Reluctantly, I must admit – maybe I was too quick to write off summer. After months of enduring the stifling heat, suffocating humidity and relentless onslaught of mosquitoes, that first cool morning of fall always feels like a miracle. It becomes easy to forget all the magic summer carries when the possibility of simply wearing a long-sleeved shirt without sweating is on the horizon.

Last week I went to the final Hitching Lot Farmers Market of the season, and it felt bittersweet. In my excitement for fall, I forgot that the end of summer brings the end of the Mississippi growing season – and with it, the end of being able to walk down to Second Street to buy local produce from local farmers. I audibly gasped when I went to Lane Farm’s booth to buy sweet potatoes and saw they still had zucchini and summer squash available. I immediately bought some, knowing I would bake something that celebrates both the arrival of fall while honoring the end of a beautiful, vibrant summer – a delicious zucchini and summer squash bread.

Whenever I’m in the mood to bake something simple, I turn to Kat Cermelj of The Loopy Whisk. Kat specializes in developing recipes that are gluten- and dairy-free, so she’s a great resource if you have dietary restrictions and need foolproof recipes. While I’m not gluten- or dairy-free, I’ve found that even when I substitute regular all-purpose flour for her recommended gluten-free flour, I still get a perfect bake.

This week, I adapted my recipe from her “Easy Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread” (theloopywhisk.com). One of the main changes I made was using a mix of zucchini and yellow summer squash. Honestly, they looked so beautiful together at the farmers market that I couldn’t bear to separate them. The great thing about this recipe is you don’t have to squeeze the moisture out of the squash – just make sure you use the large holes on your box grater to achieve a coarse grate. If you use a fine microplane or smaller holes, the squash will be too mushy and dense for the batter.

I also couldn’t help but add some chocolate chips to mine, but that’s totally optional. You might also add chopped pecans or walnuts – both would be delicious.

While this batter is quick and easy to throw together, it takes a little over an hour in the oven, so it does require some patience. I love to make this early in the morning to help warm the house after the chilly nights we’ve been having lately. You can test the progress of the bake by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf; if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s done. Try not to overbake it – that way the crumb stays moist and tender. No one likes a dry loaf.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. To me, it felt like the perfect opportunity to slow down and show some gratitude for the beautiful summer season we just had while also celebrating the arrival of fall. If you miss the Hitching Lot Farmers Market like I do, don’t forget they’ll hold their annual Holiday Market on Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – hopefully, I’ll see you there.

ZUCCHINI AND SUMMER SQUASH BREAD

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:
100 grams light brown sugar
100 grams granulated sugar
110 grams olive oil or vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
300 grams coarsely grated zucchini and summer squash (no need to remove any moisture from it by blotting or wringing it out; you’ll need about 1 medium zucchini and 1 medium yellow summer squash)
240 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 ounces chocolate chips (tossed in 1 teaspoon of flour to prevent sinking)

Directions:
■ Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment or baking paper.
■ In a large bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
■ Add the coarsely grated zucchini and yellow squash and mix until combined.
■ In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
■ Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything into a smooth, fairly runny batter with no flour clumps.
■ Measure out the chocolate chips, toss them with 1 teaspoon of flour, then fold into the batter until evenly distributed.
■ Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
■ Bake at 350 F for about 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until the bread is well-risen, cracked down the center and deep golden brown on top. Insert a toothpick or cake tester — it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. (If it starts to brown too much, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil, shiny side up, and continue baking until done.)
■ Allow the zucchini bread to cool in the loaf pan for about 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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