It’s supposed to be 90 degrees outside later today – so downright hot that I felt like loading H. up in the Mini to take him to the pool one last time before it closes for good for Labor Day.
Still – there’s something of fall in the air right now – a kind of crisp cool when we wake up in the mornings. We’re a full month from the first day of autumn, but I’m already getting the itch to hang my fall wreath and start planning the menus for annual Thanksgiving get together. Maybe it’s because the first fresh local apples are appearing at farmer’s markets. J. will start our first batch of hard apple cider this weekend, and I can see the leaves on some of our big oak trees are preparing to let go.
But wait! We’re skipping ahead! I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to summer yet. How much fun are the rainbow of peppers that are available right now? And how sweet are the melons that are still coming straight from the fields?
I missed my CSA pick-up last week because we were on vacation, so I had the pleasure of shopping for this week’s groceries at Baltimore Farmer’s Market on Sunday, where I scored fresh black-eyed peas and crowder peas. Yum – more on these later. I was particularly struck, though, by all the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes available right now. I ended up buying some beautiful black cherry tomatoes that we dressed with lime juice and fresh oregano and served atop bison burgers and arugula. I also bought some really unique multi-colored, pear-shaped heirlooms that went into the watermelon heirloom tomato salad you see in this recipe.
If it already feels like fall, this salad is a sure reminder that we’re still at the peak of summer. It’s a good example of a recipe that allows fruit and vegetables – straight from the garden – to do all the work. Fresh watermelon and heirloom cherry tomatoes are flavored with white balsamic vinegar and dill to make a simple, gluten free side dish for grilled chicken or fish. Garnish with feta or pistachios and serve on a bed of fresh spinach or baby kale to make a more substantial vegetarian or vegan meal.
- 4 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes sliced in half, or larger heirloom tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups coarsely chopped seedless watermelon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- In a large bowl combine the tomatoes and watermelon.
- Toss with the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and dill.
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