November is a beautiful month to cook, and I’m so glad I started this series now.
baskets of apples and pears, winter squash in every imaginable shape, earthy root vegetables, and leafy greens that grow sweeter with the cold.
Here in Virginia, this is the time of year when I find myself drawn to slower meals. Soups simmering with herbs, pears gently poached in fragrant tea, and simple desserts made with whatever fruit looks most beautiful at the market.
We do much of our weekly shopping at our local farmers market, allowing what’s available to influence what we’ll eat. It’s a practice that makes cooking feel less like another household chore and more like participating in the season.
This November produce guide is inspired by the harvests of Virginia and the greater Mid Atlantic, where cool weather crops, late autumn fruit, and carefully stored produce fill market tables.
November seasonal produce list
A practical shopping reference for Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic. Some items are freshly harvested in November, while others are available from autumn harvests or winter storage.
| Category | What’s in season |
|---|---|
| Autumn fruit | Apples, European and Asian pears, persimmons, quince |
| Winter squash | Butternut, acorn, delicata, kabocha, pumpkins from storage |
| Root vegetables | Carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, potatoes, celery root |
| Cruciferous vegetables | Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, Romanesco, cabbage, kale |
| Leafy greens | Spinach, arugula, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, lettuce |
| Alliums | Leeks, scallions, garlic, onions, shallots |
| Other autumn favorites | Fennel, mushrooms, sunchokes, chestnuts, kohlrabi |
| Herbs | Rosemary, sage, thyme, mint and other hardy or protected herbs |
November availability varies with weather, farm practices and storage.
What to cook with November’s harvest
1. Pears & apples
November is the perfect time for spiced fruit desserts, warm compotes, apple butter and beautifully fragrant baking.
From the Frolic & Fare kitchen: Honey & Butterfly Pea Tea Poached Pears, Chamomile Apple Butter, and an Upside Down Pear Tart.
2. Winter squash & pumpkins
Acorn, butternut and delicata squash are especially lovely roasted, blended into soups or folded into creamy pasta.
From the Frolic & Fare kitchen: Butternut Squash & Marigold Soup, Creamy Acorn Squash Pasta, and Maple Pumpkin Cornbread.
3. Cauliflower, cabbage & Brussels sprouts
These beautiful cool-weather vegetables are wonderful roasted, quick pickled or dressed with a sharp vinaigrette.
From the Frolic & Fare kitchen: Purple Cauliflower & Calendula Refrigerator Pickles, Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Winter Cabbage Slaw.
4. Roots & sweet potatoes
Carrots, parsnips, beets and turnips have an earthy sweetness that responds beautifully to roasting.
Try making: Honey & Thyme Roasted Carrots, Rosemary Parsnip Purée, or Beet & Goat Cheese Crostini.
5. Kale, spinach & bitter greens
November greens make some of the most interesting salads of the year. Pair their bitterness with fruit, sharp cheese and toasted nuts.
Try making: Autumn Garden Salad with Pears, Candied Pecans & Aged Cheddar, or a Warm Kale & Roasted Squash Salad.
6. Persimmons, quince & chestnuts
These less familiar seasonal treasures deserve a place in the November kitchen. They’re particularly wonderful for preserving and holiday desserts.
Try making: Vanilla Poached Quince, Persimmon & Honey Cake, or Rosemary Roasted Chestnuts.
A botanical note: herbs & edible flowers in November
Even as the garden settles into dormancy, there are still beautiful ways to bring botanical ingredients into the kitchen.
Sage, thyme and rosemary are natural companions to November’s vegetables. Their fragrant, woodsy flavors lend themselves to savory baking, roasted meats, infused honey and warming drinks.
A few flowers may also linger in protected gardens during mild weather, particularly violas, pansies and calendula. Dried flowers gathered earlier in the year are equally useful for adding color and fragrance to seasonal recipes.
For November, I particularly love these combinations: rosemary with pears, sage with squash, chamomile with apples, calendula with root vegetables, and hibiscus with cranberries.
Always use flowers that are positively identified as edible and grown without pesticides unsuitable for food.
Beyond the local harvest: November’s festive flavors
Not everything that feels seasonal in November is grown locally in Virginia. Cranberries, pomegranates and citrus are wonderful additions to holiday cooking, but they’re generally sourced from other growing regions.
I love incorporating them thoughtfully alongside locally grown produce.
- Cranberries: Cranberry Hibiscus Sauce, cranberry balsamic chicken, and homemade preserves.
- Pomegranates:
- Oranges: Orange Rosemary Shortbread, spiced cider and orange blossom desserts.
A November farmers market basket
This week’s shopping list
The Fairlington Farmers Market produce calendar is a helpful local reference for what may be available in November, although individual farm harvests change throughout the month.
A simple November menu inspired by the market
To begin
Roasted Grape & Gorgonzola Crostini
For supper
Apple Cider Dijon Chicken
On the side
Honey Roasted Roots & Sage
Something sweet
Tea Poached Pears & Chamomile Ice Cream
A slower way to cook this November
There is something deeply satisfying about making a meal from what the season provides. Buying a basket of beautiful vegetables, using the herbs that are still growing outside, and finding ways to turn simple ingredients into something worth gathering around.
November reminds us that beautiful cooking doesn’t require extraordinary ingredients. Often, it simply asks us to pay attention to what’s growing around us.
I hope this month’s guide inspires you to visit a farmers market, bring home something unfamiliar, and make a little room for the pleasures of seasonal cooking.
With love from my Virginia kitchen, Frolic & Fare.