During every season, I find reasons why I like that season the best. In summer, it’s the easiest to declare summer is the best! Complicated cooking is out the window and replaced with dishes that are barbecued, salads that require little or no cooking, and raw fruits and vegetables that are sweet and succulent. Tomatoes are brightly colored in oranges, yellows, and many shades of red, and summer squash lends itself to grilling or roasting. In other words, summer meal planning is Seriously Simple.
Recently I came upon this salad recipe from the California Wine Institute that sings the praises of summer’s best produce. I’ve reinterpreted this first course (or main course, depending upon how hungry you are and what you might be serving alongside it). Stone fruit like peaches or nectarines get better when grilled, bringing out their inherent sweetness.
