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Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Late summer may be the most relaxed cooking time of the year. All it takes to put together a beautiful salad is a basket of heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a bright dressing, in this case my basil blue cheese vinaigrette. Soon we will be slicing squash and roasting pumpkins, but for now, we still have brilliant tomatoes in yellow, purple, and green, with stripes and ridges that make you miss summer just a bit before it even ends. Perfectly ripe summer tomatoes can be enjoyed with a bit of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, but they shine just as much with a scattering of herbs…
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Cantaloupe Gazpacho
This cold summer soup balances savory and sweet with ripe, juicy cantaloupe and tomatoes as the base. Although gazpacho is a traditional Spanish soup, here the addition of cantaloupe and a garnish of prosciutto or jamón serrano makes it more broadly Mediterranean and, for me, taste like Italy. A staple appetizer on the Italian side of my family was prosciutto-wrapped melon. As a child, I would wrap the juicy slices and marvel at how my mother invented such a delicious pairing. I thought she had invented so many of the classics in the way we naturally ascribe inventor status to those we love. Topping the cantaloupe gazpacho with a bit…
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Strawberry Sorbet
Ripe, sweet strawberries become even more lush when transformed into sorbet. And when it comes to this transformation, the process requires no special equipment – just a blender. If you read about my nectarine sorbet or Mexican ice cream, you know that I favor no-churn desserts. A simple process creates decadent flavor, and as the weather gets warmer I seem to crave both. Made from just a few ingredients, this dairy-free alternative to ice cream and frozen custard can also be layered with them parfait-style. Let it settle between rich vanilla scoops or use it to top a cocktail (or mocktail), and it will impart strong berry flavor as it…
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Fourth of July Celebration Ideas
July 4th is one of the most enjoyable holidays because it comes with so few expectations and so many opportunities for creativity. Let this list be your guide for a stylish and tasty celebration. Make a Seasonal Barbecue Sauce: Inspired by summers on the Maine coast, this recipe relies on fresh blueberries to create a slightly sweet and smoky sauce in the style of Carolina barbecue. The vinegar-rich sauce celebrates flavors from along the East Coast. Wherever you are, it’s a tasty way to celebrate summer’s finest while adding delicious flavor to chicken and meat. Mix Plaid, Gingham, Stars and Stripes: Traditional red, white, and blue can be found on…
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Labor Day Celebration Ideas
We have weeks of summer left, yet Labor Day signals a return of sorts. Little ones get tucked into their fluffy beds a bit earlier. Colleagues come back from their last beach vacation and quicken the pace of work. Even sunlight itself, which seemed endless some days, is meeting the streetlights while we watch. If summer is about ripening berries, September is about the few left to find, making Labor Day celebrations a time to savor what we cherish most about the season. As you entertain family and friends, or take a moment to relax, here are my tips on how to make the most of the holiday. Serve and…
