Recipes

Watermelon is the quintessential summer fruit. A thick, cold slice on a hot day is the perfect antidote. This year we’re bumping watermelon up from dessert, and serving it as an appetizer—on a stick! Best part? These are great when entertaining—no utensils or dishes needed. They’re so easy to prepare, you can even enlist the kids for some help in the kitchen. Our Blackberry Vinaigrette adds some acidity to balance the cool sweetness of the watermelon, while the feta cheese adds a salty kick. You can prep the skewers a day in advance. Just wait until you’re ready to serve them to...

Caprese salad, a classic Italian combination of fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil seems like a no brainer salad, right? That’s true, mostly, especially this time of year when farmers’ markets are filled with ripe, sun-kissed tomatoes. A little thought, though, and you can up your caprese game big time. I discovered a few new-to-me tricks this summer that elevate it from a humble combination to a star-worthy salad. First off, let’s talk about the basil. I used to cut larger leaves into ribbons. This year I decided to swap in smaller ones. They have a sweeter flavor, and less...

On its own, the salad is lovely, and a nice beginner to any summer entree. Piling it on top of toasted bread transforms it from an appetizer to a substantial main course. Perfect for lunch or a light, but filling, dinner. Good quality bread is key here. Think sturdy, too, along the lines of country bread, something that can hold the topping when you pick it up. (And not to add to your To Do List, but this recipe is perfect for this recipe, or any other recipe you might be considering!) Grilling the bread adds a nice charred flavor to...

Here’s a different take on a classic. When I was at college, my friend Mat Record was on his way to a party where he had been asked to bring a potato salad. He kept on repeating, “a po-ta-TOE salad” “a po—TAY—to salad”. Rolling around the word “potato” in an English accent so richly and vividly that twenty plus years later, I cannot see a potato salad without hearing Mat’s voice playing with the word. And potato salad has as many variations as Mat came up with pronunciations that day. Some days you want a classic, some days a classic...