6 Seasonal Foods That Really Need To Stop Being Seasonal

I have gone on record about my disdain of a few seasonal foods already–pumpkin spice, turkey and McRibs among them, and those foods should stay seasonal so I don't have to hear about them all the time. But, I admit I do have my soft spots. There are a few dishes that for whatever reason are restricted to certain seasons. Each year, I mark calendar and get ready to binge, only to have to say goodbye a few shorts months, weeks and even days later. What's it going to take to keep these foods year-round? More than a list, but hey, a guy can hope, can't he?

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6. Persimmons

Yes, I know there are reasons why fruits are seasonal, but persimmons (specifically Jiro persimmons, the firm ones) are possibly the most perfect fruit in existence. It's a travesty that they can only be consumed for a few months each year.

Think about it. They have a mellow, happy sweetness that doesn't offend. They're not overly juicy, so they're easy to keep neat. They don't get much sweeter as they ripen, so you don't have to be super careful about timing. What more could you ask for in a fruit?

Persimmon season is starting to wrap up already, so if you haven't had one yet this year, please go out and get one. How persimmons haven't become California's favorite fruit and subject to hot-house production so we can have them year-round is beyond me.

5. Capirotada

I normally dislike bread puddings, but capirotada? The Mexi-derived bread pudding is unlike any other bread pudding in existence, but sadly it only shows up around Lent.

A rare combination of bolillos, sugar, spices, fruits, nuts and cheese–yes, cheese–capirotada has a wonderfully varied texture and an uncommon flavor profile.

If only our Mexican-in-Chief Gustavo could convince his mom to make it sometime other than right before Easter.
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4. Large-Capacity Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Reese's Big Cups are available year round, but they're nothing compared to the awkwardly shaped Reese's Christmas Trees, Pumpkins, Hearts, Eggs or Footballs (really just repurposed eggs).

For one, while the Big Cups are actually bigger than the seasonal candies, the novelties take more bites to finish owing to their seasonal shapes. For two, the chocolate around the novelties is thinner, and there's more peanut butter — the real star of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And finally, for three, sometimes I just want to eat something shaped like a heart.

Is that asking too much?

3. Hatch Chiles

There's not a week that I don't kick myself for missing this year's Hatch chile roast. Guess I'll start counting down the months until I can try the Playground's Hatch Burger now.. 10.. 9..
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2. Girl Scout Cookies

I can't even count on my hands the last time I had a thin mint, not for a lack of trying. No matter how many boxes I buy to try to last me through the entire year, through the efforts of myself, my roommates and random people who show up to my house sometimes, the cookies are reliably gone a month or two after scouting season ends. I can't keep them safe in the freezer since thin mints actually improve the colder they get. What's a guy to do? Not eat the cookies that are just sitting there?

Now if only there was some sort of Girl Scout Cookie black market..

1. Seasonal Beers

It would be nice if I didn't have to wait in line for some Pliny the Younger or wait until Oktoberfest for an Oktoberfest beer. And then there's all the beers that are released for limited runs, possibly never to return again. What kind of way to drink is that? Who wants to wait in lines dozen deep for a for taste or to fall in love with a beer just to see if disappear.

Would regularly availability really hurt demand for these brews? I'm just waiting to hear those magic words: “Unlimited Release.”

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