watermelon margarita

if you are looking for the perfect summer cocktail to sip on this labor day, look no further. this has been a summer favorite since last year, when a friend made a big batch at a 4th of july party and exclaimed how simple they were to make!  just three ingredients – frozen watermelon, lime juice and tequila – i just had to try them for myself. if you use really sweet melon that is seasonal and just perfectly ripe, then you don’t... Read More

green zebra gazpacho

the green zebra is an interesting variety.  they are grouped in with the other heirloom tomatoes but they are actually a hybrid of two different heirlooms.  and because heirloom means that the seeds come from pure strains – in other words, they have not been crossed with another variety – by crossing two heirlooms it actually yields a non-heirloom.  kind of like how multiplying two negative numbers makes a positive one.  does that... Read More

farmers’ market find: yellow watermelon!

summer is a beautiful time at the market.  people come out of the woodwork for fresh produce like heirloom tomatoes, stone fruit, sweet corn, peppers and the best watermelon you can get anywhere.  it is so sweet without being over-ripe or mealy, the difference is obvious when you compare side by side with the grocery store variety. and the farmers i work for grow a very special variety, their large oval-shaped yellow watermelons!  some of them... Read More

strawberry and fig galette with tahini honey cream

i had never made a galette before, but spotted them all over the blogosphere.  they are beautiful and elegant, but look even easier to make then a double-crusted pie or a tart because they consist of a single pie crust with filling loosely piled in and the edges simply folded over.  so when i had beautiful fresh figs just waiting to be used and some yummy local strawberries that paired with them well, i figured a galette would be the perfect way... Read More

heirloom marinara – the good stuff

i’ll let you know right off the bat that to make some seriously good marinara you need to start with some seriously delicious tomatoes – i recommend buying organic heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market while they’re still in season.  because they can be expensive, i recommend finding a farmer that has great tasting tomatoes but is willing to sell you the less perfect ones at a discount.  at the markets i frequent in los angeles,... Read More

lemon cucumber and heirloom tomato carpaccio

i get so excited when heirloom tomatoes come back in season that i quite audibly squeal.  i don’t know if it’s the short season – only about a month and a half if we’re lucky – or the unique taste that can’t be found in conventional tomatoes, but they are the one veggie i dream about all year long. i consider the heirloom tomato to be the darling of the farmers’ market.  out of all the produce that cycles... Read More

peach caprese

while i love tomatoes, i’ve become spoiled by working for organic tomato farmers the past two summers.  their tomatoes have the most amazing smooth and velvety texture with these incredibly unique flavors in each variety.  most of them are heirlooms and i’ve learned those suckers absolutely will not grow outside of their very specific season (roughly july to mid-august).  if you find tomatoes at the farmers’ market other times... Read More

bok choy coleslaw

the beginning of the grilling season has pulled us outdoors and commanded we try to grill anything we can.  but to go along with the charbroiled treats, i’ve been quite a fiend for coleslaws and tasty raw salads which clear the palate nicely.  i usually skip the mayo, using oil, lemon juice and honey for flavor instead. because i sometimes find it tough to find the standard cabbage in the spring and summer, i have found myself searching for... Read More

rustic heirloom tomato salad

these tomatoes don’t need much to taste good.  sometimes i just eat them plain.  but if you are new to heirlooms and need a simple idea for how to enjoy them, try this simple salad.  it features an easy honey dressing which cuts the sharp taste of some of the more acidic tomatoes, and subtly compliments the sweeter ones perfectly.  it’s lightly tossed with fresh heirloom tomatoes, basil, parsley and onion in a perfect summer concoction. ... Read More

mixed stone fruit salsa

we are at the very peak of stone fruit season.  apricots have been around for a while, peaches are just now getting good and cherries are the sweetest they can be right this very second!  for these few weeks of the year we can see nectarines, pluots, and apriums next to white, yellow and doughnut peaches, alongside baskets of red and rainier cherries.  so i gather them up while i can! i often think of baking them into tarts, pies or cakes, but... Read More