I'm not into hot, honestly. I sweat. I melt. I curse the heat in my non-air-conditioned house. But all it takes are fresh organic raspberries (a dollar a pack right now; I just bought 10!) and the truth comes out: I'm summer's biggest fan … because of the food. I'm grilling zucchini, peppers, and eggplant, making cherry pies (at night when it's cool), tossing up gigantic salads, and of course throwing berries into just about everything.
Here's the salad I made a couple of days ago:
In a glass jar, mix:
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
a pinch of salt
Shake well.
In a big bowl, toss together:
Several cups of washed farm-fresh greens and arugula
A handful of crumbled feta cheese
A handful of fresh raspberries and/or blueberries
Toasted chopped pecans
Drizzle with dressing (not all of it) and toss gently.