typical dish: if there is one seasonal recipe, it's the Roscón de Reyes, whether in its more popular version, a round-shaped sweet filled with cream, angel hair jam, cream, truffle or chocolate, or the casca de reis, from the area of Gandía, which is shaped like a snake and made with ground almond, yolk and sweet potato or pumpkin confit.

February

Very similar to the January offerings due to the weather, in February we see some variation such as the addition of the versatile leek, for example.

• Crops: orange, lemon, avocado, kiwi, chard, celery, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, spinach, lettuce and leek.
• Fish: blue crab, eel, octopus, cuttlefish, bream, sea bream, ray, mullet, spotted flounder, squid, striped seabream, mackerel, sea bream, spotted catshark and greater amberjack.
• Typical dish: in addition to the chocolates and hearts of St. Valentine's, it's a perfect month to make all i pebre de anguila (eel with garlic and pepper), one of the most special and tastiest dishes you can eat in Valencia.

March

The month of the Fallas offers up lots of chances to go out to eat tapas, lunch, an afternoon snack or dinner in a good restaurant. In any case, make sure this month's dishes have some of the following:

• Crops: orange, lemon, avocado, kiwi, chard, celery, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, spinach, lettuce, asparagus and artichoke.
• Fish: eel, octopus, cuttlefish, red prawn, anchovy, mullet, pandora, blue crab, greater fork-beard, blue whiting, squid, ray, spotted flounder, flying squid, striped seabream, mackerel, sea bream, rabbit fish, spotted catshark and black ruff.
• Typical dish: for this month, we'd be remiss not to mention the pumpkin doughnuts, which are a must-eat in Fallas, served with chocolate in a mug; there is no more typical food during the Fallas frenzy than this snack to get your energy back.

April

Easter month has a good repertoire of dishes typical of this holiday, made with local products. It's also time for the Easter sausage and very typical sweets.

• Crops: orange, avocado, celery, endive, spinach, lettuce, asparagus, peas and carrot.
• Fish: octopus, cuttlefish, anchovy, blue crab, mullet, red shrimp, greater fork-beard, blue whiting, horse mackerel, squid, flying squid, ray, spotted flounder, pandora, mackerel, rabbit fish, spotted catshark and black ruff.
• Typical dish: in Easter in Valencia, everybody eats mona de pascua (Easter cake), panquemado and raisin and walnut cake. But it's also a time for the traditional titaina, cod fritters or stews. Explore these and other dishes and where to eat them here.

May

Summer is approaching and the last local oranges are going fast, but other fruits are coming to market that will only be around for a little while, so get them while you can. And take note, because seafood gets interesting with the arrival of the tellina (a type of clam) and clóchina - a mollusk similar to the mussel but a little smaller, with a softer and tastier texture - for example.

• Crops: apricot, cherry, strawberry, artichoke, chard, endive, lettuce, asparagus, pea, carrot and bean.
• Fish: cuttlefish, blue crab, anchovy, sardine, gray mullet, red prawn, greater fork-beard, blue whiting, horse mackerel, mackerel, clóchina, squid, flying squid, ray, spotted flounder, bluefish, rabbit fish, spotted catshark, black ruff and tellina.
• Typical dish: it would be a crime not to take advantage of the delicious shrimp in May. Put them in a fideuà with clóchinas to get the tastiest version of this typically Valencian dish. Or enjoy steamed clóchinas!

June

Crops in Valencia really come into their own in June. They flood the tables of homes and restaurants, which prepare cooler recipes as the temperature starts to rise. In addition, the Valencian tomato, an autochthonous and particularly tasty variety, starts to reach peak flavor. Ask for it in your salads!

• Crops: apricot, cherry, raspberry, strawberry, watermelon, tomato, chard, garlic, zucchini, endive, bean, lettuce, potato, cucumber, pepper and carrot.
• Fish: cuttlefish, mullet, blue crab, sardine, red shrimp, anchovy, greater fork-beard, mackerel, blue whiting, horse mackerel, clóchina, squid, flying squid, ray, spotted flounder, bluefish, rabbit fish, spotted catshark, black ruff and tellina.
• Typical dish: summer is the time of year for both sweet and savory dishes; for example, pepper and tomato cake is typical in bakeries, homes and restaurants. As for sweets: Sant Joan cake.

July

Now we are well and truly into summer. The highlight comes by way of the garrofó, a white flat bean that is famous as an ingredient in the recipe for the most authentic paella.

• Crops: in addition to the garrofó, apricot, strawberry, peach, melon, nectarine, pear, watermelon, tomato, chard, garlic, eggplant, zucchini, bean, lettuce, potato, cucumber, pepper, beetroot and carrot.
• Fish: sardine, red shrimp, blue crab, anchovy, rabbit fish, spotted catshark, black ruff, greater fork-beard, mackerel, blue whiting, horse mackerel, clóchina, squid, flying squid, ray, spotted flounder, bluefish and tellina.
• Typical dish: summer is the best time to enjoy one of the jewels of Valencian cuisine, horchata. Order it liquid or as a slushie, to your liking, served with the traditional fartons. 

August

The bounties of the field are still plentiful in August, as are local shellfish and seafood. 

• Crops: fig, peach, melon, raspberry, blackberry, nectarine, pear, watermelon, tomato, eggplant, zucchini, onion, bean, lettuce, potato, cucumber, pepper, beetroot, carrot and locust bean.
• Fish: sardine, red shrimp, blue crab, anchovy, greater fork-beard, mackerel, blue whiting, horse mackerel, clóchina, squid, flying squid, ray, spotted flounder, bluefish, rabbit fish, rabbit fish, black ruff and tellina.
• Typical dish: it's the perfect time to make esgarraet, a salad of roasted pepper with cod, which is sometimes combined with mojama, tuna or roasted eggplant. 

September 

The holiday madness is over and cooking goes back to stews, much more practical for putting the summer free-for-all behind, but just as tasty.

• Crops: rice, pomegranate, fig, apple, peach, melon, eggplant, pear, tomato, grape, chard, pumpkin, lettuce, onion, endive, spinach, bean, cucumber, pepper, leek and carrot. 
• Fish: mahi mahi, greater amberjack, blue crab, little tunny, mullet, sardine, red shrimp, anchovy, greater fork-beard, horse mackerel, clóchina, squid, flying squid, mackerel, ray, spotted flounder, bluefish, rabbit fish, spotted catshark, black ruff and tellina. 
• Typical dish: what better dish than paella in the month that observes World Paella Day, on September 20. With the typical garrofó bean, which is at its peak. As for sweets, llanda cake or Cristina cake are very traditional and are eaten for dessert or afternoon snack. You'll find them in bakeries and pastry shops.  

October

The countryside is once again tinged more with greens and browns than with the color of fruit trees, and winter recipes make a comeback.

• Crops: kiwi, chard, sweet potato, broccoli, pumpkin, onion, cabbage, endive, spinach, lettuce, leek, radish, beetroot, carrot and chufa. 
• Fish: eel, mahi mahi, greater amberjack, bonito, blue crab, little tunny, red mullet, red shrimp, anchovy, ray, mackerel, spotted flounder, greater fork-beard, horse mackerel, squid, rabbit fish, spotted catshark, black ruff, flying squid, striped seabream and gray mullet. 
• Typical dish: since October 9 is the day of the Valencian Community, you have to put on your list the marzipans of the Mocadorà de Sant Donís, which lovers give to each other. 

November

The highlight in the local fields in November is the arrival of citrus fruits, and especially the first oranges and mandarins, which signal the start of the season.

• Crops: orange, lemon, lime, mandarin, avocado, kiwi, chard, sweet potato, broccoli, thistle, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, spinach, lettuce, turnip, leek, radish, beetroot, carrot and peanut. 
• Fish: eel, mahi mahi, greater amberjack, bonito, little tunny, red mullet, anchovy, red shrimp, ray, spotted flounder, greater fork-beard, blue crab, sea bream, squid, flying squid, striped seabream, gilt, rabbit fish, spotted catshark, black ruff and gray mullet. 
• Typical dish: it's a great month if you have a sweet tooth since, to celebrate All Saints Day, all kinds of treats are made, such as marzipans in various shapes and sizes, and nun's puffs. And for fans of cocktails, oranges also bring with them Valencia water, a blend of juice and cava that you will love. 

December 

The year ends with one of the best months for citrus fruits, and with Christmas recipes that are especially prepared to welcome family and friends at Christmas celebrations.

• Crops: orange, lemon, grapefruit, avocado, persimmon, kiwi, chard, celery, broccoli, thistle, lettuce, cauliflower, endive, chard, turnip, leek and carrot. 
• Fish: eel, greater amberjack, bonito, blue crab, little tunny, red mullet, red shrimp, greater fork-beard, sea bream, gray mullet, squid, flying squid, ray, spotted flounder, pandora, striped seabream, bream, rabbit fish, spotted catshark and black ruff. 
• Typical dish: there are many typical Valencian sweets, and Christmas brings with it some of the mainstays of our cuisine and recognized nationally, such as the nougats of Xixona and Casinos, along with anise rolls, mandarin rolls, angel hair cakes, sweet potato cakes, pumpkin cakes, sugared almonds, walnut and yolk fondant and coquetes de sagí (lard cookies). 

And with this list of Christmas delicacies, we conclude this review of the calendar of seasonal Valencian products.  
Keep it handy when you're planning a trip to Valencia or visiting a local restaurant to make sure you're always eating the freshest ingredients.