Our fave pizza, plus 10 other foods celebrated in October and where in Brevard to find them

Think October is just for pumpkin spice and candy corn? Think again.

Every food has its day, especially on social media. If you're looking for something to celebrate this week, Monday is National Fried Scallops Day, Wednesday is National Kale Day — and National Taco Day — and Friday is National Orange Wine Day.

But in October, at least 11 foods (OK, 10 foods and books that help us make food) get the whole month.

That means we've got 31 days to pay homage to apples, sausage, pizza, cookies and lots of other delicious things.

October just might be the tastiest month of the year.

Here's a list of what we're celebrating this month and some of our favorite local places to find them.

National Apple Month

Downtown Produce, 7856 Ellis Road, Melbourne, 321-308-0275, downtownproduce.com; The Produce Place, 5775 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, 321-253-1700; Thrifty Specialty Produce & Meats, various locations, 321-726-8007, thriftyspecialtyproduceandmeats.com

Yes, you can find apples in every grocery year-round. But during National Apple Month, why not stock up at places that have "produce" in their names? Chances are good you'll happen upon a wine tasting while shopping at Downtown Produce in Melbourne. Get in the spirit of fall at the open-air Produce Place in Suntree. And you'll find a lot more than apples at Thrifty, which has locations in Rockledge, Palm Bay and Melbourne. If you're looking for a specific pepper to make your own birria tacos, you'll find it at Thrifty.

More about Thrifty: Thrifty Specialty Produce & Meats to open Wednesday on Barton Boulevard in Rockledge

National Caramel Month

Southern Caramel, 1280 Sarno Road, Melbourne, 321-704-9253, southerncaramel.com

With flavors including bourbon, sea salted and coffee, there's sure to be a Southern Caramel that will satisfy any sweet tooth. I always pick up a few bags to give as Christmas gifts ... and end up keeping a couple for myself.

National Chili Month

Broken Barrel Sports Bar & Grill, 4700 Babcock St. NE, Palm Bay, 321-728-4755, brokenbarreltavern.com

It's prime sports bar season, and Broken Barrel in Palm Bay has a well-deserved reputation for great beer, barbecue and wings. It's also got Scott's Famous Turkey Chili. According to the menu, it's made from a closely guarded family recipe. You'll never know it's made from turkey and not traditional beef.

National Cookbook Month

Yellow Dog Cafe, 905 U.S. Highway 1, Malabar, 321-956-3334, yellowdogcafe.com

The catchphrase for Yellow Dog Cafe in Malabar is "your home for comfort food with flair." It's a longtime local favorite for its casually elegant seafood, steak and desserts, as well as its view. While you can't bring the view home with you, you can bring home one of chef/owner Stuart Borton's cookbooks and recreate some of his most popular dishes at home. (Dog Bone Brownie, anyone?) Yellow Dog Café Cookbook has been out for a few years now, and later this month, Comfort Food With A Flair will be available online and at the restaurant.

More about Yellow Dog: Love chocolate? Owner of Yellow Dog Cafe in Malabar shares his brownie recipe

National Cookie Month

The Sweet Heartist, 1609 N. Wickham Road, Unit C, Melbourne, 321-831-2868, facebook.com/thesweetheartist, thesweetheartist.com

The Sweet Heartist turns cookie-making into an art. Follow her on Facebook to find out about each week's cookie lineup. Some examples include pumpkin snickerdoodle, golden butterscotch chip and chocolate almond toffee.

National Dessert Month

Junk Food Bakery, 259 Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach, 321-613-3556, facebook.com/junkfoodbakeryfl, junkfoodbakery.com

You've got to love a business that tells it like it is. The treats coming out of Junk Food Bakery in Cocoa Beach may not be good for the waistline, but they're definitely good for the soul. Get a slice of the Pancake Cake. You'll thank us later.

National Pasta Month

The Daley Trade, 330 S Washington Ave., Titusville, thedaleytrade.com, facebook.com/thedaleytrade.

One thing is certain about the ever-changing menu at The Daley Trade in downtown Titusville. There will be at least one house-made pasta dish. Whatever that might be, order it. You won't be sorry.

National Pickled Peppers Month

Station 49, 4720 Dixie Highway NE, Palm Bay, 321-327-5799, station49pizza.com

Would Peter Piper put pickled peppers on pizza? Maybe not. But Brandon Basista, chef at Station 49 in Palm Bay, pickles his peppers in-house and sprinkles them on pizzas such as the Sweet + Spicy, with tomato sauce, cheese, pickled peppers and honey, and the Hang 10, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, ham, pickled Anaheim peppers and teriyaki glaze.

More about Station 49: Palm Bay restaurant is more than your average pizza joint | Restaurant Review

National Pizza Month

Lello's Ristorante & Pizzeria, 2025 Murrell Road, Rockledge, 321-305-5933, lellosmenu.com,

Who has the best pizza in Brevard? That's a question I never ask in public unless I'm itching for a fight. People take their pizza very, very seriously. But when it comes to great pizza in a casual, friendly atmosphere, Lello's is my go-to.

National Pretzel Month

Time Out Sports Bar Plus, 607 Florida Ave., Cocoa Village, 321-504-0823, timeoutplussportsbar.com, facebook.com/timeoutcocoavillage

Giant pretzels have become as ubiquitous in local casual eateries as wings and flatbread pizzas. The reason? They're delicious. Time Out adds a twist to the standard warm, salty knot of dough. The Charcuterie Board Pretzel comes loaded with meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables.

National Sausage Month

Crydermans Meat Market, 405 Florida Ave., Cocoa, 321-735-4631, crydermansbarbecue.com, facebook.com/CrydermansMeatMarket; Wassi's Meat Market, 830 N. Wickham Road 10, Melbourne, 321-242-3348, wassismeatmarket.com

According to the old saying, you don't want to know how the sausage is made. But when it comes to Crydermans Meat Market in Cocoa Village and Wassi's Meat Market in Melbourne, you needn't worry. Their sausage is made in-house, and it's always fresh and delicious.

More about Crydermans: Creative minds behind Crydermans Barbecue prepare to unveil meat market in Cocoa Village

Suzy Fleming Leonard is a features journalist with more than three decades of experience. Reach her at [email protected]. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard. 

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Dig in: Pizza, chili just a taste of the foods we honor in October